Re: Re: G.P.A. for college


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Posted by More Reality on October 29, 2003 at 15:25:20:

In Reply to: Re: G.P.A. for college posted by A Little Reality on October 29, 2003 at 14:51:02:

Of course, there are many, many public universities and colleges with very decent music schools for which your 3.o would be just fine. And, a lot of good players have come out of those not "big name" schools.

As you look at schools to consider, you should ask yourself why you have the GPA you do, and what you want out of college in addition to playing.

The biggest difference among colleges and universities, other than endowments and big name faculty, is the quality of the student body: how generally smart they are, how interested they are in the academic (or musical work), and how focused they are. At the very top schools, all the students are high horsepower, challenging the faculty and each other on a daily basis, which brings out the best in them and raises them to a still higher level. In the same way a major conservatory environment ramps up the general level of playing and makes everyone better.

At the next level down in school 'general quality' you have some of the kids who could cut it at the top schools, but most of the kids are either a little less intellectually able, or less focused or less hard-working. If you're at the top of that pile in ability, focus and effort, you will really shine at that sort of school (where you might have been in the middle or below at the top schools). Conservatories are the same way: you might have more opportunities to perform and grow at a lesser known conservatory than at the biggest name conservatory where only the top two or three players will get all the good work and the most serious faculty attention.

What you want to avoid, is a college where most of the students are neither intellectually able, nor hard-working or focused.


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