<p>Hi! I'm a prospective vocal performance major, I'm currently narrowing down my list of potential colleges and was wondering if anyone could tell me about the selectivity of the following programs:</p>
<p>Loyola U. in New Orleans
DePaul U. in Chicago
Westminster Choir College
McGill U.</p>
<p>I'm also looking at U of Michigan and Oberlin, but I already know these two are quite elite.</p>
<p>I've heard that WCC and McGill are also very competitive. How do they stack up against Juilliard's 7% acceptance rate?</p>
<p>McGill is by far the most selective on your list. Westminster, DePaul and Loyola probably fall in about the same general area. Yields vary greatly and percentages are not really relative. If you are a soprano, it’s tough all over, mezzo—a slight advantage and if you are a talented male contralto–you are golden. That Juilliard 7% means very little. “Safety” or “reach”…it’s all up to you giving an excellent audition and how many spots are open THAT year for your voice type.</p>
<p>Thanks! I’m (by high school choir standards) an alto. I guess by operatic standards I would probably be a mezzo, so the slight advantage is definitely nice. </p>
<p>Although, if I picked up smoking for a few years, I could pass as a contralto. LOL. That would something. :']</p>
<p>Liz, you need to consider the teacher first. Some highly regarded schools may not have a teacher who is a good fit for you and some lesser known schools may have a teacher that would be fantastic. Without the right teacher your chances for a career are minimal. I say this with some regularity on here because it is so very important. If my son went to Julliard it would do him no good because there isn’t a teacher for him there at this time. Even though it would sound impressive that he went there, without the proper teacher fit, it would do him no good.</p>
<p>None of the schools you listed would be nearly as competitive as Juilliard. However, as others will tell you, acceptance percentages are not terribly meaningful because the applicant pools vary considerably in quality and quantity between schools. Juilliard, for example, has a huge applicant pool because of its fame and this helps keep the acceptance percentage low (this is not to take anything away from Juilliard: it is very competitive and those admitted are highly skilled because a large percentage of Juilliard’s large applicant pool are among the world’s best). </p>
<p>A good teacher is probably more important for voice than for any other musical discipline, so srw’s advice is very wise. I would highly recommend trying to get some sample lessons at each school with one or two teachers. You may even find yourself changing the schools that you are considering. Try to do some preliminary research before making requests for trial lessons. Find a couple of reliable knowledgable sources (perhaps reputable voice teachers at nearby conservatories) and ask them who they would recommend as teachers. I wouldn’t place too much weight on a single person’s opinion because the teacher’s fit with you is ultimately what counts.</p>
<p>Thanks so much everyone! Since everyone here has mentioned teachers, does anyone have any experience with the voice teachers at Loyola, DePaul, Westminster, U of M, Oberlin, or McGill? I’m planning college visits soon and any suggestions teacher-wise would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Liz as violindad says above, try talking to nearby voice teachers or if you have a college or conservative nearby. Also if you look up the voice faculty on the colleges websites many times they have a bio and sometimes the teachers will have their own websites. Once you get some specific names you can start asking around. Also you can ask at another website that just deals with singers - The New Forum For Classic Singers. Then depending on what you find out you can schedule a lesson with teachers you might be interested in. Good Luck!</p>