I’m curious if you (or your student) have been asked where else they’ve applied? I know that one professor told my D that we wants to make sure that a student really wants to attend before he offers a scholarship, because once he offers the money he can’t offer it to someone else if that student ends up declining. I’m just wondering if they ask to try and gauge the students chance of getting into other programs?
When S was asked, he answered with the names of the other schools. I don’t know for sure why they ask, but if you give hem the raw data, they can apply whatever thoughts to it they want. I think if all your schools are of the same ‘type’ or caliber, they will see that you know what you want, and maybe it will be a tough call which one you select. If the style of schools or the caliber were all over the place, that may say either that you’re pretty open or clueless about style, or you may not be sure what your caliber is. So tried to come up with a school list of a style he liked, with a hope of affordability, and then varying degrees of what we thought the caliber of the programs were (since we weren’t sure of S’s national caliber). The professors are surely very wise, so it seemed great just to lay out the information, and they’ll use it however they do.
If I recall right, mine was only asked by one school–and that school actually asked which was his current front-runner. He replied openly and honestly to both queries (he listed the programs and said that he wasn’t entirely sure of his top choice but one–not theirs–might have a slight lead in his current thinking–and gave reasons why–though he acknowledged that it was still early, he hadn’t auditioned at a few yet, he hadn’t yet seen every campus in person, most of the programs were highly selective and admission wasn’t likely at all, he didn’t have offers in hand and he would need to compare packages if/when he did, etc.).
What surprised us even more was how often other parents asked about the other schools on auditioners’ lists!
Thanks for the information. D18s top choice is a slight reach for her, but a safety for students that auditioning at conservatories. I’m just wondering if they gauge how likely a student is to attend, and then make offers accordingly, or if they just go with the top auditioning students. I know the oboe community is small, and the professors/instructors at all the schools she’s auditioning know each other. Of course if she gets into her top studio without merit money, then she knows it’s out because it’s the most expensive school she applied to, she is fully prepared to go to any of the schools and is already talking about #2 as where she thinks she’ll land.
We were nervous about this question somehow, in the beginning. It turns out my D was asked this at every school she applied to, either formally, as part of the written application, in person at auditions, or both! She was always 100% honest. Her school list was very well researched and weighted, like @GoForth ‘s S. I think programs want to know you are serious; that you carefully selected them, and that your overall list makes sense. In this competitive realm, they do want to offer their acceptances and money where it will “count”.
This can be a common question. I won’t repeat the answers above bc they cover the whys. I will say that I’m not sure what the teacher is saying is completely accurate. The dollars most likely could be moved to another student and schools do this. For grad school my D was told that she may have to wait a few more weeks closer to decision time for the school to up their offer as dollars could free up (meaning offers made may not be accepted). They told her based on past years they were confident they could hit what she needed but did have to wait to put it in writing. A day or two later they put it in writing. Either someone declined or they really wanted my D and took the risk. We like the second ending but it was most likely the first.
I don’t want to imply the teacher isn’t being truthful bc you have to put yourself in his shoes. He may have a certain dollar amt to make initial offers…and if so he needs to be careful with it. After the initial dollars are offered “by him” they probably don’t disappear if not accepted but MAY end up in the music school’s pool of dollars to offer…meaning he has too “fight” for those dollars to attract another oboe player…maybe. This is speculation. I don’t know the school but I’ve heard enough stories and based on experience believe that those “offered” dollars do free up…but maybe not solely for the teacher. Even if this is not completely accurate it is important for schools to make these offers to “serious” candidates…so they may fish around…and probably more in smaller dept.
Anytime they ask, it could be common protocol but my guess is it’s a good sign. The answers should be honest and thoughtful. It should also be focused on the school as a strong college of interest…meaning an indication that if the planets lined you would go. You shouldn’t feel responsible however about the dollars. If you are honest in an enthusiastic reply and things change over 2 months…that’s what happens. They can either sweeten the deal or you can accept elsewhere and the teacher will survive.
And in my long reply, I never really answered your question. In “any” audition is it simply “the best” person that gets the offer or does fit matter? This is easy to answer in VP or MT production bc often it’s the best fit for a show. I Believe BOTH talent and fit will be taken into consideration at most schools. It’s too hard to “noodle” it all out in every case at every school. As @GoForth says how they use the data probably differs from school to school. So you do your homework on a good college list present yourself honestly talent wise and fit wise…and have faith you’ll get some offers.
Imagine a job candidate is interviewing at Apple, Google, and Facebook. You get this answer about the candidate’s other places and maybe you feel the candidate seeks big-name hot companies. Another candidate says Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You get the idea that candidate is looking for social media work. Another answers 3 places all in the same city, and you see the geographic goal. Another answers Google, Caterpillar, and Raytheon, and you wonder what they seek, so you ask more about it.
Yes, this is a very popular question during the auditions. For the candidates going through the audition process this year, make sure you are well prepared for this question in addition to the follow up question: “If accepted to these schools, what criteria is important for you in deciding where to attend?”
