Hello everyone! I am hoping to get some feedback for my son who is applying for Yale through Questbridge. The question is whether or not he should submit a music supplement. It seems most of the comments are about " conservatory level" performers, while my son has played in Symphonic and Jazz bands he is more involved in rock type music. Two of his bands have original music on music platforms and one of the bands has music that I would classify as rock with social activism embedded in each song, which is a recurring theme in his appliction. Should he submit one of the songs as a supplement? To further clarify he is a drummer so anything he would send in as a solo would be pretty uninteresting honestly, modern drum music sans other instruments does not hold much appeal in my opinion, sorry if that offends any drummers… please help he is so torn about sending it or not and wants his very best shot at Yale, his dream school. Thank you in advance!
I hope others would chime in, but if I remember correctly, Yale also asks for audio files, not video recordings for the music supplement? If he could get some solo parts from his jazz/symphonic performance, it might be better to send in three pieces that have one of each?
Good luck.
A music supplement is not required. In fact, most accepted applicants get in without any supplement of any type.
He should not send stuff just to send more stuff. There is an old adage - the thicker the file, the thicker the kid.
A really good supplement may help. A really bad supplement may hurt. Now, let’s talk about the review process of supplements. AOs don’t evaluate them; it’s not their skill set. They send some supplements off to faculty for review and rating. Music faculty in general are not interested (or capable) of judging The Voice or American Idol or Songland. Pop/rock is not in their wheelhouse.
Certainly he can (and should) talk about his music in his essays, and list as an EC, but leave out the supplement.
Thank you for your quick responses 
He does not have any recordings from Symphonic or Jazz band unfortunately, but the original music is a recording not a video. It is hard to judge your own kid’s music lol, so I can’t say if it is stellar or if I just love him and the band. They do however write music that actually has some meaning and the one song, in particular, he was thinking of sending is called " Content of Their Character" and is focused on discrimination/equality. Although he does not intend to be a music major, music is a big part of his life and I am not sure his application is complete without that part… It is hard to squish everything into the essays 
I think the music ability of your DS’ might be more important than the meaning and content in this case? It is just my take. Does he have a private teacher who might be able to give a more objective opinion?
@Gsaanhmom - Your son sounds like a talented song writer and musician. And if he has a video that showcases his exceptionally talented songwriting and drumming skills, he should submit it, as long as he writes in his application about how those talents and skills prepare him to participate in, say, theatre or jazz groups at Yale, and thus will contribute to the Yale community in a special way. In fact, examples of how his interests and talents make him a great “fit” for Yale should be showcased through his application, whether he is writing about his activism through music or his more conventional academic interests. Best of luck to your son!
Thank you for responding. He does, he attends a music charter school so he has high caliber teachers (former Berklee Prof and professional musicians) who give him the highest ratings for his abilities. Yale is just so funny in their wording for music supplements, it makes it hard to tell if they even have any interest in musical abilities outside symphonic/jazz types of music.
Thank you worriestoomuch ( pretty sure that should be my screen name too lol) That is what I am hoping he will be able to accomplish by sending over music samples. He definitely looks forward to being part of the Yale music scene in some way, and being a musician is a big part of who he is so I really don’t think he should leave it out. Just so hard to know what to do!! Now to figure out if he should submit the additional LOR ugh!
Do the additional LOR since he is already getting such high assessment from his music teacher. DS is asking for his music teacher to do the optional LOR in slideroom for his music supplement.
Good luck.
@Gsaanhmom and @makemesmart - My kid submitted a music video and an extra letter of recommendation from his music teacher, which was sent directly to the SOM, not the Admissions Office, because the video is reviewed by relevant music faculty (who send a note to the Admissions Office about the student if they want to offer a spot in their studio to the applicant). @Gsaanhmom - If your son isn’t seeking a private music teacher at Yale, then the letter isn’t necessary, but will still be helpful as long as it says something different about your son’s talents, accomplishments and character - something which his other teachers won’t be able to discuss in their own letters. I think this is a good criterion to apply whenever there is a question about whether or not to submit an extra letter of recommendation. Best of luck to both of your sons!
Thank you @worriestoomuch
Good luck to your DC too!
