<p>Can anyone give me any insight on University of Michigan vs. Michigan State vs. Indiana University's jazz programs?
I am planning on majoring in jazz bass and have narrowed it down to these three schools. (Would love to go to NEC, but unfortunately, my parents don't like that school...)
My biggest concern is finding other students that are really dedicated to their musical studies. Just came back from a week at the Brubeck Colony and I want to be around really intense players all the time. I just want to make sure that these three schools have serious musicians!
Thanks!</p>
<p>That’s a good list iMHO but when auditioning and if money’s a factor, you may wish to widen the net a little too…eg other well-known jazz programs such as Unversity of North Texas, New School, etc. Are your parents adverse to NEC because it’s a private school=very high tuition? Because sometimes those privates can be generous enough to be competitive at the end of the day when you look at final packages, though in-state will be tough to beat 
In music the general wisdom is to cast a wide net since there are so many variables between auditioning, program size and cost in the hopes of having good options at the end.</p>
<p>I’m guessing you may be from Michigan, given your familiarity with MSU, which is less well-known in music than UMich or IU-Jacobs (although known to some.) If that’s the case and if you’re looking in-state, Western is also known regionally for a strong jazz program.</p>
<p>My son attended University of Michigan, which is a tough admit both academically ad musically. I doubt you’d have any concerns with the seriousness of the music students there, given the rigor and what it takes to get in I think that’s largely true at most of the better known programs! Few make it into those kinds of programs if they lack the passion and dedication to perform at that level ;)</p>
<p>Have you visited IU to get a feel for the program? Beautiful place and was in my son’s top 3 for his discipline.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for other options in great jazz cities, have you considered McGill in Montreal? </p>
<p>Best wishes on your journey…but consider leaving the “narrowing” process to assessment of packages after acceptance and on the front end, instead try to give yourself some additional options and audition experiences to find the best fit.</p>
<p>Ps. Ask your parents if they’ll support your auditioning at additional schools provide you agree to let finances (if needed) govern the final decision. If you ARE in-state for Michigan, you’re very fortunate to have such great options. But first you have to get in – and that’s not always a given. I knew a great sax payer with a 35 ACT who wasn’t accepted at UMch’s jazz improv program, but got into Northwestern with full funding…If his parents would have based application/auditions on “local instate only” – well, he’d be in a jam right now That’s what I mean about casting a wide net!</p>
<p>Hi hepcatbassist. I’m also curious about your parents’ concerns regarding NEC. It is an amazing place for jazz, so I assume their concerns are not musical. I’d be happy to talk with you and/or them, as I feel NEC has a lot to offer. Please feel free to contact me directly at <a href=“mailto:alex.powell@necmusic.edu”>alex.powell@necmusic.edu</a>.</p>
<p>Alex Powell
Assistant Dean for Admissions
NEC</p>
<p>Hi Mr. Powell, my parents only want me in a university setting for undergraduate. They realize that NEC has incredible music offerings but they want a solid academic foundation too and did not like that I would only be able to take two semesters at Tufts. However, they said for graduate school that I could go anywhere I want, so NEC is at the top of my list for that! Thank you for your response.</p>
<p>@hepcatbassist. NEC is concerned about a strong academic foundation as well and has a great liberal arts department (<a href=“Liberal Arts | New England Conservatory”>The College | New England Conservatory). It is full of devoted faculty who offer interesting courses that open your mind to broader perspectives. You could also cross register at either Northeastern or Tufts (and the two semester limit is primarily for practical reasons; the demands of the undergrad program at NEC will keep you extremely busy!). </p>
<p>If you plan on doing a Bachelor of Music (or Bachelor of Fine Arts at UM) program at any of the other colleges you mentioned, you will likely be taking roughly the same number of general education courses as you would at NEC (this is determined in part by accreditation; NEC students typically take 10 liberal arts courses, which is identical to the general education requirements for IU’s bachelor of music in jazz or UM’s BFA in jazz studies). These as primarily “conservatory-style” programs within a larger university, after all. If you choose a Bachelor of Arts in Music program instead, your academic load would be significantly different, as would your ability to focus on your music. Obviously, the “conservatory-style” approach is not right for every undergrad, so if you are looking for something else, don’t let the “university” label on a “conservatory-style” program mislead you or your parents.</p>
<p>Hepcat, NEC has hit on an important distinction that is important for your parents to understand. The jazz degree at UMich is in the School of Music and Dance, which confers its own degrees, has its own advisors, and operates much more like a conservatory than what I suspect your parents are imagining. While it is possible to pursue a dual degree, to do so is both highly challenging AND expensive because it would require additional time.</p>
<p>It sounds to me like your parents have not reconciled themselves to your serious and professional pursuit of music as a vocation, and instead want you to hedge your bets. But the truth is in any program at that level, you will be focusing in on your discipline which requires a high level of rigor that to some degree is contraindicated by “academic” pursuit. Even the registrar at Umich will tell you (tongue in cheek) that academics will split your focus (She was right…my son started out as a dual degree student but happily dropped the second degree in his sophomore year.)</p>
<p>Do you have a music teacher who can meet with your parents and explain a bit how this all works? I would hate to see you fail to take advantage of casting a wide audition net due to a lack of understanding about the process and nature of pursuing music at a high level.</p>
<p>Hepcat, you may also want to consider location and the resources outside of school in addition to the resources at the school. When my son decided to go to a college rather than a conservatory for his undergrad (and btw, he loved NEC and probably would have gone there had he decided to go to a conservatory), it was important to him to be in an urban center with top quality music schools and other music resources outside his own school. He ended up at Columbia, which has a pretty strong jazz performance program itself, and he’s participated fully in that, but he’s also spent a lot of time playing with students from Manhattan School, New School, Juilliard and other area schools. In addition, he’s had a steady stream of performing opportunities in and around the city, including with some older professional jazz musicians, that have been great for his development as a musician. He’s done pretty well in juggling the music and the academics, and he loves Columbia, but it is a huge amount of work to do both at the level he wants to do them. It doesn’t leave him with time for much else, so that’s another factor you should consider. Given the wide variety of factors that will ultimately go into your decision, I agree with the advice in this thread that you should be casting a wide net and not ruling out options at this stage.</p>