Like other high school extracurriculars - sports, drama, etc. - music programs should primarily be for fun and personal growth. Very few of the students involved will go on to pursue music in college and professional life. This does not mean that time and money invested in music programs was wasted. The benefits of a music education geared towards proficiency on an instrument and group performance include:

So even if your child doesn't play again after high school, band experiences will prove useful in later life. But for the enthusiastic amateur, there is no need to put the instrument away. There are many opportunities in the community for the well-trained amateur musician. Check with local community colleges, music stores, and conservatories to find out what's available in your area.

Most colleges and universities with a music department and music major will limit some of their classes and ensembles to music majors only. Some ensembles are open to students in any field, but the auditions are competitive and only extremely competent players get in. Usually there will be some music classes and ensembles open to any student, however, and some colleges open all music opportunities to all students (particularly if they have no music major), so your child should be able to continue enjoying ensemble playing through college. If a particular opportunity (say, playing in the marching band or jazz band) is very important to your child, you may want to make that one of your parameters in your search for the right school.

The high school student who is considering a college major and career in music should be taking private lessons and pursuing any available performance and audition opportunities (see Concerts, Contests, and Auditions). Auditions for the top music programs are extraordinarily competitive, but many, many universities offer a music major, and some lesser-known programs have a highly respected faculty in some subspecialty, such as ethnomusicology, composition, or jazz studies. Students who love music but may not want to make a living as a performer may want to consider getting degrees in:

As tough as auditions for music schools are, the requirements to "make it" as a performing musician are even tougher (and, yes, include a bit of good luck, too). Many of those who do manage to find paying work as a musician still need "day jobs" to help pay the bills. Giving private lessons is one of the most common ways for musicians to make a living, and can in fact provide a very steady income for a popular teacher with a large number of students. Others supplement their income with jobs that have nothing to do with music. There are quite a few jobs that the high school graduate who loves music may want to consider, and not all require a college degree.