:-)) That’s awesome BearHouse! Hahaha! I haven’t asked D that one yet…I can tell you this much, she absolutely wants to be somewhere where there are extremely high-level musicians. She will be motivated and pushed when she is surrounded by musicians of that caliber. That was her experience at Grammy Camp and it was the single most life-changing event for her from a musical perspective. Hopefully she can figure out what school will give her that on a daily basis and hopefully they will love her back and give her a commensurate offer to make it a reality.
@SpartanDrew I think mentioning being around other talented musicians is a great answer.
The question really shouldn’t be too uncomfortable if the applicant’s list is nicely targeted, makes “sense” for his/her level and goals, and includes only programs the applicant is genuinely enthusiastic about and excited to pursue–these are the very characteristics of “right-fits” for the applicant (not to diminish, of course, the value of being “the place with the hot guys” 
). I’m confident that “right fits” are sure to come across at every audition.
I agree @YertleTurtle, I believe the list should be nicely targeted. My D goal was financial aid and we made sure she had on her list schools that met 100% need. When asked about the criteria she always included in her answer that financials were very important. All auditioned schools were fully aware on this very important criteria for us. If our important criteria would cost her a rejection to the school, so be it. She was never going to enroll into a school without scholarships or grants. Luckily she was accepted to all schools she auditioned w/ grants and/or merit scholarships.
I think being honest about financials is important as well. Most of the top choice schools for D are completely unaffordable to us (despite what the FAFSA says) and she will need a very big scholarship to make any of these even a consideration.
Sorry I meant some schools that meet 100% need. Not all the schools on our list claim to meet 100 % need.
Well, D had her first live audition yesterday and yep…she was asked where else she is auditioning. She said it was very casual. When she mentioned Frost as one of the schools the vocal jazz prof she auditioned with said he had gone there as well and knows the vocal jazz prof there very very well. It’s a tight-knit and small community I think. He never asked her if she has a favorite or anything like that, just where else she’s auditioning.
D was not asked in her music audition, but was asked in Music Therapy interview. Next audition is Feb 3
My D did not have any auditions, but she had applied to a number of full tuition/full ride academic (merit aid) scholarships, as well as several ivy and other reachy-reach schools (U.Chicago, Stanford).
For each school she interviewed at, she had a mentally-prepared list of other similar schools. If interviewing at an LAC, she would mention other LACs; if interviewing at a research uni, she would mention peer institutions; if it was a women’s college, she would be sure to mention mention the other women’s college. For the really competitive scholarships, she would also mention that she was also applying to HYPS, as they love to poach students from that tier.
She would always say that she had an open mind and no clear favorites; the fact that she had an EA acceptance to an ivy may have given her more confidence, but she always – honestly – said that she had not made any decisions and mentioned specific things about each school she was visiting or interviewing for that appealed to her and why it would have been a great fit.
USC Thornton asked where he was applying. Very well run audition.
ASU did not ask. UC Irvine did ask. Since she did not blurt out “hot guys”, I was surprised when she told me her answers. First, she only reported 4 other schools. I think this represents her top 5. I don’t think she was being strategic but rather listed the schools she is really targeting. I now have a better idea of where she would like to go. Second, she was asked what will be the most important variable in choosing a school and she replied “I don’t just want to be a number.” She is clearly looking for a new teacher as much as a new school.
Actually the scholarship thing is accurate, because most students wait until the NASM deadline which is May 1. So if someone declines at the last minute (they all do), then it’s pretty impossible for them to offer it to someone else. Happens all the time.
My son had the audition at Thornton School today. Since I’m aware that they may ask him where else he has applied per the discussion of this thread, I have reminded him several times before the audition. Well, the panels never asked him any questions, only the lady at the check in table asked and made notes about my son’s situation. He didn’t apply to any other conservatories or music schools sine he’s a junior applying USC’s RHP. The other unusual thing was that his piano accompanist told us for undergraduate applicants, they usually let you play for 10 minutes and you’d only get to play a small chunk of each piece. My son performed near 20 minutes and got to play a good chunk of his Concerto. I’m very confused but take it as a good sign. This was his first ever live audition and we had a very good experience this weekend.
D had audition at CU Boulder this weekend. While the panel did not ask her where else she was auditioning, the oboe professor did when they met to work on a reed. He wanted to know her level of interest in Boulder because if he gives out scholarship money and a student declines he loses that money.