<p>I know. I know. This should most likely go in Prep School Admisions, but I figured I'd get the mucisians' views.</p>
<p>What do you know?
How strong really are the music programs?</p>
<p>et cetera.</p>
<p>I don't know. Thought I'd give this section a chance too. :)</p>
<p>I do not have direct experience with the place, but I do know several students who have attended Interlochen and they are all really good. One of them is currently at Curtis and another at Juilliard.</p>
<p>There are basically 3 private fine arts boarding high schools in the US…Interlochen - top of Michigan…
Walnut Hill School - located 1/2 hour outside of Boston and Idywild in California…</p>
<p>DD auditioned at Interlochen and Walnut Hill last year for vocal…very impressed with both. Ended up attending Walnut Hill School because of location to Boston (loves the big city). </p>
<p>The kids we met seemed happy at both…Interlochen is about twice the size number wise as Walnut Hill School…Both have top notch teachers…and students win contest on regular basis…Of the 5 vocal students who sent prescreening cd’s to Juilliard out of DD class 3 got auditons 1 made call backs (really impressive seeing that they get a huge number of prescreening for vocal every year)…DD has been extremely happy with her program at WHS.</p>
<p>That said there are many other fine programs around the country for musicians that are not boarding schools…we just didn’t have access to one where we lived…hope this answers your question…feel free to pm if you want more specifics.</p>
<p>opera-mom., as a Michigan native, I must correct you. Interlochen is at the top of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. The top of Michigan is the Keweenaw Peninsula sticking out from the Upper Peninsula (or the U.P. as Michiganders call it). Trust me, Yoopers, the folk who inhabit the U.P. don’t take kindly to being forgotten!</p>
<p>D will attend next school year for her senior year. We visited in January, and they set up an audition during our visit. She attended classes with a student. We fell in love with the place immediatedly. The students were very nice, the teachers/staff very supportive. All the kids my D talked to loved the place. We went to choir class, which had maybe 50-60 members. They sounded fantastic, and the director was truly gifted. Most classes are small, maybe 12-14 each. Several of the conservatories go to Interlochen to audition the kids. When we were there, Oberlin was there. Major conductors go there every year to work with the orchestra. About half the students are music majors, the others divided among theater, dance, visual arts and film. They all seem to end up populating the top conservatories and colleges. My D is thrilled to be attending next year. </p>
<p>I’m looking forward to reading any responses here from those who have attended.</p>
<p>don9992</p>
<p>I stand corrected…it just felt like the top of Michigan as we drove 3 hours up from Grand Rapids through a blinding blizzard…in which I almost ditched the rented 4 wheel drive SUV I was driving.</p>
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<p>I’m also apply there. 
Both in writing and music. If I get both, gosh, it’s going to be painful trying to choose. It really will be. </p>
<p>Thanks for all the info so far.</p>
<p>Have a relative who went there as a staff member. Sent us the most beautiful postcard. Would not pass up an opportunity to go there just to enjoy the scenery.</p>
<p>I just looked at the Interlochen website, and saw the tuition. How do families pay for it?</p>
<p>From what I’ve read over 60% of students are on financial aid.</p>
<p>My daughter is an Interlochen grad ('03) and was there junior and senior years. It was magical. She was a vocalist and went to Rice as a vocal performance major. She also worked at the camp for two summers following graduation. The academics were strong and she got 5s on all her AP exams. Her voice teacher was fantastic and she bonded with many of the faculty and staff members. I really miss the place- it is truly special. My daughter considers it one of the greatest gifts she could have received. We paid full price, by the way, and it was worth every penny. Her Interlochen roommate/best friend was her Maid of Honor in her wedding last June. I am still friends with some of the Interlochen parents we met while our daughter attended (not Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, though, even though they were Interlochen parents at the time). :)</p>
<p>Yes these schools are expensive…We are also a full pay…We were just very fortunate that previous year husband had stellar sales year…Never before…probably never again…Considered paying mortgage down and then decided investment in daughter was more important…We also have never regretted a penny of the money spent…She has flourished… I don’t know how most pay for it…When we looked at Interlochen I think they said the average income of families was $60,000…</p>
<p>It has been a huge financial sacrifice…but thinking we could have put it into the stock market and it would now be all but gone…glad we made the decision we did.</p>
<p>I have a very good friend who attends Interlochen Arts Academy. He is actually there for the theater/acting program, but they were extremely generous with financial aid. This boy is incredibly talented and was a NFAA theater finalist down in Miami this year. He comes from a very humble family with not much money at all, and Interlochen’s financial aid covers almost his whole bill. </p>
<p>So, if money is the issue, rest assured that Interlochen is very generous to talented and deserving students like my friend. I wish I had the chance to go, and it sounds like a worth while investment if your area schools are not strong in the arts and cannot facilitate your child’s artistic growth.</p>
<p>I’m a 2-year veteran of the summer camp as a high school creative writing major, and I absolutely loved it. If financial aid for the Academy is anything like financial aid for the camp, you’re in good hands.</p>
<p>i saw this thread and thought i’d chime in. i know you guys are mostly talking about music; i was a theater major at walnut hill but i’d be happy to answer any questions you might have about the school in general. i was very involved but it didnt end up so well. i came my sophomore year and left after the end of my junior year.</p>