<p>My daughter is looking for an undergraduate program with strong academics, strong music (vocal performance or musical theater or both) and in the Southeast. What are the strongest options?</p>
<p>Rice University… strong academics, strong music school (Shepherd), and in Houston (which is not exactly in the Southeast, but not to far). I also really wanted to go to school in the Southeast and got into schools in the Southeast, but I chose to turn them down for Rice because I just fell in love with the school, even though it wasn’t in my ideal location.</p>
<p>Check out Furman University. The school is very strong academically and has “conservatory” level School of Music. DS has a friend majoring in vocal [performance and merit money/scholarships in music are available. Also, if Rice is on your list, check into Vanderbilt-Blair school of music.</p>
<p>We were asking the same question a few years ago. The answer we found: as advertised - Rice, Vandy, Furman.</p>
<p>I second Vanderbilt as well… their Blair School of Music is very strong. I don’t know much about Furman (excpet that it is a smaller LAC school with great academics), but it seems that will be worth looking into as well. Goodl luck!</p>
<p>Hi. Great guidebooks include: Rugg’s Recommendations on the Colleges (Rugg), College-Finder (Antanoff), Creative Colleges (Loveland), Guide to College Choice for Performing and Visual Arts (Schoenberg). As an independent counselor, I would offhand recommend: Vanderbilt (Blair), Emory, UVA, UT-Austin, Rice. UMiami.</p>
<p>You might want to post on the Music Major section of this forum, too.
Rice is the strongest music program, but requires an audition.</p>
<p>My daughter (a junior) is also looking for a school strong in vocal performance (opera/classical) as well as academics. We live in FL and would prefer a school in the southeast. Has your daughter made a decision yet, SopranoSource?</p>
<p>Hmmm. Rice… Southeast… Maybe southeast TX.</p>
<p>[Petrie</a> School of Music | Converse College](<a href=“http://www.converse.edu/academics/schools-departments/petrie-school-music]Petrie”>http://www.converse.edu/academics/schools-departments/petrie-school-music)</p>
<p>Converse College (SC) a school for women, has vocal performance.</p>
<p>Furman and Vanderbilt would be good choices for both vocal performance and academics, but more importantly, their music performance curricula allow enough electives to permit one to pursue academics. At most campuses, it’s only realistic to choose one or the other.</p>
<p>“Today, there are more than 500 conservatories and schools of music in the United States. Only one—the Petrie School of Music at Converse College—is a comprehensive, professional school of music within a liberal arts college for women. Performing, teaching, learning, composing, and conducting are the true passions of the Petrie students and faculty. Offering both undergraduate and co-educational graduate degree programs, the Petrie School treats music students as aspiring professionals from the moment they arrive on campus.”</p>
<p>A very unique environment!</p>