Is band worth it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids both had leadership positions in the marching band so they could add that to their resumes. Colleges simply want kids to account for their free time in high school.

She tried the audition for drum major but didn't get it, she is a section leader though. Does it count as leadership position?

Absolutely

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in TJ’s band and in the current graduating class, one 4 year band kid / marcher went to Chicago and one went to MIT. Several other impressive colleges also in the mix. And band is unweighted there just like everywhere else in FCPS.

I have a kid currently applying to college in the epicenter of hyper-competitive college mania. And I still think you seem a bit... intense about this. If your kid’s entire high school life boils down to an ACT score and a GOA, you need to help her reprioritize. Now.

Marching band is hard. It’s time consuming. It takes a lot of dedication and teamwork. Any college that doesn’t account for this is a college that doesn’t appreciate your kid and what she brings to the table.

Did she work hard? Did she learn things about music and teamwork and sticking with her commitments? Did she make great friends? Was one of the highlights of high school the band trip where...? Was a high point of her year the first day of band camp each summer? If so, then yes. Band was 1000% worth it. If not, than she has bigger issues than .05 on her GPA.

Your kid isn’t her GPA. She isn’t her ACT score. She isn’t the USNWR ranking of the colleges she gets into. She is her own unique blend of talents and interests and yes, weaknesses. If you don’t get this, you are in for a long year.

Tons of kids do music and band. If they aren't majoring in it that just gives her the well-rounded qualifications but if she doesn't continue it, its pointless to continue. If she's only doing it to get into college, there are other activities she can do equally valuable. Let her volunteer an hour a week instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid started to play instrument since she was 10, and has always been in band. She is in symphonic, jazz and marching band (it is required by FCPS if you are in symphonic band). She is a senior now and working on her application. She started to complain about her GPA which is lower than her friends because band is a 4.0 class, not honor (4.5) or AP (5.0). Also those rehearsals and trips almost took up her entire time and she didn't have any time to do other actives like debate, etc. Band is a group activity not like debate which is an individual one. The awards are all group awards, and don't look as good as other individual ones. My question is if band experience will help her college application. please share your experience. thanks

I'm not sure if it's worth it as far as college admissions go. However socially I think it's one of the best activities out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like she is over it. It sounds like she would love to take advantage of other things.

I can’t imagine anyone gets into college just because they were in a band.

Not just because of band, her GPA is 4.4, ACT is 36, her EC is her weakest point because she didn't do much except band. That's why I want to know if band will help her to get into top schools. People say the top schools like to see consistence like doing one activity for many many years....

Top schools want to see many things. One might be excelling in a focused activity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid started to play instrument since she was 10, and has always been in band. She is in symphonic, jazz and marching band (it is required by FCPS if you are in symphonic band). She is a senior now and working on her application. She started to complain about her GPA which is lower than her friends because band is a 4.0 class, not honor (4.5) or AP (5.0). Also those rehearsals and trips almost took up her entire time and she didn't have any time to do other actives like debate, etc. Band is a group activity not like debate which is an individual one. The awards are all group awards, and don't look as good as other individual ones. My question is if band experience will help her college application. please share your experience. thanks

I'm not sure if it's worth it as far as college admissions go. However socially I think it's one of the best activities out there.

For nerds.

[Anonymous]

Band is no different than a sport for which the child won’t be recruited. It’s a string, consistent EC and that’s how colleges will see it. FYI, I know a kid who got into UC Berkeley partially because of his instrument and did band there. It happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in TJ’s band and in the current graduating class, one 4 year band kid / marcher went to Chicago and one went to MIT. Several other impressive colleges also in the mix. And band is unweighted there just like everywhere else in FCPS.

I have a kid currently applying to college in the epicenter of hyper-competitive college mania. And I still think you seem a bit... intense about this. If your kid’s entire high school life boils down to an ACT score and a GOA, you need to help her reprioritize. Now.

Marching band is hard. It’s time consuming. It takes a lot of dedication and teamwork. Any college that doesn’t account for this is a college that doesn’t appreciate your kid and what she brings to the table.

Did she work hard? Did she learn things about music and teamwork and sticking with her commitments? Did she make great friends? Was one of the highlights of high school the band trip where...? Was a high point of her year the first day of band camp each summer? If so, then yes. Band was 1000% worth it. If not, than she has bigger issues than .05 on her GPA.

Your kid isn’t her GPA. She isn’t her ACT score. She isn’t the USNWR ranking of the colleges she gets into. She is her own unique blend of talents and interests and yes, weaknesses. If you don’t get this, you are in for a long year.

Thanks for the reply. She is working on the essay and may choose band/ music as topic. Do you think if it is a good idea or cliche?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like she is over it. It sounds like she would love to take advantage of other things.

I can’t imagine anyone gets into college just because they were in a band.

Not just because of band, her GPA is 4.4, ACT is 36, her EC is her weakest point because she didn't do much except band. That's why I want to know if band will help her to get into top schools. People say the top schools like to see consistence like doing one activity for many many years....

