General or specialized education - big decision need advice.

[becky8898]

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[stevebob]

I absolutely think you should enroll in the Conservatory.  You are precisely the sort of person for whom such programs are intended, and it’s an opportunity that you should seize!

You say that there are pros and cons, but it’s difficult for me to see any downside.  If you’re thinking that you might miss going to a regular high school with your present peer group, consider that you will meet many new people at the Conservatory and make many friends who share your passion for what is, after all, a fairly specialized interest.

And even were you ultimately to decide that a career in music isn’t for you, the Conservatory will still prepare you academically for higher education at a college or university at least as well as a traditional high school would have.

I think you must do this because it will give you options that you wouldn’t otherwise have.  If you limit yourself now by deciding against the Conservatory, you may always wonder what if you had attended.  On the other hand, it’s highly unlikely that you will ever regret choosing to participate in this program.  You deserve this, so go for it.

[lebiffo]

Becky,
It's difficult to advise you without knowing whether you have any other major skill area which could form the basis of a successful career.  Also, whether you have had any other particular ambitions up until now, for example, medicine, law etc.  In the absence of any competing ambition of this nature my feeling would be that if you really love music and are prepared to put your heart into a Conservatory course then you should seriously consider taking up the offer.  I agree with Stevebob that if you do not do this, you will probably always regret it, which would be a pity.  Good luck!

[richard black]

Well, you sound like the sort of individual with enough gumption to do a bit of work, so I suspect you'll do just fine whichever course you take. You can go for general education and spend lots of time practising the piano on the side, or you can go for musical education and spent lots of time mugging up maths, humanities and languages on the side. I'd be inclined to plump for the Con, but do have a good nose around and make sure that the folks there are happy and rounded people. A few specialist music education places have bad form for messing with people's heads!

[brogers70]

Becky, congratulations. You seem to be an extraordinary person, so I suspect you would do fine in either setting. If you are concerned about limiting your education by going to the conservatory, you could ask them about where the people who graduate from their program go to college if they do not go to a conservatory. If their graduates are getting into good academic colleges, that's a sign that in spite of the emphasis on music, you'll be able to get a good general education there, too.

I'm sure you'll do great wherever you go. And in about 10 years I'd like to introduce you to my son.

[Bob]

Go with the conservatory.

[ladypianist]

I understand your nervous Becky. Its natural. Its a big step. But really does someone like yourself really have any choice. Your love for music is apparent. It makes itself apparent every time you play.  I know you wish maybe you could be just like your friends sometimes, but we all are what we are. Dont be afraid of what is clearly  the path you need to take. Embrace the conservatory. Take the adventure. 

with all my best for a wonderful future for you. Lady Pianist. 

[kelly_kelly]

Aren't you a little young to be entering high school in the fall? But anyway: I attend a very good academic university, and I have a few friends here who spent most of their high school careers focusing on music, but didn't go to conservatories having ultimately decided that either that they didn't want to go into music or they wanted to also leave academic options open. It seems like it is easier to pursue a specialist education in high school and then broaden out in college than vice versa: on these grounds, I would recommend to you that you join the conservatory. Even if you don't decide to go into music, good academic universities would very likely accept you for your commitment to music in high school. Besides, I would imagine that you could pretty easily drop out of the conservatory if you *really* didn't like it or decided that music wasn't for you and enroll in your local high school instead - this wouldn't be so the other way around! You can still keep in contact with your old friends since you aren't moving, and you're also likely to find lasting friendships among your fellow conservatory students, since they will most likely understand how important music is to you more than your current friends.

But you should definitely talk to people who have done/are enrolled in the program and see what they think. Also, I don't know where you live, but have you considered the precollege programs of various conservatories? I know people who went to MSM and Juilliard precollege - it seems to be a good balance, because you get top-level musical instruction, but you can balance it alongside a "normal" life.

[becky8898]

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[scottmcc]

all the best to you.  I would have chosen the same, had I been given the opportunity.

[nataliethepianist]

Hello Becky. First, let me say congratulations on your acceptance. It is a big decision, and I hope to be of some help. I will tell you what I would do in this situation. Personally, I would go for it! What a great experience! You get your standard education, plus you get to be fully immersed in music! I will be auditioning for the music school nearest me when I am a junior in highschool. I would as a sophomore, but the program I am in as a freshmen is a two year program! Anyways, Becky, I would highly consider it! If music is your passion, then go for it. If it is something you would like to make a career out of, then I think this is the big step in that direction, and even if music will not be a career of yours, again being said, there is nothing wrong with being surrounded by it!

All the best,
Natalie