<p>So my dad has decided that the Musicians Institute in LA is not a worthy place for me to go to school. Ive had my heart set on this place for 3 years, and now he refuses to pay for it. My mom died two years ago, so we have plenty of money from life insurence to pay for me to go almost anywhere. How do i get the financial aid that i need?</p>
<p>I am so sorry about the loss of your mom. Unfortunately, if your father received a sizable amount of money from a life insurance policy, getting financial aid will be difficult. Do you understand the reasons why your dad does not feel your choice of school is appropriate? Have you researched other options? Sometimes we get so focused on one option that we fail to see the many other fine options available to us. Maybe if you investigate other options for yourself and present your findings to your dad and why you think one option is better for you than another, he will be more amenable to your ultimate choice. You and your dad are just going to have to come to an understanding on this. The more resposibility you show in the process, the easier it will be for your dad to be comfortable with your ultimate choice. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>^agree. Keep up the communication about colleges with your dad. Hear his side. Ask him to help in the process. The bill isn’t due tomorrow (is it?), so it’s the conversations that need to continue. Apply to your fav. choice and some others he suggest. Decisions aren’t until May 1st.</p>
<p>becca, have you considered a more traditional college with a good music program? This might be something your dad would feel more open to, and you could still get the music education you desire. Or if you want a consevatory education, like the other posters have said, talk to your dad about some other options. He may be more approving of a different one, or perhaps he will see the benefits of your preference when comparing it to others. Don’t underestimate that your dad may have some very valid concerns.</p>
<p>If you make the conversation more of a dialogue about what your best options might be, rather than just trying to get him to do what you want, it will be a more productive conversation.</p>
<p>Sorry to hear about the death of your mom.</p>
<p>While your dad may have received a lot of life insurance, that doesn’t mean that he thinks it’s wise to spend the money on college…much less a college that he thinks might not lead to a good-paying career.</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about that school, but I do agree with the advice above about going to a traditional university that has a good music dept.</p>
<p>Let me tell you this…Over a year ago, my niece graduated from one of these expensive specialty schools. She hasn’t been able to get a job.</p>
<p>She now is going for a degree from a traditional college, BUT she has to redo all of her classes because the university (a UC) doesn’t recognize any credits from that specialty school. Ugh! She and her parents are frustrated after spending all that money!</p>
<p>Anyway…if your dad won’t pay for Music Inst, then you can’t go. Not only would you not qualify for need-based aid, but most of those specialty schools don’t give much aid anyway I notice on MI’s website, that the grants are for those who qualify for Pell and Cal Grants (which it doesn’t sound like you would qualify).</p>
<p>Aren’t there any traditional schools that interest you?</p>
<p>Have you asked how much your dad will spend if you go to a regular university?</p>
<p>My condolences on the loss of your mother.</p>
<p>As the parent of a conservatory trained performing professional, I can understand both sides of this issue. I understand and acknowledge the passion and drive of the muse driven, I constantly have doubts as to chances of level of success professionally, and know the costs involved in getting there.</p>
<p>There are those that support their offspring in these dreams, and there are those that will not, and for a vast multitude of reasons.</p>
<p>From a music standpoint I throw out the following: what is your intended path, vocal/instrumental, composition or are you considering the music industry/technology/or business aspect?</p>
<p>If performance based, what is your level of training, experiences, exposure to and interaction with professionals? Have you had objective professional level assessment of your skills and potential? Have you played performed on a competition level, played professionally/semi-pro, or have otherwise music generated income?</p>
<p>Did you examine traditional not for profit degree granting institutions offering these options? There are many where both music industry/business options are offered; fewer that concentrate in commercial/popular genres, where the admittance is contingent on talent, not the ability to write a check. There are institutions that allow you to do both concurrently.</p>
<p>Were your grades and stats at a level that made those options untenable? If so, why?</p>
<p>As a parent, these are the questions I would be asking. As a music parent, I would be hard pressed to accept the veracity of any performance based program that does not include an audition as a condition of acceptance. Perhaps I missed it, but nowhere on the MI website did I see a prescreening requirement for the BM program, let alone an audition repertoire by instrument.</p>
<p>From a financial standpoint, I would have major issues with ANY program including a not for profit that did not list tuition, fees, and associated costs in their web materials. The “current course catalog” referenced as a source for the detail by program is not to be found via a site search or the site map. I see BIG RED FLAGS.</p>
<p>I may sound a bit hard. I’m injecting a bit of realism here. </p>
