<p>I’m a sophomore in high school and I am currently looking for colleges that offer joint programs with other music conservatories. I am not looking into performance, but just composition.
This is because I am interested in being a doctor, but I still want to pursue music on the side.</p>
<p>I know that Columbia has a joint program with Julliard. Are there any other colleges with this option available?</p>
<p>Any information is welcome. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I think Penn and Harvard have them too if you are looking at ivies. Not sure how important definition of conservatory is to you, but there are several top notch Universities that have exceptional music schools that might equal or surpass some of the “conservatories”. Those schools typically add other general requirements onto their students that a conservatory wouldn’t, but that sounds like something you are looking for. Son is at USC and they have first tier classical, voice and jazz instructors some of whom are grammy nominees in opera and jazz this year, plus Midori is violin instructor I think. There are several major universities like this I’m sure that also have exceptional pre-med curriculum. Son was considering music and pre-med also and the admissions officer told us it is doable, but once people are in the music program, if it is their passion they usually end up committing to music completely. Good Luck!</p>
<p>CIM and Case Western combo comes to mind- especially if you’re doing the premed thing.
Are you looking for separate colleges and conservatories? Or conservatories within universities too?</p>
<p>You can search for threads on joint programs or double degrees. Here are some other schools that have relationships that you may wish to investigate besides Juilliard/Columbia: NEC/Harvard; NEC/Tufts; Johns Hopkins/Peabody; U Rochester/Eastman; Case Western/CIM. Much has been written in the various threads about the difficulties of pursuing studies at two institutions. You may also want to look at schools that have good premed and composition programs within the same school and that would allow you to work in both areas. For example, Rice has an excellent premed program and also an excellent school of music with composition courses.</p>
<p>One thread
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/476176-joint-programs.html?highlight=joint+programs[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/476176-joint-programs.html?highlight=joint+programs</a></p>
<p>There are more. I posted before finishing but will add more in a bit.</p>
<p>Those two careers are like jealous lovers, beware mixing them ! I had a roommate, who was the brightest kid I had ever met, got into the Harvard MD PhD program…and quit the PhD part. Even in his case, where you would think there would be a close symbiosis of careers, it is nearly impossible to do both, even for the best and brightest. Music -premed is even harder, the competition in music is extremely harsh ( my brother studied at both Harvard and Juillard, and he is happily pursuing only music,…it is tough ), even if you are a non performance major. I agree with raddad. But if you must, also look into Oberlin, they also have a conservatory.</p>
<p>More in addition to my earlier reply </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/244511-joint-programs.html?highlight=joint+programs[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/244511-joint-programs.html?highlight=joint+programs</a> (same title, different thread)
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/747401-major-music-performance-w-pre-med-requirements.html?highlight=pre+med[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/747401-major-music-performance-w-pre-med-requirements.html?highlight=pre+med</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/515057-music-major-music-career-vs-pre-med-med-school.html?highlight=pre+med[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/515057-music-major-music-career-vs-pre-med-med-school.html?highlight=pre+med</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/373796-schools-strong-jazz-programs-well-pre-med.html?highlight=pre+med[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/373796-schools-strong-jazz-programs-well-pre-med.html?highlight=pre+med</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/497283-best-schools-music-composition.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/497283-best-schools-music-composition.html</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/558140-tufts-nec-program.html?highlight=Tufts+NEC[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/558140-tufts-nec-program.html?highlight=Tufts+NEC</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/298779-tufts-nec.html?highlight=Tufts+NEC[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/298779-tufts-nec.html?highlight=Tufts+NEC</a></p>
<p>As violindad said, search for “double degree”, “dual major”, “music and” … threads.</p>
<p>Scan the Master lists <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/817953-master-list-acceptances-fall-2010-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/817953-master-list-acceptances-fall-2010-a.html</a> for combos, degree(s) and posters. Look for some past threads on schools that might interest you.</p>
<p>You might want to take a serious look at the Tufts-NEC double degree program. I believe that a double degree-er currently in her 3rd year is studying pre-med or something darn close — bio-chem perhaps — and voice. I’ll ask my son who is currently a second year double degree student there. Also, if I’m not mistaken, I believe Tufts has a program that grants early acceptance to qualified Tufts undergrads to their medical school well before graduation, perhaps at the end of junior year. I’ll dig around and see if I can find the link to that program.</p>
<p>Such a plan is certainly not for the faint of heart. It would be challenging but probably not impossible. The scheduling could get tricky as NEC orchestras meet in the morning as do many lab courses at Tufts. DS just switched his major at Tufts from Environmental Studies to Cognitive Brain Science which is not quite as demanding as pre-med but hardly a cakewalk either. His major at NEC is composition though he also studies violin with Nicholas Kitchen and plays in a chamber ensemble. As a composition major, you have fewer ensemble requirements than performance majors so the NEC orchestra/Tufts lab course schedule conflict might not be a huge deal for you. DDers can satisfy either one or two of their ensemble requirements at Tufts, which my son and several other DDers have done. Gil Rose of Boston Modern Orchestra Project is currently the director of the Tufts orchestra so it can be a reasonable and satisfying experience even for outstanding musicians.</p>
<p>I’ll post again once I’ve had a chance to talk with my son and track down the link to the early med school acceptance.</p>
<p>Here’s a link to the Tufts Med School early admittance program:
