<p>naturalmom:</p>
<p>It sounds as if you have researched this well and have reasonable expectations. Since you’re preparing for this early, you will be able to find multiple ways to meet your goals. Here are some insights I can provide.</p>
<p>We have met a clarinet graduate of Wheaton. It seems like she got a great education and is happy teaching students in an area of New England that wouldn’t have access to good teachers without the long ride to Boston. Therefore I wouldn’t stress about “only considering schools like Wheaton.”</p>
<p>As finances seem to be a consideration, you could use the strategy that “the fruit doesn’t fall far from the tree.” What I’m saying is to find out the top teachers in your area, and then search for recent graduates or students of said teachers. They will not command as high a price, but may provide you a “good value” for your lessons. In addition, since they’re “fresh out” of the system, they’ll have insight into things to benefit you.</p>
<p>Finally, many summer programs do provide merit and need-based scholarships so don’t rule them out right away. Give them a whirl. Besides the excellent music educational experience, summer programs provide valuable “real life” experience for your musician. How do you or they really know that they want to be a conservatory where it’s nothing but music all day? Attendance at an intense summer program helps answer that question. Since you’re talking midwest and a 7th grader, why not try for Interlochen on scholarship for the summer of 2008? </p>
<p>BTW, you will need to do a real soul search on your personal values and the different schools. I do know that their are major “climate” differences between schools like Wheaton (Conservative) and Oberlin (Extremely liberal). However, I wouldn’t start that process now since you’ll know your S’s personality as a young adult much better during his junior and senior year and that is the person who’s going off to college, not the 7th grader you have now.</p>
<p>Good luck! It will all work out for the best and, who’s to say that when all is said and done, your S won’t be attending one of the more well-known music schools on a scholarship?</p>