<p>That’s what we’re struggling with now.
What are we supposed to do if our child didn’t get accepted to the few state schools that have music ed? Should she change her major so that she could go to a state school or should we pay more for her to go to an OOS school that she got accepted to that does have music ed?</p>
<p>D got accepted academically to Potsdam and Fredonia but didn’t pass the auditions. They’re the only SUNY schools with music ed. Both schools said she could still attend and do the audition again in December, but she’s afraid of taking the risk. If she didn’t pass the 2nd audition, she’d have to change her major or transfer to another school and start all over again.</p>
<p>She applied to another SUNY school just because it’s within commuting distance. In addition to having a state price, we would’ve saved on r & b. It doesn’t have music ed, she would’ve gone for music performance and then have to go for music ed in grad school somewhere else. She didn’t get accepted. </p>
<p>She applied to CUNY Queens/Aaron Copland School of Music but they won’t have results until next month. She’s not that crazy about the school anyway. She’d have to live there, so no savings on r & b.</p>
<p>She got accepted to West Chester U School of Music and their music ed program in Pennsylvania. But since we aren’t Penn. residents, it could cost us $10k a year more than a NY state school.</p>
<p>My son got a accepted at a LAC with an up and coming music program, which includes music ed, although that’s not what he is majoring in, and, with the scholarships he got, it is half the price we would pay at our state school. State schools are not always the cheapest. Look for a LAC where your kid is near the top of the talent pool, and you may do better than the in-state school.</p>
<p>NYVIOLAMOM: There is one more NY SUNY with music ed. Buffalo state. I don’t know if they have anymore audition dates open. Also, Schenectady Co Community College has an excellent music dept and many of those students transfer to Crane or Fredonia after two years. The same for Onondaga Community college near Syracuse. You could also look at the College of ST Rose in Albany, NY. They offer good academic scholarships with rolling admissions and you might still be eligible for a music one depending on their enrollment for the fall.</p>
<p>nyviolamom: Buffalo state does have an audition dates on March 31 and on April 14th per their website: music.buffalostate.edu/apply-and-audition
Good luck and I empathize with you as you juggle finances versus your daughter’s music college choice.</p>
<p>nyviolamom: I hope not to sound harsh, but realistic… if it were my child who didn’t pass auditions at both Potsdam and Fredonia, I would suggest to that child that it is time to consider a different major and keep her music as a hobby. I hope things work out for you and your daughter.</p>
<p>While reevaluating your son’s or daughter’s plans to go into music is probably wise in this economy, I wouldn’t let two rejections decide their musical future. SUNY Potsdam (Crane) and SUNY Fredonia are by no means automatic acceptances in the music school world. Potsdam has an average rate of about 40%. They tend to attract a wide range of applicants who use it as their dream school, or as a financial or music safety. The viola studio is a tight group with only about 8/10 students. So the teacher may only accept a certain number each year and depending on the competition in a given year perfectly talented students may just not be able to be accepted.
I would not recommend attending Potsdam or Fredonia with hopes of being admitted at the December audition unless your daughter loves the school and wants to study something else at Potsdam or Fredonia. Son has a good friend who did chose to try that path this year and still wasn’t admitted.<br>
Since she passed the audition at West Chester, they obviously feel that she has the skill set to succeed at the college level study of music. There are many paths to follow her dreams and I am certain it will work out for her.</p>
<p>This line of reasoning overlooks a couple of things. Teaching certificates are generally required by public schools for grades K-12. If you want to maximize your chances of a career in that environment, then the Music Education degree is certainly the way to go. Teaching certificates may not be necessary for teachers in private schools, at the college level or for those who teach outside a school setting. Sound pedagogic technique, which can be learned through Music Education classes, is certainly important for all teachers.</p>
<p>There are tradeoffs involved in deciding between Education and Performance majors, at least at some schools. Music Ed majors may not have as many options in selecting a principal applied teacher and may also get shorter lessons than Performance majors. It is important to know the policy of the school involved when selecting a major.</p>
<p>Having recently attended an info session for Potsdam, I can share that absolutely music ed majors there have shorter lessons than performance majors – 30 minutes a week for music ed; 60 minutes for performance majors.</p>
<p>Son attends Potsdam. Both ed and performance majors receive one hour lessons in his studio, double bass. No distinction in seating for Orchestra either.</p>
<p>School policy and teacher behavior may differ on this matter. At Ithaca, the viola teacher told us that she chose to give both ed and perf majors hour-long lessons even though she was only supposed to give the ed majors half an hour.</p>
<p>My son doesn’t go to school in NY, but at his school the music ed students have a choice (sort of) between being treated as a performance major or an ed major. </p>
