5 things to consider before committing to your music school

So, you want to go to music school. Better yet, you have been accepted into multiple programs and must make the decision about what program to dedicate the next four years of your life to. This article provides a few key factors that should be at the forefront of your decision. Yes, these are in order.

Career Goals:

This seems obvious when choosing a music program. If you are going to make the most out of a school, you should know what you plan on pursuing after your program. The big ones that come to mind are Performer, Educator, and Music Business? These options sound broad, but it is not uncommon to leave a music program without feeling you have mastered the necessary skills to be prepared to enter any of these fields. You should weigh your career goals with your music school. Does the school have a track record of successful graduates in the area you are perusing? Do they offer courses that will prepare you for a career you want to pursue? If you have multiple school offers, this is something you should consider. Do not be afraid to ask hard questions to both admissions and your future studio professor. They won't revoke your offer because you want to know what the job prospects are like for you after graduation.

I chose SUNY Potsdam Crane School of Music for my undergraduate degree because I knew I wanted to be a high school band director (in fact, I realized after graduating it wasn't what I wanted to pursue). Crane has one of the nation's most prestigious music education programs, so it was a no-brainer. If you want to do studio work, a school located in the coldest part of NY and three hours from a major airport may not be the right setting. With that in mind, Crane had a great music business program with an internship program that opened doors for many of my friends who pursued that degree, so don't make assumptions based entirely on location. Ask someone to speak to the department chair or be put in contact with a degree program coordinator. Make sure the school you attend sets you up for a future, giving you the skills to choose one once you get out.

Cost of Attendance:

What are you getting for your money? Are you taking out loans? Are these loans subsidized? Did you need a cosigner? Undergraduates can rack up 57,500 dollars in federally guaranteed loans. The cost of attendance is a critical factor in deciding the right school for you. If you plan on teaching music education, the last thing you want is to have racked up six figures to go to your dream school; music education is probably the most stable job you could leave music school with. If you want some concrete numbers, check out my article on why to go music ed here. Realistically weighing the cost of tuition with your goals after graduation is essential. Flying across the country to attend Berklee because you want to network and grow at a school preparing you for a real-world performance experience or going to North Texas for jazz are great choices. Still, if you're going to bury yourself in debt to leave as a free-lance musician making 100 dollars a gig, you may be setting yourself up with long-term challenges to overcome that may limit your options after you have your degree.

           You don't have to go into debt to pay for school. There are ways to offset pay. I earned two major scholarships offered to seniors at my high school, which paid 15,000 dollars of my tuition. I also became a Resident Assistant, which covered my dorm costs and provided a small stipend for books. I worked a job as a recording technician for some additional cash for each semester and was an orientation leader one summer, which helped me afford to have a car on campus my senior year. I was also offered 2,000 a semester in grant money because I pursued an education degree. Read the fine print because I had to commit to teaching for 4 years; otherwise, it became an 8% interest loan. There are plenty of ways to pay for school and help offset loans if you take the time to look.

Selecting a Major:

Your major matters. It is ambitious to juggle 20 hours of weekly practice while learning 15 other instruments and writing lesson plans. Choosing a major that gives you a sense of security can be important, but you want to make sure you are getting a degree, preparing you for a future you want. Whether a performer, educator, composer, or music business tycoon. You want the course load that best reflects the life skills you want to develop for your future. If you do not like working with kids, don't study music ed. If you have zero interest in learning about cost-benefit analysis and business proposals, a music business degree may not be for you. Taking an intro course in these things can still be beneficial in the long run. But if your course load is filled with courses you have zero interest in, you are limiting the precious time you have to focus and hone your skills to get you to where you want to be.

I started a music education major and investigated double majoring in a music business degree. It would have required an additional year because both degrees require a semester-long internship. Weighing the cost of a fifth-year did not feel like the right decision for me since I was paying for school myself. I added a jazz minor but even finishing that coursework was not manageable. State schools tend to be cheaper, but they usually require a heavy liberal arts course load. Be sure to look at the courses you need to take both within your concentration and outside your program. The best way to find these is to search for the current year's student handbook. They tend to give a clear outline of the courses that need to be completed and can be found online if you search for them. Be realistic about what you can take on. I finished my music ed degree and was able to complete a performance certificate because performing became one of the most essential skills I wanted to leave my program with.

Your professor and studio culture:

Your studio professor matters and the rest of the musicians in the studio do too. Your studio professor is a constant, unwavering influence that will significantly impact your growth as a college musician and your overall outlook on those four years. You work with your studio professor one on one weekly, attend studio class, have additional chamber coaching, social studio functions, recitals, and a range of other engagements. A studio professor is a unique constant in a music program, and your studio professor is critical in deciding what school to attend. You want a professor you can respect and feel comfortable with. A strong connection with a studio professor is paramount to your growth as a musician while in college. They will mentor you and guide you as you grow into a mature musician. You should not only want to work with them but want to spend time with them. Take a lesson with the professor before you commit to a school. Sit in on studio class. Ask if you can speak to an upper-level student about the studio culture. All these elements are essential factors when deciding what school to choose. Don't just pick a school because you heard the professor is a great performer. Pick it because the instructor is someone you want to learn from over four years. It could make the semesters fly by or drag on.

I only auditioned at one school. I knew I liked my saxophone professor and interacted with a few other college saxophone professors, but I never took a private lesson with them. I was lucky. My undergrad teacher became an important mentor and teacher that I still speak to today. I have a few friends who either hated their professor, felt bullied in their studio or went through the miles of red tape to change studios or schools to work with another professor. These things are hard to resolve after you've committed to going to a school and getting placed with a studio professor. Do the leg work beforehand, and make sure you feel comfortable with your decision.

Final Thoughts:

This article was not meant to keep you up at night unable to decide and commit to a program. It is just my perspective on what to consider before committing to a music school. I loved my college experience and only applied to one program. There is very little I would have changed, but I do wish I had a mentor early on that gave me the perspective to investigate these aspects of music school. If you made it to the end of this blog post, chances are you are thinking seriously about music school, so I hope you found this information helpful.