Musical Kid

[Anonymous]

Anyone with any experience or thoughts on where music fits in for college applications? Lots of information about sports, but what about kids with a different strength? We have a kid that could go to conservatory but isn’t interested. Huge resume of statewide top chair honor band placements, competitive band participation, national level band high placements. Is this sort of activity a true plus in admissions? She’d definitely be happy to play in college but not interested in a career in music. (Actually, not interested in a career in music education, which she says is the only practical route if you aren’t going full in and attending conservatory)

[Anonymous]

St Olaf, Lawrence

[Anonymous]

Lots of places on the app. A music kid who doesn’t plan on majoring in music will have more opportunities to showcase their talent than an athlete who doesn’t plan to play NCAA.

My musician will have music on his transcript since he’s taken classes at school.

He will have a test score for AP Music Theory.

He will have private lessons and ensembles and theater productions under extracurriculars.

He will have honors like all state or competitions in the awards section.

He will have the performances he does at the nursing home, and the music therapy program he assists with and the canting he does at church as service.

He will have his job as a camp counselor at music camp under employment.

And be will be able to submit videos in an art supplement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of places on the app. A music kid who doesn’t plan on majoring in music will have more opportunities to showcase their talent than an athlete who doesn’t plan to play NCAA.

My musician will have music on his transcript since he’s taken classes at school.

He will have a test score for AP Music Theory.

He will have private lessons and ensembles and theater productions under extracurriculars.

He will have honors like all state or competitions in the awards section.

He will have the performances he does at the nursing home, and the music therapy program he assists with and the canting he does at church as service.

He will have his job as a camp counselor at music camp under employment.

And be will be able to submit videos in an art supplement.

OP here. Thx. She’s planning to take theory senior year - no way to fit it in before as she has to drop an academic subject to take both it and band. She’s otherwise a solid A student at a competitive private with good, but not the top, rigor (2 AP’s sophomore year, 3 junior and three planned senior, calc AB, likely dropping language senior year but will have two AP’s completed then). I guess I was curious if the music would actually bump up the level of college she could aspire to compared to a kid with similar stats. Music has been her passion for the past 8 years. I know she wouldn’t have given up the experience for anything, but she’s a deeply practical kid and since she doesn’t want to teach, she doesn’t want to start down the road of music major.

[Anonymous]

If she still has time, she should think of ways of using her music to show leadership and initiative.

For instance, when I was doing in high school I organized local musicians (mostly from high school bands) to play for Make-a-Wish trip send offs for terminally ill kids. We also did a bunch of fundraisers to support the group.

I also set up a brass quintet and we gigged professionally for a few years, playing weddings, corporate events, town holiday events, etc. I was able to discuss how we had to market the group, set up a website, negotiate contracts, deal with brides, etc. (And it was good money for a high schooler)

There are lots of opportunities to set up music education outreach with less advantaged kids or to otherwise engage in the community. A little hustle goes a long way in making music a bigger selling point on your resume.

[Anonymous]

If a college has a large amateur musician contingent and many ensembles, they would probably be very open to hearing about musicianship.

It probably could be worked into a Common App essay, the "Why X School" essay, the "Is there anything else we should know?" area. As well as the activities section of the Common App.

Have your child review each target school and identify honestly what musical opportunities they would take advantage of.

Marching Band was the first thing I thought of when I read this post. Without knowing what instrument your child plays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If a college has a large amateur musician contingent and many ensembles, they would probably be very open to hearing about musicianship.

It probably could be worked into a Common App essay, the "Why X School" essay, the "Is there anything else we should know?" area. As well as the activities section of the Common App.

Have your child review each target school and identify honestly what musical opportunities they would take advantage of.

Marching Band was the first thing I thought of when I read this post. Without knowing what instrument your child plays.

Good advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If a college has a large amateur musician contingent and many ensembles, they would probably be very open to hearing about musicianship.

It probably could be worked into a Common App essay, the "Why X School" essay, the "Is there anything else we should know?" area. As well as the activities section of the Common App.

Have your child review each target school and identify honestly what musical opportunities they would take advantage of.

Marching Band was the first thing I thought of when I read this post. Without knowing what instrument your child plays.

OP here. Thx. She’s percussion but not marching - more orchestral and solo performance on pitched percussion. I think she’s making connections, through teachers she met over the years, with college orchestra directors. Sounds like she’s doing the right thing. She has a fantastic connection at Oberlin, which I quietly have a soft spot for.

[Anonymous]

I have a musician who is going through the process this cycle. She wants to double major wherever possible. Her musical resume includes state-wide top seats, summer festivals and a lots of music related leadership/services experiences. She also has stellar grades and excellent ACT/SAT. While she is getting great response from T50-75 schools w excellent merit, she is not having much luck w the T10 -T15 schools. Some of these schools look for international competition experiences (not just anything w the word “international” in it) or masterclasses with famous players or be part of a conservatory’s precollge program. Believe or it, most kids in those pre college programs don’t end up pursuing music, but enroll for the prestige and app bump.

Depending on what schools OP (and the student) is looking for, the music experience can be a plus for sure. Just make sure the student fold the experience into the essays and submit performances as art supplements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a musician who is going through the process this cycle. She wants to double major wherever possible. Her musical resume includes state-wide top seats, summer festivals and a lots of music related leadership/services experiences. She also has stellar grades and excellent ACT/SAT. While she is getting great response from T50-75 schools w excellent merit, she is not having much luck w the T10 -T15 schools. Some of these schools look for international competition experiences (not just anything w the word “international” in it) or masterclasses with famous players or be part of a conservatory’s precollge program. Believe or it, most kids in those pre college programs don’t end up pursuing music, but enroll for the prestige and app bump.

