<p>I wanted to add some more info about the double major or double degree idea.</p>
<p>The difficulty of doing that depends not only on the student, AP credits, and what the 2nd major is, but the school. I looked at schools where to do a BM in performance was only about 60 credits for the music major (then add gen ed stuff to complete it), some that were 80 credits, and some more than that. My school I’m going to uses ‘course units’ which are each = to 4 credits/semester hours. For the music major requirements (performance BM), 26 units = 104 credits, plus gen ed requirements of 12 courses (2 double count though with music major classes, so 10 really). total 36 different units = 144 credits, which is a little more than the average Bachelor’s degree. That can affect the time and difficulty of completing a double major of double degree. If people go the BA route at my school with a music major + another major, it doesn’t seem bad as far as credits. Double degree- When you add those 36 units for the BM + gen ed requirements, then another major under the BA degree (w/ gen eds counting the same for the BA), you’re up to at least 46 units = 184 credits, or more. That depends on the school and the 2nd major, but it can be hard to do in 4 years. </p>
<p>So when looking into schools and the double degree possibility, check on the # of credits and the possibility of 4 vs 5 years. Be aware that if you pick a music program within a university that does not specifically offer the double degree program and have that set up as a 5-year thing, the scholarships often don’t cover the 5th year. Some people on here mentioned schools like Oberlin that have the 5-year program and aid is for 5 years on those programs, but at my school scholarships typically cover only 4 years and the 5th year has to be paid entirely by the student (most of the time). I actually did get mine to cover the 5th year if I need 5 years, so definitely ask about it. Sometimes they’ll do that.</p>
<p>Also, if the double degree is the choice, some schools will require 5 years and not let you do it in 4, no matter how much the student thinks they can. This, from what I’ve heard, tends to be at the schools where they offer a specific double degree program for 5 years and have that all mapped out for you. When you pick a school that doesn’t necessarily have that all mapped out and you choose to do it, they might let you chose 4 vs 5 years (this is how my school is).</p>