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Hi. My name is Courtney, and I am planning on either getting a BM or a BA in Vocal Performance (Music), and a BA in Spanish, with a minor in Theater, and if possible in Linguistics as well.

This all sounds crazy, but maybe I'll just have to be one of those people that graduates within 6 and not 4 years.

So here is my list right now.

Lawrence U. (LAC w/ great music conservatory, and a BA/BM 5 year program...)

Connecticut College (BA or BM? I am not sure, but I know their dance and theater - other arts are good.)

Bowdoin College (In my home state, and no required SATs...yes! Great LAC and BA in music.)

Ohio Wesleyan University (LAC and good BA or BM in music.)

Dickinson (GREAT Languages & study abroad) They are in a performing arts book I have, but how is their music program?

University of Rochester (5 scholars program - BA/BM and music conservatory...No core curriculum.)

Wesleyan U (Great LAC and good music & arts - great language program - CILPA - uncommon language study...)

I am also looking into Muhlenberg, Skidmore, and maybe University of Puget Sound (although that is all the way across the country from my home - I might get homesick if I went all the way to Washington...)

So any other great schools with good music programs in a lib. arts context?

Thanks.

~ Court

By Alexandre (Alexandre) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 01:57 pm: Edit

Northwestern and Oberlin.

By Aspirer42 (Aspirer42) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 02:06 pm: Edit

Davidson is pretty good for music. Though they're about as prestigious as Wesleyan, they'd probably be a bit easier to get into if you're from the North (since they're looking to increase geographic diversity).

I think their theater program is above-average, too, but I didn't focus as much as I should have on their non-music fine arts when I was looking through colleges. No clue about Spanish, but you should give them a look anyway.

By Cangel (Cangel) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 02:22 pm: Edit

Where is St. Olaf's on your list? Don't know about Linguistics, but they have one of the 2 finest choir programs in the country, and a large %age of the students study abroad, so I 'm sure language is fairly strong. They should be stronger for music than any of the places listed except Lawrence and Rochester, isn't Wesleyan's specialty world music?

By Momofthree (Momofthree) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 03:19 pm: Edit

Have you thought about Bard College?

By Kk19131 (Kk19131) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 03:21 pm: Edit

Northwestern, if you don't mind a mid-sized Uni.

By Mstee (Mstee) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 03:23 pm: Edit

Definitely check out St. Olaf--music is very strong there. I was re-reading some of their literature the other day (son applied there last year)--here is a quote "St. Olaf offers a conservatory program in a liberal arts college, meaning that music majors have two-thirds of their course work in music and the remainder in general studies. That's the reverse ratio of music studies at most liberal arts collegs. . .Of the 1,100 students involved in music, 300 are music majors and 800 are non-majors." They have three bands, nine choirs and two orchestras.

By Monydad (Monydad) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 04:19 pm: Edit

I would guess that a number of these places may not have more than a course or two in linguistics, if that much. I suggest you check their specific offerings carefully if this is important to you.

By Carolyn (Carolyn) on Monday, October 11, 2004 - 06:36 pm: Edit

Lawrence really is a good choice for you - they do have a very good linguistics program as well as a nice theater program and, with Oberlin, are one of only two LAC's that combine a music conservatory with an LAC. Great atmosphere and academics too.

I agree with Mstee. Do take a close look at St. Olaf. In addition to the music, it is unusual in that it is slightly larger than many LAC's (3000 students)and is located in a town with another college (Carleton College) that is not too far from Minneapolis. Languages are very strong and their English department does offer linguistics classes. You can also cross register at Carleton. They have perhaps one of the best study abroad programs in the country if that is of interest.