Indiana University - Bloomington

Date: Apr 08 2008
Major: Music Education (This Major's Salary over time)
I attended the Jacobs School of Music. Be prepared to work, hard and long. We referred to it as a factory. The perception was that students were disposable, that if we fell by the wayside that was our problem. The pressure was enormous. That said, oh what an education I received, in Music. My impression was that other parts of the university were not as competetive, and frankly, not as committed to excellence. Business and Music are the two pillars of excellence at IU.

The campus is stunningly beautiful, perhaps one of the five nicest in the U.S. And there is so much to do here. There is more music happening at IU than any place outside New York City. And the campus is simply huge, in every aspect. Even the dorms are enormous. It is very easy to get lost in the shuffle. Many students were rattled by the pressure.

Overall, some professors were very caring, others incredibly cold and self-absorbed. It's important to network here, to have students and profs you can count on for help. If you're at Jacobs, expect to face world-class competition, without much hand-holding, like the real world, and a lot of bureaucracy! But you'll also be exposed to the best of the best.