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Thread: College Decision: Please Help

  1. College Decision: Please Help

    Hello, everyone. I have read the website for a while, but this is my first post so bear with me. I have applied to and been accepted to the University of Arizona, University of Colorado at Boulder, Southern Methodist University, and University of North Texas for a euphonium performance degree. At the moment, I do not quite know which college I wish to go to, so I am asking your knowledgeable opinions. For some background info, my hope is to go study in Brtain for my graduate school and then go on to play in a brass band and probably teach at the college level at some point. Thank you for your time.


  2. #2

    College Decision: Please Help

    Pick the SCHOOL you want to attend, THEN pick your major.

    Spend a day or two at each of the campuses taking in the campus (and community) environment/atmosphere, community and student life, AND academics beyond the music department, and ask yourself, "Is this a place I WANT to spend the next four years of my life?" If the answer is, "No," strike the school from your list.

    Fact is, unless you're attending a conservatory, at least half (and probably closer to 75%) of your undergrad coursework will be outside of your major, the majority of people you interact with on a daily basis will be non-music majors, and a significant (>50%) proportion of your time will be spent on non-music-related activities, so if you don't like the overall atmosphere of the school you end up attending, you're going to hate the entire experience.

    Also, realize that you may not end up studying with the person you went to study with. Faculty members leave for other schools, move up/over into administration, take sabbaticals, retire, pass away, or have too many students to teach personally, so they assign some/most to graduate students. If your primary reason for attending School X is to study with Prof Y, would you still want to be there if, for one reason or another, Prof Y isn't available to teach you?



  3. College Decision: Please Help

    Thank you for the advice; your points will help me narrow down the list a little bit after I think about it. I have already visited the campuses, so now I will have to think about how I felt while I was there, and also about whether I would want to go their if there was different faculty.


  4. College Decision: Please Help

    Hello everyone,

    I have already gotten good advice from Pam on how to choose a college, but I would also like to know which college of the four all of you would choose personally if you were in the same situation, and an explanation of why, is some of you do not mind to take the time. I am just really torn so I am just trying to get as much information as I can. Thank all of you for your time.


  5. #5

    College Decision: Please Help

    I am not extremely familiar with any of those schools. But personally I would feel almost like i'm just a number and not as important at UNT (no disrespect to them) even though their music program is top notch. I would go somewhere smaller where there is more personal interaction which is why i chose Eastern Illinois over the University of Illinois.


  6. College Decision: Please Help

    Thank you for the response. The number thing at UNT is something I have heard from multiple people, but I know they are a great music school so it makes it hard to choose between large and small size (as all of the others are less than a fourth of UNT's size).


  7. #7

    College Decision: Please Help

    That is something that is just a personal preference. I prefer a more individual experience makes it easier to get help and develop, as I have a good relationship with most of the faculty. I would go shadow some music students if you can, to better get a decision.


  8. College Decision: Please Help

    Thank you for the response. I know it is a personal preference, but I cannot decide whether large or small is the best for me. Shadowing a music student is not as much an option, as half of the colleges are out of state for me, but I think I got a good feel for the classes when I visited for auditions, so I think I am fine on that front.


  9. College Decision: Please Help

    I would just like to update everyone and tell everyone that I have decided to attend the University of Colorado at Boulder. Thank all of you for the advice you have given.


  10. #10

    College Decision: Please Help

    Congratulations! You picked a very fine University. What altitude will you be at?

    - Carroll
    Carroll Arbogast
    Piano Technician
    CMA Piano Care

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