Hello! I have been applying to colleges for music education and performance, and I have gotten results back from most places. I am really conflicted over which one to go to, though!
So there’s CCPA at Roosevelt Uni. I got a $10,000 dollar scholarship there, so if I wanted to go there I would either have to take out big loans or commute (living at home is a big no for me, personally) there. I don’t know what I can do for scholarship to afford it. as to the college itself, it’s in a perfect location where I could do things like the civic orchestra while I’m in college, and the program and campus look great. The cello teacher I took a lesson with was decent although I like my current teacher more, but I ended up in someone else’s studio.
Then there’s Western Illinois University. For national merit + test scores, I got a great scholarship where I would have to pay practically nothing and graduate without debt. My friend recommended it to me and I really liked the faculty there which is a huge plus. The bad part is that it is in the middle of nowhere, so there is not much to do outside of the college at all without taking a 4 hour Amtrak ride, which means I might not have the same opportunities.
Then, UCF is offering me a full ride for national merit that covers tuition, room and board, with a stipend for studying abroad. I am going to visit there soon, but have not seen the campus yet. From my communications W/ people at the college and what I have gathered it seems like I would really like the program. However, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of classical music in Florida in general, which is a pretty big factor in deciding where I am going.
There’s also the Queens college of the CUNY, which I have not received acceptance from yet but it looks like it will be affordable. The campus seems nice and I like what I have seen from there, but I think I want to know more. I haven’t taken a lesson from the teacher yet, either. Has anyone had experience with that one?
I am struggling to decide which one to go to and I would really like some suggestions from anyone!
For music ed, you should go to a school in a state where you want to teach since they will be able to help you through the certification process. For example, NYS has increased the requirements and if you aren’t coached through the process it could be overwhelming. Secondly, you should choose the best school in that state you can afford without excessive loans. Congratulations on your acceptances!
Congratulations on your acceptances. This is a decision that strangers on an internet board cannot make for you. Much of the advice that posters gave you earlier is still valid. Have you checked with any of the schools you mention to see what success they have in placing music ed graduates into actual jobs post degree?
It sounds as if finances are something you should discuss with your parents. I would not advise my own children to take out loans to get a music ed degree from School A if other schools not requiring loans were satisfactory. I know several students in the Chicago area currently searching for teaching jobs (not all in music) with no luck even after a couple years of applying and searching. Do check college placement rates.
With all the horror stories out there about people with huge educational loan debt, it may seem like you (the student) can just go out and get “big loans” but that’s really not the case. As a student, you’ll likely only qualify for federal student loans, which is typically limited to $5,500 for your freshman year, increasing a little per year. Unless you’re the rare student who can qualify for a loan (have credit history and show sufficient income), any loan will have to be co-signed by someone like a parent (assuming they qualify.)
I think the first thing you need to understand clearly is which schools among your options you can truly afford. As harsh as it may sound, there’s no point in considering schools you know you can’t pay for. Have you applied for financial aid? Have you discussed finances with your parents?
Not to rain on your parade, but it’s very rare for an undergrad to play with the Chicago Civic Orchestra at all, simply because the time commitment doesn’t allow for it. If you are planning on performance and education degrees, you wouldn’t be able to do it, so please don’t count on the money from that gig. If CCPA is of interest to you, try talking to their financial aid officer and filing an appeal for more funds- you never know until you try!
But, the best rule of thumb is to attend school in the state in which you hope to teach. It is much easier to student teach and get a foot in the door that way too!
An issue with Cuny is that tuition is relatively low… Because housing costs are huge ($1,200 /month for a non-closet room with a window near your college is to be expected). So beware that it may not be affordable.
Note that your degree may be more marketable if you add a certificate in special education or ELL or bilingual ed so checking into those offerings at the University may help you tip the balance .
If you are nmf lots of schools will let you apply even now and grant you considerable aid if you choose them as your top choice- u Oklahoma and u Alabama (ua in particular has a terrific honors college) will but I don’t know what the k-12 situation is for music. Ucf and western Illinois sound like your best choices as of now. Look at the automatic full tuition or full ride for nmf (ses link below) and check whether there have been recent cuts to k-12 budgets or whether they require art for hs graduation. Good states for education include Massachusetts, Iowa, and Minnesota but check both nmf situation and k12 budget situation (+ HS graduation requirements).
Link:
http://nmfscholarships.yolasite.com/
First, congratulations on your acceptances and scholarships!
I will start with a couple of caveats - 1) graduating without college debt would be amazing 2) I know nothing about the music dept. at Western Illinois and 3) this is all hearsay, not first hand knowledge, but I do have family members who have lived in the Macomb area for decades and who know people who work at Western, and I get the distinct impression from them that Western as a whole has been in significant decline relative to where it was 10 or 15 years ago, to the point where it has had negative effects for the local economy. I was told the university is having a great deal of trouble filling their freshman classes. You are not exaggerating when you say there is nothing to do in town or anywhere nearby.
If you were my child, I would want to ask a lot of questions about Western and its music ed dept. and you should talk to a lot of current students in and outside the music dept. before considering their generous offer. It sounds like you are from Chicago if you are talking about the possibility of commuting to CCPA - if you are hoping to teach in the Chicago area after graduation, talk to all the music teachers you know and find out what Western’s music ed reputation is like and if recent Western graduates are being hired in their districts.
Good luck with your decision!
Regarding which area of the country will be better for hiring prospects after graduation, Florida is a great place to be a music teacher. A lot of the music schools in Florida (I’m not too sure about UCF’s program) include music teacher certification as part of their degree requirements. I have a lot of friends who graduated from Florida schools and are teaching in the state. If you are willing to compromise, and are willing to teach guitar when you are a vocalist, or choir when you play the saxophone, or middle school when you want to teach high school, you will probably find a job. Music education is HUGE in Florida.
