 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Igloo Bob
Date: 2004-06-24 21:47
I've been looking at potential colleges (I'm still not quite sure on my major, but music education seems most likely), and I have a few questions.
1) A semester credit hour is a set price, and you need 3 of those per class, right?
2) What is the most likely to be "normal" for how many classes I end up taking per year to get my standard 4 year degree? If it were 5, I'd multiply that number of classes by 3 to get how many semester credit hours I'd be paying for each semester, right?
3) West Texas A&M (my hopeful college of choice, they have a pretty good music program, and their band is nothing short of awesome), ends up being about $15000 a year when counting room and board for 15 semester credit hours (10000 without room and board). How much scholarship money can we rely on, in general? I'm not expecting a full ride (or any money for the Bass, really), but surely, a solid clarinet player could find scholarship money somewhere?
4) How much is name recognition for college going to be an issue? In the south, I know Texas A&M is probably going to carry a lot more weight than UAA (University of Alaska Anchorage), but UAA seems much more likely a choice in terms of cost. Am I going to find myself being stiffed jobs because I didn't go to the "right" college?
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2004-06-24 22:05
1) In public universities (at least in California), people who reside within the state pay a set price for all the units they can handle. Out-of-state residents pay per unit. How many per class varies depending on the class. I think private universities tend to run on the one-price-fits-all model. 3 per class is very common, but they vary.
2) For a music ed program, you're probably looking at 4-5 years of 15-18 units a semester. If you do music, you're likely to have oodles of 1-unit classes, like lessons, performance ensembles and instrumental methods. Expect to take 7-10 classes a semester for music.
3) Depends on your definition of a "solid" clarinet player. What seems really good in high school is often mediocre for college entry. Also, there is no shortage of clarinetists out there. I've heard of bassoonists getting a full ride when there's a shortage, etc., but don't expect one as a clarinetist unless a) you're darn good, b) you're going somewhere that needs clarinets badly. For free scholarships (not talking student loans here), you have to be in high demand, or just apply like crazy to every organization that has money up for grabs. At my university, every fall there is one big catchall audition after which about two dozen scholarships from $500 to $2000 each are distributed to the most deserving of our few hundred students.
4) While name recognition can be important, I find who you are, what you know, and who you've studied with to be far more important. A really good ensemble teacher, for example, can teach you tons, both directly and indirectly, about leading an ensemble yourself.
If cost is an issue, I'd recommend looking all around your state first, since state tuition is usually considerably less (half or lower) than out-of-state. See if you find any programs you like.
Also keep in mind that plans change, and you may find halfway through that you like something else better. It's not the best idea to plan for "In 4 years, 3 months, 8 days, 3 hours, and 2 minutes, I shall have finished my degree of 138 units, at a cost of $50,384.39"
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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