Future Status: Secured

Well, it's decided-- I will be enrolling at the University of Miami in the fall as a Vocal Performance major. And I must tell you, it's all very exciting.

I came back last Wednesday from an impromptu visit to the UM campus, and I've gotta tell you-- it's a great campus at a great location... with a great climate... and a great program. What's not to like? It's also out of state, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't itching (at least a little bit) to go to undergrad out of state. Earlier, I may have mentioned that I definitely wanted to go to grad school out of state, but I neglected to mention I wouldn't mind taking undergrad, either.

I hope that anyone who reads this who was hoping I'd go to Colorado State University (which was where I was most likely headed before I got the full-ride scholarship offer... it is, by the way, guaranteed as long as I maintain a 3.0 GPA) understands that this was an offer that I simply couldn't refuse. As far as college rankings go, UM is listed at #29 nationally as a music school, and I have been overall impressed with the teaching staff there (the head of the vocal department herself called me personally and talked to me for a solid 20 minutes over the phone-- that says something to me.) Saying good-bye to CSU is very difficult for me, because I have really familiarized myself with the program and instructors, and I know that I would get a good education there. However, I also know I'll be getting a good education at UM as well, and the winter there will be much less painful that the charmingly bone-shaking winters of Colorado.

(Another note about location-- I've had a lot of people tell me to be careful, because Miami is a "rough" city. UM is actually located in Coral Gables, which is considered by many as the nicest suburb of Miami, and I asked a few students when I was there if they ever felt threatened as far as their security goes. They laughed at the thought. I can't help but think that it's a similar situation to southern Thornton-- I was warned I'd get shot at THS.)

And looking ahead four more years into the future, I'm thinking of the San Francisco Conservatory for my MM. That or the Manhattan School of Music. Or grad school at a non-conservatory university.

But that's stuff I'll worry about in 2014. For now, I'll enjoy the security of knowing what my future looks like for the next four years.

Until later, my faithful blog readers (all four of you), I bid you adieu.