Interested in Northwestern

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful campus. Excellent institution. Some top programs. Proximity to Chicago.

Mine was accepted last year, and it was one of her final choices. She chose elsewhere in part because of the inflexibility of the music dept.

You probably know this, but ED does not increase chances greatly. Mine was admitted RD. Friend, excellent student w/ excellent ECs, was rejected in ED.

How was the music department inflexible? My DD is applying.

Not the PP, but there are certain classes/ensembles you cannot be a part of if you are not a music major. You won't be in the Symphony Orch or Wind Ensemble (top Orch and Band) if you are not a music major. You cannot take the normal Music theory and Music history if you are not a music major---you will be taking Music Theory Lite/MH Lite.
However, if you are a music major and double major with something else, the music dept is extremely flexible.
Because you need to remember, that NU's music dept is in the Top 5 in the country and competes with Music Conservatories. It's audition based for the top groups and top teachers.

The initial PP here. Yes, but part of the problem with double majoring is that it has to be a 5 year dual degree for pretty much anything but general music. And, gen music won't get you lessons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful campus. Excellent institution. Some top programs. Proximity to Chicago.

Mine was accepted last year, and it was one of her final choices. She chose elsewhere in part because of the inflexibility of the music dept.

You probably know this, but ED does not increase chances greatly. Mine was admitted RD. Friend, excellent student w/ excellent ECs, was rejected in ED.

How was the music department inflexible? My DD is applying.

Not the PP, but there are certain classes/ensembles you cannot be a part of if you are not a music major. You won't be in the Symphony Orch or Wind Ensemble (top Orch and Band) if you are not a music major. You cannot take the normal Music theory and Music history if you are not a music major---you will be taking Music Theory Lite/MH Lite.
However, if you are a music major and double major with something else, the music dept is extremely flexible.
Because you need to remember, that NU's music dept is in the Top 5 in the country and competes with Music Conservatories. It's audition based for the top groups and top teachers.

This sounds quite… reasonable?

+4/4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful campus. Excellent institution. Some top programs. Proximity to Chicago.

Mine was accepted last year, and it was one of her final choices. She chose elsewhere in part because of the inflexibility of the music dept.

You probably know this, but ED does not increase chances greatly. Mine was admitted RD. Friend, excellent student w/ excellent ECs, was rejected in ED.

How was the music department inflexible? My DD is applying.

Mine did not want to major in music, even though she would be a contender for performance, but they wouldn't let her take the departmental music theory classes or instrument lessons as a nonmajor, even though she is a serious musician and composer. There was some intro to music theory for non-majors available, but she is already beyond that. They wouldn't even let her take it if she got a composition minor (& they don't have any performance minors). Not sure how composition minors are supposed to get any decent theory to base orchestration on. They told her to do a music major -- ask to audition for dual degree or take a gen music major (which would not get her the lessons, only the music theory) -- and then drop it. If yours is planning on majoring, it shouldn't be a problem, but if they are a serious musician who does not want to major, it likely will.

Thank you (and the other PPs) who explained! My high schooler wants to major in music, and is fine auditioning for it, so it wouldn’t be an issue if he were lucky enough to get accepted. But I can see why those exclusions would turn someone off who wasn’t going to be a music major.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful campus. Excellent institution. Some top programs. Proximity to Chicago.

Mine was accepted last year, and it was one of her final choices. She chose elsewhere in part because of the inflexibility of the music dept.

You probably know this, but ED does not increase chances greatly. Mine was admitted RD. Friend, excellent student w/ excellent ECs, was rejected in ED.

How was the music department inflexible? My DD is applying.

Mine did not want to major in music, even though she would be a contender for performance, but they wouldn't let her take the departmental music theory classes or instrument lessons as a nonmajor, even though she is a serious musician and composer. There was some intro to music theory for non-majors available, but she is already beyond that. They wouldn't even let her take it if she got a composition minor (& they don't have any performance minors). Not sure how composition minors are supposed to get any decent theory to base orchestration on. They told her to do a music major -- ask to audition for dual degree or take a gen music major (which would not get her the lessons, only the music theory) -- and then drop it. If yours is planning on majoring, it shouldn't be a problem, but if they are a serious musician who does not want to major, it likely will.

Thank you. She plans to be a music major, so this will work out (if she gets in).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful campus. Excellent institution. Some top programs. Proximity to Chicago.

Mine was accepted last year, and it was one of her final choices. She chose elsewhere in part because of the inflexibility of the music dept.

You probably know this, but ED does not increase chances greatly. Mine was admitted RD. Friend, excellent student w/ excellent ECs, was rejected in ED.

How was the music department inflexible? My DD is applying.

Mine did not want to major in music, even though she would be a contender for performance, but they wouldn't let her take the departmental music theory classes or instrument lessons as a nonmajor, even though she is a serious musician and composer. There was some intro to music theory for non-majors available, but she is already beyond that. They wouldn't even let her take it if she got a composition minor (& they don't have any performance minors). Not sure how composition minors are supposed to get any decent theory to base orchestration on. They told her to do a music major -- ask to audition for dual degree or take a gen music major (which would not get her the lessons, only the music theory) -- and then drop it. If yours is planning on majoring, it shouldn't be a problem, but if they are a serious musician who does not want to major, it likely will.

