I thought I would chime in with my D’s perspective incase anyone else is in the same boat. All of the posts have been so interesting to read and I can relate in so many ways but with a D going for an academic popular voice she has very limited options. She is only applying to academic music schools, no conservatories, so FROST, USC, UCLA, Belmont (albeit we are slightly concerned about the academics here) and Loyola is her safety. We considered a safety school for talent, academics/tests and cost. She also applied to a bunch of academic UC and State schools and figures if she doesn’t get into her 3 top choices then she’s going to reconsider studying music at all. Seems a shame but she feels if she isn’t good enough to make this cut then she isn’t good enough to make anything bigger. Music would always be a part of her life but she wouldn’t go for it per say. She’s also very very interested in becoming a music therapist either with a combined degree from college or with a 2 year after college but she has to have a music degree to be eligible. If all else fails we also discussed a gap year but she was admitted to Belmont songwriting so I think she’s feeling ok, although we have never seen the school.
@AmyIzzy literally can not believe that experience, certainly built up your audition thick skin there! But happy to read it ended well.
Additionally, speaking from experience having had my older daughter take the academic performing arts route, she was admitted to University of Michigan’s BFA theatre, a big deal in the theatre world and she has loved all the challenging academics that the university has offered her. It’s all just food for thought. The kids will know what they want when the time comes and if it doesn’t work out this year then try try again.
I’m loving reading all the “Plan B” and safety posts. Neither my ballet dancer or my musician have a “Plan B” - if they get injured or burned out - well, they will have to regroup and figure something else out. Some people think that’s silly - but I view it that they are giving their passion 150% (e.g. both of them dance or play music 4 to 6 hours a day). I’ve never even asked them recently what they would do if they couldn’t do their art. I think they would yell at me and think I wasn’t supporting them and be very insulted. (they can be sensitive at times).
I do admire artists that also have academic talents. I just don’t have any in my family Having said that, our daughter loves to read about philosophers and history - so I guess she has it in her.
I have found that there are more academics in the classical world (must be how their brains work). I know that jazz and classical use different parts of the brain - so that might be related.
On the good news front - after a few days of “freak outs” our daughter has calmed down and has picked her 3 songs for the audition trail. She had wanted to play her latest favorite (Monk’s Dream) but she used it for her pre-screen and apparently you aren’t supposed to do that??? (true or false??). The really wonderful news is that one of her instructors used to play with Mingus and Monk (in the good old days) and is going to play drums with her and her pianist for her local Berklee audition. That is a big confidence boost. She also went out (without my knowledge) and got a tattoo of an abstract (but very creative) sketch that she drew with the words “Let Be” (in other words, don’t get stressed). She said she’s going to look at it before and during her auditions to keep her head clear. I can’t argue with that!
Can’t wait to hear some more funny audition stories! I think we all need some brevity about now. Oh - and my daughter is going to Boston and NYC auditions on her own. I really wanted to go - but she’s fairly independent and has musician friends in both places so I couldn’t justify the cost. Luckily she turns 18 in about a week so she can check into a hotel on her own. I do give her a “to do” list every day, though (e.g. line up rehearsal with Berklee combo, try to line up practice lesson with an instructor the day before, etc. etc. She very picky pants about the bass she plays on - so I’m glad that I won’t have to deal with the drama of that (except maybe over the phone!).
It’s great to read that we are not alone! From following some of these threads, it is easy to get nervous about your D’s decision to keep a very short list, when some are auditioning at 12+!
She applied at 4 and has auditions at 3 (1 was a long shot, academically), with a solid gap-year back-up. I have fully supported the small list plan, for her, because she knows what she wants and what is a great fit. I’m glad there are programs out there for all types of student musicians, and wish you all the best of outcomes!
