State Schools as academic safeties with BM in Voice

College Majors Music Majors
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My daughter is applying to double-degree programs (BM in Voice/BA) at various schools with performance opportunities at undergrad level (Northwestern, Oberlin, USC, Vanderbilt, CIM/CSRU, CMU). She has strong academic achievements, but not stellar, so some of these schools may be a reach academically regardless of her music audition. As such, she is applying to several state schools with the same BM/BA and undergrad performance opportunities as her academic safeties. We understand that there is no such thing as safeties in music schools, but academic safeties they are for her.

So far, she applied to:

  • Indiana University
  • UT Austin
  • UNC Chapel Hill
  • Ohio State
  • Penn State
  • SUNY Binghamton (we’re in NYC)
  • U Connecticut (don’t know why)
  • Michigan State (don’t know why)

She looked at decided against:

  • UMich (they made it clear there is almost no perf opportunities for undergrad; the school also has a snobbish feel)
  • UNT (far and not strong academically)
  • U Miami (far, not strong academically and a reputation for party school)
  • any LAC (as they are smaller that her HS)

Any thoughts about these schools from people that know? Anything else we are missing?

Thank you all!

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Isn’t IU one of the top music schools? So it should be a home run should she have a chance to perform. From a music POV, I think it’s substitutional to UMIch.

Is she double majoring?

btw - U Miami is one of the strongest schools in the country- if you did the tiering thing, you’d have your Norhwesterns, then down a notch your Emory, then down a notch your Miami. It’s extremely strong - I’d consider it with a Wake Forest, above a Syracuse, etc. It’s also one of the top music schools.

And she has lots on her list that have reputations of party schools. Miami’s location and student wealth may change the type of atmosphere but…your also applied to are also “party” schools - that doesn’t mean everyone parties.

How big was her HS? There are LAC type schools - like College of Charleston, that are bigger - it’s 9K kids - statistically it’s more like an IU or maybe even a bit less but they have a strong Honors program and then a sub honors called the Charleston Fellows - my daughter was in - you have some who turn down Ivy in it, etc. Just trying to figure out what’s too big. And if she’s looking at a 2nd major since you’re looking at academics.

Then there’s others like Bucknell which is 4K kids - so larger than what she might be thinking.

Thanks

PS - what is her academic profile (GPA, courses taken) and SAT, etc.

College of Charleston | Voice

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U Rochester and its Eastman School of Music as a suggestion.

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I’m curious what she’s wanting to study in a BA program. It is extremely difficult to combine two different types of Bachelor’s degrees, so I wonder if she might find more success doing a Bachelor of Arts in music instead. Regarding the list, these are all good choices. I’d recommend Bard College as well. Someone above mentioned Eastman at Rochester, but their deadline is today.

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I was thinking Bard as well, but I believe OP wants larger schools.

And I agree, aren’t most submissions due today for BM programs?

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SUNY Purchase is probably worth looking at. Very artsy SUNY from my understanding. My D22 has a friend there in theater. Bachelor of Music â€˘ Voice and Opera Studies â€˘ Purchase College

For an easy academic admit, true academic safety (that’s not to say the academics aren’t good, just that it is not a selective school), with a really great music program she could consider UNC-Greensboro. It has produced several Broadway actors as well as folks acting and singing in Hollywood and elsewhere. It has a well known music program. Bachelor's in Music Performance - Voice | UNC Greensboro

Maybe Elon? It’s midsize, not a LAC. But I don’t think they offer a BM. It has a very good rep as a musical theater school. Not sure about their voice program specifically.

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But OP turned down UNT for academic reasons…which is why I’m wondering if a second major is involved.

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If she only has strong academics and not stellar then she’s unlikely to get into UNC-Chapel Hill. Honestly I think the music program at UNC-G is better than UNC-CH’s too.

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She is looking to do dual degree: BM in VP and BA in Psych. From talking to various admissions we understand it’s doable, even if it may take 5 years instead of 4.
And yes, we read the “dilemma”, she does want to do both, and she does want to do a BM, not BA (i.e. rigor and substance of conservatory education, performance opportunities, operas, jurys, the whole nine yards).

