USC/Belmont/Santa Clara (or others) for music industry dreamer

College Search & Selection
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So we are struggling with decision time. Daughter admitted to USC and Belmont as well as many others (UNC-CH, Washington and Lee, Santa Clara, Furman, Pepperdine, Univ of San Diego, Rollins). She was mostly undecided until discovering USC’s Annenberg school and the music industry minor in Thornton. She applied at the last minute with not much discussion and I just didn’t expect her to get in. No merit or aid because after the deadline and we are full pay. They just announced a tuition increase so full COA is $85,000. We went to Admitted Students Day partly because it worked with our schedule to combine it with other AS days. I kinda hoped and thought she would get it out of her system - I didn’t expect she’d like LA life or the size of the school, but she absolutely loved it. And I have to admit, I had tears in my eyes listening to an alumnus speak who is literally living my daughter’s dream. BUT, can a student walk out of Belmont’s music business program, for example, or just a strong standard business/communications program at a solid institution and pave the same path? Or is the USC network truly that much stronger? Would she enter the workforce at a higher starting point, have more opportunities with that diploma down the line, etc.? Here are the costs of other options:
Santa Clara - $64k (is a finalist for Johnson Scholarship and have submitted merit appeal- can’t understand only $14k in merit but be a finalist for one of only five full rides?). In honors program which seems to have a lot of advantages and opportunities.
Furman - $36k, in scholars program
Rollins College - $41k, in honors program and auto admit to accelerated MBA
Univ. of San Diego - currently full price at $73k + but waiting on appeal.
Belmont - $43k, applied after bigger scholarship and honors deadline
Pepperdine- we REALLY wanted to like it but went for AS day/tour and it’s a no.

She would like to be in California and feels that the location is a huge advantage for her career goals. I had her throw in an app to Belmont last-minute after she got so excited about USC’s program, but she doesn’t love Nashville. She’s not interested in UNC-CH and W&L was too remote and admitted student body too homogenous. Rollins is in a nice location but it’s just not nearly as academic as far as I can tell. I really like what Furman has to offer, but it doesn’t really excite her and she’d just have to study a pretty standard business admin/communications program.

She would consider going somewhere and then transferring into USC to save money, but I hate to go in someplace with that attitude, and of course there’s no guarantee of admission.

Can we afford $85k? Tricky question. She has about $200k in her 529. If we sold some unnecessary crap (boat that we haven’t used in two years, for example) I take on a part-time job (totally do-able) and my husband keeps his job for the next four years, yes we could make it happen. There’s no guarantee, due to health issues, that he will remain employed. If he lost his work we’ve been told we still may not qualify for aid due to assets, but those assets would have to support us for the next 40 or so years, so…

Bottom line: what is the value of USC and in being in LA for someone who wants to work in marketing/p.r./talent management etc.? What are your thoughts on her options?

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Honestly, I think every young person loves LA the first time they go. The mystique.

I couldn’t part with that kind of money, especially if your husband’s job/health is questionable.

I would choose an option that her 529 can cover.

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You might want to post this in the music major forum.

Both USC Thornton and Belmont are excellent schools for popular/commercial music. LA and Nashville both have a lot going on. She could do grad work at USC if you can’t afford it for undergrad. It sounds like a stretch. Does she have access to the bigger scholarship at Belmont next year?

At Belmont, what strand of music industry is she interested in:
MUSIC BUSINESS EMPHASIS

If you would like to focus your attention on one career path within the music business major, we have four emphases available for you to choose from:

Music Production: Teaches necessary skills for a career in the development of music through listening skills and building sessions in digital audio workshops.

Legal Studies: Allows you to begin an Entertainment Law track that serves as preparation for law school.

International Music Business: Prepares you for careers abroad or domestic related to international music and music business.

Live Event Management: Provides you with a strong foundation for careers working in various venues, concerts, working with fairs and festivals, etc.

OR is this what she would do:

Creative & Entertainment Industries | Belmont University | Nashville, TN

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There are a lot of people in LA working in the entertainment industry that aren’t making much money. I’d be reticent to stretch myself that far. I’ll send you a PM.

EDIT: Well, I can’t. You can PM me if you’d like. My son is in the industry, but doing something completely different.

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Yeah. I live in Nashville. For the career prospects, you don’t want to spend $85k or even $43k but if you are spending, much better to be close to music row.

Don’t sell stuff to send someone to college…especially that major. Belmont a no brainer here.

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What about if she decides against the music industry focus and just studies communications or marketing for example? Still Belmont? I know Belmont is highly respected in the music biz but I can’t tell really what the reputation is of its overall academics. One thing that really excited my daughter about a couple of her acceptances is the thought of being surrounded with and challenged by a lot of super bright students - would she find that there?

My thought is to go to the best school in budget for business/comm and really make yourself and your goals known to career services. I know the connections wouldn’t be the same but she also wouldn’t pigeon-hole herself into one industry.

