Westminster Choir College vs. SUNY Purchase

teachermom73 · 04-01-2012, 03:58 PM

Please help! My son received a rejection from his top choice of vocal performance programs. (I don't know which one of us is more heartbroken!) While he has had many nice offers from other schools, he has narrowed his choices to Westminster and SUNY Purchase. He likes both schools, but is not completely in love with them. He has also received scholarships to both, so for now, tuition is not a factor. Are there any parents or vocal performance students out there who can give some advice? My husband works in sales, and I am an English teacher. We are slowly but surely learning this new world, but some help would be appreciated! Please comment on reputation, social life, grad school opportunities, etc. Thanks!

Sopranorose · 04-01-2012, 05:54 PM

I'm a student at SUNY Purchase college, and I chose it over Westminster for many reasons. Pm me with specific questions, I'd love to help! The programs are VERY different so if you share a bit with what your son is looking for, I'd love to tell you pros and cons of each school.

BassDad · 04-01-2012, 06:18 PM

teachermom73, I have recorded your son's acceptances over on the Master List of Music School Acceptances, Fall 2012

If you would care to tell us about his other acceptances, even though he is not planning to attend at any of those schools, I would like to include those on our list as well. The lists can be a lot of help to others coming along in later years.

If you have not already seen them, you may wish to read the first ten or twelve posts in the thread So You Want To Be Music Major - One Family's Experience which were written to help the parents of students who are going through this process. While they are about a string student, there is a lot that is applicable to singers and other instrumentalists.

teachermom73 · 04-01-2012, 06:58 PM

Thanks for the information. He was also accepted into the vocal performance programs at Penn State and Berklee. While he loved University of Pittsburgh and was accepted there, it did not have the performance track he was looking for.

stringkeymom · 04-03-2012, 08:57 PM

I've responded to your question on the other thread about Westminster Choir College. Please PM me if you would like. I would be happy to put your son in touch with a current student at WCC or recent graduate (both loved it). There are many reasons why I would recommend WCC over SUNY-Purchase, including the connections, the ensembles, the performance opportunities and venues, Princeton as a place to live, the option to take classes at Princeton University.

Mezzo'sMama · 04-03-2012, 11:49 PM

Adding to stringkeymom's vote for WCC over SUNY Purchase. WCC has great depth in it's voice faculty and are very careful in their choice of performance venues for young voices. The location is a plus factor also; Princeton is a charming town and the buildings on the WCC campus just look "nice". Purchase can seem cold, grey and forbidding, especially in the winter.
If you PM me, I can also put you in touch with a current student there and I know her mom would be able to answer any of your questions.

teachermom73 · 04-04-2012, 07:39 AM

Thanks to all of you who helped with valuable information on both schools! It was a difficult choice for him, but he has chosen WCC.

Sopranorose · 04-10-2012, 06:32 PM

Ah, that's too bad! Based on what you told me, it seemed like Purchase would have been quite literally an ideal choice for him! But I hope he has a wonderful experience at WCC!

And Mezzo'sMama, I'd have to disagree. WCC to me seemed to be composed of grey buildings, and while they had beautiful scenery, I would think Purchase and it's proximity to New York city (the center of the music world) makes it a plus for location.

Mezzo'sMama · 04-10-2012, 09:59 PM

Sopranorose- Princeton is also only a short train ride from Manhattan, dear!

Sopranorose · 04-12-2012, 03:16 PM

Thank you, dear! I was aware of that, but I thought she had said that the state of New York was her son's ideal place to be, which is where Purchase is. Was only trying to help! :-/

teachermom73 · 04-13-2012, 07:29 AM

Thanks to both of you for the valuable information. I feel very fortunate that my son was able to choose between two excellent schools.

cartera45 · 04-13-2012, 02:00 PM

I don't think you can go wrong with the teachers at WCC. My DD was a Young Artist in their summer CoOperative program this past summer and she took lessons with several teachers there. She was very happy with the experience. I don't think there is another school at which there is such an abundance of excellent teachers.