I'm poor and talented. Help me.

Paying for College
1

<p>Hey. My name is Cole. I’m 17 years old, from Mississippi, and am about to enter my senior year of high school. I have a lot of questions for you all. I hope you don’t mind.</p>

<p>I want to go to Berklee College of Music. If I sound boa****l then I am sorry, but truthfully, I could easily get into Berklee. I would be better than most of the people applying. Music is my life. It has always been my life, and it always will be. I don’t want to go to any college but this.</p>

<p>The problem is financing. My family and I just don’t have the money to pay for $30,000 a semester of schooling. Berklee offers a scholarship based on how well you do at an audition, but that audition is a long way from now, and even then it does not cover everything and I still need to make sure I have more scholarships to fall back on. I am willing to do pretty much anything. So, here are my questions…</p>

<li><p>Where are some good places to find scholarships? I’ve entered at some websites, but so far they’ve amounted to nothing.</p></li>
<li><p>How much does Financial Aid actually help? If my parents can honestly only pay 5% of the total cost, would I seriously be able to get 95% out of the government and school? It doesn’t seem realistic to me, but maybe it’s true.</p></li>
<li><p>Does the ROTC really pay for your full tuition? I’ve heard it <em>can</em>, but <em>can</em> and <em>will</em> are two different things. If it is only a “slight possibility” that I’ll get full tuition from them, then I don’t want to go into ROTC. If they guarantee to pay full tuition for me, I will be willing to do it. </p></li>
</ol>

<p>Thanks.</p>

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<p>Please forgive my ignorance as I don't know your field, but, what about a school like Julliard, or some others that may offer similar programs as Berklee, and with financial merit aid?</p>

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<p>Juilliard is a primarily classical school. Besides that, though, it has the lowest acceptance rate in the country. I may not get in. I'd like to find scholarships for a school I know I can get into.</p>

<p>Berklee and Juilliard are both ranked as the best music schools to go to, but Berklee is very easy to get into while Juilliard is not. This is why it has the highest dropout rate in the country. They allow in non-musical people, but those people drop out the first year.</p>

4

<p>Why don't you make yourself a list of, say, four to eight colleges that you know to have excellent music departments (the list to include Berklee AND a "can't-miss" safety school) that also give merit money (you will be able to discover this by reading each college's website); that way, you will have some options, and, you will not have all of your eggs in one basket so to speak. </p>

<p>I have heard that FSU and Frost (UM) have excellent programs; I am not sure about any others. I know that you posted that you ONLY want to go to Berklee but you may find that by looking at other schools you will have more options....</p>

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<p>A former student of mine is a piano major at Ithaca College (there is also a Conservatory at Ithaca, but I BELIEVE he's at the College) and while he is not a superstar performer, and will probably never be a Van Cliburn, nonetheless, he got a nice scholarship and is getting a very fine music education. You could also try Longy School of Music, Lawrence University, Oberlin Conservatory (also top of the line), and some perhaps less well known music schools. As LTS implies, we don't know your particular interest. It depends on your genre. Great music schools definitely exist.</p>

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<p>Even if you are poor there are still good scholarships and programs that you may qualify for. You should run your EFC on the finaid.org calculators, look for schools that meet financial need, meaning COA-EFC=Financial need. I know you have your heart set on one school, but as other posters mentioned, it is alway best to research fully your other options, have a list of schools that meet your criteria and pursue them as well. At the end of the day, you will be gad that you didn't pin your hopes on one school. good luck to you.</p>

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<p>I'm not sure Berklee has ROTC...but yes, they do pay your tuition. But keep in mind that you have an ROTC obligation while in college and also a tour of duty in the armed forces when you graduate.</p>

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<p>Another thought, Hartt School at the Univ. of Hartford. I would agree with latetoschool that you develop a working list, which will give you more options. I know many kids whose first choice changed after realizing there are many schools that might fit their criteria, and exploring these with an open mind.</p>

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<p>ROTC might not let you major in Music. I think that there are some restrictions as to what can and can't be your major.</p>

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<p>maestro, do spend some time on CC's music major forum <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/&lt;/a>. The depth of program knowledge is extensive, and there are specific threads detailing many different school options. A number of posters, myself included have "kids" at many top programs or are students themselves, entering grad school and embarking on pro performing careers.</p>

<p>I want to make a few points initially. You do not specify your musical background, and therefore I or others cannot blanketly specify any number of potential schools that might provide a proper program for your needs.</p>

<p>Berklee, like all audition based conservatory level programs is just that: audition based. Your relative rank in the pool you're competing against will determine both your admission and the amount of talent money awarded. Additional aid, if any, will come from federal, state sources if applicable. Some might be grants, some loans depending on the institution, and the financial aid methodolgy they use to figure need, and how and at what percentage they will meet that need.</p>

