How much does music help?

Applying to College
1

<p>I just finished my freshman year (I'm just turned 14) and I also just passed my 8th Grade exam with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Reading this board, I sort of got the impression that everyone does music so it's not really a stand-out EC, but I was just wondering if what I'm planning on doing in music might help down the road.</p>

<p>My music ECs:
Finished 8th Grade with ABRSM</p>

<p>Studying for an ABRSM Diploma, which is the level that one is expected to have achieved after finishing the first year of a three year music college. I expect to take the exam sometime at the end of my sophomore year or start of my junior year. </p>

<p>I took the AP Music Theory exam when I was in 8th Grade under my own self-study program (ie I just studied on my own, no teacher, no class) and got a 4 (5 in the written section and a 3 in the aural). </p>

<p>I've done well in a few state competitions for piano, and will be entering some national ones this summer. </p>

<p>Member of the Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey, a highly competitve youth orchestra that performs around the country. I play the saxophone there.</p>

2

<p>I forgot to add that I passed 8th Grade with merit, if that makes a difference.</p>

3

<p>I'm thirty years out of high school, and can assure you that music helps a great deal, every day of my life.</p>

<p>Did it help me get into college? I don't know. </p>

<p>If someone tells you it won't help, would that prompt you to quit playing? If you're anything like most of the musicians I know, you'd keep playing anyway. If so, the answer to your question doesn't really matter, does it?</p>

4

<p>Haha. Yeah that's probably true. It's just that I would have loved to have just played music for music's sake, but the powers that be (i.e. my parents) wanted me to take the music exams. That sort of sucks the fun out of it, but I guess it helped me to become a better musician.</p>