Tripletmama——— Huge congratulations! SFCM will understand about your daughter’s “dream school” came true. They also know that SFCM and Berklee aren’t in the same leagues, at least at this moment. So, one quick but honest and polite email would be just fine.
Also, I have heard that getting bigger merit scholarships from Berklee is to attend a 5-week summer just before entering 12th grade. They do give away full-tuition scholarship for wide range of musicians to attend 5-week summer to recruit some of top talented musicians at end of 5 weeks before those musicians apply to competitors. I’ve never heard of “bump” after re-auditioning. However, I have read “bigger scholarship” after a Berklee deferred year in CC.
@tripletmama Nope! They listed everything out and I have 71k of gift aid, and the rest (about 3.5k) is to be covered by work study and loans. I’m so excited!
@ebmomma WE are also holding out hope and waiting for SMTD merit!! Glad we aren’t the only one! D was told by professor she is “in the pool” — I think we just have to be patient. And patience isn’t that easy right now!
My son received an email from USC saying that Thornton School of Music has awarded him a music scholarship. When he clicked the link to his USC portal, he didn’t see anything new. Has anyone else received a similar email?
@JeJeJe tripletmama’s D did attend the Berklee 5 week and was awarded the 20K during their blowout concert. Then auditioned again during regular admissions in hopes of getting that number increased. That’s what she was talking about when she said it’s a long shot to increase that number from the 5 week. I’d love to see a separate thread of kids who did Berklee 5 week and auditioned for scholarship and then auditioned again during regular admission to see if that increased. I think vocalists seem to have more luck wth that. My D did the 5 week and was offered a modest amount at the blowout concert but many many vocalists weren’t offered at all and auditioned during the regular admission time and got much more money than was offered in the summer. I think it really varies. My D elected not to even apply after her lackluster 5 week experience so for us it was a great way to have her get a feel for the college to know it wasn’t for her. For others I highly recommend doing the 5 week prior to senior year for that reason exactly. To audition for the college in hopes of getting an offer during the blowout concert. It’s the one time kids can audition again to hopefully increase that offer. Plus it gives the kids 5 weeks to try the school on and see if it fits.
@pdxtigermom SAME thing happened to my D. Thornton School of Music awarded Scholarship. All I see is the Music award that was already there. 5:12pm today.
@akapiratequeen , and others planning to attend schools in NYC, I also recommend looking at Hoboken (where I live–it’s gotten progressively more expensive over the years but it’s probably still somewhat less expensive than most of Brooklyn), Jersey City, and parts of Union City and Weehawken. It’s REALLY a quick and easy trip into the city either by PATH train or NJ Transit bus, especially if you’re going to Mannes or NYU (I used to commute from here to NYU when I was in grad school). Hoboken is an awesome little mile-square town with lots of inexpensive places to eat for every kind of diet (I’m a gluten-free vegetarian, so I know!). Stevens Institue of Technology is here, so it’s student-oriented. There’s also a really nice waterfront with a gorgeous view of Manhattan–great for walking/running, kayaking, sunbathing, or just hanging out.
There used to be a better music scene here, but a lot of that has moved to Jersey City, where rents are still somewhat cheaper. If you’re looking into Jersey City, stick to downtown and the Heights.
As to the earlier question about Berklee dorms, my son is in one of the older dorms, and it does have practice rooms. The place has its issues, but I imagine they’re no worse than what you might find in less expensive rental apartments. If he and his roommate (and new best friend) can get rooms on campus next year, they will probably end up doing that. Both are planning to do the Valencia program the following year, so they wouldn’t be able to hang onto an apartment for longer than a year–making things more complicated.
Thanks @ HereWeGoAgain2018 and @Lyoder2051 and @akapiratequeen. It was a painful rejection, but he feels good about making it as far as he did, although he isn’t feeling like that today in particular. He’s been accepted to a number of good schools like CCM, NEC, Oberlin, and MSM.
Hello all!! Its been a rough-and exhilarating ride on my part! Many great acceptances and a few rejections have marked my trip- 9 acceptances and 2 rejections later, I really thank you all for the great support iv’e had throughout this process, and thought it might be cool if we continued to support each other even once we go to college…I hope I’m not braking any rules by doing this, but I think I might as well just put my real name out there: Lukasz Yoder. So now that that’s out there, you can look me up, check out my website, and follow me on social media…and if you tell me who you are (through p.m. or direct message of some form) , I will do the same! Again, if this against some rule, please let me know and I will delete my post, but its been a long ride, and I thought it would be fun to connect in “real” life.
@Lyoder2051 you probably won’t believe but I already looked you up on YouTube from guessing your screen name here. I was touched by your performances and thought you were phenomenal! You deserve all the acceptances and scholarship offers!
Hi everyone! First time post here. Just came across this CC last week as my son was receiving his last two acceptances, and have followed some of the insightful comments and ‘shared’ the great news and the disappointments.
Not sure where I have been to have missed out on this wonderful resource and what seems to be an amazing community of talented musicians and supportive diligent parents. Actually, I have been settling in as we just moved to the US last year, on time for hurricane Harvey and many other adventures our family went through…
My son is a Jazz Vibraphone player planning to pursue performance (and production) next fall. We have also survived this crazy process of college apps/ auditions etc. and are happy to be done!! Most of it was new to us and at times it really did feel like we were going in blindfolded. The counselors at my son’s non-art school were not knowledgeable or helpful re. the music major, schools or paths. So we had to do a lot of research and figuring out on our own, but I feel we did quite well and have come a long way based on what we had and knew. S went to Berklee 5 Week last summer and that was certainly a great opportunity. He absolutely loved it and found his clan there. Berklee seems to align very much with his music goals and creative pursuits; it is where the heart is!
Anyway, in summary, S has some good choices and they go like this in order of preference: Berklee, Frost/UMiami, New School Jazz, NYU, UMich, UNT (we said he needed a state school Like most of you, we are trying to sort out the financial aspect of things. Decision time!!!
Last (but actually first), congratulations to all on the acceptances and yay for the awards $$$!!! Sorry for the rejections or less-than-perfect situations but it will all come together at the end. I truly believe so and wish all of you/ your kids the very best!
as my son was receiving his last two acceptances, and have followed some of the insightful comments and ‘shared’ the great news and the disappointments.