Congrats @“Pikachu’s Mom” (and I love your long notes!)
So, in the spirit of ‘keeping it real’, kid did not get into BU (he had to reset his password since he didn’t save any of his portal info). It was the bottom of his list, so no real angst here especially as he’s lucky enough to have 3 great choices (and probably a 4th).
Based on a small sample sized bit of data (I’m a market researcher, so I look for patterns in everything), my kid did significantly better at the schools where he visited in person and made a connection with the faculty than the ones where he just showed up for audition day. Would that have helped him at CIM or BU? Probably not, but maybe? He’s not a super talented prodigy, just a really hard worker and that shows when professors have had time to really chat and get to know my kid.
Hoping for good news from those who are still waiting!
@Lendlees I think that is true for my kid as well. I’ll go further and posit that attending the summer program for at least one school – where it was small and taught by regular faculty – made a difference as well. I keep thinking of the teacher who said they look for three things – ear, tone, and teachability. My kid isn’t the flashiest player in some ways, but he has those in spades. I believe that came out in the program and in the sample lessons.
Message #3
@lkbux64 — congrats and sympathies on the wait list notice from UCLA! Hope it keeps moving people into the admit category.
@pdxtigermom — sorry about the bad news from UCLA, but good to hear the positive news about U Mich! It sounds like your S has done well overall this audition season.
@dsinha — sorry about the rejection from UCLA; this must not be the easiest day for your family. Glad Oberlin recognized your child’s talent.
@Lyoder2051 — what great news from UCLA with great merit! So happy for you.
@Bay Area Mom 2016 - wonderful news on the UCLA admit!
@OntheJourney19 — congratulations on the Frost admit; sorry there isn’t money attached to it! At least a validation for your S.
@oboeboy1917 — sorry to hear about Oberlin. Don’t lose heart! We’re rooting for you.
@cellistamadre — such a kind message when your D is also dealing with rejection. Kudos and hugs to your family.
@NaariyalAmma — I’m sorry to hear about the Oberlin news! Your D sounds like a wonderful and accomplished person and will find a place where she can thrive. Good luck to your family.
I wish I had done like @“Pikachu’s Mom” and posted sporadically. I started reading at 10:00 last night, then picked back up at 3:00 am, fell asleep and then just finished now. So I can only say:
Congratulations to all the admits for USC, UCLA, Frost, Oberlin and any I missed. I’m sorry for the rejections and hopeful for the waitlists.
Yay! For great scholarships and Boo! For poor aid packages.
Overall I must say that this is just an amazing group of talented children with widely differing musical pursuits from performance to education to business and applying to schools that may not even have spots. So although rejections are part of this career path don’t take it to heart. You don’t know why you were rejected. Be proud of your admits and have faith that you will land where you belong, love it, thrive and four years from now think “(fill in the blank) who?”
I know these aren’t my kids but I am so proud of all of them and am rooting for them and am in awe of the parents for the time and financial commitment (not to mention, therapist, taxi, etc) to get all of these kids to where they are today. A virtual toast to all of you as much as your children.
@Lendlees - Really sorry about the BU news. Just glad it was at the bottom of his list, not the top. I’m waiting for D to wake up and check her BU portal–I’m resisting the temptation to log in and look for myself.
In general, I’m inclined to agree with Lendlees and @akapiratequeen about the value of personal contact. It might have given D just a slight edge at a couple of schools.
On the other hand, for future parents reading this thread, I don’t want anyone to think that if you don’t send your kid around the country to take lessons or send them to expensive summer camps that you might as well give up hope. D got a couple of very good admits from schools where she met the professor for the first time on audition day.
@Ikbux64 My son was not upset about the UCLA rejection nor excited about the USC acceptance. He already has his 1st and 2nd choice acceptances.
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@oboeboy1917 — sorry about the BU news. I understand the difficulty with financial aid documents. My S also had a similar difficulty but he ultimately found his place (non-music major). Hang in there!
@Lendlees — sorry about the news from BU. Doesn’t look like it would have been a good fit for S. You have other choices!
I think I’m caught up. Told my D about the exciting day many of you here had yesterday. Of course she probably wondered why I had to go through everyone else’s triumphs and trials in addition to our own but I can see her relaxing a little more now, feeling more confident, which I hope translates into a wise decision eventually.
Good luck, everyone, and happy (seems like the first real weekend of) spring!
