<p>D read this thread and made a couple of comments. She said the key thing is being comfortable at your school and with your teacher. Her voice teacher at Rice said that a lot of the students audtioning this year for Rice's graduate program (coming from other undergrad schools) didn't know what they were doing. When her undergrads leave Rice, they are prepared to go to a good graduate school. Rice has a number of voice graduate students from Whitman, who are very well-prepared.
Getting a BA does not prepare you for the field because the course requirements for the degree are so different than those for a BM.
Another advantage of a smaller program, D says, is that she is learning aural skills and theory from actual composers, and not from TAs. She has formed relationships with other faculty members in the Shepherd School and not just with her voice teacher. At IU (reported by her Interlochen roommate) hardly any of the teachers know you if you aren't in their studio.<br>
D says DePaul and DePauw have strong programs for undergraduate.</p>