@NewMarket26 - I don’t have the experience to offer a lot of advice. Skimming through the posts, I thought I would recommend Florida State University. Very strong music school, fabulous marching band, and affordable for OOS tuition (<$20K). Additionally, it seems like a place where additional scholarships are plentiful. I don’t know anything about the brass program in particular, however.
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Years ago they did have a strong trumpet program. We met their director at a competition.
But at every school, the kid needs to research the person with whom he’d likely be studying, and whether or not they’d be a good match. Serious music perf applicants fly all over the country taking trial lessons with potential teachers, during spring summer and fall before applying. And then they have the joy of doing it all over again in the winter for application auditions! Gets expensive.
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Thanks. I hear you! A lot of the other posts seem to indicate that he is already behind in the process. But I do think a good summer program (or two) might really help him clarify things, as you say.
S went to a summer program between 10th and 11th and he was on the fence about pursuing music (composition) as a degree. It definitely gave him clarity! He loved be surrounded by music and music people 24/7, so music composition major was decided. 
Do you mind sharing where he went?
Edited: It just occurred to me you may have meant where he went for his summer program. It was Interlochen.
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@NewMarket26 I PM’ed you. He can do summer in performance, composition or his new interest in video game/audio design. I think the latter might be eye opening.
For starters:
The Music Camp that Changes Lives | The Walden School
Music Production & Engineering Summer Program for High School Students | Interlochen Arts Camp
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No one started the camp thread for this year but if he would be interested in a place where he can do performance and composition that definitely happens at Kinhaven.
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My son graduated yesterday with a music Ed degree. It’s a challenging major. The education part had courses in developmental psychology, various courses in music teaching, learning instruments in all categories (strings, percussion, winds, brass), and a bunch of observation in schools, as well as student teaching. This in addition to core classes and nearly every class a performance major would take as well. It took him 4.5 years, including some summer classes. The standard degree plan is 5 years at his school. More than four years for music Ed is common but some can be done faster.
I suggest you look up degree plans at a few universities (start with your state universities and go from there. Look for music education with a band concentration. Have him read them and look at course requirement and see if he’s still interested. Also have him look up application and audition requirements now, not in six months.
If he loves marching band have him look at University of North Texas. Great marching band, with a great community as well, affordable program with some good scholarship opportunities for out of state students. Not necessarily an easier admit for music Ed vs. performance though if that’s a concern.
If he’s really undecided, have him look at a list of majors at some big in-state university and cross off all the ones he wouldn’t consider, and the look at what’s left. This exercise helped a couple of my kids think things through.
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Has anyone recommended you and your son read the double degree dilemma? I think it’s pinned at the top of this music majors area. At the very least, it will give your son food for thought.
Here…the link is in the first post to this linked thread.
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I just re-read your post. Whether you can audition to multiple degree programs at the same university depends on the school. It varies, and it’s a little hard to find the people who can accurately answer that question sometimes! My son was able to do it at the schools he applied to, and in some cases got acceptances on two instruments and to both music Ed and performance at the same school. It complicated the application process and the awarding of scholarships at some schools (they really wanted to know what he planned to study before awarding music scholarship money at half his acceptances and one of the others just awarded money based on his strongest audition I think).
Music Ed audition is usually the same as a performance major with the addition of an interview for music Ed.
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