application questions

Parent of a senior here with three questions about applications that have come up as I have been proofreading some of my son’s recently completed applications to check for typos, missing info, etc. I have been trying to call the school in question to ask but their line has been perpetually busy today (not a big surprise since it is the day before Thanksgiving and they are likely shorthanded if they are even there at all). I also sent an email to Admissions with my questions, but don’t know if I will get a response by early next week when the app has to be in. I can try to call on Friday or on Monday, but DS wanted to submit this app over the weekend if possible.

  1. The school (a conservatory) asks DS to list the other schools to which he is applying. I can understand why schools would want to know, but I also can think of many reasons why applicants might be wise to keep that information private. It does not say the question is optional, but I don't know if it will allow DS to submit without it. I plan to ask the school if it is required. DS filled out that section, but I have reservations. Do you think that list could potentially affect how much merit an accepted student is offered since it will give them an idea of what your top choices and safeties are likely to be?
  2. This same school also does not seem to have any place at all on the application where the student can attach a resume or list musical experience, ensembles, honors, or awards, unless I missed it, and I looked at each page/screen of the application three times. That seems odd to me since all of the other schools he is applying to either ask for a resume or have you list all that information in some form elsewhere on the application. They do ask for a repertoire list, but that seems to be the only part of the application that gives clues about the applicant's musical background. Is that unusual? I guess that means this school really just cares about the audition and letters of recommendation vs. if you made All-State, play in an elite extracurricular ensemble, won a prestigious competition, etc.
  3. If a school asks you to put an asterisk on the repertoire list for each piece that has been performed publicly, am I correct that would include masterclasses where the student performed a solo in front of other students and faculty?

Thanks for your thoughts and opinions! Hopefully I can get definitive answers before this app has to be in.

Every year the question comes up about listing other schools where one is applying. Most music schools ask the question. I don’t think there’s any issue with replying honestly, nor will it affect the scholarships.
Past threads:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1419823-listing-names-of-other-colleges-you-are-applying-to.html
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/579949-listing-what-schools-you-also-applying.html

Can your son contact them instead of you? I did sometimes call admissions but only because my daughter was at school and working etc. and then I still felt it was kind of inappropriate. Maybe your son doesn’t have time…

I don’t think you need to worry about any of this. He should list the other schools. The resume may not matter, for the reasons you state (but your son can double check after he sends in the application, because chances are it would have to be sent separate from the application even if allowed). He can put an asterisk on masterclasses: it really doesn’t matter because they will see that it was a masterclass, right? So yeah, he can go ahead and mark that as a performance I would think.

@compmom yeah, I usually have my son contact schools, but he was at school today and had something after school and I was trying to get an answer before Thanksgiving. I’ll make him call Friday if there are still any remaining issues to resolve. If no one is there on Friday I will have to call Monday because he is booked solid from 7am-9pm between school and rehearsals.

re: the masterclasses, no this is just an extra mark on a repertoire list and the pieces he played in masterclasses are listed by title under solo repertoire, so no, there is no indication that the performances were in masterclasses (since there is no accompanying resume to go with the repertoire list). Actually I think it’s only one piece that falls into the “only masterclass performance” category because the other masterclass piece he did play in a public recital as well. DS reminded me when he got home that he sent the prof a slightly older version of his resume around the time he did a sample lesson last summer, so there’s that.

Glad to hear the school listing is normal - that’s why I asked here, I knew you guys would tell me if so and that’s reassuring.

It is tough for them to do these things themselves, since they are so busy!!

Someone else might come on with an answer on the masterclasses : ) I love going to them (we have a major music performance center in our town) and am always impressed with the participants, yes, performances, but have no idea if they should get an asterisk : ) Hope he can be done with it all this weekend!

Music CV’s are pretty standard, and in terms of other schools you are applying to that is common as well. From everything I have learned I wouldn’t sweat the details of that so much, the number of public performances and the like is not likely to count that much anyway, and in terms of a masterclass I don’t know how much, if at all, that would weigh (some masterclasses are truly public, where they invite the general public to sit in, others might be limited to students at the program, one might be considered more public than another). Ensemble experience might help, especially with an orchestral instrument, but again I personally wouldn’t sweat that, because in the end it likely is going to come down to the audition, pure and simple, if they look at the CV and whatnot it might be in the case of a tie, where they are deciding among several students for a slot, with the studio on the other hand I believe (and it is only my opinion) that with a teacher it is going to come down to the audition, a teacher might look at the CV if they seem to recall seeing the kid and use it to refresh their memory I would guess, but again I wouldn’t sweat it, this isn’t an academic admit with stacking up EC’s to impress the admissions people:)

Thanks @musicprnt and @compmom that’s about what I thought. Fortunately, in the case of this school the prof has a good relationship with DS’s teacher and has accepted a number of his students before. The audition and that recommendation are likely to be the most important factors in any case.