Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 08:50     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
I think this helps more than most people realize.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 08:49     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
UNC Chapel Hill
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 08:13     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Top grades and rigor. 1540 SAT. So yes, in range but the music was extra. Extensive musical resume but otherwise fairly standard ECs, newspaper, varsity sports. The music professors took it very seriously, either meeting in person on a visit or via zoom.


What top 20 schools had music professors interested in meeting your student? My kid is looking for something similar - music BA in a T20 school. She's found that music professors in T20-T50 schools are incredibly responsive, but above that they are friendly but not that interested in meeting.

Yale professor, for example, did hop on the phone to talk, but really didn't seem interested in meeting up or learning about my kid. Duke, similar, very friendly and answered questions but no interest in my kid in particular. On the other hand, at least a half dozen schools in the T20-50 range had professors who wanted resumes, set up department tours, keep checking in.. it's a striking difference.

For context, my kid is in range academically at the top schools (not that the music professors would know this) and is a national ensemble level player in a somewhat unusual instrument.



Which T20-50 schools did you find were helpful/interested in talking?
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 06:56     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My daughter submitted a musical supplement to Williams and Pomona but did not position herself as a music major - music has been a long-term and major activity for her, one she knew she would continue in college. She was accepted by both and, while I can't say her supplement moved the needle admissions-wise, she was encouraged to reach out to the music faculty at both schools during the application process, which she did. They were amazingly kind and helpful and one of the schools (can't remember which) even asked if she wanted to schedule a private lesson. She learned so much more about their music departments, programs, performance opportunities than she would have otherwise. They also both asked if she would consider EDing, but she was applying RD everywhere.


Maybe a little off topic but when you say the school asked her to apply ED… who exactly? Was this after the applications were in? During a visit? Who was she interacting with? We don’t have a private college counselor and I am confused on all of this.


Sorry if I mis-phrased - they didn't ask her to apply ED. They asked if she was considering ED to their respective schools, maybe just so they knew when her app would come in? I'm not really sure why. In both cases, she initially reached out the music dept heads and they put her in touch with the faculty members they thought she would work most closely with if she attended. She reached out in the fall, after she visited both schools, but before she submitted her applications.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 06:51     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
Anonymous wrote:Top grades and rigor. 1540 SAT. So yes, in range but the music was extra. Extensive musical resume but otherwise fairly standard ECs, newspaper, varsity sports. The music professors took it very seriously, either meeting in person on a visit or via zoom.


What top 20 schools had music professors interested in meeting your student? My kid is looking for something similar - music BA in a T20 school. She's found that music professors in T20-T50 schools are incredibly responsive, but above that they are friendly but not that interested in meeting.

Yale professor, for example, did hop on the phone to talk, but really didn't seem interested in meeting up or learning about my kid. Duke, similar, very friendly and answered questions but no interest in my kid in particular. On the other hand, at least a half dozen schools in the T20-50 range had professors who wanted resumes, set up department tours, keep checking in.. it's a striking difference.

For context, my kid is in range academically at the top schools (not that the music professors would know this) and is a national ensemble level player in a somewhat unusual instrument.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 06:38     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:My daughter submitted a musical supplement to Williams and Pomona but did not position herself as a music major - music has been a long-term and major activity for her, one she knew she would continue in college. She was accepted by both and, while I can't say her supplement moved the needle admissions-wise, she was encouraged to reach out to the music faculty at both schools during the application process, which she did. They were amazingly kind and helpful and one of the schools (can't remember which) even asked if she wanted to schedule a private lesson. She learned so much more about their music departments, programs, performance opportunities than she would have otherwise. They also both asked if she would consider EDing, but she was applying RD everywhere.


Did she submit test scores? Overall were her stats on the high end for accepted students at those schools? Assuming full pay?


Yes, her test scores and GPA were high - top 10% of her HS class GPA-wise and 1550 SAT. As I said, no reason to think music moved the needle - I was more just commenting on how available and engaged she found the music faculty at both schools while she was applying.
Anonymous
Post 05/12/2026 05:58     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
Anonymous wrote:My daughter submitted a musical supplement to Williams and Pomona but did not position herself as a music major - music has been a long-term and major activity for her, one she knew she would continue in college. She was accepted by both and, while I can't say her supplement moved the needle admissions-wise, she was encouraged to reach out to the music faculty at both schools during the application process, which she did. They were amazingly kind and helpful and one of the schools (can't remember which) even asked if she wanted to schedule a private lesson. She learned so much more about their music departments, programs, performance opportunities than she would have otherwise. They also both asked if she would consider EDing, but she was applying RD everywhere.


Maybe a little off topic but when you say the school asked her to apply ED… who exactly? Was this after the applications were in? During a visit? Who was she interacting with? We don’t have a private college counselor and I am confused on all of this.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2026 23:59     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
A friend's kid got into Dartmouth ED for Fall 2026 and thought their kid's music supplement likely helped the application.

Duke has very few music majors, and I recently learned they have some adult (non-student) musicians in the wind symphony because they can't fill it with students.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2026 19:06     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
Oberlin? Mount Holyoke? Macalester?
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2026 15:58     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
Anonymous wrote:My daughter submitted a musical supplement to Williams and Pomona but did not position herself as a music major - music has been a long-term and major activity for her, one she knew she would continue in college. She was accepted by both and, while I can't say her supplement moved the needle admissions-wise, she was encouraged to reach out to the music faculty at both schools during the application process, which she did. They were amazingly kind and helpful and one of the schools (can't remember which) even asked if she wanted to schedule a private lesson. She learned so much more about their music departments, programs, performance opportunities than she would have otherwise. They also both asked if she would consider EDing, but she was applying RD everywhere.


Did she submit test scores? Overall were her stats on the high end for accepted students at those schools? Assuming full pay?
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2026 15:46     Subject: Re:Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
what about submitting music performance excerpts as part of the video (to a school that accepts video supplements) instead of a formal music supplement?

My DD is not at the level where spending time on a formal music supplement would be worthwhile (she performs with the school group but is not a regional or state-wide star).
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2026 15:42     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
My daughter submitted a musical supplement to Williams and Pomona but did not position herself as a music major - music has been a long-term and major activity for her, one she knew she would continue in college. She was accepted by both and, while I can't say her supplement moved the needle admissions-wise, she was encouraged to reach out to the music faculty at both schools during the application process, which she did. They were amazingly kind and helpful and one of the schools (can't remember which) even asked if she wanted to schedule a private lesson. She learned so much more about their music departments, programs, performance opportunities than she would have otherwise. They also both asked if she would consider EDing, but she was applying RD everywhere.
Anonymous
Post 05/11/2026 15:19     Subject: Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
size of the bump also depends on what instrument and level. Seems like everyone plays violin or piano. And just singing in the school choir is not enough.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 23:05     Subject: Re:Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain to me why music isn’t the same as sports???? I mean, why do athletes get recruited status and then a great musician (which the school needs) is just a bump? Another reason why college admission makes NO SENSE


This is covered in the book Who Gets in and Why by Jeff Selingo. Highly recommend that book for many reasons!
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 23:01     Subject: Re:Top 30 schools / SLACs where music could be a "hook"?
Can anyone explain to me why music isn’t the same as sports???? I mean, why do athletes get recruited status and then a great musician (which the school needs) is just a bump? Another reason why college admission makes NO SENSE