My son applied only to private conservatories. No financial safeties. If he gets accepted but without financially realistic offers, I would bring up Plan B which is a gap year. He can still get to go to college he wants to but he will need to think more realistically about how deep debts he would get into and how hard to repay right after college years. 1 year (technically only 9 months) is very short for his long life, he would have more time to take lessons from any instructors because his flexible schedule, he can polish his skills and raise his musicianship. He just wouldn’t need to rush getting into a huge debt as a 17-year-old (he is a late birthday kid). But it isn’t a time to bring up Plan B yet for us. There are whole battles ahead he needs to focus.
@“Bay Area Mom 2016” Belmont University is a pretty awesome place, and I loved the Music School. It’s #3 on my son’s list after USC and Berklee, ahead of Frost (which might not mean much to anyone else but him). Still, except for the little bit of the religious left-overs from their Baptist past, and a (not unsurprising) lack of racial diversity, it’s a pretty great place. Also, Nashville is hard to beat as a place to network, find gig opportunities, and get an entry into the music business.
Definitely worth serious consideration.
Great posts over the last day – so interesting to read all the different perspectives about their child’s college selection process. My son is extremely passionate about jazz but opted to mostly to music schools within strong academic universities (USC, UCLA, Michigan SMTD, Peabody/Hopkins), one with lesser academics (NYU), and one with no academics to speak of (New School). He also applied to some colleges and universities that do not have music schools but appear to have strong liberal arts jazz programs (Emory, Wash U). If he doesn’t get into one of the music schools at his top choices, he will likely opt to prioritize the academics over the music and hope to play in ensembles in continue his music lessons with his current teacher via Skype. He has already been admitted to University of Michigan LSA, so that is a very real possilbility for him if things do not pan out the way he is hoping.
Plan B around here was a gap year, but S did get into at least the universities @ IU and Miami (OH), so he can always ‘go to school’. While we all decided that academics were important, not sure if kid is actually going to double major/minor in something else potentially useful if being a musician doesn’t pan out.
@tripletmama - my kid is using some of the same pieces as his prescreen. He’s classical, so not sure if that makes a difference. He does have a different piece for schools that have more ‘contemporary’ programs, but I think that’s only two out of 6 (and requires cello bows to play on a vibraphone - really weird). It makes sense to play the same pieces if you can show growth/improvement, since that’s what professors are looking for. Also, last summer kid was able to check into a hotel I prepaid (just in case that’s an issue for your D).
Wow, is this good food for thought! With us, the EA application to a BM/audition program was designed, in part, to show S (and us) whether a Plan B was needed. Had he not been accepted, he would have broadened his applications to non-audition options at a couple of the schools he liked best, then gone for a year in gen ed and reapplied to the music programs later. (Or not, I suppose.) A couple of ways in which S differs from your performers: 1. He wants to teach in either the public schools and/or college programs, so the degree is needed; 2. He’s an academic kid and would be going to college in any case.
As it turned out, he was accepted EA and so is continuing along that road for his other auditions. The one wrinkle is he didn’t get enough money to make his EA school really feasible, so we’re on tenterhooks until the next decisions. Fallback is still a general college program for the first year, with our state flagship as a good option since it’s affordable even with no aid.
Also, @tripletmama, S is definitely reusing some of his prescreen material for auditions! Swapping in 1-2 new options per school but keeping the rest.
I think may schools have excellent teachers. The difference between a school at the top of the “ladder” (according to individual perspective or by reputation) versus a school lower down, may be the peers you play with.
I was interested to read BM programs at universities described as “academic.” Most still have 2/3-3/4 classes in music and are geared to performance I believe.
If a student feels that he or she can progress with the right teacher and practice, some can also handle the demands of a BA program (in music or in another subject)- which is an “academic” program with only 1/4-1/3 classes in the major- and develop as a player or singer or composer. Usually that route doesn’t involve audition but the same applies in terms of finding peers at the same level.
A talented musician can have an edge for admission at some of the BA colleges that have substantial financial aid (including Ivies and little Ivies) so that is always a consideration.
