I think TobiasMan is spot on...again. A BA in Bass in 18 months is a magnificent opportunity. There is no easy way to learn how to play ones instrument of choice. And it's easy to see why someone not totally committed to TMBG might bail out... looking for something easier. And to further TobiasMan's analogy, Grad School (specialization) begins after the fundamentals have been properly learned and mastered.

Greg