Son’s list is still in progress but will probably include:
Oberlin (super reach)
Temple
Maryland
James Madison
He’s interested in Peabody and Ithaca, but I think there is probably no chance of admission. However, Peabody is nearby and Ithaca has regional auditions near us, so what the heck. Might as well. I’m encouraging him to apply to George Mason which might be the closest thing to a safety.
Son still needs to check out Delaware, Rutgers and maybe Shenandoah.
For the future, it is sometimes nice to have separate threads about separate topics, although many of you slogged through last year’s very long “journey” thread so clearly it is up to this year’s applicants and families. Or have a table of contents somehow!!!
@eh1234 is that UM College Park? Do you know how competitive the music school is there? I k ow nothing about it…
Yes, Maryland - College Park. I honestly have no idea how competitive the school is. They have a larger bass studio, my son can get into the school academically even if he’s rejected for music, and we liked the school of music presentation we attended at a school-wide open house in the spring.
They have about 500 students, three orchestras, three main jazz ensembles, etc.
My daughter wants a program that combines:
So we had a limited choice to start with (which is a good thing.)
To give some background:
She has a 3.7 (91) average at her high school which is highly rated for academics, art & music. She will have about 2 AP and 2 SUPA (Syracuse University) classes under her belt and is in National Honor Sociey. She is very involved with many clubs and activities in school (musicals, vocal jazz, Anti-Bullying clubs, etc.) and trains at a local theatre school in the evenings. Her SAT (1140) & ACT (24) scores are on the low side (math not her thing!) but she is retaking after some math tutoring, hoping to bump them up. Thankfully, many of her top schools are “SAT Optional” so that’s reassuring.
As far as talent, she is lead vocalist for a private local high school jazz band, was selected to sing with Grammy-award winning jazz artists for the past 3 years for a school program, and has won awards in theatre, vocal jazz/improv and for original music/direction of an anti-bullying skit, is completing her first EP this summer of original pop music (R&B feel) and is training herself on basic recording programs like Garage Band. Her vocal instructors, music teachers and other music professionals we know rate her talent as very high and think she has a good chance for talent scholarships but she knows that the audition process is very competitive so she’s taking nothing for granted on that front.
Here’s our list of schools still on her list which she visited. I starred her favorites so far.
Berklee *
NYU Clive Davis
CUNY New York City
Columbia Chicago *
Roosevelt Chicago (CCPA) *
College of St. Rose (Albany) *
These are on list but she can only visit Miami (scheduled in August)
CalIfornia Institute of the Arts (CalArts)
Loyola New Orleans
Miami Frost
USC Thornton (definitely a reach school)
We visited these but she took off her list (for a variety of reasons)
SUNY Fredonia
Ithaca
University of the Arts
Humber College Toronto
These were on original list but she is undecided on visiting or applying:
New School
SUNY Purchase
William Patterson (NJ)
So that’s where we are at. I’m trying not to be too vocal about my opinions, but she seems to be evolving from wanting top-name larger schools like NYU to being intrigued by some of the lesser known schools with smaller music departments and more individualized instruction (which is where I see her doing best.) She visited the College of St. Rose yesterday and loved their Music Industry Program. They even have their own record label run by students which is really cool! Based on her enthusiasm, I’d say it’s at the top of her list right now, which is great since it’s only a 4 hour drive! Obviously, lots can change from now until that May 1st decision day but it’s been a positive journey so far and we are enjoying the visits/process.
@eh1234 sounds like we will see each other along the way. Looking forward!
The common app is open, as everyone probably knows! Are your kid’s choices on it?
Looks like son will be using the Common app, the coalition app, and possibly one or two school applications. He still doesn’t have a final list!
We did one more visit, to U Maryland; that’s all for now, as A’s music obligations start next week. He’s adding and subtracting schools, including a few he hasn’t visited but that are on the common app. Has to get through the essays as well as the auditions!!
Does anyone’s student have an absolute favorite school? If so, how many others (if any) are they applying to? A has two favorites as of now and would like to apply to four or five total, but I worry that’s not enough in terms of potential scholarships. What seems reasonable?
Being the nervous mom of a kid of tends to procrastinate, I hired my daughter’s former English teacher (whom she adores) to meet with her during the month of August as she completes the Common Ap and works on the essay. I know my daughter is fully capable of completing the application and is a very good writer. However, I just felt having a structured time and an expert to use as a soundboard for essay ideas would be helpful and force her to be more productive. Plus she is a neutral person (not a mom who might be seen as nagging her to get it done. Lol.) I was honestly expecting 4-6 sessions but she finished the Common Ap and essay in 2 sessions by August 2nd! Wow! She still wants to tweak her essay a bit but this was a welcome accomplishment for both Mom and daughter. She still has several non-common Ap applications/essays to complete which I’m sure she can complete independently now that she has the hang of it (although her teacher said she’d be happy to help) so still quite a process to go, not to mention the extras that are needed by certain schools.