I find it interesting how many ways people are mixing the options, always with money in mind. And how many would wait it out a year to reapply with more work. I wonder if personality plays a role more than anything else in terms of being at a reach versus match school. Some like to be challenged and some like to feel a sense of mastery.
@vistajay My D (classical voice soprano) is auditioning at Frost this Friday, and I had a few questions that you or your son may be particularly well suited to field regarding voice teachers and the vibe of Frost for vocalists (on the competitive to coddling spectrum). I’m not sure how to PM, here (I’m not seeing the “Message” button), but if you don’t mind taking a little time, could you PM me?
With our older two non-musician, high achieving kids, we just had them apply to our local in-state university as an academic and financial safety and the rest of the list was a hunt for better opportunities through merit aid (need-based aid wasn’t going to help our particular situation).
Tossing music auditions into the mix certainly complicates things. Now the local in-state school that we can certainly afford is no longer a safety for music admissions. There’s a non-audition school on son’s list but we aren’t sure we can afford it and he would need a music scholarship which does require an audition. It was hard to decide how high to aim and how much to risk hoping for merit aid as well, when it’s hard to see how son compares outside our state. The fact that S was certain about pursuing music ed, and didn’t want to write many essays narrowed things. He has a short list of four schools, has been accepted with academic scholarships at all of them, and the music auditions (voice and cello) are scheduled and ready to play out over the next several weeks. I really don’t think a plan B will come into play with this kid, but if it does, we don’t have one!
Seriously, after reading this I am planning to tell S to broaden his application to our flagship to include the arts and science school – same application can be used for up to three units. Nothing to lose!
I think we are learning that we all think of a “safety” a bit differently and either have unique “Plan B” options or no consideration of a Plan B at this point. We are all so different-including where we live and thoughts about different types of programs-yet we all know our kids pretty well and seem to have a grasp of where they will succeed and thrive. So we meet here-at different stages of our college search journey (supported by some very generous folks who have already gone through the process and just want to help!)-with a common purpose to stay sane through it all! Lol. I really do appreciate all the interesting perspectives, reflections, great ideas/advice and encouragement shown here. It’s a great “home away from home” during this crazy process!
Well said @AmyIzzy! It’s funny – I hadn’t thought of having S apply for a liberal arts safety (our state school) until this conversation. Asked him about it and he was like “yes, please!” He’s a cool cucumber so I tend to forget that he’s feeling the stress as well. Can’t wait until this is over, notwithstanding the kind and helpful people we’ve connected with along the way!
HI everyone. This is a wonderful thread with lots of interesting perspectives… As I was reading through I saw several comments about careers as a performer vs. music ed vs. teaching and its implications on paying for college and the amount of debt you want to carry. It’s a very important consideration, of course, but I just wanted to add that these kids with deep education in music and the arts are going to have career opportunities much bigger than just these narrow fields.
It’s been fun to read all the different perspectives. It reminds me (in a very circular way) of when my D was in high school and got her first boyfriend. Boy did I draw a line in the sand on curfews and expectations! And then a week later, I erased it and drew a new line with a new explanation. And a month or so later, I added a few curves with another long-winded explanation…until FINALLY it worked. I showed her who was boss.
It was kind of the same with picking a college…I had one story…and then another…and then another… But the truth is: my D was driving the bus the whole time and I was just sitting in the way back making up stories. If you’re feeling sick, it’s probably car sickness from your kid driving. But hang in there…you’ll really be proud of them in the end.
@vistajay Thanks for the quick reply. I thought he went to Frost with a full tuition academic scholarship. Not sure how I got that stuck in my head. Sorry for the confusion on my part. Where did he decide to go?
Having said that, our daughter loves to read about philosophers and history - so I guess she has it in her.
Luckily she turns 18 in about a week so she can check into a hotel on her own. I do give her a “to do” list every day, though (e.g. line up rehearsal with Berklee combo, try to line up practice lesson with an instructor the day before, etc. etc. She very picky pants about the bass she plays on - so I’m glad that I won’t have to deal with the drama of that (except maybe over the phone!).