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GPA doesn't matter as much for graduate students as it does for undergraduates. When selecting master's students, a professor is mostly concerned with their playing, with some emphasis on letters of recommendation. GPA and GRE scores (if applicable) are only going to matter to the graduate admissions people.

I think that location is a very important part of choosing a graduate school. There are a lot more opportunities for a tuba player in Chicago, for instance, than in Rochester. Also, if money is an issue, I suggest heading to Georgia or Texas, or anywhere else where bands are huge and there are so many kids who want lessons that you can make as much money as you want.

I did my undergraduate at Northwestern and can tell you (the original poster) all about it if you're interested - just email me at lipton@unt.edu.

Jamie Lipton

Well, a sub 3.00 GPA won't even get you admitted to Michigan, Yale, and a host of other top tier grad programs, no matter how well you play.
I think the notion that grades don't matter is a pretty poor excuse for those who don't study enough.

GPA does matter- end of story, altough it is secondary to playing ability especially for performance majors. I was fortunate to have my out of state tuition waived simply because I had an adaquate undergrad GPA (over 3.4).
Just trust your gut instinct when choosing a graduate school and remember that wherever it is that you end up- it will be your desire to work hard that will take you to the next level.