Dual Degree Programs for Music and Computer Science/Engineering?

Mom103
Sat, 31 Oct 2015 17:51:53 +0000

I don’t have any information regarding bass studios or CA schools, but I am the parent of a senior, dual degree student (music/science) at a prestigious university. I have two recommendations for high school students considering dual degree programs (in addition to the other advice that is all over CC).

1. If applying to a program with separate music and academic programs such as Harvard/NEC, JHU/Peabody, Eastman/U Rochester, note the distance between the music classes/practice rooms and the academic classes. The shuttles may seem convenient, but by the time a student gets to the shuttle stop, gets to where she’s going, walks to the necessary building, and reverses the process, a good deal of time has passed. This affects one’s ability to schedule enough classes each semester or find time to practice. It’s definitely possible to pursue a dual degree at these schools, but it takes an exceptional student and good advising to make it work. Also, consider where the student will live and when he/she will be practicing. Does she want to take a shuttle from the music campus back to the academic campus dorm at 1 am (if the shuttle even runs that late)? Conversely, does she has time to “run” to an academic TA’s office hours in between two music commitments? Even if a student has a car or a bike, distance is a much bigger factor than some believe it to be. The logistics of this are easier on a campus such as Oberlin, Lawrence or Northwestern.

2. Merit aid at schools with separate programs should also be considered. My child is a senior and is the ONLY dual degree student left in his entire studio and peer group. Everyone else has dropped either the music degree or the academic degree. Dropping the degree that provided the scholarship is a huge consideration. Eastman allows dual degree students to get aid from them OR from U Rochester, not both. If U Rochester offers more, and the student accepts that aid but later drops the academic major, she loses the academic scholarship, which is NOT replaced by a music scholarship in most cases. The reverse is also true. If a student wants a dual degree from, for example, Oberlin, and accepts a large scholarship based on academic merit, she will lose that scholarship if she drops the academic major. At that point, there is typically no music merit aid available for an existing student. The aid was offered to the student as an incoming freshman based on a declared major, degree or program. If the student makes a change to that path, she may lose scholarship money. Some schools (Northwestern, Lawrence, Michigan and Vanderbilt in some cases, etc.) offer merit scholarships based on the overall application, and the student is able to keep that aid no matter what the major or degree.

Now that I’ve typed all of this, I realize it would probably be better in a different thread. Sorry!