We live in an area where we have the benefit of a fairly high quality Junior College (formerly in the top 10 in the state-I think that status has dropped considerably over the last 10 years for a variety of reasons). For many students the decision to attend Junior College following high school affords them the opportunity to (1) save money for college transfer (2) work on taking basic classes that they would be required to take at any 4 year institution and (3) figure out what major they want to pursue by taking a variety of classes. Exercising all of these options is, in my opinion, making good use of our local institution. However, my experience over the last 25 years with Santa Rosa Junior College has left me with a "bad taste in my mouth" regarding the college counseling that many student receive. Although SRJC's music department is planning to institute a "music major" complete with private lessons, I think the same fundamental flaws will continue to exist. These difficulties have to do with the establishment, not the music department or the transfer process.
Flaw #1
All SRJC students transfer to state or UC schools within
California.
Many students are not interested in transferring to a school within either of these systems or within the state. Unfortunately, SRJC is not set up very well to assist students who may be interested in out of state schools or private institutions. The credit and transfer system is simply not set up for this. IF these are your plans, plan on some snags because this is the way the SRJC counseling system is set up! Poor advice from counselors is one of the biggest issues at SRJC. They are trained to give out specific information in a specific way that will benefit the state by perpetuating the existing system.
Flaw #2
If classes are good enough for the state or UC system, they
are good enough for any school.
This is simply not true. In my own case, I wasted GE credits and time in classes that did not transfer to the private college I wound up attending.
Flaw #3
Music classes transfer to other schools just like any other
class.
If a student decides to be a music major, he usually hopes that the music classes he is taking will transfer and he will enter as a Junior. Here is a little reality check: MOST MUSIC COURSES WILL NOT TRANSFER TO ANY MUSIC PROGRAM ANYWHERE. This is a key factor that NO college counselor is willing to admit, but it is the cold, hard, truth. Music courses are credited based on exam. A student may sit through several semesters of theory only to find, on the day of their theory entrance exam, that they have to take this all over again from the beginning! Expect this to happen. Plan for it. Do not be deceived. As a music major transferring from the JC, a student must plan on spending more than four years in school in order to complete a degree program.
The bigger issue than theory and history equivalency exams is LESSONS. EVERY MUSIC MAJOR WILL HAVE A PROBLEM IN THIS AREA! SRJC does not offer private lessons as a part of the music program (until the Fall of 07). This means that EVERY music student WILL wind up at the end of their college career needing at least one additional full year of lesson credits. Most of the time these lessons can not be "doubled up" and taken all at once because passing lessons usually involves taking a "jury" exam and offering a recital-neither of which can be done "two at a time".
My advice #1
Use the counseling department only when necessary (to sign
approval for registration) in order to avoid being mislead. If
you know a good counselor, use him and avoid all others.
My advice #2
Seek counseling from the institution you want to attend in order
to avoid taking classes that will ultimately not transfer. Be
clear on where you are going and want to go as soon as possible.
Bring transcripts or catalogues to counseling sessions. Search
online for class and degree requirements.
My advice #3
If you are a music major, continue your private instruction and
sign up for the Music 44.x series (which requires an end of
semester "jury") so lessons, although they may not
transfer credit wise, will at least be documented by the college.
My advice #4
Get your A.A. degree. Make this your priority. If you don't wind
up transferring, you will at least have a college degree. That is
better in any case than no college degree at all. Chances are
that an institution will consider accepting credits from a degree
program rather than loose, unrelated classes alone.