wmbgmom4

Help, we are late getting searching and need help! My HS senior daughter is looking to find a non-city school with excellent academics and voice instruction. She has good grades, SAT scores and has done well vocally in competitions (just made state honors choir). She has a classical sounding voice but is not sure what her career path will be. Her voice teacher has suggested that she not go to a conservatory but go to an undergraduate school with a good music department.
We live in Virginia and would prefer a state school because of the costs but she would go anywhere except a big city. She would like to keep her options open and would like to double major if possible.
Would love to hear any ideas that you might have! It's hard to figure out where the good teachers are. Thanks for your help!

musicamusica

To keep costs down--you may want to keep within your own state. An OOS option, though public may cost as much or more than a private college. If you look OOS keep your eyes on LACs. At an LAC there might be a higher sticker price, but more merit available to a really talented student. If you and her teacher have a pretty good fix on where she stands in the national talent pool, you might want to check into some competitions above and beyond all state.

musicamusica

Also....does your D have all of her prescreening materials available now? Music admissions have deadlines that are rapidly approaching.

megpmom

If you are in Virginia, take a look at JMU - good music school and in state tuition.

Singersmom07

Second JMU and if you want to look at out of state, U of South Carolina is worth a look and they were generous with scholarships, granting in state plus additional money if music and academics are good.

PianoMan12

I hate sounding like a parrot and a self-promoter, but Lawrence University sounds good given this situation, especially if your daughter has good grades. Here she could get a BA in music (and something else if she wanted) from the college of liberal arts or do a BM in vocal performance from the conservatory of music (and a BA double degree if desired, as well). It really isn't that hard to get in for a BA in music here and the financial aid is great, so I'd say it's definitely something to consider. Also, Appleton is a city of 72,000 people and when you're here you're definitely in "the bubble," not spending very much time in the city at large.

KatMT

Agree with JMU in VA. This is a BM program, however, and a double degree (with a major outside of music) would likely take more than 4 years. There is no pre-screen for JMU, but an audition is required for admission to the School of Music.

The quality of vocal instruction at JMU is high. There are major programs in Vocal Performance, Music Theatre, Music Industry, and Music Education.

I do not know the teachers and UVA or William and Mary, but those schools may have BA programs in music with voice as a primary instrument. You could also look to see the opportunities at Radford, Christopher Newport, Old Dominion. George Mason and VCU are both more city schools.

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alexmariejp

Has she looked at Shenandoah University in Winchester? They are more $$ than JMU, but they are also quite generous with talent aid and you can stack Academic Merit Aid as well, which can make for a very generous package. It is a conservatory, but it is within a larger university, so there are many options available. My daughter is auditioning there and loves it there. She also have a very close friend who is a freshman music ed major there and the merit plus talent aid made it far cheaper for him than what his brother is paying for an instate school here in NY.