<p>Full tuition talent based awards are obtained by a number of top music students. My son (Hartt grad) was among the lucky ones. He did not receive his full award initially; his audition based talent award was half tuiition. He worked his arse off, got increases each of his next two years, and auditioned his way into a full tuition scholarship for the last two years of his five year program.</p>

<p>Full rides are rarer still, but they do happen. We're personally acquainted with one of Berklee's '07 full ride Presidential Scholars (I believe this is a full ride scholarship, I may be wrong). Son has played with this student many times, and she is a major talent.</p>

<p>These types of scholarships are hard to get, and go to those at the top of their game within the audition pools at any given institution. You can strengthen your chances by preparing long and hard and with the best possible private instruction you can afford, but even then, it's not only your talent but a combination of factors that will determine the outcome. Luck, the make-up of the competition, and whim of the gods all play a part. Realize that any audition based program will be a crapshoot, and sometimes even your best shot will not be good enough.</p>

<p>For additional outside music scholarships, there are few national ones. Try fastweb, but you may find local/regional scholarships are your best shot. Many orchestras offer competition based awards for local high school students, as do a number of music societies. Use google to find orchestras in your area, and check their websites for scholarship/competition options. Many high schools have listings or administer local and regional scholarship programs. I would look there as well.</p>

<p>ROTC MAY be an option. Talk to those who administer the programs. You do have a service committment, but you may be able examine the potential of pursuing music in the military. Realize that most all of the military performing organizations are also audition based, and normally will include a stint at the military music school. The ONLY military performing organization that DOES NOT require basic training is the Marine Band, "The President's Own" "The</a> President's Own"United States Marine Band. Competiton for this is high as any of the top symphonies in the country.</p>

<p>If you decide to fund your education through ROTC, research well, and take recruiting statements, promises with a grain of salt. What is told to you matters not. Written policy is what dictates your terms and conditions of service. Try and contact some current military performing members and get their experiences and comments. It can be a means to your end, but that is your decision. Please research your options well if you go this route.</p>

<p>Good luck to you.</p>

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<p>What about looking at a school closer to home with a large music program and very reasonable tuition and fees. USM</a> School of Music | College of Arts & Letters</p>

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<p>Part of the reality of audition based admits is that often a solid candidate will be offered a substantial talent award which can often bring costs to the equivalent or below level of attending an instate public. Most talent based awards at states are subsantially lower than offered by privates. </p>

<p>Often, for those considering a performance based career, the level of instruction, performance opportunities, and peer quality of fellow musicians can rarely be matched at a public. Having said that, there are a handfull of public institututions that deliver a conservatory level educational experience. Indeed, a few are on the level of the best strict conservatory programs.</p>

<p>Most state institutions have great reps for producing well trained and qualified music educators and general music specialists; some are noted for the areas of theory or music history, and I strongly recommend anyone looking at music ed to consider your state institutions first. They are however, not necessarily the best source for high level instrumental performance or composition training. While a specific faculty instrumental/vocal instructor might rival the faculty of Curtis or Juilliard, many other aspects of the program, including some I've detailed above, do not always serve to provide the necessary periperhal needs of those in a performance discipline.</p>

<p>Depending on the performance discipline and institution, a public should not be ruled out, but it is important to examine all aspects necessary to provide the educational/experience background required to be competitive in an audition based pro career.</p>

<p>Without knowing more of the OP's background or goals, school suggestions in general are a shotgun, rather than targeted approach.</p>

<p>Just my $.02.</p>

<p>Edit: for those interested, I strongly suggest reading BassDad's great thread here <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-family-s-experience.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-family-s-experience.html&lt;/a> You will not find a more detailed and comprehensive overview of the undergrad's music requirements anywhere.</p>

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<p>Yes, please come on over to the music forum! </p>

<p>You are asking about two different things: music schools and financial aid. The music forum can help you with a lot of the music school questions. There are lots of experienced folks there that can help you navigate the next few years.</p>

<p>You ask about financial aid, saying your parents can perhaps only pay 5%. Financial aid formulas look not only at how much money your family has, but how much they should have, and how much they will have. That is, they look at your family's earning power. There are very few college kids whose parents make a "spare" $40k per year. But formulas (which vary from school to school) might look at what else you own (house, etc), actual income, family size, other children in college, and earning potential. Then they might decide that they think based on your current income, savings, and assets, that it is reasonable for you to come up with x amount of dollars. They don't care where it comes from - under the mattress, home equity line of credit, loans, penny-pinching. That is what they call your EFC. They look at what is left over, and decide how they might help you pay that - through more loans, grants, scholarships, work-study, etc. </p>

