If you are majoring in music or musical theater, there are several things you need to consider:
- Who are the teachers with whom I’ll be working?
- What are the on-campus performance opportunities available to undergrads?
- What off-campus performance opportunities are available and allowed for undergrad participation? (This might not be a factor for you.)
- Will I be in major debt when I get out of school that I won’t be able to pay off within 10 years of graduation?
A consideration should not be “is this school famous?” It should be, “is this school good?”
Going to a school for its name alone is not a good idea.
Yes, I went to Peabody, which is famous. But it was also good for me. I went to Peabody because the teacher I was already working with had joined the faculty, and I wanted to continue working with her, and her time for private students was limited. Plus I needed to make a move for personal reasons. I was able to perform both on- and off-campus.
- Was I in major debt? YES, but not as much as if I’d gone there 10 years later.
- Was I able to pay it off within 10 years of graduation? Not quite. It took a little longer because of health/employment issues, resulting in my getting a forbearance. I was fortunate that the forbearance wasn’t too lengthy – I know people who have put their loans from the early 90s into forbearance and are still paying them off, with their balances considerably higher than what they took out in the first place.
Pick a school that will nurture your talent and fulfill your soul. And if you need a gap year to prepare yourself for it, there’s nothing wrong with that. Check out Seth Godin’s post about good colleges vs. famous ones – especially if you have a little time before you have to apply.
And by the way, this advice isn’t limited to just the arts.
*********
If you would like to explore curiously strong singing (and performing!), please set up
an appointment to chat with me at a mutually convenient time or drop a message in the comments!