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You have to define what “in budget” means. As you’ve outlined, ANYTHING can be if you’re going to make massive compromises in your own life.

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The long-term salary limitations and job availability are definitely a concern. My husband’s career is very regionally specific - there is one area of the county where these jobs are located. I always discourage people from pursuing his industry. A physical therapist, for example, can work anywhere in the world whereas someone in the music business pretty much has to live in LA, NYC or Nashville. I hate to crush her dreams, but feel like she’s better off being less specialized. She can always pursue that avenue but be prepared for a broader range of pursuits. But, it’s hard to hear mom’s perspective sometimes.

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Belmont is a solid school but it is religious.

It is not USC.

However, no school, in my opinion, is worth $85K. I mean, if she says no to music business - then what? Belmont has arts and sciences, some business, etc. So they’ll have something - and if it’s a poli sci or history, do you really want to spend that?

I went to a top journalism school - Syracuse. My friend came from Montana. Her family sold their house and moved into a trailer home to send her. Two years later - dropped out - went to U of Montana (got a better education, btw).

I think of this when I read that you’ll have to sell stuff to make it work.

Stop - that’s ridiculous. A school - even Harvard - provides no guarantee. A kid with heart, persistence, and smarts, etc. has a guarantee of having a chance. All of California is moving to Nashville - so the economy here is red hot. OK, that’s an exaggerated - but many.

You mentioned music - but if music is really - ehhh - then Rollins or Furman are fine schools too - obviously Furman, like Belmont, has a religious bent whereas Rollins doesn’t. Rollins is smaller.

I think USC is wonderful - but it’s not wonderful for you - it’s financially impacting your life.

Just because you have $$ in the 529 doesn’t mean you have to blow it all. You can save for grad school, another kid.

My daughter got into Washington & Lee - very prestigious - $81K a year.

She goes to College of Charleston - after scholarship, maybe $15K, $20K when she moves off campus next year. She is also in a low paid major.

I’m banking on her. I’m not spending money that likely won’t impact her career.

Why don’t you look at both schools for career outcomes - see if one does better than the other. Truth is, just like in journalism, you have more people then jobs that want those dream industries - and that’s the problem.

btw - career services is a good place to start, but she’s gotta reach out to alums, cold call music row…she’s gotta find industry people…get their starbucks…do anything to get let in the door. Belmont is literally right there. btw - MTSU is a cheaper and not as close but very popular music program (with business).

Good luck to you.

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I get the allure. Much of it is grunt work though and many people involved are very pretentious. My son is in the industry, albeit doing a very specialized form of engineering. He does meet with producers and artists though. I also have more than one patient that is an agent. They will all testify to the above. I’d be leery of a very expensive niche degree. It’s not as romantic as it might seem.

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I think Santa Clara is a great option. Does your daughter have any interest in continuing on an instrument?

Santa Clara has a good music department, from what I hear. Rollins would also be an option.

I wouldn’t worry about location so much at the undergrad level, in terms of connections. She may need grad school and that is when USC would be useful.

I will say that internships can accomplish a lot of what she wants in terms of job prospects. One of mine randomly interned at an agency with several Grammy winning clients. (No interest in the business.) That agency was not in LA or NYC but instead a small coastal town in the Northeast. Not sure anyone at that agency majored in music business or industry.

That said, sell the boat anyway if you haven’t used it in 4 years. And if health issues mean your husband loses his job, it is possible assets won’t be counted. You could look into that.

I honestly think the chance of a 21 year old with a BM or BA making it in the business in LA isn’t any greater at USC. There are agencies all over the country, artists everywhere to manage, and she may need grad school anyway. I just wouldn’t base this decision on job prospects. Instead, think about the experience she wants for the next 4 years.

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I also live in the Middle TN area and MTSU is is a great school for music business/music industry. Much more affordable than Belmont, and some would argue even a better program. The guaranteed scholarship deadlines have passed, but it’s not too late to apply and be admitted for fall.

I also wouldn’t count out a more general major at a school that is not in LA or Nashville. Any school that has great internship placement can help make these goals happen without the niche degree. Offhand, I can think of ten friends/classmates from UNC that completed internships in LA while in school and were able to land work in music industry or film after graduation. Schools like UNC with great internship placements and strong alumni networks can be really useful for building careers. I’m also of the opinion that it’s better to save money to fund things like internships/summer opportunities or grad school than to invest in an undergrad program that isn’t affordable/in budget.

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Exactly.

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Totally agree with the above posts that an $85K per year undergraduate education is not worth the expense. Not even at USC.
And I mean this in a constructive way, but consider what you would like your child to learn and experience in college. My thought is that it is great for them to stay within a budget and make their opportunities as they figure out what path they want to pursue. Not that if they want something, their parents will make sacrifices to fund them. Especially as your daughter has so many great options.
Finally, in our experience (last of 3 in college!) most kids change their goals, direction through college. As they should! So keeping options open financially for grad school or summer programs is really wise.