Devoted to Performing Arts Activity - but not prospective major

[Anonymous]

DS is a current HS soph, high rigor/high stats (so far!). Will apply to a mix of schools, including competitive/ those with low acceptance rates. He is a prospective STEM major. We are hearing so much about how ECs need to align with major. He will probably have 1-2, maybe 3 activities over HS that correspond, but his main thing is his instrument. (he is also a strong pianist in addition to his primary instrument)

There are some opportunities to be recognized nationally, but it's very competitive. Getting close is possible. We're hoping that state or regional accolades happen (even there, luck plays a huge role). Either way, he is achieving a lot with both instruments, loves it, is in audition-based ensembles in and out of school, will have increasing leadership, is making his mark, etc. That's most of his EC time. He's serious about it the way DD is with her travel sport. I learned that some schools will look at portfolios for music, art, theatre, etc. even for non-majors and he will probably submit one. He wants to stay active with music in college too.

Is it a problem that he's not all in on STEM for his activities, and instead has a performing arts interest that he is devoted to? Any advice for how to present himself on his apps? Would you recommend adding a music dbl major or minor? He has some interesting things to say about this STEM interest that he can write essays on. He has come to those interests more through classwork than his activities. At least so far. So, he can speak to what he wants to study and why, but he may not have a "in my free time I cured cancer" thing because he's busy with music. (Otherwise, he def would have cured cancer lol)

I had a general convo with a college counselor who thought DS should try to find an intersection of his STEM interest and his music background, and to write about that. To me this feels like manufactured nonsense. Is it? Ultimately, he's not giving up or lessening his time with music, so if it's actually a "problem," it is what it is!

[Anonymous]

Yes, that sounds like manufactured nonsense. He should write the essay(s) on whatever he wants to write.

There is no problem here at all, he's well rounded, which is great. And making music makes you smart -- literally.

[Anonymous]

This is analogous to sports, multi-year varsity/club sports but not recruitable. It's still a good activity but they will also need to have activities related to the intended major.

[Anonymous]

Depending on the school and the instrument, submitting a music supplement can definitely help. If it’s an uncommon instrument (eg bassoon, French horn, piccolo) even better. My kid submitted a supplement to schools that would take it. My advice would be to try to record the supplement the summer before senior year and work with your son’s private instructor (if he has one) to do so. It took more time than we thought and was the last piece of her applications she finished. Also, when you are looking at schools, make sure non-majors can play in the ensembles your son would want to be in. At our state flagship it is very difficult to play in the orchestra if you’re not a music major, so that was a negative for my kid. She ended up at a SLAC where most of the kids in the orchestra are not music majors.

[Anonymous]

My son was like this. All of his best academic subjects were STEM but all of his activities were music. Now he’s in college for STEM and doing great. It may be harder if you were aiming for MIT or Caltech or something but he wasn’t.

[Anonymous]

Jesus Christ.

[Anonymous]

Op, is his piano teacher a member of National Guild of Piano Teachers? If he performs and gets rated -- he will have a National Award for his college application

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, is his piano teacher a member of National Guild of Piano Teachers? If he performs and gets rated -- he will have a National Award for his college application

Whoa I didn't know about this. I doubt his teacher is a member because he is only a few years out of college following a degree in music performance, but you never know. I'm going to look into this. Thank you! -OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depending on the school and the instrument, submitting a music supplement can definitely help. If it’s an uncommon instrument (eg bassoon, French horn, piccolo) even better. My kid submitted a supplement to schools that would take it. My advice would be to try to record the supplement the summer before senior year and work with your son’s private instructor (if he has one) to do so. It took more time than we thought and was the last piece of her applications she finished. Also, when you are looking at schools, make sure non-majors can play in the ensembles your son would want to be in. At our state flagship it is very difficult to play in the orchestra if you’re not a music major, so that was a negative for my kid. She ended up at a SLAC where most of the kids in the orchestra are not music majors.

