Accepted early FSU, rejected from Music school

Anyone else in this situation? Son accepted early to university, auditioned and denied admission to Music school. This was his top choice school. Worth it to take a year and focus on lessons and prep, get to know faculty and audition again next year? Potential for improvement, learning audition skills (managing nerves) or are we just prolonging additional disappointment? Accepted into other programs (not that interested) but so disappointed. Received high praise at other auditions.

This is just my take and others may feel differently but as a music major I think you can’t get too focused on one school and you have to be open to all options. In the end it is about getting a great education and preparing yourself for a career and that can happen at more than one school. If he was accepted other places and they are affordable and offer good programs I would re-visit those options and choose from those.

^^^ I would tend to agree with this, but have you/ has he explored the possibility of entering FSU as an undeclared or other major, seeing if he can take music classes and/or lessons as a non-music major and auditioning to formally enter the music school as he begins sophomore year? I actually doubt that this is possible, but could be explored. He would probably not have access to all the required freshman music classes or to faculty. Even if possible, it is certainly not ideal.

Perhaps also he could get some specific feedback regarding the audition results. “Close but no cigar” is vastly different than “not near our standards”.

If it was my kid, I’d encourage him to look at other places so he could start freshman year with a cohort of other freshmen and be a full part of the music school as he begins college life rather than a “hopeful for the future” at FSU.

I’m so sorry, I feel awful for him and you!. What instrument? I’ve learned a lot the past two months but I think it depends on instrument, type of music, student, students background… We were wondering the same for D but she has decided against a gap year as she’s likes the teacher at one of her acceptances. I have heard of more kids taking a year to focus on their instrument and getting into the school that they didn’t make the first year or a great school than kids taking a year and not making it. Can you receive messages?

Sorry to hear that @musicmom2019. Is it possible that he’ll feel better about his other options once the sting of the FSU rejection wears off? Could he re-visit or do sample lessons at those schools?

My son was waitlisted by his reach school last week and suddenly became very “meh” about his #2 and #3 choices (which are admittedly lower tier). A week passed and he’s ready to move on now. He seems to be learning towards his least expensive option where he has a good rapport with the faculty for his instrument. He’ll be left with almost half of his 529 savings for grad school if he picks this option.

However my son is a late bloomer and never expected a high tier program for his B.M. If your son’s other schools are comparable to FSU and he feels he just had a bad day, then it might be more difficult for him to get over it. He still has time to decide. Good luck!

It’s certainly possible to take a gap year, but I think auditioning as a transfer student is a great possible way to go.

“Received high praise at other auditions”… if he was accepted to these schools it sounds like they are great jumping -off points. What my daughter has told me is that she has learned from her own experience and that of her friends that the rejection from a previously identified “dream” school takes about a week to recover from before one can even think about moving on to the idea of going to any other college…Give him some time then pursue other options where he was well received even if he says he doesn’t want to. Sometimes the process of exploring itself can get kids back into the reality of what going to college is, rather than focusing on what our mind’s eye is always telling us is dreamy! As I write this, I realize that this is good advice for me as my daughter awaits some recently identified dream school results over the coming weeks ~ she has 3 excellent musical acceptances so far and multiple scholarships (which were a nice surprise).Nothing to complain about ~ unless you ask her:)
Good luck!

@momsings I’ve been told the scholarships for transferring aren’t as good as for an original admit. Also, I’ve been told that each music school is particular about theory and transfer credits so she will need to check with the school to see their policy. It may be different for singers vs. instrumentalists.

That is true @sunnysar about scholarships and transfers.

First of all, I’m very sorry for him and you. Even if you aren’t suppose to have a dream school, it sometimes happens…and rejection stinks. Give him and yourself time to mourn, hurt and be angry. And give him space…don’t work to fix it now (at least not in front of him). He may just need time to process this.

Then, try to start discussing “what ifs” I would put EVERYTHING on the table…and see what he does with each option. If you are paying for a portion of college, I think that it’s more than fair for you to have some say in “the process” but be hands off on “the decision”. What are the pros/cons for the following (as mentioned above you will want to look at chances and money issues for each):

Gap year
One year at FSU and re-audition
One year elsewhere and re-audition
4 years at another school
Other options

Would he consider a visit to another school? As said above, the first few days or weeks after a rejection can be hard…but many kids get over it eventually. Going to a school “where they want him” may open his eyes to other possibilities.

Finally, assure him (and yourself) that “rejection” is part of the game. A rejection does NOT need to be the end. It’s simply telling you what you need to do next. Btw, FSU has a great grad school.

FSU does admit students into its music programs with re-audition sophomore year. I know a young lady who was denied admittance as a vocal performance major, attended FSU her freshman year with another major, re-auditioned and was accepted sophomore year.

My S has a similar situation. He was accepted at top choice in performance, but not music ed. Was told he could take the freshman music ed classes and re-interview next year (no indication why he failed the interview). We waited a week and then visited the second choice school and he loved it. I would hate to risk being stuck in a program you don’t want or having to transfer if there is any plausible alternative. I join the others in suggesting that what does not seem plausible now may seem plausible after a visit and some time to heal.

Thank you, we have some options to consider. Agree risky to put so much emphasis on one school.

Thank you thank you for your reply. An option for sure, probably not the safest bet.

@Musicmom2019, would you mind sharing where he was accepted in the music program? I truly believe everything happens for a reason. Fingers crossed he’s feeling better about things by now!

@bridgenail’s post is wise. He should know that even on this board, with all the talented kids, there are many in the same position- and they may be at his other schools! He can launch from so many different schools. I hope above all that whatever option he chooses, he is happy-and so are you!