He should not send in recordings of his band. If he’s going to do it, it must be solo. You can judge how good he is by how others judge him. How has he done on auditions for selective opportunities? That’s how you know where you stand in relation to others in the country.
Also, I don’t think the subject matter or meaning of a song he wrote is relevant on its own. He can make it relevant if he wants to write an essay about writing that song.
Wow, thanks all for the help, it seems even in this small community there is a divide as to whether or not he should send it in. I think he may submit one song, even though it is not solo. We do feel music, songwriting and recording as part of a band is a big part of him as a whole, so hopefully, the music supplement will not detract from his application. He is in no way anticipating that the school will be recruiting him as a drummer, not sure that happens anywhere, but we hope it adds to the overall strength of his application and adds a dimension to his character that otherwise is not as apparent in his essays. He does have a great LOR from his band manager, but the LOR I think he will add as the one additional is from his Head of School (unsolicited) It is too good a recommendation not to submit. I do have a question about the LsOR, most schools say don’t send over a redundant LOR, which I get, but if your student has waived the right to see them, how do they know what is redundant and what isn’t. Maybe one teacher touches on academic strength and another on resilience, but how would the student know that? Just frustrated with this whole thing lol. Thanks in advance for any and all help
Big mistake to send in a recording of his band. If it’s a big part of who he is, he can address that in his application. The purpose of a music supplement is to evaluate the individual applicant as a musician – not to demonstrate that being part of a band is a big part of him. Let me say it again: The purpose of the music supplement is evaluate his skill as a musician. Here are the Yale guidelines for music supplements:
https://yalemusic.yale.edu/undergraduate/supplementary-materials-admission
I don’t know whether it is a big mistake to send a recording of his band, as DS is going through this process this year now (for a different IVY, solo piano performance and composition), but I agree that the recordings need to be his highlights, is he a lead (solo) singer/composer/songwriter, then I think it is fine to send that recording. Just my opinion.
As for the LOR, DS has a language teacher and a science teacher to be his main LORs, each will present different aspects/attributes (We hope as we waived the rights too) of him, so his music teacher’s supplemental LOR is going to be mainly about his music ability. I would definitely send the “unsolicited” LOR from the head of school as an additional one, as his emphasis would Most likely not academic/music focused but character/leadership focused.
Good luck!
Well, hopefully, it won’t turn out to be a big mistake as mentioned above, because he submitted it. It does say on the Yale website:
Submissions of recordings and scores of popular music or jazz at a high level are welcome
He is also a songwriter/composer in the song he sent in.
So there goes nothing lol. Ultimately at worst I hope the will see a First Gen college student who is a little naive to the process and really eager to put his best foot forward. At best it will add to his application’s personality. We will see… Thank you all, it has been a stressful few weeks!
@Gsaanhmom Well I am too late here, but after 12 years on the music forum on CC, I agree with his decision. A good music supplement (and yes Yale welcomes popular or jazz if at a sufficient level) will include a recording, a music resume, and a letter from a teacher and/or director. I would encourage submitting the letter from the band manager. Did he submit a resume?
Harvard has changed their curriculum and is honoring more genres and musical interests. Not sure about Yale, but hey, music is a part of who he is and it sounds like he is good at it, so good for him.
Your son might be interested to know that there is considerable solo repertorie for contemporary (classical) percussion these days. He might want to listen to Steve Schick’s lecture “On the Bridge.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS2MJwmBB5Y Wherever he attends, he could do more training and end up in some interesting musical places, regardless of major.
There is an excellent music forum here on CC, which has been hard to find since the format was changed on the site over the summer.
Thank you so much! He only submitted the music so far. His band manager did write a beautiful strong LOR but he didn’t send it as he was unsure of too many recommendations was actually bad. Do you think he should ask her to upload it separately or just leave well enough alone? I will have him look for the music forum on here, thanks for letting me know about that! Also will check out the YouTube video. He is primarily drumset now as that is what his school offers,but he really enjoyed symphonic band at his old school. Thank you
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1948726-double-degree-dilemma-essay-written-by-david-lane.html#latest
Even tho the forum is for “music major”, I think this post (posted by @compmom) and many others under this forum might be helpful.
Thank you. The sub topics are really hard to find on cc.