Help with college list for visits and applications

compmom
Fri, 14 Feb 2020 13:25:55 +0000

@howdidwegethere it’s fine to apply to both BM and BA programs, but really a lot easier if your daughter decides before applying. Which student would she identify with in the Double Degree Dilemma essay? And of course it is still so early, she may change her mind.

Does she understand that her list is kind of apples and oranges?

And just want to echo what others have said about needing to really look deeply at each school, whether before or after acceptance. Make sure that BA students get good opportunities if there is a BM program on campus, as I wrote before.

Harvard has ramped up the applied arts in the last 10 years, and substantially changed the music curriculum. Lessons are funded, and students earn credit for both lessons and performance in certain organizations. There may also be a performance component in theory , anlaysis and music history classes.

Look at gen eds. Yale has more gen eds than Harvard, for instance, meaning that music major at Harvard can essentially take more music classes for the major.

When attending a school, like Harvard or Tufts, that also offers a double degree, internally or with a conservatory, it is helpful to consider NOT doing the double degree as well. It is possible to progress with lessons and performance. (Tufts has an excellent music department with high student participation and excellent faculty.)

One thing to consider is whether your daughter would want to do grad work in music. Many years away. But that also affects choice.

Looking early can reduce stress but in the case of a music kid, you really have to include all options unless she already feels absolutely certain of what she wants- BA or BM or both. That makes it tougher.