<p>You talk about finding outside scholarships, but at many schools, those outside scholarships will simply reduce the amount the school gives you (although most schools apply it against need-based loans first) - It will not reduce the EFC. (There are exceptions. Juilliard is one that allows you to "keep" outside money.)</p>

<p>The music forum will help you find schools to look at that might fit both your instrument/genre and your pocketbook.</p>

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<p>I am certainly less informed that violadad but I'll throw something in here. There were two very talented musicians in our area who went to HS with my son. Both were denied admission at Berklee, largely because although they were great performers, they did not have a background in music theory. So...I would definitely not agree that Berklee is very easy to get into.</p>

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<p>I agree completely with ebeeeee. Berklee HAD a rep for admitting almost anyone, and it is no longer the case. While theory is normally not a stumbling block at conservatory/conservatory level programs, it is important to realize that many competitors will have had some knowledge of theory, music history, and aural skills ranging from neophyte to advanced training. For the top candidates within an instrument pool or music discipline, many will audition relatively equally. There are only so many available openings. Admission officials take numerous considerations into account in offering admissions, including essays, interviews, potential as well as current level of talent. </p>

<p>I don't dispute ebeeee's assertion, but it is rare in an undergrad program that lack of theory knowledge alone is the main reason for denying admission. It CAN be the case in grad school admissions. Almost all BM programs require at least 4 to 6 semesters of theory related courses; theory testing is usually done as part of the audition (or pre registration process) and serves as a placement tool in first level course placement, as does aural skills testing for ear training/soflege coursework. </p>

<p>Many music transfer students have a hard time transferring theory credits, as most BM programs structure their theory courses to their specific curriculum outline.</p>

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<p>Just an FYI for the OP...you can audition for any of the military bands right out of high school. If accepted, you will do a stint in the Armed Forces Music School (or whatever it's called). If you are in the President's Own you will not do basic training. All others do. The Armed Forces music school is like a conservatory program in many ways. We know a high school student who auditioned and was accepted into one of the armed forces bands. He was extraordinarily talented.</p>

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<p>From what I hear- audition programs, whether they are musical/theatre or dance sound so competitive.
When you are hoping for merit money, it sounds even worse.
I don't know your area- but a friend really liked Lawrence University- ( violin- very accomplished musician and composer)</p>

<p>Another friend graduated from New England Conservatory- & he is doing well
( jazz- horns)</p>

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<p>The good news is that the list of potential schools is fairly large, and the potential for significant talent awards is there. Depending on the instrument or discipline, a conservatory level player can have any number of excellent options. The main factors in narrowing choices center around student/teacher mentor compatability, depth and quality of performance organizations, quality of peers, program size; of equal importance to many are location and costs/financial aid.</p>

<p>The college admissions /financial aid process in and of itself is hard to navigate, and gets compounded by adding additional factors such as knowing and understanding the specific criteria in narrowing choices for those pursuing performing/creative arts disciplines.</p>

<p>There are few sources available for the neophyte. This forum is one of the best.</p>

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<p>To the OP, what is your instrument?</p>

<p>As ebeeeeeeeee and others mentioned, Berklee has become much harder to get into that it used to be (I believe the acceptance rate was below 30 percent this year ... ). </p>

<p>Audition counts for a good part of the admission process and will be performance as well as several theory tests. </p>

<p>From what I could gather, it was a tough year for guitarists and vocalists, which rank 1-2 in terms of dominant principal instruments there. </p>

<p>And while I do not doubt that you are amazing and could get in easily, remember that a large percentage of the 7,500 applicants this year (for class of 800 so not sure how many they actually accepted) are similarly passionate about contemporary music and similarly confident of their skills. Most are big fish in varying sizes of ponds when it comes to how they stack up against other musicians in their areas. </p>

<p>My advice is to check into fastweb and all sorts of other additional scholarship programs (hopefully your HS guidance office has a good file), not just strictly music but all sorts of other things. </p>

<p>Keep your GPA up so you can also qualify for the scholarships that take those into account ...</p>

<p>Very few kids get full rides to Berklee (a handful) but many (30 percent) get one to some degree. So try to see what you can do starting now to qualify for other scholarships here and there that can contribute to "the fund" you need. </p>

<p>And finally, and I hope this doesn't come out wrong, please try when you apply NOT to show them that you think you are a slam dunk for admission there. It's no longer the "anyone can get in" school it was as recently as just two or three years ago. </p>

<p>Just my two cents.</p>