<p>Is there any hope to my daughter's dream of being a music educator? She did not get accepted to any of the schools she auditioned. What are her chances of transfering in to the school of music next year. She was accepted to all of schools general admission. She has a 34 ACT and is in the top 10% of her class. We feel so lost. She is loves band! She is in concert band, marching band, pep band, jazz band, orchestra, our community band, and the community college percussion ensemble. It's her life.</p>
<p>Oh, I’m so sorry. I suspect it’s rather blue around your house. Some who know more about music ed will chime in here, I’m sure. I mainly wanted to say, hang in there. It’s great that she has some acceptances. Perhaps you could direct your questions directly to the percussion teachers (I assume that is her primary instrument?) at the schools she’s been accepted to, to find out if they feel she has a chance at getting admitted later to music.</p>
<p>An alternative is to look for schools with rolling admissions, that don’t require auditions.</p>
<p>musicmom1212, I feel your collective disappointment. There is hope. There are schools that do allow matriculated students to audition in to a music ed program.</p>
<p>First, did she choose her schools wisely, and target the standard reach, match, and safety mix? I know the standard line (having used it myself) that there is no such thing as a safety in an audition based scenario, but the realities are that there are a number of schools where the audition parameters are set quite high, and others are set lower.</p>
<p>Did she prep, practice and was she well prepared for the audition? Did she prep on her own or with professional tutelage? Was her instrument adequate? Was she flustered, overly nervous, or have stage fright? Was this year’s peer group truly exceptional?</p>
<p>Without naming schools, which is totally your prerogative, it’s difficult to assess a relative level of competitiveness. Was any school your state flagship or dedicated music educator school?</p>
<p>Read through the undergrad handbooks, and the music school specific supplements. These documents are usually found in a link on the school’s academic webpages, and are normally pdf or word documents. They contain all policies, procedures and institutional guidelines
governing all aspects. You will find what policies, if any, are in place for transferring/auditioning in to the music ed program for a matriculated student.</p>
<p>I would suggest contacting the music admissions officer(s) at a couple of programs, and try to get them to reveal specific areas where your d was lacking. Have her express true sincere interest. By knowing where the deficiencies were, she might be able to correct and address them. I’d also contact music ed department heads and see if they will give her honest assessments about transferring in from an undeclared major.</p>
<p>There are drawbacks to auditioning in. The music ed curriculum is fairly well structured and sequenced and a late start may mean an extra semester or year, so if her chances are reasonable (after your/her conversations). Some programs are flexible, and some entry level mus ed coursework may be open to non-majors, but she should try and get as many general requirements out of the way the first year so they are not impediments down the road. You also need to see if there are high quality participatory experiences that she can “prove her mettle” during the year. She should also seriously consider private instruction on her instrument that first year, preferably with faculty, even if it means additional expense. This should help eliminate weak areas, and target the instruction to raise her chances of getting in.</p>
<p>She’s not the first to be denied and “back door” it in later. Don’t see it as insurmountable, but as a chance for her to really focus and prove her dedication.</p>
<p>If you feel the need for any clarification, by all means PM me. I’ll try and help where I can.</p>
<p>One last thought… there are schools that have late or rolling admissions, and BassDad always seem able to come up with a link to the list. Whether or not you can target an acceptable music ed alternate choice is iffy, because of the need (or school’s) desire to arrange an individual audition. A few schools do allow music ed spring admits, but you’ll once again have to dig deeply to find those that do.</p>
<p>Edit: One point I neglected… many mus ed programs have an interview component. I’m assuming this was a non-issue, but I will put it on the table for consideration.</p>
<p>Keep your chins up.</p>
<p>The list you speak of will not be available until about the second week of May. At that time, check out [NACAC</a> Homepage](<a href=“http://www.nacacnet.org/Pages/default.aspx]NACAC”>http://www.nacacnet.org/Pages/default.aspx) for a list of schools that are still looking for students for this coming fall. I do not know if any of them will have openings in music ed, but it does not cost anything to look.</p>
<p>I did not mention the schools, I believe this is part of the problem. She only applied to Big 10 schools, Michigan State, Indiana, U of Illinois, U of Wisconsin (wait listed til May 1), U of Iowa (no response yet), and Northern Illinois (no response yet). She really wanted Big 10 </p>
<p>Our high school offers a teaching internship program which she took in the fall. For one whole semester she actually got to go over to the middle school and work with the band director. She helped with 5th grade sectionals and did his 6th grade full band warm-up. Also, he let her conduct two 5th grade numbers and one 6th grade piece at the winter concert. She was in heaven. She received many scholarships from these various schools. She has tremendous performance anxiety and we have been working on this.</p>
<p>IU and Michigan are arguably the two toughest audition admits on your list. U Wisconsin a bit less so, and pretty much on a par with U Iowa and Northern IL.</p>
