Hello all, this is my first time posting here, and I just need some advice and opinions on my current situation, preferably from those in music.
I am currently going to be a sophomore music performance major at The Boston Conservatory. I have a fairly decent scholarship and financial aid package, but I’m still borrowing about 10K a semester in federal and private loans (altogether) to cover the rest of my tuition and living expenses. This will be my third semester and I’ve already borrowed about 30K for a performance degree. I’m doing really well there, and I even won the ensemble placement audition as a freshman against the rest of the undergraduate and graduate clarinetists. However, after looking at the prospective job market for orchestra positions, and music positions in general, it just does not make sense for me to finish my performance degree. A music education degree is out of the question for me because although I love teaching one on one (and have done this in the past) a classroom full of disrespectful high school students or antsy elementary students (sorry for stereotyping! I know not all are like this) is just not for me.
Although I love my school, I just cannot afford to spend this kind of money on a degree that is kind of useless. There are many, many students that graduate and wait tables for a very long time before getting their break (if they even get it) and that’s not a risk I want to take.
My option is to transfer instate to Rhode Island College and do my bachelors in social work (my backup plan is to be a mental health counselor). I can go there literally for free, or for a very low cost and live at home. I can still continue to practice my instrument and take lessons on the side, and I just think this alternative is safer rather than putting all of my eggs in one basket even though music is my true passion. What do you think? And thanks!!!