Which Univ/ Cons. Classical Voice Depts. Are Most Generous With Scholarship Money?

datripp · 03-31-2008, 07:53 AM

Help! I've tried to pin down this specific query on these boards, but am not finding it. Before we even begin this dance of admissions, I need to know any anecdotal or other stats. on which colleges, univs, or conservatories are the most open-handed regarding merit awards, grants, etc. It would certainly help me usher gifted-but-needy tenor S. away from those he'd have to go into a lifetime of debt to afford. Sorry to sound crass, but honestly - $40K a year is just nuts, I'd have to sell off my organs one at a time.

lorelei2702 · 03-31-2008, 08:24 AM

He has a better shot at really good money at one of the universities with strong choral programs. LSU, for instance, has traditionally done very well by its undergraduate voice students through choral service awards. Look for those kinds of things. Curtis is a free tuition school, but living expenses are need based. The best of the conservatories offer fairly meager merit financial aid, especially for undergraduate singers, partly because it is too unpredictable how the voices will evolve.

jazzzmomm · 03-31-2008, 09:49 AM

SUNY Purchase has affordable tuition, though I am not sure what the out of state cost is. And Hartt seems to be generous with merit aid.

violadad · 03-31-2008, 12:45 PM

datripp, there really is no one answer to your question. If S is also academically talented, try looking at some of the schools that interest you and see what their policies are regarding both performance talent and academic merit aid.

For example Hartt/UHartford does NOT allow combination of a Hartt performance based scholarship in conjunction with a UHartford academic based award or grant. Been there, done that, but he did receive a substantial (and increasing) performance (strings) based scholarship.

Talent aid money is based on standing within the audition pool. The best candidates are offered the larger carrots. And "larger" is really a function of the specific school. Some are more generous than others.

Any school that will include/offer academic aid based on GPA, SAT/ACT, class rank in addition to a talent award might be a plus in your narrowing down choices. Info is usually detailed on the school's financial aid/scholarship webpages, but sometimes it pays to dig into the undergrad handbook as well.

Some schools are better at disseminating this info than others.

There is no "list" per se here. There may be some info here Suggestions of Colleges with Music Majors

There's one thread here with a little bit of info. Master List of Scholarships and Merit Aid

As a general rule, the straight conservatories will offer talent and need based aid only; I am not aware of any institutional academic awards for performance concentrations.

MomofWildChild · 03-31-2008, 01:33 PM

D got some nice (and unexpected) merit money from Rice for all 4 years. It wasn't a huge amount, but we didn't turn it down!

musicamusica · 03-31-2008, 02:01 PM

We encountered the most merit awards from LAC's with smaller music schools. Examples from four years ago entering freshman vocal performance Loyola NOLA 12000 per annum and Chapman 15000 per annum. May have been more if D's grades were better.(gpa only 3.6)

raquelgonzalez90 · 03-31-2008, 03:33 PM

You could always look at Curtis...
: D
You never know.

violinmom · 03-31-2008, 05:51 PM

University of North Texas grants in-state tuitiion for out-of-state students if they are awarded any kind of music scholarship, even a small one. They also have some academic scholarships available to high GPA students. Tuition and fees for music major averages around $8k a year. I believe there are some other state schools around the country who also have this policy of granting in-state tuition for talented musicians (I believe Grand Valley State does) - so maybe worth checking out. My son is in his second year at UNT and so far he has not had to take out any loans (but that will probably change next year). Still, he won't be graduating with nearly the $25k in loans like his older sister (Northwestern grad).

Just a Dad in Oh · 03-31-2008, 06:57 PM

Otterbein certainly is worth investigating if Ohio is an option for your S.

If you do need to sell one of your organs, let me know, I'm still searching for a mint 1957 Hammond B-3.

JD

henrob · 03-31-2008, 08:21 PM

Datripp, in which state do you reside?

violadad · 03-31-2008, 09:02 PM

Just A Dad- Why buy? Just find an organ donor.

datripp · 04-02-2008, 06:06 AM

Hey, henrob; we're in CT. but son has dug in heels against Hartt, because of a strong desire to be anywhere but here. Wants NYC. Needs a richer uncle or MUCH better grades. MomofWildChild, I hear good things about Rice all around. Your experience? I'm pushing for a liberal arts degree here, because as loril. points out, you can't know what the voice will be at the end of the day. And I like the sound of The Singing Lawyer. Violadad, you always have good advice. Thanks for those links.

evasmom · 04-03-2008, 05:37 AM

datripp - Westminster Choir College has a very generous scholarship program. They use the audition, grades and SAT scores to base the amount of award.

henrob · 04-03-2008, 04:31 PM

Datripp,

My daughter's experience in school scholarships is in the South and Mid-West. No where near NYC.

Singersmom07 · 04-03-2008, 04:44 PM

Datrip agree with henrob, if you want close to NYC, Westminster offered generous scholarships. Not the high academic environment but you can take classes at Princeton. If thinking of Rice, they still require acceptance to the university. Stats don't have to be as tough as other majors, but cannot be a slouch either. Need to be solidly at the 50% marker or so to be comfortable even with a good audition.