Depending on what schools OP (and the student) is looking for, the music experience can be a plus for sure. Just make sure the student fold the experience into the essays and submit performances as art supplements.

OP here. That’s pretty rough
She doesn’t have anything international in her rep. Just high chairs in Allstate from 6th grade onward - every year - and highly placed in summer festivals. A few local concerto competitions, but nothing national. She could likely go to Juliard this summer for pre college rather than her usual festival (she’s turned it down in the past due to timing). So, something like that? Or are you saying the pre college program of the specific school?

[Anonymous]

Oh, OP again. The summer festivals also have had a fair amount of madterclasses, but I have no idea who is “famous enough”

Honestly, I have no idea what stellar grades are anymore. I did the same amount of AP’s she did, had the same GPA (4.0 unweighted) and no real talents - and I got into 4 Ivy’s. As much as I had heard things were different today, yeah, it’s another universe!

[Anonymous]

Yes, definitely. In addition to including it as an activity on Common App, she should include a few of her most prestigious awards in honors section and submit a portfolio where possible. Many colleges have optional music portfolio supplements. Some have specific requirements on types of submissions, so start looking at requirements for various schools that interest her. The portfolio usually is not viewed by admissions -- it gets sent to someone in music department, and they send back a score and maybe some notes. It is only helpful if they are really good, but it sounds like your kid is at that level. It's a great way to help your kid's app stand out at a competitive school.

I probably factors into her identity, so it may also crop up in Common App essay or a supplemental essay.

If the school asks for a personal video, you can also include a snippet on that.

Highly competitive schools love an interesting narrative, and music can certainly play a role in helping a kid stand out.

My kids both submitted music supplements to various schools and both very happy. Definitely helped them stand out in terms of both talent and overall narrative.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a college has a large amateur musician contingent and many ensembles, they would probably be very open to hearing about musicianship.

It probably could be worked into a Common App essay, the "Why X School" essay, the "Is there anything else we should know?" area. As well as the activities section of the Common App.

Have your child review each target school and identify honestly what musical opportunities they would take advantage of.

Marching Band was the first thing I thought of when I read this post. Without knowing what instrument your child plays.

OP here. Thx. She’s percussion but not marching - more orchestral and solo performance on pitched percussion. I think she’s making connections, through teachers she met over the years, with college orchestra directors. Sounds like she’s doing the right thing. She has a fantastic connection at Oberlin, which I quietly have a soft spot for.

Check how much music she could do at Oberlin if not a conservatory student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a musician who is going through the process this cycle. She wants to double major wherever possible. Her musical resume includes state-wide top seats, summer festivals and a lots of music related leadership/services experiences. She also has stellar grades and excellent ACT/SAT. While she is getting great response from T50-75 schools w excellent merit, she is not having much luck w the T10 -T15 schools. Some of these schools look for international competition experiences (not just anything w the word “international” in it) or masterclasses with famous players or be part of a conservatory’s precollge program. Believe or it, most kids in those pre college programs don’t end up pursuing music, but enroll for the prestige and app bump.

Depending on what schools OP (and the student) is looking for, the music experience can be a plus for sure. Just make sure the student fold the experience into the essays and submit performances as art supplements.

OP here. That’s pretty rough
She doesn’t have anything international in her rep. Just high chairs in Allstate from 6th grade onward - every year - and highly placed in summer festivals. A few local concerto competitions, but nothing national. She could likely go to Juliard this summer for pre college rather than her usual festival (she’s turned it down in the past due to timing). So, something like that? Or are you saying the pre college program of the specific school?

DP. My kid's experience was different from the PP. Had regional awards in music but nothing national or international. Did have a national award in speech but nothing that is highly esteemed. Also had other performing talents. UW GPA 3.96 -- lots of rigor, nmsf, other awards. Several T15 admits ('22).

Agree with the PP about essays and supplement (I posted above about that too).
I think what is really important is two-fold: the overall narrative of your kid (music certainly plays a role in the identity) and the response of music faculty to the supplement. The awards are great and all, but it's the other two aspects that will really help with admissions. Of course, something huge like Young Arts or NYO would be a game changer on its own. Otherwise, it's really a combo thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If a college has a large amateur musician contingent and many ensembles, they would probably be very open to hearing about musicianship.

It probably could be worked into a Common App essay, the "Why X School" essay, the "Is there anything else we should know?" area. As well as the activities section of the Common App.

Have your child review each target school and identify honestly what musical opportunities they would take advantage of.

Marching Band was the first thing I thought of when I read this post. Without knowing what instrument your child plays.

OP here. Thx. She’s percussion but not marching - more orchestral and solo performance on pitched percussion. I think she’s making connections, through teachers she met over the years, with college orchestra directors. Sounds like she’s doing the right thing. She has a fantastic connection at Oberlin, which I quietly have a soft spot for.

Check how much music she could do at Oberlin if not a conservatory student.

Yes, she would have to major (BMus) at Oberlin to take advantage of the conservatory. Many schools with conservatory programs are like this. (Why mine turned down Northwestern-- did not want 5 year dual degree, but did want to take music theory and lessons).

If she has a reputable teacher, they may also be able to submit an additional rec. My kid's teacher happened to be head of strings at a university with quality conservatory program. I think his letter was helpful to Ivy schools. I'd only ask this if that person really knows kid well, not just masterclass here or there.