[Early</a> Admission to Tufts’ Professional Schools - Office of Undergraduate Admissions - Tufts University](<a href=“Tufts University”>Tufts University)</p>
<p>You are admitted as a sophomore. I dug up a 2005 CC thread discussing the program. Link is here:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tufts-university/48231-tufts-premed-8-yr-med-program.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/tufts-university/48231-tufts-premed-8-yr-med-program.html</a></p>
<p>The odds of acceptance to the early admittance program sound reasonable — 17 of some 2 - 3 dozen applicants accepted in 2005. I can’t say whether they would look favorably or unfavorably on someone doing a Tufts/NEC double degree. </p>
<p>As a sophomore, you have plenty of time to research and explore options. In the meantime, keep enjoying and writing music.</p>
<p>My husband double-majored in biology and music (theory and composition-- they do not have a performance major) at Penn and went on to medical school, so it can be done. (Penn has almost no music performance; there is supposedly a connection between Penn and Curtis, but in the 20 years I’ve taught at Penn I have never encountered a Curtis student.)</p>
<p>When doing your research, try to find out how many applicants are admitted to the dual degree program each year (at many schools the number may be something like 2 or 3) and how many actually finish it. If you are serious about completing both degrees, look for a school that has a fair amount of institutional support behind the dual degree program from both the academic and musical sides. Otherwise you will not only be working on two very time-intensive degrees, you will also be swimming against the current in trying to schedule everything and coordinate what your music adviser wants you to do with what your premed adviser wants you to do. It does not help if they both take the attitude that you should only be studying in their field.</p>
<p>Schools you should check out include Bard, where everyone in the conservatory is required to have a non-music major in the college, and Oberlin, where about a quarter to a third of the conservatory class is in the double degree program. I do not know about the academic options at Bard, but the CC user N8Ma will probably be happy to fill you in there. While you can satisfy the requirements for premed through many different possible majors at Oberlin, they happen to have strong Biochemistry and Neuroscience departments if those areas are of particular interest. Another advantage of both of these schools is that the conservatory is on the same campus as the rest of the school so you do not have to spend precious time commuting from one school to another.</p>
<p>glassharmonica, I have heard much the same from students on the Curtis side. While many of them have heard that they can take classes at Penn, only a few have ever done it and then usually not more than one or two in their entire career. Certainly nowhere near enough to have a second major.</p>
<p>I know that at Peabody / JHU they only accept a few students each year to their double degree program. You must be accepted to both Hopkins and Peabody plus be accepted as a double degree student. Their concern is that each major is very time intensive and it will take most students an extra year to complete. If not accepted to the double degree program, the student may choose to attend JHU or Peabody and then apply again for the double degree program after proving their academic ability.
I have a friend whose daughter did this, she chose JHU as a Physics / Engineering major and played in the Peabody Orchestra and took lessons her freshman year. She reapplied and with strong support from her private teacher she was accepted to the double degree program at JHU / Peabody. So now she is a sophmore at JHU but starting from the beginning at Peabody. Amazingly she is thriving and even taking the double major at JHU, she can’t imagine giving up any of her classes.
This is a great program and you should definitely investigate. Peabody is a very nurturing environment and Hopkins very strong in the sciences.</p>
<p>BassDad, I second the idea that Bard and Oberlin are good places for thehummingbird to investigate. It seems that the ideal school would be a place that encourages double-majors. I think one of the problems with dual-degree programs between two schools is that the schedules are quite difficult to coordinate. So, even if accepted into the program, one might find it very frustrating trying to schedule classes.</p>
<p>Hi hummingbird,</p>
<p>I generally tell people who visit that there are three schools where dual degrees come very naturally: Oberlin, Lawrence, and Bard (where I work). At all of the schools already mentioned they are also possibilities, but I do think it’s worth taking BassDad’s advice and ask about attrition rates. Even more important, the “why” behind those numbers. If someone drops the double degree because s/he was overwhelmed, disappointed, stressed beyond belief, that’s one thing. But know that others just wanted to try both out to begin with, and are still happy with their decision to drop one degree part-way through without any feelings of “what-if” or other disappointment. </p>
<p>So you’ve gotten a lot of great advice already; all I’d add is that you can earn both a BA in composition at Bard College, through the regular 4-year program, as well as a BM + BA through the Conservatory. The conservatory generally accepts 1-2 composers each year. We’re looking for accomplished composers–years of private lessons, some summer programs, and experience with the “full life cycle” of a work from conception to making and editing parts to having the music performed by others (with all the frustration this entails). As has been mentioned on this forum before, composers can be a lonely bunch–not as many avenues for recognition as singers and instrumentalists have, so it’s harder to know how far you’ve come, and how far you need to go in order to have a credible application to a selective music program. But since you’re a sophomore I’d suggest trying out summer programs like Interlochen, California Summer Music, Waldorf in NH, Brevard, and perhaps Yellow Barn to get a sense of your interests and goals. </p>
<p>We do have two current fifth-year students applying to medical school. I’d say 70% of our students want to pursue music at the professional level, around 30% are undecided or want to “keep it on the side,” as you say. Just know that if you are looking in to double degrees, both sides will expect you to commit yourself fully to the endeavor. We don’t hold the students planning on careers in medicine, law, or scientific research to any lower standard than the others. So, in the next few years, fleshing out what “on the side” means to you could make you more inclined to pursue pre-med at a school that has strong music options for non-majors, as opposed to the rigor of a dual degree program.</p>