@oboeboy1917 congrats on CMU! My understanding is that if you were accepted to the music school you were accepted to the university. So you have received some amazing news!
Question - when did BU decisions come out? My D had her worst audition there. She got stuck in the airport on a 7 hour delay andnarrived at hotel at 1 am. She’s expecting bad news but will be interesting.
@highnotes2018 - I believe BU posted at 8am EST / 5am PST
Just found out - D accepted to BU with a small scholarship. Been an amazing few days!
I am confused about some comments I read about financial aid. I have not filled out financial aid documents for schools my son is not yet accepted. While I have done fafsa I am sure he will not get financial aid. One student indicated that they thought they were not accepted due to not filling out or returning some financial aid papers. Is that a factor?
@jacole I’m not sure of the role that financial aid plays in actually being accepted, but depending on the schools you’re applying to, the CSS Profile needs to be completed in addition to the FAFSA if you want to receive any aid (need and sometimes merit) from the university. It’s primarily used by private universities and conservatories. If all of the schools you applied to are public universities, you have no worries. The cutoff date for priority consideration for aid is typically before acceptances are provided. It’s used to help create the offer that is presented with your acceptance, if accepted.
My husband is a musician and had a show last night so I took a few hour break from CC and-wow-did I have some catching up to do at midnight! I won’t even attempt individual notes but I am applauding all these amazing admits, crossing my fingers for the wait list kids and sending big hugs for any rejections.
My daughter handled her first college rejection with grace, tact and a sense of humor. Her first reaction was “well, this is an easy way to help cut down my final list of colleges.” Lol. She also eluded to feeling more normal because many of her friends have been coming to her upset about rejections and she hadn’t had any so she feels it could help to have this experience when talking to her friends, maybe make them feel better (which I thought was nice and illustrates how sensitive she is when others struggle.) It helped that Frost was never a top school for her and she knew it was a reach academically and financially. She did have a great audition day and it jumped up on her list after that but she told me it was fine since she had so many other good options. Not sure what I was expecting but no tears or drama at all when we processed everything, so it was a relief. I think her years of theatre, which included rejections or not always getting the part she wanted, helped a lot. She is good about moving on when she needs to, she tries not to dwell on things that aren’t in her control. She feels Frost just wasn’t meant to be and there are other great options to feel good about.
Thanks to everyone here for all your kind words of support and encouragement! It helped prep me mentally for my talk with my daughter and put things in perspective. This really is an unpredictable journey of ups and downs-some within a few days or hours in timing-and we just have to have faith that our kids will choose an amazing college home that fits their personality and wishlist best! This CC community truly rocks!
@AmyIzzy just want to say my hat is off to your mature, thoughtful, and empathetic D. And to you, mama – she didn’t get it from a stray breeze. That’s some good parenting right there. I know you are so proud of her. <3
@akapiratequeen & @Lendlees While I think those personal lessons and programs can be a big help, it didn’t seem to help us for Miami. We set up a private lesson with a Frost instructor in NYC (she has a studio there and splits her time in Miami/NYC) and I had many email correspondances with her and other professors. My daughter also met with music administration during her tour to ask questions, tell about herself, etc. For some schools, she had no lessons or personal connections and yet received big scholarships. Makes me think it’s more of a crap shoot sometimes. It never hurts to set those lessons and camps up if you can schedule them and afford them, but my point is just: don’t fret if you can’t. Sometimes it helps, but not always.
@jacole — like BassoonMom2018 suggested, our non-music-major S had trouble getting his dad to fill out documentation on his (practically nonexistent) income for CSS Profile schools on his list. While we applied for a waiver (S was in touch with dad but dad refused to give info—making the out-of-your life claim not possible), not all schools granted them. One school notified him that he would not qualify for any aid because of it, and later rejected him. The school had been a reach anyways, but some schools are need-aware when it comes to regular college admissions. Very different story for music school admits, I would think! Aid and admissions seem quite separate.
S is at a great (FAFSA only) school now, that has been very good for/to him, so it all worked out!
@highnotes2018 @“Pikachu’s Mom” Thank you so much! I appreciate all of you immensely. These past 24 hours have been far from ideal, but this forum and you lovely people have given me a little comfort.
@oboeboy1917 don’t worry about CMU. I think CMU is a sure thing, it’s just a formality. My son got the same email from CMU and I read it as an acceptance. CMU is one of my son’s top 2 choices and he probably would end up there!