Indiana University? Also, can anyone speak to child not really wanting to be far, but wanting a good program?

[Chris in VA]

Two separate threads, I suppose, but I havent' been on here for so long I've forgotten my manners.

 

 

Dd is taking viola lessons with a new and inspiring teacher who is mentioning new Universities to add to our lists to search (she is a rising Sr). 

She is looking for music education. We will be visiting a local instate, JMU, in June, but now we've added Belmont in Nashville and Indiana Univ in Bloomington. 

Dd is hestitant to go that far, and of course, the whole college experience will only be possible with loans and scholarships (scholarships may be possible). 

 

So anyone have anything to say about how you encourage or discourage your child AFA going outside their comfort zone? What value is there in staying close vs what value in going far from home? 

And anyone know something beyond the basics about IU? 

[teachermom2834]

Many kids here apply to Belmont and have it as their first choice school. All I know is that is usually ends up being the most expensive option. We looked all over the state for my ds and we did not consider Belmont largely due to their reputation for being stingy combined with the highest net price calculator result we got anywhere.

 

I am an IU grad (but not music!). I know nothing about how things are currently there but it is a fun school in a neat college town with a beautiful campus.

 

Sorry! I didn't answer any of your questions. I hope someone else does better. Good luck!

[Gwen in VA]

Dd has visited and applied and been accepted to IU as a transfer and visited it with an eye towards grad school.

 

My reaction after spending 1 1/2 days wandering around the campus has been "It's HUGE!!!!!" The music program is really top-notch, but the school is huge and even a music student will be part of that hugeness through dorm life, liberal arts classes, and EC life. That said, it really does have a great music program.

 

The most important thing as a music major is the teacher. Do have your student visit spring/summer/early fall of senior year to scope out the place and have a lesson. Having prior contact with the teachers is REALLY important. That way the profs know the student more personally, have an idea how "teachable" they are, and know a bit about personal compatibility, and the student knows if the teacher and the student have that "click" factor. Having the profs recognize you on audition day, talk about how excited they are to see you, share some common memories, and then say at the end of your audition "We hope to see you in the fall" is a wonderful feeling!

 

If money is not a factor, encourage your student to go to whatever school has the best teacher for her, the teacher she clicks with. The music program is important, but not as important as the teacher. 

[Hoggirl]

Ds did an audition-based summer piano academy at IU, and we visited Belmont when he was considering music performance. Ultimately, he did not go that route, and did not apply to either. That said, I found Bemont to have a very nurturing environment. If I had reservations about a child going away (which I did not), I would have fewer reservations about Belmont compared to other schools. Faculty seemed very supportive. Students we encountered were considerate and open about their faith. Only complaint I heard was limited cafeteria hours.

 

Jacobs is a highly regarded music school and very large. The campus is sprawling. I would think very different experiences would be had between Belmont and IU. I would assume IU would be much more diverse among its student body and majors (IU also has a strong undergraduate business program). Music seems to permeate everything at Belmont (though they also have a strong nursing program). I believe IU has a music + emphasis in another area type of program.

 

How old is your dd? Ds did academic summer programs from 7th grade on (and sleep-away camps before that). He was very used to be being away from home. Perhaps testing the waters with being away for the summer might be a good idea? Though it is too late for this summer for audition programs. Perhaps next summer?

 

I think job placement can be difficult with Music Ed. The faculty at Belmont were very transparent about how difficult it was for students to find jobs. It's just a supply and demand issue.

[Nan in Mass]

Right-program combined with close-to-home worked out to only one good choice for youngest. It made senior year extremely stressful for both of us, and my sister's attempts at reassuring me by saying that she firmly believes that there isn't only one right school really annoying. : )

 

It worked out ok because the school isn't super selective, and because youngest told them he didn't want to go anywhere else, and because they were very open and straightforward about their application process and worked with him to get what they needed. He just graduated and is working in his field now and it is evident that he made the right choice.