Her GPA is 4 and SAT is 1540. She is not looking for easy academic admit, but safeties are still needed. :slight_smile:

She did apply to Eastman, I forgot to mention it, but thank you for suggesting it. Whether she would get in there is another question, as it’s very competitive in music, AFAIK.

So, yes, we understand which schools are musically competitive, and which of those are also academically competitive. (CMU, CW, Oberlin would be her targets, academically. As well as Chapel Hill for out of state.) The question of the post is which of the state schools are still strong in music while still being strong academically (for her safeties) and whether our list covers it?

And no, U Miami is not strong academically. Neither is Indiana University. Even though their music schools are. (But of course, everything is relative.) So, she is applying to IU but not to Miami.

Bard is too small and not strong academically.
I haven’t heard of College of Charleston or Bucknell University for music. Perhaps, they are great. Not sure about their general education rigor.

SUNY Purchase is an artsy school, I heard good things about their music, but that’s about it. Which is why she applied to Bing, instead.

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Oh, we know the deadlines are today! And she already finished all her applications. But there is still time. :slight_smile:

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I’m pretty sure she’ll get in to UNC-CH since the strong music should give her an edge. But to be safe we’re considering it a target, not a safety. Yet, of course, this whole process feels like one big gamble. :frowning:

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It is really really really hard to get into UNC-CH from out of state.

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I’m not a voice major parent, but I like your list thus far. It sounds like you are looking for a couple more options that you could submit by the deadline tonight?

Tagging @KaylaMidwest

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UNC Chapel Hill has a single digit out of state acceptance rate on par with some Ivy League schools. I’m sure her music will give her an edge, but she is also likely to need stellar academics unless she is a legacy.

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Thanks, this is a good question! Maybe. But also we’re trying to understand if OSU, Penn State, Bing, UConn, MSU have good Vocal Performance programs, if they are known in the industry, etc.

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I am a counselor in NC, and I tell our students that Chapel Hill is always a reach, regardless of your stats. That’s even more true for OOS students, so definitely not a target.

Tbh, psychology is a pretty standard degree, and most schools will have comparable academic programs for it. Seems like you’re looking too much into rankings rather than actually considering overall fit and looking at the specific programs. I’d add a couple LACs so she has them as options when making her final decision even though she doesn’t think that’s what she wants right now.

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Also @Sweetgum . So, perhaps she won’t get it. But if she does, we are not even sure how the VP is at UNC-CH. Does anyone have any insight?

In general, UNC-CH seems to be a toss. We know someone who got in, and we know a stronger student who didn’t. We don’t see any discernable pattern.

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Are you talking about U Miami or Miami of Ohio.

U Miami has an 18% acceptance rate overall and the Frost School of Music.

When you say not strong academically, I think (my opinion) you need to stop looking at US News.

These flagships have students like your daughter everywhere - the IUs, Iowas, Kansas, wherever. Some offer Honors Colleges to nip that perception…and to acquire stronger students.

But it’s a psych degree - where you go doesn’t matter. It just doesn’t. I wouldn’t assume academically a Michigan is better than an Indiana. It’s selectivity is stronger - but the coursework isn’t necessarily easier or harder at one vs. the other, etc.

With a psych degree, in most cases you’ll have grad school - or you’ll be pigeonholed into a job, if you can find one.

So I see what you are getting at - but I don’t agree at all with your assessment.

But if you want more selective schools, then yes Miami is it - and unless you are full pay, they’d turn down kids like your daughter. I’m wondering if you checked Miami U and not U of Miami.

So if you want schools academically strong at the next level, then you have your IU - with a strong music program. Syracuse would be another. U Miami is not a safe admit for your kid whereas Rochester likely is (forgetting the music part). How about Rutgers which is strong in music. How about U Washington or Florida State, both selective schools if that’s what you’re after.

But please don’t conflate selectivity with academic prowess. That’s a far cry from reality - there are top ranked schools that kids roll through (getting in was the hard part) and not overly selective schools that are demanding academically.

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100% - was writing that as you wrote.

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UNC-CH has a vey good psych grad program, fwiw

And her stats do sound good for UNC-CH, but there are a lot of kids with similar stats from OOS applying