Does anyone plan on becoming a Band Director, or already is one?

I am going to the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) next year for Music Education, and I plan on becoming a High School Band Director in Texas!

I hope to go to Ithica College in New York and become a band director! I got a scholarship to go to Ithica's Summer Music Academy. Two weeks staying in the dorms and playine amazing music with people from across the nation and potentially other countries. It's huge for me to be able to go. I want to go so bad. It would cost me almost 2000 bucks without the scholarship

As much as my mom hates the idea of it, I plan on becoming a High School Band Director. She doesn't think that I'll be able to get a job, so I promised her that I will double major in something math related.

I'm an 8th semester music ed major at Indiana University of PA. (cue Jack Stamp fugue) Although my goal is still high school band - I'm very aware that I need to be prepared to teach at any level. I get certified as a k-12 music teacher, so I could possible end up teaching junior high orchestra or elementary chorus.

As far as where you want to teach, that can change after taking various classes. I know tons of friends that came in wanting to teach high school but now are dead set teaching at the elementary or junior high level. Clinical experience does that.

Another thing to consider is realizing how academic the degree is. There is a lot of writing involved, and you have to take a ton of classes on a huge variety of subjects. I have classes on how to teach students that are secondary English speakers, special education, and the liberal studies requirements are intense, too. If you have any questions about it, feel free to shoot me a message or ask it here. I won't be student teaching until the fall, so I don't have any answers for you on that subject, but everything else I'm pretty much experienced it already. Of course, every school is different, its all generally the same-ish.

4 and half years? Not bad for a music ed major. Most I know end up taking 5-6 years.

Well... if I don't get one class this summer offered then it will be 5. Hoping for 4 1/2 though!

That is something a lot of new music ed majors don't realize is how much work it really is. The only time I've seen someone graduate in 4 years they had what should have been at least 18 hours every semester plus summer classes every year.

Just wait until you take your first 15 hr semester and have 10 classes.

i took most of the education classes i needed and a few music classes to so they calculate im just 3-4 semesters away from having a music ed degree so im pursuing that but im gonna have a masters in sports medicine at the end of this semester

I have never had a semester below 18... Unfortunately for me I didn't take classes I need for other classes until much later which delayed me.

i usually take 20-21 hours a semester i just like to learn and im good at school. but ill admit it does get crazy because some classes i have to do aren't even worth credit hours

Same. I had 6 zero credit course last semester. Worst idea ever.

Band I may ask you about some things in the future like you are doing everything I want to do in college lol

First year music ed. major here at Bowling Green State University. In my second semester now. As people have pointed out it's a lot of work, but I find if I keep my mind on the goal of becoming a band director it gets me through the stressful times. Some days you just have to breathe. lol