<p>Hi! I'm currently a junior in high school looking into majoring in music education(vocal) or music. I have been completely immersed in choirs and music the last few years, and I just can't wait to one day bring music to life myself! I just need some advice on where to get started as far as beginning my journey to becoming a music major. I live right outside of LSU if that helps. I'm mainly concerned about money. Let's face it, people do not major in music for money! That being understood, I've been shying away from conservatories and other expensive liberal arts colleges simply because I know I'll come out with an unhealthy amount of debt. My voice is a gift, but I can't assume it's going to get me any big scholarships. I'd hate to limit myself, but in-state choices seem more appealing because of the in-state scholarships I'd be receiving. For example, if I went to the small, nameless university 20 minutes away, I would receive a scholarship for my entire tuition, room and board, as well as an annual check. This is based solely on my academic achievements. And this school has a great music program (I know many graduates including one of my choir teachers and I attend many of the performances), I just don't know how on-par it would be with other big-name schools. So how do I decide where I want to apply and audition? Should I audition for dream schools out of my comfort zone just in case I fall in love? Is the name of a school as important for music education majors as it is for music performance majors? I'm just so stuck between dreaming big and staying realistic. Thank you.</p>
<p>Just curious as to how you know that you will receive full tuition, room, board and a stipend from any school? That is rare for anyone, much less a music ed major and one who isn’t even in their senior year (you’re not a top ball player, by any chance, are you?!). Sometimes kids think that they’ve heard something that would guarantee amazing awards when reality is something very different. I can’t tell you how many times during audition cycles kids either try the “I’ve been accepted on the spot” or " I’m going to get a full ride"’ it psyches other kids out, for sure, but it never seems to happen. But if you can get it, grab it and hold on!
If you want Music Ed, it makes sense to attend school in the state in which you want to teach- makes certification so much easier and student teaching can mean valuable contacts. In my opinion, the name of the school really doesn’t come into play for music ed majors- you should look for a school that is well-respected in the area and who turns out graduates who can and do get offers of teaching positions. If the local school really can give you all that you say, then that would make a lot of sense for you; graduating without debt is great. But it wouldn’t hurt to look at the “Bigger Name” schools such as St Olaf or WCC, just to compare.</p>
<p>Thank you Mezzo Mama. That scholarship amount is based off of this state-wide scholarship program called TOPS, which is automatically guaranteed to any high school graduate who meets the requirements. There are different levels/tiers of TOPS, but the main point is that it pays the tuition of qualifying students who enroll in a Louisiana university. Housing and extra depends on the school. As of now, I have the ACT score and GPA(I have a 4.0 and I would never let it drop) for the highest level to receive full tuition and a check as well as housing at the smaller school. If I went to LSU on TOPS, I would receive full tuition and a little extra money but not have the ACT score for their highest tier to get the housing.</p>
<p>OK, thanks for explaining that!
Just so that you are aware and compare apples to apples: scholarship/award/grant money for tuition, books, fees, etc is tax free, whereas that for room, board and any expense money is taxable. Since your parents most likely claim you as a dependent, all of that would have to be listed on their return and taxed at their rate. So, when you get down to actually applying, make sure that you run the numbers so that you and your family are aware of the actual cost of attendance. It might be that the smaller school and LSU come out about the same, but look at it all and then decide if it’s worthwhile to take the ACT again to try to raise your score.
It sounds like you are very bright and will be a real asset to whatever school you attend and the students you eventually teach!</p>
<p>LSU has turned out some great singers. They have a well respected voice department. Just sayin…</p>
<p>Forgot to add, Bob Grayson is a highly regarded teacher at LSU. And you are correct, especially for music ed, your state school is your best option. Even if you were to study VP instead of music ed., it’s all about the teacher and not incurring debt. If you have great teachers at LSU and the education is “paid for”, go for it. And I would not underestimate the competitiveness of the auditions at LSU, especially for the top teachers.</p>
<p>Apply to both! My son was set on a small school (and eventually decided on one), but I made him apply to one large school, which was an out of state, state U, but they liked him and offered the most money, so you never know. </p>
<p>A lot will happen over the next year, through the visits, auditions, lessons with the profs, you will uncover differences and may even change your mind a time or two. </p>
<p>I agree with Mezzo’sMama on the Ed schools, as well as coming out with as little debt as possible (having spent 10 years paying off undergrad and grad school myself).</p>
<p>Think about, and maybe ask to shadow one of your music teachers, or ask if you can help at the elementary school or middle school with music classes next year to see if you even like teaching. Many of the Ed programs are getting students into the classrooms early to confirm that teaching is for them before you get a few years into it and decide it is not for you.</p>