If you plan on going to college, why not get a good professional flute like a Muramatus EX or Altus? It would be worth the investment and save you having to upgrade time and time again. Any of the intermediate brands are going to hinder your playing in College from my experience.

Stick with the well know brands such as Altus, Muramatsu, Powell, Haynes or Muramatsu. While a Powell or a Haynes may be out of your budget the others you might be able to find used for a good price. I would stay away from Trevor James flutes, in my professional opinion they are made very poorly. If you notice you never hear of hardly anyone who plays on one.

Beware of the music teacher you consult with. There are teachers that have a vested financial interests where you purchase your flute. Finder fees, kickbacks, bonuses, etc.

I would say, stick to Diana`s plan. It sounds of that she knows what she is talking about. And, it sounds like VERY good advice

Yah, go with diana becuase when my mom got me my 1st flute and at the time I did`t know anything about what flute brands are good so I ended up with a Emerson flute, and when i started to play after a few weeks I saw a ugly color on my flute, and when I rubbed it I saw that my flute was made out of plastic and painted. So ask your teacher and u can also go online to see different types of flutes that u like and the modles, so if u see a flutes u like u can go to a flute store and see if they have that model that u saw online .

get a treovr james i have one and it was the best thing for me and the price was amazing (at retail value) try the virtuoso 2 its not handmade but the tone and overall quality of the flute is amazing and since ur a performance major im sure youll make it sing

Personally I hate gemeinhardt anything. Ive played their flutes and piccolos and they have so many problems and their tone really isnt great.
Pearl and Yamaha are awesome flutes. Pearls give you more for your money but you may find yourself investing in a headjoint later which is the issue Im having now. Yamahas are fantastic but they cost a lot more.
Fluteworld. com has good prices and lets you try flutes as well. They have used and new and I know you probably want a new one but who knows, you might find a flute you absolutely LOVE if you wait and save more money...

I have had no problems with my Gemeinhardt 3SB from 16 years ago, but I do believe there has been a quality issue of late with Gemeinhardt. Personally, I can`t get any sort of quality sound out of a Yamaha. For demonstration I once ATTEMPTED to make noises that resembled a concerto from a $2400 Yamaha, I then wowed the "woodwind" specialist at Sam Ash with the same concerto on a B stock Gemeinhardt plated student model. (My little girls Gemeinhardt have kept up QUITE nicely with custom Haynes and Powell. It`s all in your ear and embouchure and your TECH! JEFF my Tech has made my Gemeinhardt a freak of nature...it`s perfect.)

It is ALL about what works for you. Work closely with your teacher and your technician and TALK to your future college. Well, contacts at your future college. Maybe try a flute community on Live Journal? *There is far less drama and "this brand stinks" from people who can`t play a 3 octave chromatic up and down in one breath.

You want opinions from people who KNOW? Yes?

What I have playtested lately:
Muramatsu (THOUGHT I would hate it...loved it, it was in the $3000 range)
Powell Signature line, $3,400 (It was love, just WORKED for me and with me. I need it like I need air.)
Miyazawa(two models...Jeff my tech is a GOD...he leaves me alone for as long as I like while my flute is in with stuff worth more than my car...I wasn`t thrilled though. I think I wasn`t too used to the split E and Gizmo. I think with some break in time I would have loved them. Their new alloy is great. The headjoint was heaven on that new "pink" alloy.)

But mostly...look at your budget, put the word out to your tech and teachers to be looking for good used flutes. You might end up with a signature Powell, which IS expensive, but in the long run will last a lifetime as your "second flute" if you do end up being in the 1% that makes it in performance.

On Yamahas...I am DYING to get my hands on my friend`s flute. She studied under Kujala for several summers and has a 700 series with a Sheridan custom headjoint on it. THAT I think I would like.

I did not hear the best things about anything above the 600 series in the Sonare line from my tech Jeff. He said if I was going to spend the money on a 700, that I may as well look for a used Powell Signature, or just bite the bullet and get a new Signature. He`s got his eye out for one. Too bad he`s such a good tech, he NEVER has any scratch and dent items.

My picc is an 11 year old Gemeinhard 4PSH, so composition plastic body with a solid silver head joint. It is "modified"...crudely, a tech`s worst nightmare. My case got away from me and fell down the stairs. Luckily, the VERY ugly dent was smack in the middle of the opposite side of the lip plate and made my $450 picc sound like I`d popped the money for a Drelinger bow tie. (Jeff became a Saint in my book when he knew EXACTLY what I was talking about.)