<p>Don't assume the privates are more expensive - especially if his grades and scores are good. If not, one of the best things he can do this summer is to study for the SAT. Many merit scholarships are based on scores. The privates are typically more generous with talent awards. If you're looking at PA publics, include West Chester. They have rolling admissions so he can audition in November and the decision is given to him before he leaves that day. Getting an acceptance that early really takes the pressure off - and the facilites there are brand new and beautiful. The problem is that there is little merit aid so it ended up being more expensive than the privates where my D was accepted. Many of the private schools have right on their websites how much merit aid you qualify for based on grades and scores. Rider will base the scholarship on a combination of grades, scores and talent. The fact that he is a tenor can lead to an above average talent award.</p>
<p>You might also look into Hartt. They are generous with scholarships.</p>
<p>Sean's Mom: D (soprano) and I have just finished the entire process with several of the schools that you mention. Will write or p.m. you later with more details!</p>
<p>I peruse an opera list periodically and someone made a point of mentioning a recent performance of 'The Tempest' at SUNY Purchase - and he was raving about the quality of singers (almost all undergrad, he stressed) - and wanted to give a big thumbs-up to the entire effort, talent, etc. He said that there was not one mediocre singer in the cast. So I just wanted to share that - even though I don't know much about voice programs or New York schools. But it seems to me (after reading other favorable comments on this board re: Purchase) that for a New York resident, that is definitely a program to consider.</p>
<p>Purchase has become one of the hardest music schools to get into. I believe their vocal department was incredibly selective this year. Here on Long Island it's on every musician or actor's short list.</p>
<p>musmom2: I'd appreciate the information.</p>
<p>Thanks for the info on Purchase and West Chester. I will look into them.</p>
<p>Is the consensus that public univ. music programs can be just as good as private ones?</p>
<p>Seansmom, there are some fantastic public programs: Indiana U/ (Jacobs), UMichigan at Ann Arbor are exceptional. UColorado/Boulder, AZ State, UTexas/Austin, UNorth Texas, UNebraska/Lincoln immediately come to mind.</p>
<p>State programs are not to be ignored, particularly if the path sought is music ed. They can often be substantially more cost effective.</p>
<p>violadad: thanks for this input. That is good to know. My husband believes state schools are the way to go in terms of keeping his debt down, but I keep coming back to private schools. Somehow, I assume they must be better because they are private.</p>
<p>SeansMom: Don't dismiss the state schools programs! Have just sent you a private message, it was long enough that I had to divide it into 2 pms!</p>
<p>Agree with musmom. My D chose a state school over the privates. The state schools came closer to offering everything she was wanted. Often the facilities at the state schools are heads and tails above the private schools. Some of the top music programs in the country are at public schools.</p>
<p>Cartera- thanks, it's so nice to be agreed with! D ultimately chose Indiana U of PA (IUP) for some similar reasons- its beautiful facilities, the chance to study with a professor she had clicked with at a summer program, the Honors program, and the fact that there seems to be both money and great support for the arts there. Not to mention that everyone was so nice and she got both merit and music scholarships, whereas just about everywhere else we went or looked at said "you're a soprano and you think you might get a music scholarship-HAHA!"</p>
<p>In my opinion, all of the schools (public or private) are unique and have their own pluses and minuses. As far as cost, in most cases you must be a resident of the state in order to get the in-state tuition. This is great if you reside in the state of your school of choice. Another factor to consider is what type of aid package (merit and financial) you may qualify for. At the end of the day, you and most importantly your S need to determine what is best for your S and go with the best program you can afford. I would consider both private and public colleges at this stage of your search.</p>
<p>I would also like to let you know our experience with Purchase. I pushed my D into applying to Purchase despite her objections that the campus is "cold", a commuter school and too close to home. My D was not accepted into the vocal performance program despite having trained with a professor there privately. I understand that they only accepted three vocal performance majors and that the program is shrinking. So my encouragement to apply to what I thought was a "safety" school financially and academically, was all for nothing.</p>
