My son has been playing drums since he was 6 and piano since 5 (he’s 12 now, just finished 6th grade). He’s part of marching band at school (started at 4th grade - got in by audition) - he just completed his 3rd year. He loves music so much that he’s also part of 3 rockbands. He’s a straight A student since 1st grade, part of student council for 2 years, and chosen by principal to be ambassador for several events (usually 1 of 2 or 4 kids). He got the President’s Award for Academic Excellence at 6th grade. So in terms of grades, leadership/community service, behavior, and music, he’s good. For a musician/rockband, he’s clean-cut, academic type.
I’m just curious how colleges view students who participate in rockband. I’d think it’s okay as long as he’s doing it with marching band or some other activity. However, how do they view if it’s solely rockband involvement - no marching band, no swim, no theater, etc.? Thank you.
Marvin is right, and you are really jumping the gun. He has years to go before you should even consider this. But let’s assume a few years down the road he is still playing in rock bands. Great. Yep, it can go on a college app. Any meaningful activity that a student spends time doing outside of school (not watching tv, not playing video games, not reading books, and there always exceptions, but you are so far away from this, it isn’t worth talking about) is worthy of being listed on a college application. Your son should just carry on doing the things he enjoys doing. Truthfully, the most important thing he will do in high school is maintain good grades in whatever courses he does. So leave him be for now and just let him enjoy being a kid. All the fun and games stop once they hit high school, and I am only half joking.
He should consider being in the marching band as well in HS… Ours had electric guitar players (in the “pit”).
But either way colleges will consider it an EC.
I appreciate the response, but I’m not asking for now. I’m asking for when he goes into high school - -I realize how you have taken it as a question for the here and now. So yes, I’m asking about high school. I brought his background in music to show how passionate he is with music and how “competitive” he is over his peers in HS marching band since most learn how to play band instruments in 5th or 6th grade.
With the amount of time one activity requires in high school, it may be tough to do marching band and rock band at the same time. I want him to pursue what he likes (rock music … actually he likes both, but naturally for his age he enjoys contemporary music), but come high school, college strategy does come into play. So I’m asking if required to make a choice, would rockband be considered a quality activity in lieu of marching band. Thank you.
Rock band is fine. Rock band alone won’t be enough. (I’m guessing you’re trying to maximize his chances at a top college.)
The difference is that adcoms know marching band not only needs a large time commitment, but meeting the adult expectations, showing up, mastering the formations, playing the music right, and more. That’s entirely different, implies much more than something he does more or less at will and to his own, so to say, drummer.
Now if he’s going to have other, non-musical activities, in and out of school, with responsibilities, commitment, challenge, etc, not just empty titles or some once in a while volunteering, that’s a different story.
No, I didn’t misunderstand; I’m saying that it’s too soon to be worrying about your kid’s high school ECs and their effects on college app strategy. Your kid will be five different people between now and 12th grade. Identities are in a state of constant flux, never more so than during adolescence. Hand-wringing over the hobbies of a 12 year old is counterproductive.
Thank you everyone especially @lookingforward and @bopper. @LookingForward, yes, I’m asking all these questions now so I can maximize his chances of getting into a top college and secure some scholarship. My son has always been an excellent student and I’m confident he will have the same commitment to his studies come high school. I’m thinking - given the time - of letting him continue with rockband, marching band, and volunteer work when he goes to high school. I would hate to take away his rock band because that wouldn’t be fair to him as a person I don’t want to be that kind of parent. But at the same token, I need to guide him. Thank you.
Imo, the difference here is OP is talking about a kid who loves music and a parent thinking ahead. He might not make marching band in hs if he doesn’t continue in ms. Depends on the community, I guess.
When I commented on “rock band alone,” I didn’t mean he needs marching band with it. Just that rock band as the only EC would be a bit short.
But it couldn’t be the only EC, for a top college. Moot, since OP gets that. And nothing wrong with the side bands being rock music, as opposed to traditional. Some kids play for fun or charity events, don’t make money. The consistency can still be there.
Oddly enough, D2 was in a rock band at her hs. Minor thing.
This kid is 12. There is zero point worrying about this now. My 17 year old is interested in almost nothing she was intetested in as a 12year old, except art, which has always been consistent. The child will decide what he continues to be interested in. Nothing OP “plans” for now will bear any relevance to when this boy applies to college, except for allowing him, if financially possible, to do the things he is interested in.
By far the best way for OPs child to get merit scholarships is to ensure the child maintains high grades and gets high test scores. ECs will have very little bearing on that, unless applying for very specific scholarships. Without the grades and test scores, scholarships will not happen, and OP’s kid is years away from that. BTW, OP, most top colleges do not have scholarships, but you will discover this in due course, give it another four years. And who knows what changes will be happening in the world of college admissions by then? If OP wants to be proactive, she needs to start saving money.
I appreciate all the response. So far, music isn’t a phase in his life… he’s been playing since he was 5 or 6 years old and currently he plays 6 instruments proficiently (not being forced by his parents to do music - just to be clear). So there’s a strong chance that he’ll play in a rockband and marching band in the years to come. He uses his music to do charity work in addition to other gigs. We’re very supportive of both his education and music.
I think people are too caught up in either “traditional” EC’s (HS band, service clubs, student govt) or “extraordinary” ones (kid started a charity that raised $100k, kid is national arts winner, kid invented Google), and overlook how meaningful independent interests/hobbies/activities can be.
Take having a rock band, for example. If the kid in MS/HS forms a band, practices, plays contests or maybe even low-level paying gigs, that is potentially far more impressive than just being in choir or HS band. HS music EC’s are CLASSES first and EC’s second–while kids practice at home (as does the rock band student), all other practices are either during school or, if after school, coordinated and led by a teacher. The rock band kid (presumably) organized his band, set practices, chose to play contests or gigs, etc., all on his/her own–that shows far more drive and commitment than having homeroom vocal music that practices once/week after school. Many on this forum will tell you HS band/choir is a “real” EC and that your rock band kid better secure a record contract to be taken seriously. Nonsense.