<p>cebula- with regard to your parents’ concern about your major, especially their concern that you have a broad education that teaches you to learn, I’d suggest you sit down with them and go over the required coursework at some of these schools. It might help you narrow down schools that are the best fit for you and it might help them see the breadth and challenge of coursework that is required. (music, math, physics, computer scince, writing, general education requirements) It is best if you and your parents are in agreement sooner, rather than later. You will find that your senior year is very busy with applications, and in your case, portfolios, auditions or interviews. Many music schools and many California schools have early deadlines (11/30 or 12/1)</p>
<p>When my S applied for sound design we had simlilar concerns that he was focusing on too narrow of an area of study so soon. Parents worry that a child might change their mind during or after their bachelor’s degree and not be prepared for a different area of study or work. We are no longer concerned about his choice of majors. During high school, our S sometimes said he wanted to be a lawyer. (He certainly wore us down with arguments!) In his course work for theatre sound design, he has done a lot of reading and writing. He has worked under tight deadlines with multiple projects going on at a time. Often last minute changes need to be made before a production. He works with a design team and director and has to be responsive to them, but also has to take leadership over his part of the production. He has meetings with the design team and faculty that require him to do oral presentations, and also to present his work in a written format. He has put togehter well-organized, thorough notebooks that include documents such as schedules, budgets, script analysis, equipment lists and plots. There is no room for mediocre work because your final work product is on public display. Because he was in a new program, he had to speak up for what he felt he wanted and needed and learned to be a pretty good advocate for himself. All of these skills are going to help him as a sound designer, but would also be great skills to have if one wanted to be a trial attorney. This is just one example of how skills can transfer. </p>
<p>Look at programs with your parents and see which ones might best help you achieve your goals as a video game sound designer and also give you the skills and background you would need if you decided to later pursue a different career or course of study.
Good luck!</p>