snrz2012lolz

Hello! I was accepted to a total of five music schools and I'm pretty sure I've narrowed it down to these two. I'm hoping to double major/dual degree in music (voice) and maybe busienss. Northwestern is going to be about $11,000 more a year for me than U of I. 2,500 in loans is in the financial package already from Northwestern. I have teachers I like at both schools. My question is, is the extra money worth it in the end? I'm looking for the school that will best help me get into graduate schools and jobs later in life. Any advice?

PianoMan12

Are you planning on using your vocal degree for your career or your business or whatever other degree you also plan on receiving? NU is more on the radar for music than UI even though Illinois certainly doesn't have a bad reputation. When you're auditioning for grad schools for music they want to see where you're going more so than where you've been, so the most important thing is how well you sing, not where you got your piece of paper from. Basically, I'd look at who you'd be studying with, especially if you want to make music your career, and make a choice that way. At the same time, if you don't plan on using music for your career and you just enjoy singing to the point of wanting to pursue a music degree along with another one, it may be wisely frugal to go for the cheaper school. Then again, I don't know anything about the voice faculties at either institution so it's up to you to determine if the school with the better name is actually the better one.

BassDad

snrz2012lolz, I am adding your Northwestern and UIUC acceptances over at the Master List of Music School Acceptances, Fall 2012

Even though you do not plan to attend any of the others, I would like to add those acceptances to the list as well if you are willing to say what the other three schools are.

Mezzo'sMama

If the VP part of your schooling is the most important, then the teacher should be the deciding point for you. The overall quality of the voice dept faculty at NU is known to be top-notch, but there are also very good teachers to be found at UIUC- have you had lessons with whomever you have been assigned to in each place?

snrz2012lolz

Yes, I have taken several lessons from the teacher at U of I and am taking a lesson with a teacher at NU this week - the teachers are pretty close friends too.