@tofuVolley have your son contact the director of the marching band for info. Marching bands are most comprised of students who are not music performance majors. So…find out from each marching band director what they need or want.
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My son is not Marching Band but his friends who were and NOT music majors just did/or will soon do the auditions…None of them submitted anything further. Just my two cents
Thank you for the suggestion.
Thank you for the information.
Ha! That seems like good mojo! Thanks!
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I will DM you!
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Ooof! I like this document! Thank you, @erin_barrett!
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They do. My partner spoke with their financial aid office yesterday and they actually suggest that as a way to make it affordable. You can bring up to 24 credits from before you start your first semester and then I think she said 9 per year after (though I might be misremembering the time frame of the 9).
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@AsMother I hope that I am tagging the right person. There was a mother on here whose kid transferred to Berkelee. Maybe she’ll see this and can answer questions and share her experience.
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Yes - I am a professional horn teacher and player and have students do this all the time. I just had one get into Amherst College - orchestra director sent her a personal note
It needs to be great quality - only send if will add to application.
Can you share what level of player you would suggest initiate this contact with directors? Do they need to be all state level players?
My S is a percussionist and made all area in a very competitive state (one of the most competitive region/area) that has very talented musicians. From our state, about 200 make area and maybe 50 make state for percussion.
I take allstate with a grain of salt also in a competitive state - results sometimes leave me with my heading shaking. Is your child playing major repertoire for their instrument at a high level? I would contact director of band and orchestra along with private teacher at school. At Amherst I knew horn teacher so I made contact and then student made contact.
@bridgenail (hi!!)–Yup–you tagged the right person! I’m just trying to figure out which comment you mean.
If it’s the one about a resume or something for the Berklee application, I can only speak from our experience from about 2016 (the years sure do fly by!).
My son had no resume or anything similar, as far as I know. He didn’t really start to get serious about playing music until he did a summer jazz camp as a sophomore (he’d been convinced by a friend) at the University of North Florida (which I highly recommend–I believe my son attended for three summers, and learned a LOT). THAT summer, and the following ones there, changed his life.
He knew little theory (he’d learned some at the jazz camp), and had taken only a few guitar lessons at the time. He’d also never been in Band (I wish I’d understood what a wonderful and useful thing that was to participate in when I was a kid!). He was JUST learning to read music.
Oh–and his grades were bad, because of a late-diagnosed issue with processing speed.
He was rejected the first time he applied to Berklee, and wound up taking Pol Sci at SUNY Purchase. (He’d originally been accepted into their conservatory at the end of senior year, but he somehow thought that the admissions people had made a “mistake” in accepting him-- @compmom solved THAT mystery for me…Imposter Syndrome!–so he first took a gap year to study theory, etc., at the local community college.)
Toward the end of that Pol/Sci year, to my delight, he decided to apply to Berklee again. He’d been practicing like crazy, and he was accepted. 
I’m sure that Berklee takes many things into consideration in looking at applicants, but I really still think that, at least there, the audition, as well as a demonstrated passion for music, make all the difference.
I hope that was useful. If not, or if you have any other questions, let me know!
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@erin_barrett thank you this was so useful! DD24 prepped her resume today using this as inspiration. So does anyone have thoughts on whether it is too early to send it off and seek trial lessons for this summer? We have a small window in the USA when she could do same in person if they are avail, and we will need to do some planning. Also conscious that many people will be teaching elsewhere or taking a break but would be nice if she could get maybe one in person to give her a feel. Also turns out a couple of places she knows people on faculty where they have been the teacher/conductor from previous things - would it be odd to reach out to them and should she aim for non-known faculty?
Well, I think it doesn’t hurt to try. My son had a few sample lessons the winter/spring of junior year and fall of senior year. Odds are lower in the summer I’m sure, but hopefully they are at least watching their email.
One thing I regret is not just dropping schools that felt questionable during a visit/sample lesson. Just thought I’d throw that out there. The application/audition process is so much more for music programs, we definitely had some wasted applications that would have been better directed elsewhere.
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Thank you thats really helpful
My daughter started in February also graduating in 24. She is going to a summer festival - only way to get everything in. Took 3 trial lessons in February.
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My D accepted the offer from IU Jacobs today. MM in Voice (opera) as a mezzo. She is now reaching out to faculty to secure a study (she is close).
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My kid just accepted DePaul’s offer.
MM in Percussion Performance - they gave him an enormous scholarship and assuming he gets a TA spot, he will only need to pay for housing. He’s super excited to study with some amazing faculty/performers.
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