Handling a delicate situation between two professors...

College Majors Music Major
1

Second question of mine for this evening! :slight_smile:

DD applied to School #1 with Professor A. She’s had a few summer sessions with him and loves his teaching method.

Professor A also teaches at School #2.

School #2 is WAY more expensive than School #1, so DD decided that, if she wants to study with Professor A, she will go to School #1 and wouldn’t apply to School #2 at all.

School #2 has three professors (School #1 only has Professor A).

DD met Dr. B last year. He teaches only at School #2.

After DD finished her applications, Dr. B personally contacted her and asked if she was considering applying to his program at School #2. She explained that School #2 was too expensive for her and she had heard that they don’t give much merit $$, so she had decided against it, even though she had really enjoyed their lessons together when they met.

Dr. B highly encouraged her to apply to School #2 and explained that admissions was giving him more $$ this year because he is building his studio (he is a new professor) and he would love to have her in his program and believes that he would be able to offer quite a generous scholarship this particular year.

So. DD had LOVED Dr. B (she still raves over their lessons together) when they met, so figured, why not? So, she applied to School #2.

She had to list teacher-preference.
She listed (1) Dr. B (2) Professor A (3) The Other Guy Who Teaches There.
All 3 will be in attendance for her audition at the end of the month.

She already auditioned at School #1 a few weeks ago and Professor A loved her and she loved his school. He essentially made plans for them to have another lesson when she comes to School #2 to audition, etc, etc, etc.

She realized midway through the conversation that he did not realize she had listed Dr. B as her FIRST preference at School #2 and couldn’t fit in the explanation of why she had applied to School #2 in the first place.

*So - she wants to email Professor A, explain that Dr. B had contacted her directly, asking her to apply to School #2 and that if she studies with Professor A, she would do so at School #1, not School #2.

We’re afraid they’ll get into a territorial battle and that Professor A would “win” (he has seniority, after all)… but we know that he doesn’t have much $$$ to give at School #2, whereas Dr. B DOES. OR that Professor A would see her first-pick AT the audition and would be insulted, thus possibly affecting her scholarship offer at School #1 or her admittance to School #2. All 3 of these guys have to agree on her admittance, after all.

So. Suggestions for wording? Or is the above idea-track* good enough? She doesn’t want to alienate Professor A at all (she really likes him!), but wants to be clear that School #2 is for Dr. B and HIS scholarship $$ potential and that School #1 is for Professor A.

(gah, who knew it could be so complicated??)

2

If she got into both schools with equal cost, and would study with Prof. A at school #1 and Prof. B at school #2, which would she choose. In other words, does she yet have a clear preference for one professor or the other, and one school or the other?

It seems as if clarity on her first choice for school and teacher would guide what to do.

Perhaps she can explain to A that she is applying to #1 for him and only applying to #2 because of an invitation from B that involved a merit offer.

This is tough. Some teachers are grown-ups and want the best for the student, but I personally know of three different occasions when a teacher no longer spoke to a student when the student chose another teacher.

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3

Do you feel both professors will know how they are ranked during that one audition? Do you have to say anything? (At least until acceptances come in?)

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4

It is wise for her to want to keep options open as well as good communications with both professors, but hard to anticipate a course of action until you actually see hard numbers from school 2/professor B. Are the academic programs of each school comparable? Would she be more interested in school 2 if cost were not an option?

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5

@fivethirtyfive : I would like to offer a well reasoned response, but I took Algebra a very long time ago.

6

Sorry this is hard for me to follow but… Is the money offered from professor B guaranteed for all 4 years with like a certain GPA threshold. If it’s not guaranteed in writing then it’s a non starter.

My son was initially looking at 2 different programs at a large university with funds. He was told if he picked career path A (see now I am doing it), he would be one of the only freshman and if accepted into the university should get like almost a free ride… Hmmm… So he choose that path. He was accepted and no scholarship. He wrote to the professor and he was told he is not in charge of that… Hmmm he quickly changed majors to his original major and life is good. Same scenario… New money like this.

So lesson learned… If it’s not in writing…

Also professors change jobs and go elsewhere. Talk with each about their future. This happened to my daughter’s mentor. She got offered a job she couldn’t refuse. Both the mentor and my daughter were crushed. My daughter transferred schools the next year.

Not sure what your daughter is going into but at the time (transferred schools and majors also) my daughter was a theater designer student .coming from a musical theater background She had several schools after her with merit etc. Calling the house etc. So we leveraged that. Emailed the head of the department, head of the school and financial aid /scholarship department. These were all Lacs. These departments talk to each other we found out. The more expensive school did offer more money to not meet but pass her best offer. Something to consider and get it in writing.

@Publisher. That’s actually very funny. Took me awhile to get it but it’s funny…

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7

A + AB= A or B?