<p>When students first audition for acceptance, many of them are offered their choice of either a performance major or an ed major. Those who choose ed, but were offered performance can choose to enroll in the performance certificate program. Almost half of the freshment ed students initially enroll in the performance certificate program although many of those ultimately drop the program and just go straight ed. Performance majors and Performance Certificate majors are treated exactly the same, both take hour long private lessons from the primary studio professor and both study with any visiting professors (“artists in residence” or whatever).</p>
<p>All auditions at his school are totally blind. This year there are a couple of freshmen playing in the top concert ensemble, and my son beat quite a few upperclassmen to sit 3rd chair in the middle concert ensemble.</p>
<p>I don’t want to clog up this forum with a whole new thread, so here goes.</p>
<p>I was originally undecided on a major, but after visiting the CU-Boulder campus today and hanging out in the percussion studio all day, I think I want to major in music and a minor in something else that’s more relevant to an actual career.</p>
<p>However, CU-Boulder isn’t much to go off of in terms of schools. I’m looking for a big state school with a good music program. Doesn’t have to be the absolute best, but not something terrible. I want the nice campus, surrounding towns, the marching band… So yeah, no small LAC’s or anything. I’d also like it to be in the west, preferably the northern part as well. I’m from Seattle, and I’d like to stay in that general area of the country. As a bonus, any schools that are part of the Western Undergraduate Exchange would be great as well. Thanks! I know it’s not much to go off of, so if you need anything more let me know.</p>
<p>Buranri, keep in mind that not all majors at participating schools qualify for the reduced tuition exchange program. Music performance didn’t at ASU when D was considering it last fall.</p>
<p>One of the appealing things about CU Boulder, to DH and me, at least, is their music entrpreneurship program (don’t recall the exact name of it right now). It sounds like it can help musicians develop the other skills they need for success in the music business. Not a formal degree, I don’t think, but lots of seminars and workshops, etc.</p>
<p>My son is junior, he wants to do double majors in piano and business, play piano 13 years, won several statewide competitions, PSAT 226, SAT 2210, GPA 4.0, lots of community services, founder and president of a music club in school,
Can anyone help us to find a school which will provide well balance in music and academic?</p>
<p>I suggest looking into USC, Indiana, Michigan and Northwestern - they all have business schools in addition to music schools. You could probably add any number of large state universities to that list - Minnesota, Wisconsin, Arizona etc. The trick will be to find universities which are supportive of the double degree.</p>
<p>I am a recent new member of CC but have followed posts for some time and I’m so grateful for the wealth of information. Now that My S is about to enter senior year and reality raises it’s head, I realize just how confusing it is. I wanted to start a new thread but couldn’t figure out how to do it so I apologize for infiltrating this thread!!!
Background then questions!!!:
S is a saxophone player who has played in prestigious groups including All State and county more than once, regional wind symphonies and pre-college programs and is gifted in both classical and jazz. He will not be talked out of a Music Ed degree but likes the idea of the 5 yr ed/perf majors offered by many. He is not “married” to our home state of NY fortunately (as the job situation here is not pretty) but wants to remain East coast. He is a solid student but his attitude to academics has left him with an unweighted average in the low 90s so that eliminates some schools.
He is a really well rounded kid. All County in several varsity sports and will probably be an all state athlete in 2 sports this year. He considered trying to do sports as well in school but has come to his senses and realizes that is not feasible with music
We have done our share of research and visits/lessons focussing on strong music ed schools with great sax professors. All the professors he has had a lesson with have been extremely impressed which is encouraging. Now we are trying to decide how to pick schools both for applications and auditions, and I know this has been covered in other threads, but I want to make sure we haven’t missed anything. And I haven’t seen much info on saxophones specifically.
Schools he is considering in no particular order:
Miami, Temple (both have Music ed with jazz emphasis), Hartt, Duquesne, Ithaca, Eastman, George Mason, possibly UNCG, Gettysberg, Univ of W. Virginia. Safety schools include Crane (Potsdam) and Fredonia. A safety I told him to keep on the list but he says “no” is Aaron Copeland at Queens College. He has discounted Michigan and Indiana as he doesn’t want to be in a giant school, but he also don’t want a conservatory. Also don’t want UNT as he doesn’t want Texas
My questions:
Is there any school that fits the bill that we’ve missed?
Are there any on the list that we should cross off?
My thinking is that he picks 5 or 6 for live auditions and send a disc to the rest but do kids actually get accepted from a disc???
Any tips on maximizing chances at auditions?
As I said he is a sax player. His fave is tenor but repertoire is way better for alto. He is equally good on both. Should he audition on alto, tenor or both?
Any other suggestions or words of wisdom??
Thanks for reading and being there!!!</p>
<p>NYsaxmom: You might also look at Connecticut College, which is in the right geographical area. They offer a BA with a major in music ed (with certification), and, as a LAC, it might be perfect for your son, with his broader interests.</p>