Music Applicants 2012

I'm doing my GCSEs as well, so I can't really give the most professional answer. But if you ask me, I'd say you should choose the course that is very well suited to you, because as great as it is having a Cambridge course under your name, it's not exactly any good if it doesn't help you in your career choice because that would be like trying to play tennis with your feet.
But still, I think there's no harm in applying for both

do you know where you want to go yet?

I'm thinking about Bristol and Edinburgh as my main options, and I'm thinking Birmingham as a lower choice and if all of that fails, I'm thinking Glasgow for a Spanish/Music course. How about you? You thinking of anything else other than Cambridge, Oxbridge and Manchester?

Im thinking manchester, cambridge, possibly durham/bristol

what GCSE's you doing?

ooh nice, sounds good :P Maybe we'll see each other in bristol ;P
Am I supposed to say every single one or just the ones I chose?

haa the ones you choose or every one if ya want

lol, well I'm doing spanish and music, but I dropped art and as extras, I'm doing stats and Chinese. how about you?

I'm thinking about Bristol and Edinburgh as my main options, and I'm thinking Birmingham as a lower choice and if all of that fails, I'm thinking Glasgow for a Spanish/Music course. How about you? You thinking of anything else other than Cambridge, Oxbridge and Manchester?

Is it this one?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/294953603918106/

It wont let me join or I dont know, maybe someone wont accept my request -either way, booh!

I wouldnt exactly call Birmingham a lower choice. It's entry requirements are AAA-AAB, whereas I believe Bristol are AAB-ABB, and Edinburgh are BBB. tbh if you're only doing your GCSEs, I'd focus on getting them done and then your AS's as that really determines where you can apply anyway...


Fresher 2012 - Birmingham Conservatoire (Music, BMus Hons)

I am only doing my GCSE's at the moment however my school is urging us to look into the courses and universities we would be interested in.

Regarding the cambridge course...i will be up to grade 8 in singing and piano and grade 6 or higher in theory so no problem there.

The manchester course is the best course for me because of the performance aspects however a cambridge course (as you said) is great just from the name so im not ignoring that course either.

do you think it is better to have a cambridge course or a course that is very well suited to you? also can you still apply for both and make a final decision when given the offers?

thanks so much

At the end of the day (and this is my own personal opinion, so not saying it's right lol) a degree is a degree, no matter where you get it from. When you're applying for jobs people won't be looking for where you went, they'll be looking at how well you performed at uni amongst other things - so even you're really in to the Oxbridge courses and think you'd do well, I'd definitely go looking at other places too. Places like Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Sheffield, Nottingham etc all have very respectable music departments, but they're still all at the higher end of the scale regarding grades (apart from Sheffield maybe, who gave me an ABB offer this year - but it's still a Russell group uni) they're definitely worth looking at and visiting.

Even though I knew I was going to do a Music degree when I was doing my GCSEs I didn't properly start looking until after ASs. You don't know how well you're going to do so don't worry about it until you get there! But in a nutshell... don't go for Oxbridge cause you think it's the 'best' and that's the only option, you need to consider whether you'd like it there, and there's plenty of other amazing places too (I'd recommend Surrey... wonder where I'm going... haha!)

I am only doing my GCSE's at the moment however my school is urging us to look into the courses and universities we would be interested in.

Regarding the cambridge course...i will be up to grade 8 in singing and piano and grade 6 or higher in theory so no problem there.

The manchester course is the best course for me because of the performance aspects however a cambridge course (as you said) is great just from the name so im not ignoring that course either.

do you think it is better to have a cambridge course or a course that is very well suited to you? also can you still apply for both and make a final decision when given the offers?

thanks so much

I'd say it's definitely worth looking ahead. I think there are a number of things you should consider including location, course content and modules, student satisfaction, rep of the uni and grades required. I've just finished my AS levels and am going to apply for music at Oxford, King's College London, maybe Manchester, as well as RWCMD, trinity, and maybe RNCM.

I think it's really important to decide whether you want the emphasis to be on the academic study of music or practical music performance. In my opinion Oxford offers greater performance opportunities in the modules you can choose throughout the course than Cambridge. In addition, many oxbridge music students get instrumental lessons at conservatoires.
Many music applicants apply through UCAS where you have 5 choices, and CUKAS where you have 6, and see where you get offers from!

Definitely go to the places and look around, read prospectuses, go to open days. Joint course between RNCM and manchester looks crazy hard to get onto but you get the uni experience and academic degree, whilst also getting world class instrumental tuition.

One more thing to bear in mind is that music is a tough world to make money in... even if you don't think oxbridge is necessarily suited to you, having such a respected degree can only help your career prospects. If you CAN get in, then by all means do it! Many graduates go on to do post grad courses at conservatoires, or get great jobs. But don't do something you won't enjoy...

Hi everyone,

I was considering Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music as some of my uni options, I just wanted to know what your opinions on this are?

Thanks

Hi everyone,

I was considering Royal Academy of Music and Royal College of Music as some of my uni options, I just wanted to know what your opinions on this are?

Thanks