Thank you (and the other PPs) who explained! My high schooler wants to major in music, and is fine auditioning for it, so it wouldn’t be an issue if he were lucky enough to get accepted. But I can see why those exclusions would turn someone off who wasn’t going to be a music major.

I'm the PP whose child is also applying for music. Good wishes to your DC if s/he applies!

[Anonymous]

We visited this weekend and LOVED it. Felt like it had absolutely all the best parts of university life, and a great area too. We loved Tomate and one of the coffee shops downtown right off of campus (forget the name).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We visited this weekend and LOVED it. Felt like it had absolutely all the best parts of university life, and a great area too. We loved Tomate and one of the coffee shops downtown right off of campus (forget the name).

The students are nice & down to earth, but also brilliant & hard-working. Very nice atmosphere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We visited this weekend and LOVED it. Felt like it had absolutely all the best parts of university life, and a great area too. We loved Tomate and one of the coffee shops downtown right off of campus (forget the name).

My DD visited in August, and right away she felt like NU was her top choice. She really liked the vibe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We visited this weekend and LOVED it. Felt like it had absolutely all the best parts of university life, and a great area too. We loved Tomate and one of the coffee shops downtown right off of campus (forget the name).

My DD visited in August, and right away she felt like NU was her top choice. She really liked the vibe.

Yes, best of both worlds type of energy for sure! My Ds really, really loved the whole vibe.

[Anonymous]

anyone can guess what the ED acceptance rate will be this year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful campus. Excellent institution. Some top programs. Proximity to Chicago.

Mine was accepted last year, and it was one of her final choices. She chose elsewhere in part because of the inflexibility of the music dept.

You probably know this, but ED does not increase chances greatly. Mine was admitted RD. Friend, excellent student w/ excellent ECs, was rejected in ED.

How was the music department inflexible? My DD is applying.

Not the PP, but there are certain classes/ensembles you cannot be a part of if you are not a music major. You won't be in the Symphony Orch or Wind Ensemble (top Orch and Band) if you are not a music major. You cannot take the normal Music theory and Music history if you are not a music major---you will be taking Music Theory Lite/MH Lite.
However, if you are a music major and double major with something else, the music dept is extremely flexible.
Because you need to remember, that NU's music dept is in the Top 5 in the country and competes with Music Conservatories. It's audition based for the top groups and top teachers.

This sounds quite… reasonable?

I agree--it was. If you want into the top music classes/ensembles you need to be a music major. Quite simple. But there are tons of opportunities for minors and anyone interested in music. Many ensembles/marching band/opportunities to participate. And the "lower" ensembles are still extremely high quality. I personally played in them a few times when my class schedule for my STEM major didn't allow me to be in the top ensembles. I had a good friend on the same instrument who did the same, and we just made sure we picked different quarters to do that so we both were not in the lower band at the same time (we were normally the top 2 on our instrument each quarter, so definately did not want to have one of us playing 2nd part if we could avoid it).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:anyone can guess what the ED acceptance rate will be this year?

Pure guess based on the most recent years = 25%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful campus. Excellent institution. Some top programs. Proximity to Chicago.

Mine was accepted last year, and it was one of her final choices. She chose elsewhere in part because of the inflexibility of the music dept.

You probably know this, but ED does not increase chances greatly. Mine was admitted RD. Friend, excellent student w/ excellent ECs, was rejected in ED.

How was the music department inflexible? My DD is applying.

Not the PP, but there are certain classes/ensembles you cannot be a part of if you are not a music major. You won't be in the Symphony Orch or Wind Ensemble (top Orch and Band) if you are not a music major. You cannot take the normal Music theory and Music history if you are not a music major---you will be taking Music Theory Lite/MH Lite.
However, if you are a music major and double major with something else, the music dept is extremely flexible.
Because you need to remember, that NU's music dept is in the Top 5 in the country and competes with Music Conservatories. It's audition based for the top groups and top teachers.

The initial PP here. Yes, but part of the problem with double majoring is that it has to be a 5 year dual degree for pretty much anything but general music. And, gen music won't get you lessons.

yes, I'm aware it has to be a 5 year dual degree. Did it myself and mine was almost 6 years worth of credits I took in 5 years. The issue is that NU is one of the top music programs in the country, so there simply isn't space in the MH/MT and ensembles for non-majors. Private lesson studios get filled with music majors---at such a top quality school they can't reserve space for non-majors---there are too many music majors who dont' get accepted. Also, the MH/MT is consecutive, so you spend Fresh/Soph year in a cycle of courses with the same cohorts---you can't just jump in when you want. For the dual majors, you focus on the core music the first 2 years and supplement with your other major as it fits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:anyone can guess what the ED acceptance rate will be this year?

Not 25%. On the university website, they share the acceptance rate for kids who are freshman now, was 7%

[Anonymous]

So all the choirs are open to non Majors except one, I think. The choir I actually think is the most demanding (Chapel Choir) is actually even open to members of the public.

Orchestra you have to stick with the non-majors ensemble.

Lessons are generally limited to the majors. I knew some double majors and all of them work in their non music field.