 

Make sure the terms of any scholarships are doable for your child. Maintaining a high GPA can be really difficult if your health is poor or you have family troubles like the death of a grandparent or your program is a difficult one.

 

Nan

[DebbS]

We live in Indiana and my daughter is a vocal performance major at one of the IU satellite campuses. My son, who attends IU Bloomington but is not a music major, has several close friends who are.  So, I'm sharing our experience FWIW.

 

Although IUB Jacobs School of Music is an excellent choice, it is also big and competitive. My daughter did not feel like Jacobs would be a good fit for her because of the her desire, at this time in her life, for a smaller, encouraging community rather than a large, more competitive community. I believe it was the right choice for her and that she is receiving more performance opportunities that she would have at Jacobs. She was able to work with her voice professor rather extensively prior to selecting the school that she attends so she knew that the studio was a good fit for her. In another conversation on this forum, the point was made that it's the studio that really matters more so than the school itself.

 

That said, she will likely audition at Jacobs and other more competitive schools should she decide to pursue a graduate degree.

[bettyandbob]

Well, I have one at IU right now, but in the doctoral program in historical performance.  She did a year at JMU and hated it! The kids were all unhappy that they didn't get into UVA, little intellectual curiosity. If you'd like, I can give you dd's number. She plays violin though, not much viola. But, she'd know the studios fairly well. JSOM is pretty intimidating, with five buildings. 

 

I'm local to the OP. I think the unhappy about not being accepted to UVA is more representative of the general population rather than those in the music program. JMU is definitely known for it's music program. There are people who could get accepted to UVA academically, but would not be able to be accepted to the music program at JMU. 

 

The complaint I've heard about JMU for music has been the fact that it leans more to music education over performance. However, the OPs dd is interested in music education. 

 

If the OP wants to stay in state, I've heard the CNU has been putting some effort into its music program as well. I know two young men who went there for voice performance and were happy. People I know who have gone there have generally liked it--it's a lot smaller than GMU. However, I have no idea what it has for viola. 

[Jilly]

My daughter was accepted to IU for music this year. She and I both spent time at the campus. My thoughts were that it was huge and would be a better choice for a masters program. I was very impressed with the music program but felt it had a competitive feel to it. My daughter loved it and it was her top choice. Unfortunately the out of state tuition price was too much for us even with the three scholarships she received. She is going to a smaller LAC school close to home (which I feel is a better fit for her) and she is hoping to get her graduate degree at IU. 

[Chris in VA]

Wow, I did not expect so many to have experience like this! Thank you SO much. 

Dd doesn't want to go somewhere so unfamiliar--her current best friend, however, is looking at IU for Occupational Therapy (she's military family so has more options because of her dad's GI Bill). Having a friend with her would be a huge plus. But I think she's going to end up at JMU. We are going for a quick one day visit on the 26th because we will be close, having just finished a church retreat nearby, and I think she will definitely enjoy a visit there. It will be our first one.

 

I think we are all really stressed about money right now. Our cat just cost us $700, I decided to continue working part time at a low-paying (but good in other ways) job, and we still have a lot of debt from our son's college days. 

It is just a stressful time, and I hate that it may be impacting dd's college search--I think she would feel more free to fly farther if we didn't have so much stress that's contributing to her own stresses from school, learning enough viola to get into college, not having $, needing to grow up, missing her boyfriend, etc. 

[regentrude]

I see no intrinsic value in being far from home. If the program is a good fit and is close to home, I do not see any disadvantage. 

Both DH and I went to university in our home town and lived with our respective parents through the entire undergraduate education. It did not prevent us from becoming independent adults who embraced new experiences and even moved to different countries.

Edited June 4, 2017 by regentrude

[Pawz4me]

Both of our boys chose to attend universities relatively close to home (about a 90 minute drive, although they're in different directions). The programs and universities were good fits for each of them and I guess they didn't see any sense in going farther away "just because." The most distant university either of ours considered was 450 miles from home, but after doing the research and a campus visit it was removed from consideration because more local schools were less expensive, higher ranked and just seemed to feel more "right." I'm trying to figure out what advantages there would be in going far away to school and I'm drawing blanks.