This is a really helpful thread. My D holds her thoughts very close and would likely struggle to answer this question even at a presumed number 1 choice. This weekend kicks off 7 auditions over the next three weekends. I will encourage her to work on an answer.
BearHouse I fell you! My D has 8 live auditions, 2 young artist concerto competition semi finals, a university honor band and her solo and ensembel adjudication all in the next 6 weeks. Coffee and a sense of humor will be my friend!!!
@BearHouse and @NYsaxmom WOW! Good luck to you guys! That’s a lot going on. D18 only applied to 4 schools, so only 4 auditions. First one is this Saturday, then 3 in February. She figured out last night that she will miss 1/3 of the school days in February because of auditions. I can’t wrap my head around getting to 8 auditions in 6 weeks.
We are in the same boat. @BearHouse we kick off our auditions this weekend as well. D will have 6 upcoming auditions if you count both jazz voice and CAM at Frost as 2 separate auditions which they are…and providing Purchase ever decides to send out invitations lol. I had heard @GoForth mention this question before so need to speak to D about how best to answer it. I can say this much, when any of my friends ever ask her, her answer is always the same. “I have no idea where I want to go!” AAACCCKKK! Hopefully that will all come clear over the course of the next month.
I think there’s so much emotion wrapped up in this application/audition process, and one’s art is such a personal thing, and being “judged” for it is so incredibly intense. And then there are the all-too-slim odds of actually being accepted into the most competitive of programs…it’s got to be scary to even dare to have (let alone verbalize) a “first choice” before one’s options are truly a reality. But as the offers start to come in, I think you’ll find the clarity starts to come along with them.
Cautionary tale…having not been the uber-prepared duo…this happened:
At her first non-campus unified MT audition, my D was asked this type of question (why us, #1 school choice, what are you looking for) right after auditioning at her first on-campus MT school which she really enjoyed (I guess despite being sick). So she proceeded to tell the auditor (only one) how much she loved the OTHER school…and yea, she was looking for something like that school! She said after that it was awkward. Needless to say she was…rejected. Thankfully it was an unfriendly audition before, during and after, so … fine.
My D tended to be VERY literal then…and thought telling more than one school that they were the #1 choice was “lying”. So after the initial crash and burn…she was open to the “concept” of interpreting the question as “why are you excited about our school”. I told her to try to think of one, two or three things that really excited her about the audition school…and try your best to communicate that. I don’t remember hearing anymore about it after that.
Geez…there were so many land mines everywhere … and some were placed by my D!
Haha @bridgenail ! Something quite similar happened to my D at her very first audition, which was at a more local State School (and very much her safety…but we had no idea really, at that point, where she would fall in terms of admission offers). Oddly enough, this was her least “friendly” audition, and she was feeling very nervous because of how the visit had been almost artificially formal, and then came The Question! I’m beginning to wonder, from the responses to this thread, if this question isn’t more common in the realm of Vocal Performance. I’m sure it happens a lot to instrumentalists, as well, but as VP is eventually an area where you will need to speak or act onstage, so perhaps audition panels want to see how comfortable a candidate is in speaking? Also, for sure in MT, and maybe in VP, as well, do candidates have a tendency to apply to more programs (simply because of the numbers of students applying)? Idk. Toi toi toi, @BearHouse and @SpartanDrew , and break a leg @oboemom65 ! It’s going to be an exciting couple of months!!!
I think S said he thinks all the schools to which he applied were of the type he liked. He would be looking for who would accept him and would then consider affordability.
I don’t know if my D was always asked this. I had the impression that maybe she was asked very little at one or two schools…so if you are not asked much at all that’s ok.
Without going into detail my D had another little flub at the beginning of her Miami MT audition and the panel graciously threw her a life jacket and she put it on. The remainder of the audition went great. She came out flying high and did get accepted with scholarship there. Miami went from the bottom of the list to a serious contender after a warm and supportive audition. I really don’t think 18 year olds should have to be perfect. But they should be able to push through mistakes and keep their confidence. A warm environment helps…and isn’t that what you want? Auditions are always interesting. And honestly if it goes poorly…it’s probably not a good environment for you.
And for vocalists if something goes wrong with the accompanist (and it will!!) your job is to keep singing and make the best of it…no matter what. The panel will know if the accompanist screwed up. Just push through and smile.
@bridgenail My D is also somewhat concrete and thinks she would be lying too. Also, she says that since she hasn’t seen all the places, how could she know which place she would prefer? Seems logical to me.
When I told her she might get asked this question and what her criteria will be for choosing a program, she replied with a smile “the place with the hot guys.”
Oh my…
Ha! @BearHouse , love the response from your D! She sounds like a firecracker.
S18 got this question at each of his first two auditions. Don’t know if it had anything to do with it but the one that he was not particularly interested in rejected him. The one he really likes, and that he let know was in his top 2-3 schools, gave him a great scholarship offer. He is about to embark on 6 more audition weekends, so we will see how many ask the same question.