Very program dependent. We asked about this at a college and the applied professor said…if his top pick turns down the scholarship…oh well. It is not awarded to anyone else.
Different colleges might have different ways of dealing with this.
For grad school, our kid did receive additional money after he committed.
And keep in mind…this can all work the opposite way. The year my kid was a college freshman, his school (despite really good yield data) had twelve students enroll on his instrument. Let’s just say…that was more than double what they needed. Lots of scrambling to make sure everyone had ensemble experience. AND the following two years, they accepted only a couple of students on that instrument…because they already had a surplus.
Great and timely comments. It just helps everyone to remember: it’s not simply the most talented get the spots. Sure there are always tippy top people (very small percentage). For everyone else, it’s real a mix of reasons that you get accepted (and talent is included of course).
And, as the power shifts to the student after an acceptance, just be aware that when negotiating…you’re working with pros. It’s not a bad idea to ask for more money…in fact it’s a good idea. Just be respectful and use good information bc the money people have been doing this for a long time…and they usually do have a finite pot. I think that they make their best efforts…but yes, they have a lot of different reasons for what they do (meaning its simply not your talent level translated in dollars).
This is what my son heard from his private teacher as he was applying. Hard to know for sure, but we interpreted this to mean that the highest money might be offered to the student with the greatest talent who was also likely to go to their program. The professor/program would not want to waste their top dollars on a candidate who would likely attend elsewhere.
Looking back, it explains the wide range of offers (along with the reality that some programs tend to offer more, some auditions went better than others and other variables)
As others have said on this thread, it helps that the student can communicate why they are a good fit for the program.
Also, while it makes my hyper analytical brain hurt, it is good to understand that there are so many factors in decisions, waitlists, yield, offers that are done for reasons we are not privy to.
But my son, and every one of his musician friends placed into programs that were great for them and affordable for their families.
May this class have the same success after all of their hard work!
I will say with my VP son, DePaul has been the most impressive so far. Incredible staff and very organized on the day of audition. Wonderful informative sessions for parents.
We have MSM and Curtis this weekend so looking forward to that.
Go to youtube and pick a range of schools and watch clips of a bunch junior/senior recitals. It’s actually pretty interesting and fun to do this! Even if you go to a professional performance and read bios, highly successful performing and working artists come from a huge range of backgrounds and educational settings.
I’m not trying to be overly critical of students! I have just enough musical training/background to hear mistakes at professional performances. Everyone is on their own journey and students aren’t professionals. I’ve heard students one year who seemed unprepared that blew my socks off the following year (my kids did/do a lot of regional music). There was a student who performed on one of our audition days that seemed unprepared for that burden and I was surprised by the choice. But I know there are are amazing students at that school.
I’m just saying, there are many reasons financial and otherwise why students end up in different programs. You will find a mix and range of students at many/most programs and it truly isn’t the end of the world if you can’t afford your fanciest school option and it can be more than ok to end up somewhere offbeat too. Magic is happening on many campuses and in many settings! My daughter’s current teacher who regularly performs and is on faculty at a university did an undergrad degree at a school no one regularly mentions on this board.
DePaul blew our socks off too! Their faculty is so impressive, everyone was welcoming and warm, their music building is gorgeous, and their singers - wow! Plus a beautiful dedicated vocal/opera performance space!
Kiddo here got 2 acceptances out of the blue yesterday. One just academic (but awesome merit money that might make it so music scholarships could push us into affordable range). One music/academic but waiting for financials. Letter said a scholarship is coming. Very exciting day!
Update…another cancelation, a reroute, and now my kid’s incoming plane is broken down in Spokane. He’s still waiting at the gate, hopeful he’ll get on some plane that will get him there for his audition. It’s an 80 year record snow. My stress is super high! Ironically, his best friend flew out to Minnesota at 6 this for a college visit and made it fine (thank goodness).
Twice now I have logged into a certain schools admissions tracker and it has had a different kids information. Has my kids user name and phone number, but another kids name and date of birth (and different majors).
My fiddle teacher loved her experience at University of Nevada Reno, and she recommended it highly to us. She’s been a violinist in orchestras since she was a child and decided to forego the programs that are regularly discussed on CC. She still gushes about that school. (It looked too small for my S and not in a big enough city.)
A relative was all set to go to one of the good LACs a number of.years back, can’t remember which one but it was well-respected and hard to get into. She got called off the waitlist at Bates two and a half weeks before she was supposed to leave, has since graduated from Bates and is very happy with her choice. She had already had an assigned roommate and they had been in contact, so it was a quick mental zig for her!
Go to youtube and pick a range of schools and watch clips of a bunch junior/senior recitals. It’s actually pretty interesting and fun to do this! Even if you go to a professional performance and read bios, highly successful performing and working artists come from a huge range of backgrounds and educational settings.
My daughter’s current teacher who regularly performs and is on faculty at a university did an undergrad degree at a school no one regularly mentions on this board.