[brookspr]

My daughter was accepted to IU for music this year. She and I both spent time at the campus. My thoughts were that it was huge and would be a better choice for a masters program. I was very impressed with the music program but felt it had a competitive feel to it. My daughter loved it and it was her top choice. Unfortunately the out of state tuition price was too much for us even with the three scholarships she received. She is going to a smaller LAC school close to home (which I feel is a better fit for her) and she is hoping to get her graduate degree at IU. 

 

My daughter got the same impression from friends she made at a summer music program who were either at IU or had transferred from IU to another program. She is a junior this year and she's not sure she will apply in the fall. She is going to another summer music program soon where one of the IU professors for her instrument will be teaching, so that will play a part in her decision. I went to IU (chemistry degree) in the late 80's and absolutely loved it there, but I personally think that after what she has learned from current and former students, it would not be the best fit for her as an undergrad, but maybe for grad school.

[Tiramisu]

I see no intrinsic value in being far from home. If the program is a good fit and is close to home, I do not see any disadvantage.

Both DH and I went to university in our home town and lived with our respective parents through the entire undergraduate education. It did not prevent us from becoming independent adults who embraced new experiences and even moved to different countries.

I really needed to hear this. Thank you.

 

Dd has good public university options close to home, and I don't think going farther away or to a private uni for more money will result in a better education. She prefers those schools, too, thankfully, but I am already anticipating the reactions she'll get.

 

My petty side is considering asking her to apply to a college with a more prestigious name just to divert the judgment.

[Caroline]

I really needed to hear this. Thank you.

 

Dd has good public university options close to home, and I don't think going farther away or to a private uni for more money will result in a better education. She prefers those schools, too, thankfully, but I am already anticipating the reactions she'll get.

 

My petty side is considering asking her to apply to a college with a more prestigious name just to divert the judgment.

My son went to a local college. He graduated in May and started his "for real" job this morning. He hadn't started looking for a job until after graduation. So about 3 weeks from graduation to interview to job. Let's face it, even Ivy League colleges are local to someone. (Not us.)

[Hoggirl]

I really needed to hear this. Thank you.

 

Dd has good public university options close to home, and I don't think going farther away or to a private uni for more money will result in a better education. She prefers those schools, too, thankfully, but I am already anticipating the reactions she'll get.

 

My petty side is considering asking her to apply to a college with a more prestigious name just to divert the judgment.

Interesting. The opposite happens here. So many attend the state flagship down the road, if you look/go elsewhere, well, "Is Big State U not good enough for you?" So, you're judged for NOT staying local.

 

As I have often said, "You're d@mned if you do, and d@mned if you don't." Find the fit that works for YOUR kid. Find what works for YOUR family. Whatever it is, wherever it is! Too many people concerned with the monkeys and circuses of others!

[littlemommy]

I just want to add our experience since DS just finished his first year as a freshman at IU.  DS is a piano performance major, and he LOVES it!  He loves everything about IU.  The strings department may be more competitive (not cut throat) than other departments, but the students are still nice to each other.  DS tells me that the music education majors, once they graduate, most of them if not all will get hired almost immediately.  In fact, one of DS's friends is a music education major and originally was going to attend Michigan State Univ, but once recd acceptance letter from IU, decided to attend IU just for that reason.  It's true there are 5 music buildings, but they are grouped together so that they are within 5 minutes of walking distance.  IU is about 17 hours from us, and yes, that's far. I initially did not want him to go to IU because of distance and size, but that's where DS chose to go.  Since he never went to a brick and mortar school, he didn't know any better as far as being in a large university or small university.  IU just felt "right" to him, and not only that, the fact that JSOM is a highly ranked music school was also important to him.  Besides being a top music school, the students and faculty are supportive and friendly at JSOM.