<p>I’m not passing judgment. I understand the drive and the dream. You need to grasp the realities and potential for success or failure, regardless of your dad’s ability to pay. </p>
<p>Do not go into serious debt for a music pursuit. The carrot at the end of the stick, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow may seem within reach. </p>
<p>These programs may work for a few. The majority leave with less than what they paid for.</p>
<p>Consider your options, including a gap year, studying privately to make you the best musician you can be. If you need to, take some time at a community college to build your academics. Give mainstream programs a shot next year, or defer the dream for a while. I’d be happy to point out potential options.</p>
<p>The best of luck to you.</p>
<p>I am sorry for the loss of your mom.</p>
<p>Please understand that your dad may be able to afford Musician’s Institute, but he may have some very valid reasons why he does not feel that the money would be well spent.</p>
<p>I cannot comment on this school, because I know nothing about it. I share Violadad’s concerns. In particular, the fact that the tuition and fees schedule is not available online really bothers me. It is in the current course catalog, which cannot be accessed online, as far as I can tell. The website is well-designed … there is no reason the cost information should not be online. </p>
<p>I agree that there are great options at traditional colleges. If Dad won’t pay for M/I, you should learn to love some other options. There are so many great schools where you can study anything offered at M/I. Spend some time researching other schools & have conversations with your father about these, instead of arguments about a school your father is not interested in paying for you to attend.</p>
<p>I have to agree with your dad. I think you need to look at other options. Depending on your instrument or area of interest, your grades, how much your father is willing to contribute from the funds, etc you can target other colleges that will give you the music you desire coupled with a traditional degree. You and your dad need to figure out what you will be expected to pay using the on-line caculators. If you are willing to share some basic info regarding your GPA and test scores there are many folks that will be happy to help you locate colleges that may work for you. Just to whet your appetite look at Berklee, it’s expensive but I use it only as an example that there are other options.</p>
<p>Depending on area of interest, Belmont (Nashville) is a very good option.</p>
<p>These will offer options:
[Music</a> Major - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/]Music”>Music Major - College Confidential Forums)</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1010838-music-schools.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1010838-music-schools.html</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/957443-music-business-industry-management-technology-production.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/957443-music-business-industry-management-technology-production.html</a></p>
<p>And some food for thought <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/460187-how-many-music-voice-performance-majors-find-jobs.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/460187-how-many-music-voice-performance-majors-find-jobs.html</a></p>
<p>Sorry to hear about your loss.</p>
<p>I lost my father when I was applying for colleges, and my mom received a huge policy payout that pretty much killed any chance of getting decent aid.</p>
<p>Like your father, my mother didn’t want to pay. Your best bet is to talk things out with the finaid folks at the school and let them know about your situation and hope that they push a little harder for you. You’ll likely have to work jobs on top of school to held fend for extra expenses.</p>
<p>max, my sympathies on the loss of your father. If you are unaware, Musicians Institute is a for profit program, unlike the typical not for profit educational institutions discussed on CC. Unfortunately, while their website does list some scholarships, no dollar amounts are indicated, and it appears they are for one semester only. </p>
<p>The OP will get even less sympathy or understanding than from a traditional college financial aid office. </p>
<p>The only options would be the the federal loans available to all through FAFSA submission, and whatever state programs might be available to her. No where close to what would be required.</p>
<p>The problem with insurance payouts is that they are big lump sums that hurt aid, but are often needed to pay for the future.</p>
<p>Are there any other children in the family?</p>
<p>Was the mother employed, therefore was her loss is both an emotional one and a financial one? Even if she wasn’t employed outside the home, the loss of a parent can have a financial toll on a family because now the family has to pay for things that she normally did for free.</p>
<p>Sometimes kids just see a lump of money and assume it’s available to be spent (on them). </p>
<p>While none of these issues directly address the OP’s circumstance, she needs to understand that her dad may have very valid reasons not to want to spend a huge chunk on college ANYWHERE.</p>
<p>Tuition is around $25k plus room, board, etc for Musician Inst. So, COA is probably about $40k per year. It’s completely understandable why the dad may not want to spend $160k on college - especially if he has other children to put thru school.</p>
<p>I also wonder about its accreditation since Collegeboard doesn’t list it.</p>
<p>Anyway…if the student is from Calif, there are some public education options available.</p>
<p>^ From my perusal, the only accreditation listed on the MI website (FAQ section) is from the National Association of Music Schools.</p>