Yes yes yes! He sounds great. Definitely do the music supplement, but don't force his two passions together. I especially love the tip about making sure that there are good options for non-music majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depending on the school and the instrument, submitting a music supplement can definitely help. If it’s an uncommon instrument (eg bassoon, French horn, piccolo) even better. My kid submitted a supplement to schools that would take it. My advice would be to try to record the supplement the summer before senior year and work with your son’s private instructor (if he has one) to do so. It took more time than we thought and was the last piece of her applications she finished. Also, when you are looking at schools, make sure non-majors can play in the ensembles your son would want to be in. At our state flagship it is very difficult to play in the orchestra if you’re not a music major, so that was a negative for my kid. She ended up at a SLAC where most of the kids in the orchestra are not music majors.

This is such great advice. Thank you. OP

[Anonymous]

Yeah, ignore the counselor. Nothing good can come of that (including use of your son's time) unless it happens naturally.

For what another anecdote is worth, our son is a senior at a STEM magnet and intends a STEM major, but none of his three major extracurriculars are at all STEM-focused. One of them is an instrument, and he's considering a double major or performance-focused minor and so submitted arts supplements/audition materials where relevant. He's been admitted to every school that's released decisions so far, including his T10 EA school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is a current HS soph, high rigor/high stats (so far!). Will apply to a mix of schools, including competitive/ those with low acceptance rates. He is a prospective STEM major. We are hearing so much about how ECs need to align with major. He will probably have 1-2, maybe 3 activities over HS that correspond, but his main thing is his instrument. (he is also a strong pianist in addition to his primary instrument)

There are some opportunities to be recognized nationally, but it's very competitive. Getting close is possible. We're hoping that state or regional accolades happen (even there, luck plays a huge role). Either way, he is achieving a lot with both instruments, loves it, is in audition-based ensembles in and out of school, will have increasing leadership, is making his mark, etc. That's most of his EC time. He's serious about it the way DD is with her travel sport. I learned that some schools will look at portfolios for music, art, theatre, etc. even for non-majors and he will probably submit one. He wants to stay active with music in college too.

Is it a problem that he's not all in on STEM for his activities, and instead has a performing arts interest that he is devoted to? Any advice for how to present himself on his apps? Would you recommend adding a music dbl major or minor? He has some interesting things to say about this STEM interest that he can write essays on. He has come to those interests more through classwork than his activities. At least so far. So, he can speak to what he wants to study and why, but he may not have a "in my free time I cured cancer" thing because he's busy with music. (Otherwise, he def would have cured cancer lol)

I had a general convo with a college counselor who thought DS should try to find an intersection of his STEM interest and his music background, and to write about that. To me this feels like manufactured nonsense. Is it? Ultimately, he's not giving up or lessening his time with music, so if it's actually a "problem," it is what it is!

Do NOT listen. My kid has a very deep extracurricular that has absolutely nothing to do with his likely major. Wrote his Common App essay about the activity highlighting a leadership role. His passion and dedication was palpable. He got into first choice school ED (<10% admit rate).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, ignore the counselor. Nothing good can come of that (including use of your son's time) unless it happens naturally.

For what another anecdote is worth, our son is a senior at a STEM magnet and intends a STEM major, but none of his three major extracurriculars are at all STEM-focused. One of them is an instrument, and he's considering a double major or performance-focused minor and so submitted arts supplements/audition materials where relevant. He's been admitted to every school that's released decisions so far, including his T10 EA school.

Wow, our sons sounds similar. Thank you for the anecdote, it's very helpful. Congratulations to your son and best of luck to him. -op

[Anonymous]

The kids in performing arts, theatre, dance, music get into the same colleges as everyone else. The ones with high grades and scores go to top schools. They don’t have activities for the sole purpose of applying for college.

Let your kid live his life without the burden of trying to calculate what further activities to add to an already busy schedule.

[Anonymous]

This is a stretch, but is your son math-y? I am not but love history and have been reading that Pythagoras was big into music theory and universal harmony and numbers. (And he did NOT invent the Pythagorean Theorem, which far pre-dated him.)

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/pythagoras-math-reality-music-spheres

https://www.jstor.org/stable/427754