I intend to apply to top tier schools as a music major. Top tier schools as in Duke, Brown, UChicago, and a few other ivy leagues. I am a well-known musician, receiving several awards, privately training, competing in national competitions, scholarships to intensive music schools, etc. I will be submitting an audition tape of myself performing solos at competitions, as well as some of my original work. Would applying as a music major to these top tier schools increase my chances? My GPA was not great, due to all the traveling and time I spent playing the flute, I ended my junior year with a 3.63 in several AP courses. My test scores are decent though, 32 on the ACT and planning to retake to earn a higher score (33 or 34+ would be ideal). I am applying for these top tier schools with my music talent, hoping my music would get me at least admitted into the school, since my stats are not high enough to apply directly to my dream major (Engineering dept). I was thinking if I was accepted into the music major at an ivy league, I could declare a double major in engineering. Would using my music talent boost my chances to get into an ivy with my low stats? Would this be the smart thing to do, or should I just apply as an engineering major and wish for the best? I love playing the flute, but I believe music would not make me enough money, and would like to earn a degree from a top tier school in engineering, yet my GPA/HS performance was greatly influenced by my dedication to music. Please chance me for top tier schools. Thank you.
If you are really talented and well-recognized as a musician it could provide a bit of a boost in admissions. However, keep in mind that internal transfers, especially to very competitive majors such as engineering are extremely difficult to manage at most colleges. Colleges are wise to the game of students applying to one program and then trying to shift into a more competitive program and most colleges want to discourage that practice. IMO if you truly want engineering, the apply to engineering programs and let the cards fall where they may.
I would like to double major, since I would still like to pursue music.Would they be skeptical about this? I won’t be mentioning anything about my double major plans, but my other EC’s do hint at my interest in engineering.