<p>I’m assuming one of these five was instate. The UMich and IU are disappointing, but not all results are in yet.</p>
<p>It’s conceivable that by applying OOS in this economy, she may have suffered a tough audition pool from in state students staying at their own publics rather than looking outside their own borders.</p>
<p>I would strongly suggest a review of her audition and the “whys” as to being denied and waitlisted. Her experiences, grades, and participation/talent level all appear acceptable, and seems like she would be a very good teacher.</p>
<p>Also, do arm yourself with info from the undergrad catalogs as I’ve suggested. It will pay to know your options.</p>
<p>Performance anxiety can be hard to overcome. Some thoughts and experiences are here:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/542644-performance-anxiety-how-deal.html?highlight=performance+anxiety[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/542644-performance-anxiety-how-deal.html?highlight=performance+anxiety</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/368525-audition-anxiety-tuba-player.html?highlight=performance+anxiety[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/368525-audition-anxiety-tuba-player.html?highlight=performance+anxiety</a></p>
<p>Lastly, there’s always a gap year and reapplying. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/672731-info-gap-year.html?highlight=gap+year[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/672731-info-gap-year.html?highlight=gap+year</a></p>
<p>Hi musicmom1212. I’m sorry to hear of your daughter’s disappointing news. I’ll bet she’s feeling pretty blue about now. And it can’t be easy on you, either.</p>
<p>I’m just a parent. Not a musician myself, though I have a crazy passion for music. I am only speaking as somebody who knows little about the college app process other than what my oldest has been through this past year and what his orchestra and choir friends have gone through in the few years before him. So please keep that in mind! I don’t claim to be an expert on anything on this forum!</p>
<p>Has your daughter looked into University of North Texas? It’s one of the largest music schools in the country. It doesn’t seem to be that well-known or well-respected, maybe, on this forum, but I’ve known many UNT music graduates and current UNT music students, and they’re all quite happy there. </p>
<p>I mention UNT specifically because I have a memory of one of my son’s friends applying and auditioning much later than I expected she could a few years ago. She had a huge passion for music, really wanted to be a middle or high school orchestra director for a living, and was probably a B+ musician herself, if one had to give a grade to her talent. She was clearly an A student for effort, people-skills, leadership, character, etc. She had outstanding recommendations from her orchestra director and another teacher, because she was such a great kid. </p>
<p>She is now very happily engaged in the music education program at UNT. I could swear she auditioned and got accepted pretty late in the game (like after auditions were typically over), but I’m not absolutely positive. She was one of those kids whose parents were totally disengaged from her efforts and accomplishments, so she did absolutely everything by herself to get into college. That’s why she was late … she wasn’t up on everything that had to be done at the time.</p>
<p>Son and I have met a few of her friends in the program, and they ALL love it there.</p>
<p>You might give them a call and see what can be done this late in the game. Website is unt.edu.</p>
<p>Hope this turns out to be a good lead and something that might appeal to your daughter!</p>
<p>What is her instrument? You mentioned percussion ensembles in your initial post. Percussion is highly competitive. I would not list any of the schools on your list as being close to a safety. Have you contacted the school she is waitlisted at? Would it be benificial to contact them? Just throwing out suggestions.</p>
<p>UNT has a great rep for music, on and off the forum and historically has been a low cost alternative even for OOS applicants. Thanks for bringing it up SimpleLife.</p>
<p>A couple of UNT threads: (same title, 2 distinct threads)
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/459338-university-north-texas.html?highlight=university+of+north+texas[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/459338-university-north-texas.html?highlight=university+of+north+texas</a>
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/340795-university-north-texas.html?highlight=university+of+north+texas[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/340795-university-north-texas.html?highlight=university+of+north+texas</a></p>
<p>Oh, good. I’m glad UNT’s got a great rep for music, on this forum and elsewhere!</p>
<p>Thanks for clarifying, violadad! I just haven’t seen it widely talked about here. When people list the best music schools, I don’t usually see it on the list. And I noticed that not many posters have been accepted there, making me think that not many have applied – which had me thinking that not many people think much of it. Silly me and all my assumptions! Either way, we liked what we saw while there. And people we know there (and from there) speak very highly of their experience.</p>
<p>I’m so glad that it’s well-respected. I’m going to look over those threads you posted. Thanks!</p>
<p>My son has been accepted there and, because of its relative low cost, is very likely to attend there. (There are other schools that have offered him great scholarships, so he may eventually choose those, but even considering the nearly-full-tuition offered by a few other private colleges, UNT will be cheaper! We can save his money for his graduate degree.)</p>
<p>I want to echo what’s been said about UNT earlier. S just got back from his audition there.