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LOL! I thought this would have been a more commonly-experienced issue! :smiley: Math skills notwithstanding! :wink:

If DD could just choose any professor at all (if $ were no object) - Dr. B would be the guy, hands down. EASY decision. That’s why we’re in this predicament. lol

However, he teaches at THE most expensive school she is applying to. She has friends who currently attend and they are in a staggering amount of debt… it truly takes our breath away.

Both are conservatories, so academics aren’t really an issue. Both are excellent programs for her instrument, musically. School #2 is more well-known, but that isn’t much of a priority for DD for a number of reasons.

Professor A loves her and is THE nicest guy (up to this point) and she knows him “fairly” well, so she says she will send him the email to prevent any misunderstandings at/after audition time and we shall see!

9

It sounds like Professor A is not the type to stop speaking to her :slight_smile: I am glad she is going to give school #2 and Professor B a chance. Maybe the money will work out. She must be talented, and sounds like a great kid. Good luck!

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10

So it seems that these colleges are close to each other since professor A also teaches at college 2 with professor B(did I get that right? ?).

The second school she could go into debt for and probably not worth the debt. So… Is there anyway she can go to school 1 and take some master classes or private lessons with professor B? Music students do this type of thing. Might be a whole lot cheaper in the long run.

Also have your daughter talk to Professor B and just be honest. Going to school 2 gives her the ability to work with both professors. She already has school 1 and professor A locked up. So again she should be doing everything to get into school 2. If it doesn’t work out then she knows she has her first option.

She should try to see if professor B can help her get more aid to go there. Some professors have some pull. There is nothing wrong with also asking if it doesn’t work out financially if she could take lessons /master classes during the year.

Then she can also talk to professor A. Since he teaches also at school 2. There is nothing wrong having a discussion of what he knows about it. It might be a better fit (have a reason). He might also be able to help in some way.

Music/theater /arts are all very small worlds. The professionals are mostly competing for the same talent pool. This won’t be their first time. They all tend to know each other. There could be a compelling reason to stay at college 1. Don’t go bankrupt and take out large loans if both instructions will get you to your same goal

11

If school 2 isn’t affordable, then it’s pretty much a no-brainer. The professors aren’t part of this decision.

12

Prof A really needs to know what’s up before the audition at school 2. It sounds like the student will be emailing him to tell him about the possibility being discussed about merit aid. The affordability won’t be known until after the audition.

13

Happy update: DD emailed Professor A, explaining the situation. He was, as ever, extremely gracious in his response. Said he should have caught that - he’d just assumed that she was applying to his studio at both schools and shouldn’t have done that. He said that, of course, she needed to lay the groundwork for her best possible opportunities & wished her the Very best of luck. DD adored him already, but his gracious response elevated her respect even further.

He did not have a lesson with her at School #2, because that would have been a breach of protocol, which dd understood.

Her auditions all went very well & both professors are communicating with her very positively.

We’ve also since found out that many conservatories have a very limited # of academic/community service-based scholarships that aren’t really broadcast on their websites or automatic. The professors have each nominated her for those various scholarships at each of the conservatories she has auditioned at. So, more essays to write, but so many possibilities on the horizon!

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14

Dang. This sounds like the way life ought to work.

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15

I know, right? She has worked very hard to get to this point - and she has been very fortunate during this auditions process! All of the professors she’s auditioning for seem to genuinely know and respect one another & to genuinely want what’s best for her. What luck!

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16

DD was SO GLAD she emailed Professor A before the audition. Whoever was the student’s Pick #1 came out of the audition room to greet the student before the audition, walked the auditioner into the room… The #1 would start the questions, cut the student off when/if he wanted, etc.

Her audition happened to be right after a short break. So, the three professors were outside the room, chatting with a good friend of hers who had just auditioned. When they saw her coming, her friend shouted “hello!” and the two professors she knew greeted her… but then Dr. B (her #1) left the group, came over, and chatted with DD alone.

IF she hadn’t contacted Professor A… that would have been one heck of an awkward situation. Especially if it didn’t “click” to Professor A that he was Pick #2 (at this school…) until they all sat down to begin the audition and he and Dr. B were talking over one another! OMG. DD would probably have just launched out of the room and ran away at that point. lol

So, definitely good that she emailed and clarified. Saved everyone from a super awkward encounter where there didn’t need to be one. Phew!

And she happened upon Professor A later in the afternoon and they had a nice chat without stepping on Dr. B’s toes. Win-Win! :slight_smile:

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17

When you do the right mature thing and trust yourself then good things happen. I coin this “betting on yourself”. People respect that.

Congrats to her

18

We have had two bad experiences with teachers who didn’t react well to another teacher being chosen. It is nice to read that, so far, there are better experiences.

And your daughter handled this perfectly, so glad her audition experiences were good.

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@fivethirtyfive : So glad that things worked out so well !

As always, it seems to be best to be honest and upfront with people. Most of them will be gracious, and if the odd one is not, well, that is not under your control. And these are professionals, they’re used to rejections. You’ll find that at the end of the audition season, it usually goes better when you let the rejected professors and schools know about your plans. That is the right thing to do.

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