Son is a jazz/blues/rock musician who is looking for a competitive school for science but that has a good music scene. Unweighted 3.9 lots of AP science. Pre-med/pre-dental at this point. Considering performance minor, but wanting school with practice/gig space in dorm, and ideally good local music scene. Wants to find other musicians to form bands with. Any suggestions?
There are also cities with great Jazz scenes, like NYC, Chicago, NOLA, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, and more. So he could attend college and check out the jazz scene off campus. On the other hand, many large universities will have other students who are interested in playing jazz, so your state flagship could be a good choice, as well.
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I suggest you post this on the music major forum, which is very helpful. He does not have to be a music major to use that forum.
You or he might want to read the Double Degree Dilemma essay in the Read Me thread up top on the music forum. It is really about different ways to study music.
That essay does not cover the option of majoring in something else entirely, and continuing lessons (often for credit and funded) and extracurricular performance, which works fine for many. And yes, gigging off campus.
You may have to delve into details. For instance a school like Oberlin has enhanced access for non-BM students to the resources of the Conservatory (see their Musical Studies).
One thing to check too: at schools with BM programs, the best teachers and opportunities may go to the BM students. So he may want to avoid schools with conservatories or schools of music but there are many exceptions so he will have to check this out.
It sounds like he does not want a double degree program. Harvard, Tufts, Yale, Oberlin and many other schools would fit that bill.
By the way, music majors have a very high admit rate to med school. If they don’t cover prrequ’s they can do a post-bacc program like this (though it costs) Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical Certificate Program | Pre-Health Studies | Georgetown University
I have a feeling many schools will fit the bill. If he gets suggestions like U. of Rochester (good science, and Eastman is part of the U.) he needs to check whether he can participate as fully as he might want, due to the presence of the Eastman students. And so on. for other colleges and universities with BM degrees
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Any scores/financial constraints? If scores are good + NPC okay, I’d recommend Brown. I’ve found Providence to have a much better music scene than I expected, and music is huge on campus. Afaik there’s no official practice space in dorms, but there are always musicians playing in their rooms with windows open/loudly enough for people in the hallways to hear. I’m not sure whether that’s normal, but it was a part of the college experience I was totally unprepared for and really enjoyed. No minors at the school, but open curriculum = he can take as many music classes as he wants.
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I know a really good jazz saxophonist who did science at Tufts and gigged in Boston. Tufts has a very lively music dept. But again, there are many schools that will fit the bill. (We also love Brown!)
Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee
University of Texas in Austin
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They both have BM programs so the OP would have to check on access to resources as a BS student.
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Schools in Memphis and NOLA came to mind. Any geographical preferences? Cost constraints?
He does not want Rochester because of weather. Judging from last year’s admissions from his school, Ivy’s are a serious reach. Tufts is a possibility…he would like a larger school.
Scores are good but not enough for Ivy League coming from Northeast (ton of competition from peers at his HS).
Thanks for this super helpful reply.
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PM’ing you
Wesleyan came immediately to mind, but it’s probably too small for you.
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