Do people ever “settle” for a safety school for the DMA programl?
SSD(step step-daughter) has narrowed the list down to those 4 schools
at this time. Julliard, Boston, Indiana, Cincinnati(CCM) Mostly because
she has studied or taken many lessons from teachers at those school
in the past 6 years.
For example, if she applies to Julliard and doesn’t get accepted…
she will apply there next year, but she and I put the chances at 50%
at best. 
(hey, let’s be realistic, right? )
what’s the consensus on “settling” for a safety school that approves
admission to their DMA program.(for example, Boston, Indiana, CCM)
the professors she knows at those 3 school basically told he that she
has near 99% chance of being accepted for the next year(2017-18)
Well… unless she slacks off and party for the next 10 months?
Of course, with more than a year to go, that list will sure get bigger
or smaller.
I don’t know what the DMA is in, Indiana is one of the top conservatories, BU has a well regarded music program (I am not going to comment on CCM because I don’t know their DMA program), so I don’t think it would be ‘settling’ to go there. Juilliard is a great school in many ways, but it isn’t the be all and end all, and may not even be a fit for your SSD. Some of it may come down to financial, she might get into Juilliard but not get enough aid to go there, and the other schools might be more attractive. There is prestige to a Julliard degree in that most people have heard of it, but it is not the be all and end all either, and music is a bit different than getting a job at a company, if she is looking to do music performance, it is going to be how she plays.
I don’t understand your question. Your SSD has identified schools where she has had lessons with teachers she likes - an important consideration and first step. She should look into the specifics of the DMA programs at each school. There will be differences such as required vs optional orchestra participation, extent of any required thesis project to accompany the DMA recitals, coursework, relative difficulty of entrance exams in theory and history. Finances may be a major consideration - I hope she’s not going to take out loans, but that’s my opinion.
Are you saying she really only wants to have Juilliard degree? If so, I guess every other place becomes what I would call a back-up school, but not necessarily a safety.
None of those schools are a safety. And no teacher can make guarantees (it is not uncommon to be told you’ll be accepted and then be rejected). She’ll simply need to apply to a few good schools and see what happens.
I don’t know that I would call any of those “safe” for graduate or DMA or even undergraduate. When I think of safe, I think of the big box state schools or smaller, lesser known programs that are still a quality program. Indiana is maybe a safety, but dependent on the instrument-maybe not. Juilliard, as mentioned, is “the name.” There are just as solid instructors and programs at any of the “top” schools. The name on the degree doesn’t get you a job. You work ethic and talent does.
I think it’s natural to have a list of preferences, but I don’t think that everything below the top choice has to be a “safety” that one “settles” for. That said, I can understand some of the feeling you describe when Juilliard is your top choice. My son auditioned for undergrad there and talked with someone auditioning for a MM, as well as someone auditioning for a DMA. In all of their cases, the application/audition process at Juilliard was so different from other schools that it set itself apart in their minds. I’m pretty sure the effect is a deliberate one.
In the end though, I think you have to separate the “prestige” factor from how much each program will help you grow as a musician in the direction you want to go.