My sister just happens to be a senior in high school this year. She’s never played an instrument and she’s not quite sure about her future major (psychology and communications are two frontrunners). We’ve been trying to narrow down her options for a while, but the list of eligible colleges just keeps on growing! It’s very hard to pick a school that will be the best fit for her. Also, the more we talk, the more I realize that there is a huge difference between her college search and a typical music student’s search.
I think this whole process is actually much easier if you’re a prospective music major. The most important thing in the college search will probably be your future instrumental/voice teacher! If you are inspired by them and can imagine yourself growing as a musician under them, then you’re all set. If you plan on being a music education major, make sure you meet with the music education faculty, or if you’re thinking of going into composition, meet with the music composition faculty.
Of course, some other factors that you should consider may include the quality of ensembles, the caliber of the program as a whole and the general feel of the school (can you imagine yourself as a student there? – small tip, go on a music school’s facebook page, you’ll get a good sense of a school’s atmosphere and vibe). However, the private teacher that you’re going to be seeing every week is probably going to shape your experience the most. That teacher is also someone that you’ll keep in touch with for the rest of your life.
So, here are some simple steps for music major success:
- Visit (schedule ahead of time!) and take a lesson with the faculty
- Listen to the ensembles rehearse
- Walk around and see if you can talk to some current music students
- If you live far away, there’s bound to be clips you can watch online. You can also email the teacher; I know that some of our teachers are open to Skype lessons, never hurts to ask!
- Make sure to peruse the music school’s website inside and out. There’s going to be a ton of information on there that you can use when making decisions (for example, check out my recent addition to the SOMD website, the Inside Scoop).
I hope this is helpful and, as always, feel free to email me (elaskus@uoregon.edu) with any questions or suggestions for topics that you would like me to cover on this music admissions blog. Having been a music major myself, once upon a time, I know what it’s like to go through the whole process and I love being able to help students and their parents with it. It’s quite an adventure!