These are the schools she is interested in which use the Common Ap:
College of St. Rose-wants go do early action
Columbia College Chicago
University of Miami Frost
NYU Clive Davis
Loyola New Orleans-wants to do early action
USC Thornton
These are schools she wants to apply to who are not using Common Ap:
Berklee-wants to do early action
Roosevelt University (CCPA)
City College NY
CalArts
Unsure if she will apply to:
Belmont
SUNY Purchase
William Patterson
The Common Ap definitely simplifies things but I wish all her schools used it!
@akapiratequeen -how about for your child? All schools using the Common Ap? It’s getting real now! Good luck to all!
I understand students are expected to have 1-3 letters of references for most schools. I believe my daughter already spoke to potential reference writers, but what is the process? The teachers send these directly to each college? The schools ask for the name of references and they email the reference people? The reference letters are sent directly to students and they forward to schools? Just wondering if anyone knows the process or if it’s different for every school. Thanks!
@amyizzy wow, she is prepared! That’s awesome! Excellent list. For A:
Common App
Ithaca (a top choice)
Syracuse (same)
Oberlin (what the heck since it’s on the app—lack of music ed balanced by great jazz program, but don’t know if he’ll proceed with that)
U Colorado Boulder (what the heck)
Lawrence (ditto)
He hasn’t seen the last three and will decide later whether to audition.
Non common app
Rutgers (tied with Eastman and Berklee as of now for third. Given his druthers, he’d just do those five.)
Berklee (no essay, took literally ten minutes so that’s done; asked for a resume but he had one)
Eastman (also the only one with a prescreen)
U Maryland—complicated two-part process with two separate interviews; my guess is it is going to drop off the list.
PS re recommendations, our high school handles except for his private teacher. In most cases, you list the name and email and the school sends them an email link.
@AmyIzzy I’m thinking back a couple of years, but in general the applicant provided an email address for those providing references and then the reference writers received an email/link for uploading their letters or instructions for proceeding. My daughter’s reference writers were always nice enough to let us know that the letters were into the various schools and then my student could check her application with the school to see if it had been updated to show they were in receipt of the letter.
That’s a terrific list @akapiratequeen! I really hope Ithaca or Syracuse work out for him. Ithaca is such a beautiful area and I went to Syracuse for my Master’s degree so I’m a little biased there!
I forgot two more that are on my daughter’s “maybe” list:
New School-Jazz & Contemporary Music
CU Denver-Music and entertainment industry studies (MEIS) or
BS in Music:
-Performance
-singer/songwriter
-Recording arts
I’m hoping she subtracts more than she adds. I think 8 schools would be perfect but her apply list may end up being more like 10-12 schools, then we will see where she gets audition invitations (My daughter and I know that Frost and USC are definitely reach schools.)
Thank you @akapiratequeen! I was hoping that was the case!
Thank you @buoyant! Sounds simple as long as she picks teachers who are good about deadlines and follow-up : ) I’m sure many of them write dozens of letters so she doesn’t want to be a pest but wants to be sure her top schools get everything needed in a timely manner.
Mine probably has a favorite, and I’ll pay the fees and get him to the audition, but I don’t see how he would be accepted there or how we would pay for it! (Oberlin). The same probably goes for Ithaca.
He’s going to need to apply to at least one in-state public and some schools that will give him academic merit. Temple and JMU fall into those categories. He’ll probably round out the list with some other public schools (Rutgers? Maryland?) and maybe Shenandoah.
He had been talking about Indiana, but he seems to have forgotten about it and we don’t mention it because we don’t want to drive that far and can’t afford to fly with a bass. Parents of the Year!
@AmyIzzy good to know! Not related, but what was your masters in?
It’s funny to me that A is trending away from city schools (except Berklee). We’ve lived in the NY metro area his whole life and it really doesn’t seem to appeal to him. Shocking to me—I love the city, and my older daughter graduated from (and loved) NYU.
I signed my kid up for a 4 week common app essay class that starts Monday. It was pretty cheap and it saves me nagging about that part. He’s a strong writer, I’m not worried about it. That will just launch him on his way. Since we homeschool/dual enroll I am going to be helping a lot with the app over all (and will feel no guilt about it! ). I think most if not all of his choices are going to be on the common app?
My kid doesn’t have a final list either. I suspect he will apply until he’s sick of it. I hope he gets off at least 8-10 apps, some require pre-screens so not a sure thing.
These are for sure apps - in reasonable range of home, voice teacher thinks he’s in a good position for these and pretty sure they are financially in range, safeties in terms of academics. U of MN is the only one that requires a pre-screen.
U of MN
UW Madison
Lawrence U (hopefully EA)
Saint Olaf
He also likes
UMiami Frost
Oberlin (visiting soon)
Northwestern
USC (haven’t visited)
Boston University
Some other long shots he’s considering
UMichigan (visiting soon)
NYU
CMU (visiting soon)
Vanderbilt
Rice
BA possible apps
Luther College
UChicago
other?