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This is a good point–it can be very upsetting and disconcerting to hear other parents go on about the “generous” aid their kid received when yours received little. Take all those claims with a grain of salt. </p>
<p>I have heard that master’s programs are “cash cows” these days, that help pay for the more well-funded doctoral programs that provide stipends and assistantships. </p>
<p>One solution is to look at schools in Europe. Going back to stats, no statistics available to us but the quality and the price were relatively easy to assess.</p>
<p>I wonder if conservatories had more turn downs this year than usual with my son’s instrument or other instruments in general due to the national financial climate? S was contacted by faculty or staff from the conservatories he applied to as it got closer to decision day (held off turning in declines just to see if more $$ would show up). Some of the faculty seemed almost apologetic according to S. His scholarship offers to the conservatories were all “good” by today’s standard-1/2 to 3/4 tuition covered. Most of his friends on his level performance-wise were offered about the same amount of $$ as S at schools S did not apply to (BU, IU, NEC, CIM). The pricing seemed fairly consistent for these solid but not wildly outside of the bell curve players. Some, like S, chose other MM options that were less financially challenging. A few only applied to the top schools but cannot afford to go and are taking a gap year to work, save and improve. The players S knows that had more parental funds went with offers that ranged from about several K to 2/3-3/4 tuition with no living expense money.</p>
<p>Compmom- I wasn’t aware of the Europe option until too late in the game for S. Sounds like a great alternative and one rich with opportunity. I also agree that does seem that the MMs are quite possibly cash cows for the DMAs. </p>
<p>I second the advice to cast a wide net if going directly to grad school is a desire. Some of S’s friends that applied this year only chose 2-3 top bass schools and were disappointed when the money was not enough to make attending a reality. S went with 5 (this number was recommended to S at a college application session he went to last year at the International Society of Bassists-can’t say enough about how well spent his time was at this conference). </p>
<p>Hope I did not veer too far off course with the thread!</p>
<p>All these stories are a big help just to get perspective</p>
<p>Just based on my son’s undergraduate experience in getting offers from several programs, variable is an understatement - so many factors from the financials of the instiution to the actual studio needs in the specific year and program they are applying to. As my S enters his critical junior year as a scholarship music performance major at a larger public state university, he is more interested in the Professor of his instrument than he is in acceptance stats or overall reputation (though it does have some bearing, probably more to me). Based on the fact my non-musical D enters college as a freshman this year, financials loom even larger in terms of where he ends up - yes, I want to see him in a great program as he continues pursuing his dream and passion, but I also can’t afford to cover his expenses without a big boost from the program. I make a decent living, but two in college at the same time is an entirely new ballgame and I can’t go broke paying for one at the expense of the other.</p>
<p>Would love to hear thoughts on the best programs for Symphony musicians (low brass), offering most expenses covered for those so qualified. It does and will be a factor impacting where he ends up next (I’m familiar with Yale, Curtis, NEC, etc but he’s also mentioned FSU, Baylor and Maryland).</p>