<p>My violinist S is trying to decide between Yale (music? classics?) and Lawrence (BM/BA double degree). He's leaning toward Yale but the thought persists that the undergrad musical education/environment would be better at Lawrence. S is not 100% sure that he wants to be a professional musician; but maybe. We visited Lawrence and were very impressed with the conservatory and the college, but S is also very aware that it's much harder to get into Yale than into Lawrence and that the intellectual ambiance at Lawrence wouldn't be that of Yale. Should he resist the pull of the Ivy League?</p>
<p>Tough question and the draw to Yale is obvious. I guess if I were your son I would try to answer this question: if Yale wasn’t called Yale, would it still be his first choice. What I mean by this is if the names didn’t exist which school would he be leaning to?</p>
<p>As someone recently said, you’re comparing apples and caterpillars. If a conservatory education is what your son truly wants, Yale cannot provide that. But there are plenty of kids on campus who turned down conservatories to attend Yale, or who are conservatory-level musicians who didn’t apply to conservatories. </p>
<p>The academic side of music is splendid at Yale. There are also abundant opportunities to perform in orchestras, chamber groups, and a variety of other musical groups. Private lessons, however, are dicey. (Caveat: My child’s instrument is NOT violin, but I think what I’m going to say is universally applicable.) A handful of School of Music professors offer private lessons (sometimes for credit, sometimes not) to a tiny handful of top, top students. If you don’t make the cut, you are assigned to a grad student; some are quite good, but it’s a different experience, especially for kids who are accustomed to studying with a master teacher. Some kids who don’t make the cut travel to NYC (or, I think, Hartford) to study privately. </p>
<p>Has your son made contact with someone in the violin program to find out how many profs teach undergrads, who they are (we found sample lessons were not a possibility, but at least you should do your due diligence), and to try to at least get a read on how likely it is he will be one of the few? For someone choosing between conservatory/non-conservatory, that inquiry is critical. Your son should also ask Admissions to put him in contact with a student – preferably a violinist – who chose Yale over a conservatory. There are a number of those students on campus.</p>
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This part of your post is what draws my attention. I do not have any first hand knowledge of either music program, but I do have an artist daughter who chose Ivy League (not Yale) over art school, precisely because she didn’t know 100% that she wanted to be a professional artist, whateve that means. She felt that a university environment would be far better than an art school, and it has turned out that she so benefitted from the well-rounded atmosphere of the uni and would have been frustrated in the art school. She is an art major in her uni and is extremely happy with her choice. And Yale is Yale, after all.</p>
<p>Clover, I commented within your thread <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/915137-yale-vs-lawrence.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/915137-yale-vs-lawrence.html</a> in the music major forum. </p>
<p>Both wjb and franglish make excellent points.</p>
<p>There are exceptional violin instructors producing pre-professional/professional talent all along the greater I-95 corridor, (a number as faculty at many of the Philly to Boston conservatory level programs) that will also engage students privately. </p>
<p>The depth and quality of performance and ensemble opportunities at Yale will vary considerably based on S’s ability to be competitive within the ensemble’s audition based parameters, a tough row to hoe even for a conservatory level talent given the specific instrument.</p>
<p>Yes, Yale is Yale. And Juilliard is Juilliard. Names aside, if the feet are firmly planted in both camps, it does not mean that the opportunities afforded at Lawrence will not better suit both purposes. </p>
<p>It completely depends on the focus.</p>
<p>Thanks to you all. We appreciate your helpful comments. My son is contacting Yale Admissions to get contact information for student violinists. I’ll let you know what he decides - deadline coming up this week, thankfully.</p>
<p>S chose Yale. Thanks, everyone! This was a difficult decision and I’m relieved he finally decided.</p>
<p>Thanks for the update, and congratulations to your son! Yale really is an extraordinary place.</p>
<p>Hooray, CloveratMidnight–perhaps our kids will get to know each other at Yale! S has made his decision to attend Yale as well.</p>
<p>Congratulations! There is SO MUCH MORE to Yale than the superb Dept. and School of Music!</p>