If your kid applied to a major requiring an audition or portfolio . . . .

[Anonymous]

. . . Did they only apply to colleges that they would be OK attending if they DON'T get accepted into that major?

DS is a HS senior applying for music (mostly production & composition (contemporary focus) or technology--not instrument-focused), and there are several schools that he applied to because they have a great program in the major he's interested in. But many of the schools describe the admission process as almost wholly separate--you can get accepted into the college without being accepted into the major. Acceptance into major requires audition, portfolio, interview, etc., so it's labor intensive for each school, so he didn't apply to that many schools.

But I'm worried now (with most EA dates having passed him by) that he has a lot of schools he wouldn't really want to go to, if he doesn't get into his preferred major.

These include schools like Belmont, U Cincinnati, Indiana University, Ithaca College, Drexel. The only "music-only" school he applied to was Berklee.

Trying to decide if he should apply to some more schools where, if he doesn't get the major he wants, he would still like the school based on campus, size, location, other majors etc. (He applied to U Colorado and JMU, where I think he would be happy even if he doesn't get his major, but wondering if he should add some closer options).

He is a B student, 1380 SAT, so needs schools with high acceptance rates. Attends competitive NJ public, 95% of students attend 4-year college after high school. Just wondering if anyone has any BTDT with their art or music kid.

[Anonymous]

It’s probably worth adding on a school he’d like even if he didn’t get into an audition-required major. There should be schools that would have adjacent majors (related to music production) that don’t require auditions for them. Do a little digging.

[Anonymous]

My child was admitted to the college and will remain in “Undeclared” as his major until after his audition in December for Voice.

[Anonymous]

I think it would be good to research if there are any schools that offer the major that don't require the portfolio/competitive artistic admission and then see if they are a good fit.

[Anonymous]

We are in nearly an identical boat with a kid applying with an arts portfolio. They did not want to think about not getting into one of the arts programs and I wanted to be encouraging - but the schools chosen were all exclusively because of the arts programs, not other factors. I didn't want to seem negative and didn't push it - now that the portfolio is done and in and they've applied to the EA/ED schools, my plan is to gently suggest looking at a couple more schools to put on the list "just to have some more options to compare to the arts schools in the spring" and then to be ready to apply to those if there's disappointment in ED.

[Anonymous]

So my son is applying for music technology programs. The schools he has applied to with that major are U Miami, Ga Tech, NCSU, and U Alabama. He was going to apply to Michigan, but decided their portfolio requirements were too cumbersome.

He's going to apply to Carnegie Mellon and U Rochester (this one doesn't require a portfolio, but is an actual engineering degree from the engineering school). He's also applying to Tufts (they have a music tech minor).

He applied to Virginia Tech because they have a Music Production, Technology, and Composition minor.

He is applying to William and Mary because they have a Experimental Music & Technology Ensemble.

I hope my sharing this helps OP, but also others in the future as we had to do a lot of digging to find schools with this major. He's specifically interested in schools that have the interdisciplinary major combining music, math, and electrical engineering.

[Anonymous]

Definitely good to have alternative options and backup plans with these portfolio and/or audition based programs. Some are quite competitive.

Not sure if you’re looking for other school suggestions, but take a look at Shenandoah University in Virginia. It has a strong conservatory and music program, including in the areas of interest to your student.

[Anonymous]

My kid is applying as a music ed or music therapy major. He wants to study music so his backup if he doesn’t get into music at those schools, is music at other schools where you don’t have to audition. It’s not a non-music major.

[Anonymous]

PP here - U Miami has an Audio Technology major that does not require a portfolio.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here - U Miami has an Audio Technology major that does not require a portfolio.

Not sure U Miami with its 18% acceptance rate is realistic for B student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP here - U Miami has an Audio Technology major that does not require a portfolio.

I am the PP immediately above this, but this is not me.

[Anonymous]

Some of the schools will academically accept you and some it is tied to the audition/portfolio acceptance. For example, for Penn State Theater you either get an offer to be a theater major or you don't get in to the school at all, even undecided. A different example would be Elon which has an actual check box on the application for "would you consider coming here if you don't get your preferred major?". My child has gotten two academic acceptances to schools she hasn't yet submitted her auditions to, however there are a dozen more who are "waiting for the audition upload" and thus I don't think she would get accepted there for "undecided". My kid has applied and been accepted to 4 non theater major schools, so that is her backup--not one of her theater schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child was admitted to the college and will remain in “Undeclared” as his major until after his audition in December for Voice.

OP here, yes I expect this for DS with a couple of schools. Belmont for example has a 95% acceptance rate and he'll hear next week if he was accepted EA, which I expect he will be. But it will probably show as undeclared because his major of interest requires an audition.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here - U Miami has an Audio Technology major that does not require a portfolio.

Not sure U Miami with its 18% acceptance rate is realistic for B student.

OP here--DS is actually planning to apply to U Miami but RD. I read that the vast majority of EA applicants to Frost School of Music are deferred to RD, so he just decided to apply RD. His High School's acceptance rate to U Miami is close to 40%, so it's definitely a reach but possible if his musical talent is considered strong enough to make up for the mediocre grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP here - U Miami has an Audio Technology major that does not require a portfolio.

Not sure U Miami with its 18% acceptance rate is realistic for B student.

OP here--DS is actually planning to apply to U Miami but RD. I read that the vast majority of EA applicants to Frost School of Music are deferred to RD, so he just decided to apply RD. His High School's acceptance rate to U Miami is close to 40%, so it's definitely a reach but possible if his musical talent is considered strong enough to make up for the mediocre grades.

Oh good! And I was mistaken saying it didn't require a portfolio. That major does require a portfolio, but does not require and audition. The Music Engineering degree they offer requires both a portfolio and an audition.

You are correct that most of the Frost applicants are deferred to RD. Good luck to your son!