<p>Is your D looking more locally, shellybean or also thinking of heading out of state. I friend’s D who is most recently from the Atlanta area but not originally is at UGA in genetics I believe and has been very happy with the academics. She still feels like a bit of a fish out of water in the south but is starting to find her people with some of the honors groups and is saving so much money with HOPE that she can more easily fly the coop for grad school.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, back at the ranch, we are empty nesters for the last 2 days. Saintkid finally broke radio silence last night and it sounds like they had a mutual love fest at his Jazz Lab. Now if they would only throw big wads of cash at him we’d be golden 
@cellomom6 the strategy of going to a camp at a place that you are hoping to apply and using it as a college visit / extended audition seems to be panning out so far. And now I feel like if he heads back for an official live audition I can send him by himself and save boat loads of money that way. He will know what to do and where to go and not need me to be his “coat hanger”.</p>
<p>Aw, but I enjoyed my times as ‘coat hanger’ immensely! I missed it during the grad school audition time.</p>
<p>Clarimom, I missed it too. They are so independent by grad school. There really is only that one special time, albeit very stressful and hectic, when they are doing the undergrad auditions. After that we worrry from afar :)</p>
<p>I’m sure I will still get my chance and I can hold his coat at home and save myself a $500 plane ticket if it comes to that :D</p>
<p>I secretly enjoyed undergraduate auditions, too. It was stressful, of course, but also a bit of an adventure, with travel, seeing new places, finding restaurants, and hanging out with S. I’m now looking forward to college visits with S2 this summer and next fall.</p>
<p>My son has really enjoyed his camps at colleges too. It’s been eye opening and has made great friendships even from such short experiences. I think he’s with his people. He can talk about classical music and his love for opera all night which isn’t the normal for your typical highschool student. Cello partying included pizza and listening to classical music till 2 am which seems so odd to hear a teen doing but great.</p>
<p>@ cellomom-
Isn’t the world of music students a weird but wonderful place? We hear about high school kids getting drunk, etc, etc, and many of these kids are up all night, not partying and such, but listening and playing music and talking about it! Not all music students are that intense, but my S was/is like that, when he started going to summer programs the part he loved best was being able to talk about music with the other students and the faculty, and getting into sort of jam sessions with chamber music and such…though I hear from time to time the police have to be called when debates about whether parallel fifths should be allowed or whether is appropriate to use vibrato when playing a Beethoven String Quartet gets out of hand <em>lol</em>. My wife and I look at the cost and effort it took to get him into music school, the new violin that cost as much as a new car, etc, etc, then look at the kind of problems kids his age have gotten into, look at what kind of person he is, and manage to smile, even if our bank account doesn’t:)</p>
<p>I agree. I’d rather money be spent on something that helps my son accomplish his dreams than a residential treatment facility which would cost at least a years tuition at a conservatory. I’ve always believed in keeping kids busy. But I really think it’s just helped my son find his passion and direction. I think it’s tough to have to find your direction in music early in order to keep up but I think it’s helped my son mature and find happiness and a positive peer group.</p>
<p>Speaking of affordable. There are some great teachers from conservatories that are doing affordable workshops. That just warms my heart. It shows they love music and want everyone to do well. </p>
<p>Cellomom, hope your husband is doing ok.
saintfan, D would rather get out of GA. We all hate the hot weather, but there are other reasons, too. We have narrowed down our list to about 20… she’s looking at Vandy but knows how selective it is. Favorite so far is Hamilton.
jeannemar, I think son saw a post on FB from your son on their “class of” page… I’ll pm you.
I wish we had had some access to some of these workshops or camps. Not only for my son, but I wonder if my daughter wouldn’t have pursued her music more. She loved the cello - we are just stuck out here in nowhere land and couldn’t even get to lessons often enough.
musicprnt, I had to laugh about the police and the parallel fifths! Sounds very familiar!</p>
<p>Dec, I am glad that your son ended up going to Aspen and hope all continues to go well. Shelly, I pm’d you back. My next kiddo just finished 7th grade - kind of glad to have a break from the college whirlwind!</p>
<p>Thanks, Jeannemar! I appreciate all the support from this forum.</p>
<p>Saintkid got home in the middle of the night Sunday/Monday. He had the time of his life at his camp and is just on fire now. He spent yesterday reconfiguring his room as an exclusive practice room . . . out with the Ikea loft bed that was put together IN the room. That was a puzzle. I am working through laundry and, of course, watching soccer.</p>
<p>Apparently his theory instructor at camp was so great that he now is totally enamored with jazz theory. That alone is worth the price of admission for a prospective music major. 
</p>
<p>So happy for him Saintfan. If ever see my son again…hehehehe…I will let him know about your son’s experience at camp. My son ended up not working at the camp this summer. I think he was a bit peeved that they did not have any money or need to hire him. But no doubt that happened because he was slow to let them know he was available and also because he turned down the offer to work there last year. </p>
<p>Hi y’all! (funny story)</p>
<p>So my D went to orientation last week and really liked her school and program. And during part of the orientation all of the organizations come out and try to convince the kids to join in the coming year. Well she’s attending a big sports school and they have a group that travels with the team and does all the yelling and cheering. She listened attentively to the young man excitedly speak of all the virtues of his group and the traveling and so forth and then she kindly told him, “We are vocal performance majors and I don’t think our teacher’s would appreciate us coming to lessons unable to speak much less sing. But thank you anyway.” True!! :)) Different strokes for different folks! I wanted to know if parents can join!!</p>
<p>Here I am again bracing for camp return number 2 and another round of laundry before festival departure tomorrow. One of these days I will feel busy because I’m doing so much for myself (
</p>
<p>My son is on facebook today and he jumps up and says, “Mom, we have a problem.” But he’s shaking his head and sort of laughing so I’m not totally freaking out yet. Then he shows me a poster online for this huge music festival in our town listing all the acts that are going to be there in October. And yep, there is his name. He didn’t know he was playing. But now it’s “official”! lol Problem? He’ll be at MTSU then! About 8 hours away.
Last year he played it, too, right alongside Lynyrd Skynyrd, so this is a big festival. We think it’s great that they just automatically booked him! So, we’re going to try to make it work. Fun fun!</p>