Matthew Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Here are a couple of schools in the California State University system (not to be confused with the University of California system):Northridge - Los Angeles area. I went through it (but got my teaching credential through San Jose State), but I'm sure it has changed since I've been there. Fresno - Central Valley I am glad someone mentioned California colleges in terms of music education. I attend California State University Fresno, and I found--it has produced many of the best band directors in the state. Many of them are now teaching in other places, but the university has a reputation for not only its music education program, but for its School of Education in general. Anyone who ever got to study with Dr. Sutherland or just being in wind ensenble under his baton, has learned what many of the the UH people are talking about. There is no "strict" way on how the school does music education, as the professors try to allow students to develop their own philosophy to become their own teacher. There are tons of high school programs in the area, and they are always willing to allow college students to come in and help out to get that experience. Other great schools in California: California State University Fullerton University of Southern California University of California Los Angeles (Tom Lee - Director of Bands/Conductor) However, I will not be doing my Masters here when I graduate. I plan on getting my M.A. in conducting. I plan on looking at several of the TX schools for their graduate programs, as well as a few of the Illinois, and Indiana schools. I think selecting a graduate school can be tougher, because you actually are going to have to work one on one with a select faculty for your path! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOOHOO Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Bottom line is you'll get out of any education what you put into it. I've met great music educators from some of the least known music education programs in the country...heck, even in their own state. I've met terrible music educators from some of the best known music programs. What you get out of a program is what you put into it and some people would thrive best in a small program with just a handful of music education majors while others would thrive in a large program with lots of performance opportunities. The important thing is, if you want to go into music education, then just do it. You'll never know just how many lives you touch during your career. Post of the year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Post of the year Thanks, but...well, the year is still young, I guess. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCVsopAaron Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 You'd be surprised... agreed. You WOULD be surprised... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geluf Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Not really.http://www.nea.org/edstats/RankFull06b.htm Texas ranks No. 33 in the nation in average teacher salary. Nothing on that list takes cost-of-living into effect. Texas has no state income taxes and has a VERY low cost of living. Your dollar goes a lot farther in Texas than it does in California, New York, pretty much all of New England, etc. Salary is not just what you get paid, its what you can GET out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liebot Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Yeah, my best friend (from CT) just bought a house in Katy, TX for about half the price of his house in Connecticut. It's about twice the size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKBari Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Take the advice given by some of the posters: Research several schools and then visit them. I can tell you college A is better than college B, but college A may not be a perfect fit for you. An impotant thing to do also is not only go and check out the music program, but check out the college as a whole. I was a music ed major for two years before I realized I hated the program I was in. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time being a brother in the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia chapter, had an instructor that knew how to bring out the best in me, and even made some really great friends. But the overall program and I just did not mesh well. If you were a vocal or piano major, it was great. But band seemed like an afterthought and the professors made no attempt to hide their contempt for drum corps. On the flip side, I absolutely loved the college as a whole, so instead of transferring, I switched majors which made my college experience better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geluf Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Yeah, my best friend (from CT) just bought a house in Katy, TX for about half the price of his house in Connecticut. It's about twice the size. Exactly. People are SHOCKED when they come to live down here from up north more often than not. Example: my next door neighbor came here from New York. We were talking and he told me that initially he was going to get an apartment down here....until he found out what everything costs. He immediately bought his current home instead and STILL can't get over how "cheap" it was and how much space it gives him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csugrad Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Looking for a good school in the southeast that is the quality of an Eastman, has no football/marching band to worry about and the top rated facilities in the south? Check out Columbus State University in Columbus, GA. A relatively unheard of school because they do not get into the marching band scene but have one of the finest Directors of Bands to come along in the south in a very long time. http://music.colstate.edu They have tons of scholarship money to give every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jake_the_hydra Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Having a good marching band is a plus, but if you don't have someone you respect as a professor, it will not do you any good to go there. You will only be as good as your marching performance. I'm not sure there are any good college marching bands . . . certainly not one that can stand up to the experience the top few drum corps offer. If I'm wrong, sorry. Just . . . Virtually every college marching band I've seen has looked and sounded terrible, live and on television. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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