Compmom, during early high school, options such as the Royal Conservatory were discussed-my kid actually was really was interested in studying abroad and had the view that it could be a really neat adventure. But by senior year, we figured out that auditioning in the US alone was a herculean endeavour, and he couldn’t have even imagined adding foreign schools to the list. Not to mention he knew no teachers based abroad.
I dont know how much things will change by grad school; even at summer festivals I dont think theres alot of opportunity to meet foreign teachers, but I could be wrong. I do think though that there’s huge value in studying abroad and should be looked into as a serious option.
I realize this matter is a ways off, and that he’ll be speaking with classmates about their choices, but for us, the financial background and planning, and really just knowledge, way in advance, is a must. For undergrad, we dug in and tried to figure out where the optimal funding lies, and we’ll do the exact same for grad. I’d like my kid to be able to work on what he wants to work on without the often crushing financial worries that can accompany musical studies.