Top schools want to see many things. One might be excelling in a focused activity.[/quote]


Well yeah if you excel in an activity, obviously it's worth it. But OP didn't say her kid excelled in it. I think she's wondering if for the average band kid, is it worth it since it takes away a class period and so much afterschool hours that it's practically impossible to get involved in other activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in TJ’s band and in the current graduating class, one 4 year band kid / marcher went to Chicago and one went to MIT. Several other impressive colleges also in the mix. And band is unweighted there just like everywhere else in FCPS.

I have a kid currently applying to college in the epicenter of hyper-competitive college mania. And I still think you seem a bit... intense about this. If your kid’s entire high school life boils down to an ACT score and a GOA, you need to help her reprioritize. Now.

Marching band is hard. It’s time consuming. It takes a lot of dedication and teamwork. Any college that doesn’t account for this is a college that doesn’t appreciate your kid and what she brings to the table.

Did she work hard? Did she learn things about music and teamwork and sticking with her commitments? Did she make great friends? Was one of the highlights of high school the band trip where...? Was a high point of her year the first day of band camp each summer? If so, then yes. Band was 1000% worth it. If not, than she has bigger issues than .05 on her GPA.

Your kid isn’t her GPA. She isn’t her ACT score. She isn’t the USNWR ranking of the colleges she gets into. She is her own unique blend of talents and interests and yes, weaknesses. If you don’t get this, you are in for a long year.

Thanks for the reply. She is working on the essay and may choose band/ music as topic. Do you think if it is a good idea or cliche?

Can she write an I essay she can get enthusiastic about? My kid is considering a couple of options. One is doing the “challenging an assumption” prompt, and writing about how he assumed that music and a STEM magnet would be mutually exclusive, or he would have to give up some STEM to get music. . And instead found that music enhanced his STEM education. AP Music Theory and curricular music tied into math and science/physics on a theoretical basis, Band helped him learn the teamwork he needed for group lab assignments and group projects. And basically that he was surprised to learn that music enhanced his hardcore STEM learning and taught him the value of interdisciplinary education. I think he has a decent idea. We’ll see where it goes.

[Anonymous]

Section leader does count, for sure! She is likely mentoring other students etc. Is she also 1st chair? Also, she could do solo festivals or competitions if she wants to show some individual strengths and focus. That is something else to add. Or even think of ways to tie that love of music into community service - eg start some activity with elementary kids related or teach elementary music lessons etc.

[Anonymous]

It's all been said already, but if she likes band she should absolutely stick with it now. Commitment and seeing something through to the end is an attractive character trait on a college app. If she really doesn't like it, no point is in being miserable your senior year but let her be clear about how that extra time is being used constructively.

My DS was in band from middle school through college. He liked it and was played pretty well for high school, but was never in line to be a music major in college and had gaps in theory etc. Fast forward, he is in his college marching band where he has a great social group and they have a lot of fun together. And he took a music theory elective in college to fill gaps in his background. The biggest mistake some parents make re the college process is pushing their kids toward ECs to pad their resume for college. It isn't worth it and doesn't generally work. Do what makes you happy (and hopefully that will become something a kid is reasonably good at too) as long as its somewhat constructive and doesn't kill your academic grades. It's pretty simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids both had leadership positions in the marching band so they could add that to their resumes. Colleges simply want kids to account for their free time in high school.

She tried the audition for drum major but didn't get it, she is a section leader though. Does it count as leadership position?

Of course, a section leader is a leadership position!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a kid in TJ’s band and in the current graduating class, one 4 year band kid / marcher went to Chicago and one went to MIT. Several other impressive colleges also in the mix. And band is unweighted there just like everywhere else in FCPS.

I have a kid currently applying to college in the epicenter of hyper-competitive college mania. And I still think you seem a bit... intense about this. If your kid’s entire high school life boils down to an ACT score and a GOA, you need to help her reprioritize. Now.

Marching band is hard. It’s time consuming. It takes a lot of dedication and teamwork. Any college that doesn’t account for this is a college that doesn’t appreciate your kid and what she brings to the table.

Did she work hard? Did she learn things about music and teamwork and sticking with her commitments? Did she make great friends? Was one of the highlights of high school the band trip where...? Was a high point of her year the first day of band camp each summer? If so, then yes. Band was 1000% worth it. If not, than she has bigger issues than .05 on her GPA.

Your kid isn’t her GPA. She isn’t her ACT score. She isn’t the USNWR ranking of the colleges she gets into. She is her own unique blend of talents and interests and yes, weaknesses. If you don’t get this, you are in for a long year.

Thanks for the reply. She is working on the essay and may choose band/ music as topic. Do you think if it is a good idea or cliche?

Any particular subject can be written as a cliche! FWIW, I have found (as a parent of a high schooler) https://www.collegeessayguy.com to have an interesting approach to college essay writing. Here's an overview: https://www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/how-to-write-a-college-essay

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's worth it, unless your kid loves it. Seems very much a dime a dozen, and I think they take everyone.

[Anonymous]

I'm another one here to plug considering keeping with it in college (assuming she enjoys it). In my experience, college marching band was a great way to make friends quickly and make a big school feel smaller.