How american universities work...

[thierry13]

I'd like to get some info on how does university work in the U.S. ... what is major/minor ... what is undergrad / grad. I'm considering Yale because of Boris Berman, and the school is free apparently ... I was looking at the program but didn't understand everything.

[thalberg]

Your major is the subject in which you get your degree.  If you major in music, you take mostly music classes and you get a Bachelor of Music degree, or a Bachelor of Arts degree in music.  A minor is an area of secondary interest, and it is noted on your degree that you have taken a good number of classes in that area even though it was not your major.  Some people do a major in music with a minor in something else.  Undergraduate is a four year program, usually earned between the ages 18-22, but not always.  "Graduate studies" means masters or doctoral level studies. 

[thierry13]

So undergrad is the bachelor?

[thalberg]

Yes, undergrad is the bachelor.

[pita bread]

I'm pretty sure only the Masters of Music program at Yale is free...