College Connection: Make Each Credit Count

Making your course schedule is a bit like playing a game of Tetris—you have to fit everything you need in perfectly. Read on to get the most value from your tuition dollars!

As voice students, our schedules often feel like a delicate balancing act. We juggle lessons, coachings, ensembles, coursework, and rehearsals, all while trying to stay healthy and focused. With so many demands on our time and only a limited number of credits available each semester, every course we choose matters. Making your degree work for you is not just about checking off requirements—it’s about shaping your artistic identity and preparing for the career you envision. Whether your dream is the opera stage, the classroom, or something in between, being intentional with your course choices can help you grow not just as a singer, but as a whole artist. 

In this article, I’ll share practical strategies for making every cent of your tuition worthwhile! Whether you’re an undergraduate just starting out or a graduate student deep into your specialization, these ideas can help you use your time more intentionally and make the most of every opportunity. 

Know Your Degree Requirements

The first step of making every credit count is knowing exactly what your degree requires. Print your program’s curriculum guide—including credit totals, course sequences, and prerequisites—and annotate it. Having the full map in front of you prevents stumbling from one semester to the next.

Full-time students usually need to register for at least 12 credits, and many schools allow up to 18 for the same tuition rate. Mathematically, the closer you are to that upper limit, the more value you get from each tuition dollar. However, practically, loading your schedule to the brim can drain your time and energy. You want to aim for balance by selecting courses that truly advance your goals while still leaving room for focused study, practice, and rest. Required core courses such as voice lessons, aural skills, music history, theory, piano proficiency, and diction follow a strict order. In your first year you will likely face placement exams, so take every one offered. You may test out of areas you thought were weaknesses, freeing space for classes that genuinely excite you. While placing out will not add credits toward graduation, it spares you the time and tuition you would spend repeating material you already know and gives you the flexibility to pursue classes that truly inspire you—unless, of course, you prefer a review.

Avoid the temptation to rush through every requirement. Some subjects need time to settle. Planning your coursework is like planning a meal: pile on too many entrées and you enjoy none of them. Draft a multi-year plan that balances demanding core classes with electives that feed your artistic curiosity. Keep the big picture in sight and let steady, thoughtful pacing rather than last-minute panic guide your choices.

Strategize for Your Goals

When choosing your courses, you are not just planning your schedule for the year, you are laying the foundation for your future. Your coursework can reflect who you are and who you want to become. Start by asking yourself some big-picture questions: What kind of singer do I want to be? What aspects of the field excite me the most? What skills beyond singing might I want to develop? These questions can help you shape a curriculum that fulfills requirements while supporting your long-term goals. 

If you want to feel more confident on stage, explore acting, movement, and advanced diction. Language study can also boost your confidence onstage! If teaching is part of your future goals, prioritize vocal pedagogy and education courses. For those planning to explore the DMA path or another musical field, such as writing their own songs, it will be helpful to pursue deeper work in music history, theory, or critical studies that can lay the groundwork for an academic or interdisciplinary path.

However, you don’t need to navigate all of this alone. Meet with your academic advisor early and often, and don’t hesitate to ask upper-level students or peers with more experience about their thoughts on specific courses. Check your school’s portal, Canvas, Blackboard, or website for course descriptions and consider reaching out to professors or former students to see if you can access a syllabus. It’s best to do this research as early as possible  since popular high-quality classes always fill up quickly.

Maximize Beyond the Credit Limit

Here is a quiet secret worth sharing: reaching the credit limit does not prevent you from advancing. Many schools allow students to audit additional classes for free, no grades or homework required. For example, you could audit a composition seminar to see how composers shape a score, experiment with new technology in an electronic music lab, stretch your creativity in a jazz improvisation workshop, refine your baton technique in a conducting class, or challenge yourself with a new language. You will soak up fresh ideas, discover unfamiliar repertoire, and observe professionals in action without adding to your official workload. 

Auditing offers a low-pressure way to explore new interests, sharpen your skills, and connect with faculty who may later serve as mentors or recommenders, as well as with peers who could become future collaborators.

Reflect and Reframe

Not every class will be a perfect fit, and that is okay. Think of the first two weeks as a tasting festival. Sample as many courses as your appetite allows, then decide which ones truly satisfy you. Because you are paying for your education, you have the right to make the calls. 

If something feels off, whether it is the teaching style or the course content, consider switching to another section or choosing a different instructor. If an elective feels less compelling than you expected, drop it while the add/drop window is still open. Sit in on any course you are considering, compare the flavors, and keep the options that nourish your goals. If the class you want is already full, join the waitlist or email the instructor kindly to ask for an override.

Sometimes you discover too late that a course is not a good fit. Treat that experience as useful feedback. Note what did not work and why and then consider how you would present the material differently. This reflection sharpens your sense of direction and can inform your own teaching or leadership down the road. 

The disappointing experience also delivers lessons well beyond the syllabus, teaching you how to stay productive in situations you dislike, collaborate with people whose styles differ from yours, and adapt when circumstances do not go your way. And when you manage to turn an academic lemon into lemonade, the memory often tastes sweet rather than sour.

Above all, keep perspective. You are building more than a transcript; you are shaping yourself into a thoughtful, versatile artist.