<p>My experience is that it is good to apply to a mix of schools. Between my two kids they applied to 3 instate public schools, 2 out of state publics, and 4 out of state privates. My D got the best scholarships at 2 of the privates; my son got the best scholarships at 2 of the public schools. Between aid and scholarships/grants, the COA for D was comparable to full tuition at a state public...My S is paying $3000 per year--apply to all types!</p>
<p>I agree with operahorn, it's good to apply to a variety and see what happens financially. Noone mentioned Oberlin, or Eastman at U. of Rochester. Also schools like Bard, Bennington and Sarah Lawrence. Bard has a new conservatory, requires a double degree from all music students, and matches in-state tuition for anyone from any state.</p>
<p>For our son, public was cheaper than the private school he is now at. For our daughter, the private schools were way, way cheaper due to merit aid. Generally, the wealthier the institution, the more aid, which means elite schools are cheaper. But also, schools trying to make a name for themselves, or keep/regain a name for themselves, will pay quite a bit.</p>
<p>As is true in "regular" admissions, applying a tier or two (or more) down yields more money. At the top conservatories, there are very few fabulous merit scholarships (my son got $18K at one, but $4K at another, for example, on schools costing between $46-50K annually). People thought $12-18K were extremely generous merit scholarships, but it would still make the costs prohibitive for many people.</p>
<p>We know kids who got lots and lots more money if they applied 'down' a few notches, because music schools, like everything else, are all different levels, and kids and the schools themselves, are looking for different things.</p>
<p>Concerning Bard, people often do not realize that they have no undergrad vocal performance degree, only a graduate program.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the feedback. How fantastic to benefit from the experience of other parents and students.
It has been my plan all along to have S visit, apply to and audition at a variety of schools, both state and private, within the mid-Altantic states, that have comparable music programs, namely vocal. But that's the hitch, how do I compare? For instance, we visited Mansfield University which is a small univ. in PA, just south of NY border, that is know for its "excellent music program." But what exactly does that mean? How does a school get a reputation for having an excellent program? Based on what? Should I compare the size of the program? For instance SUNY Fredonia offers, I believe, 7 music degrees compared to Mansfied which offers 4. I happen to like the idea of a double major. For instance WCC admissions said you get can a double major in vocal performance and music ed. My practical side deems that to be an attractive feature. Should I compare vocal professors bio's? How important is that? Maybe fit is most important here.
Based on what has been said about WCC, my choice for S, before even visiting and despite the campus drawbacks, would be WCC. It seems like the perfect place for a vocalist. Do they have a good music ed program? </p>
<p>I agree with AllMusic, that a double-digit scholarship makes only a dent in a school that costs 40K and upwards. So, naturally, cost will factor into the decision. Some have implied that being a tenor gives him a leg up where scholarships are concerned. Any thoughts on this? Does it depend on the needs of the school that given year?</p>
<p>SeansMom, you have aptly captured what I have found to be the unique challenge of applying to music programs. There are so many factors to consider that you have to sit down and literally write out a grid for comparing schools. We made a chart in September of Senior year so that we could physically look at the comparisons of all these different factors you are mentioning (and keep track of when prescreening CD's were due and audition dates/application dates). What it comes down to is what suits your individual child; there really is no "objective" measure of the best school.</p>
<p>Seansmom,</p>
<p>Sounds like you have the right thought process in place and are actively thinking through the process and visiting colleges. I like many others I am sure, racked my brain trying to figure out which programs are the best. As it has been said, it is very subjective. There are a few guides out there in print but I found them useless. In my opinion, reputation is good but to a large degree the faculty will really determine the quality of your S's education and they move from time to time. The advice in CC has been the most helpful to me by far. One of the things that I started doing late in the game that I advise you to start now is to take a close look at the bio's and research the voice teachers online. I found this very helpful. If you believe that "the best" want to be associated with "the best" this may tell you something about the quality of the program. </p>
<p>As far as Music Ed at Westminster, I hear the program is very strong and the name recognition opens doors to jobs after college. </p>
<p>One last piece of advice, start the CD demo process early! This will take a lot more time than you may think and you should be prepared in advance so you have time for re-takes and to make changes to the repertoire if needed.</p>