UNT is one of the most prestigious and well respected jazz schools in the nation. The music program in general is the pride of the university. Norah Jones went there, as did Roy Orbison. The One O’Clock Lab Band is a grammy winning ensemble and world famous.
The folks there were incredibly supportive, friendly and encouraging. S absolutely loved the guitar prof Fred Hamilton. Out of state students can go in state if they are recommended for merit scholarships. Great bargain and a wonderful vibe there.
Denton is fun too. Good indie music scene. We had a lot of fun in nearby Ft. Worth. Although its a bit of a change from our native Boston S really liked it. He has a tough decision going forward as he was fortunate enough to be accepted to a few of his top choices but UNT is a great option.</p>
<p>What others have said about UNT is true, but the downside is that the auditions have become highly competitive and it may be too late to audition there for Fall 2009 admission in any event.</p>
<p>There may be a way to be ready to audition into a program next year. Besides checking their policies for auditioning in next year, check - Can she be in a non-music early or secondary education program so she gets many of the education requirements started or start them without being in the major? Are there non-majors in the performing ensembles? Most of the Big 10 have large performing ensembles where you do not have to be a music major to participate. For credit, S1 was in marching band, jazz ensemble and took conducting without being a music major at Penn State. There were also concert bands/orchestras at various levels. What are the lessons policies? She can take lessons to get ready even if she has to pay for them. </p>
<p>She does not really have to give up the big 10 school. She might be able to find a way to construct her path through the non-traditional routes.</p>
<p>Two thoughts-</p>
<p>1) Expanding on Violadad’s idea of a gap year: consider the community college route. I know, I know, it’s as far from the Big 10 experience as you can get. However, if she truly wants to go for music ed, that is a way to do it and not get behind in the music ed curriculum.</p>
<p>This will only work if the community college has a strong music program. We have one in our area that has a very strong music program and is connected to the SUNYs, and all credits are transferable. Kids go for a year or two and then re-audition to their school of choice. It really can work.</p>
<p>2) On the other hand, in New York, a person can get certified by getting her bachelor’s degree with a major in the subject (doesn’t have to be music ed, could be music anything), or 18 semester hours in the subject she plans to teach with 12 semester hours in a related subject; and then going on to get a master’s degree in music ed. Other states probably have similar certification requirements.</p>
<p>There may still be hope yet. We also are waiting on word for NIU (performance).</p>
<p>D. got accepted at several conservatories, and after visiting UNT she decided to go there because:
The studio teacher is magnificent and actually working with undergraduates, the atmosphere at the Music School is unlike anywhere else we visited - incredibly friendly, great sense of community, everyone we talked to was extraordinarily nice, enthusiastic, and happy there (this includes the students AND the faculty we met), and the campus as such seems to offer a real College experience complete with great number of choices of other non-music related coursework.
All in all, after visiting USC, Oberlin, Julliard, Bard, Peabody, Lynn Conservatory, and Cleavland, UNT definitely shines as the friendliest, most welcoming, and certainly highly demanding and musically excellent place.
D. received small scholarship that qualifies her to get the in-state tuition, so the cost for the tuition is negligible, and the R&B cost is remarkably low. She’ll receive EXCELLENT music education, in an extremely comfortable place for a mere fraction of what the other conservatories would cost even with the scholarship offers. It is a win-win situation.</p>
<p>I am sorry for the lack of acceptances but had a suggestion. I am sure part of it is the Big 10 schools and no safeties. Where I live the community college has a great music department and many kids do two years of music and then transfer to a four year school. Especially if they are equivalent courses they can transfer. I hope she does well.</p>
<p>ota, congrats on your d’s acceptances. I’ll add her as a viola performance BM candidate for UNT on the decisions thread <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/853853-master-list-final-decisions-fall-2010-a.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/853853-master-list-final-decisions-fall-2010-a.html</a>, but if you wish to list her other acceptances, I’ll add those to the acceptances thread as well.</p>
<p>ota, </p>
<p>I am going to add the UNT acceptance to both the decision and the acceptance threads. I am assuming that this is a BM in viola performance from your prior postings. Was your daughter also accepted at all of the other schools you mention? We would like to add the appropriate ones to the acceptance thread.</p>
<p>EDIT: crossposted with violadad</p>