Influence My College Choice!

FrenchAK · #1 03-07-2011, 12:02 AM

Alright, what I'm doing here is probably not very wise, but why not.

I'm a Senior in High School right now, and it's come down to the time when I need to start choosing a college. I've been playing in a band for the better part of a year, and while it's too bad that I can't stick around and enjoy Anchorage's music scene, I know for sure that I want to get involved in a band or two while in college.

I've gigged a few times and my band just celebrated our first paid show, and I'll admit, it's addictive. That said, I don't want to be in a garage band, I'd like to go somewhere where the music scene is at least somewhat supportive of original acts, as I believe our local scene is.

Anyway, my top three choices are:
1) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
2) Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
3) Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO

Obviously, the music scene won't be my first choice in college pick. But from what I've studied and heard, all three of these schools are solid choices. If it makes a difference, my intended major is Electrical Engineering.

Any insight or advice you have on these schools, towns, regions, local scene, anything (really), I'd love to hear it.

Thanks everyone!

hrodbert696 · #2 03-07-2011, 05:16 AM

I don't know much about the engineering programs specifically. I've never heard of the Colorado school. Both SUNY-Stony Brook and Rensselaer have pretty good reputations as far as I've heard, I've known people that went to each. Rensselaer will be more of a science-and-tech environment while Stony Brook will be more rounded (though as I'm sure you know, "rounded" will include the science-and-tech people). Not sure what the local music scenes are like, but Rensselaer puts you up in rust-belt upstate New York, while Stony Brook is more Long Island - NYC commuter zone. That will affect the kinds of gigs that are available to play. If it were me, I'd go to Stony Brook, but I'm not a tech type.

FrenchAK · #3 03-07-2011, 12:33 PM

Thanks, Stony Brook seems like a great choice. I think I would enjoy going to a school with all types of students, and that's not, you know, 75% dude. As far as your descriptions go I guess that makes sense.

fdeck · #4 03-07-2011, 05:21 PM

If one of them is offering you a deal, whereby you can attend without going into debt, that would be a major plus.

FrenchAK · #5 03-07-2011, 05:24 PM

Of course. And I'm awaiting RPI's reply to see if I can get money from them (Considering it's a private school, I have high hopes). I got a pretty good discount from CSM, but SUNY-SB is still so inexpensive that, without any scholarships, it's still cheaper than Mines with a scholarship.

Any way you slice it, I'll be in debt. Such is life.

walker rosewood · #6 03-07-2011, 11:59 PM

RPI is a hell of a school. Very expensive. It's a whole college full of geeks, for an electrical engineer you can't beat that. A friend of mine went there, then moved on to Stanford for a Masters and now works for Tesla Motors. If you can get the money, go there. As for the 75% dude thing, take the bus over to Suny Albany for the weekend. #1 party school in the country, any type of chick you want.

However, the music scene in Albany sucks horribly. There's just no good venues. Touring bands rarely bother to stop there, and subsequently local bands can't get much going on either.

..but I'm just a stranger on a forum. Do your own research and go wherever will provide you with the best job opportunities in the future.

FrenchAK · #7 03-08-2011, 08:54 PM

Man, working for Tesla Motors is a dream of mine. Truth is, I can't really pass up a school like RPI, if the money is there. It sounds like a great place to go to school.

As far as the music... That's disappointing. Music is a huge part of my life and I'd hate to give it up, or see it get pushed aside simply because the scene sucks.

Quote:

..but I'm just a stranger on a forum. Do your own research and go wherever will provide you with the best job opportunities in the future.

Oh, I've done research. This thread is based on just one facet of my decision-making process, something I can't really find out about any other way.

walker rosewood · #8 03-08-2011, 11:44 PM

Well don't be too discouraged. Every opinion is a generalization. I haven't lived in Albany in several years, there could be some gems. Or you could start an epic band there that revives the scene!

True, it is tough to get an idea of the scene without living in a place. Maybe if you looked up some of the venues in each city, look at there schedule, and check out some of the bands listed. In the Capital Region there is Valentines, Red Square, Northern Lights, QE2, the Jukebox (some of these might not exist anymore). metroland.net is the local entertainment newspaper.