<p>Since there are sports recruits, can you technically be recruited for musical talents?</p>
<p>For example, even though I'm not applying to the Hun Music School at Princeton, will the fact that I play an instrument very well help me (sort of as a hook)?</p>
<p>If its a rare instrument (harp, gong, fife, oboe) it might be a nice hook, but if its guitar or piano I would say no.</p>
<p>Well, if you excel at an instrument and the conductor feels a need to have you, they tend to put in a good word for you. However, I don't see this as helping as much as being an athletic recruit or a legacy.</p>
<p>YES! i know a friend who got into UCLA for musical composition for guitar...hes a musical prodigy on the guitar....you just make an audition appointment with the school and 20 min later they make a decision. I also know another kid who got into UCLA for a single ink drawing he did. CRAZY! but true. o and fyi the guy that got in with the guitar skills has a 3.1 GPA</p>
<p>There are basically three kinds of schools for music. The first is a conservatory (i.e. Juilliard, Curtis Institute of Music, ) that accepts and rejects virtually solely based on the audition. The second is a music conservatory within a school (i.e. Indiana University School of Music). These operate basically the same way as a music conservatories but operate within a larger university context. The third is a music department within a school (i.e. Princeton University, Harvard University). These are academic departments of music. Because there are relatively few music majors at these schools, they need to recruit orchestra and band members from the larger university. </p>
<p>For the first two types of schools, getting accepted based on talent with a subpar SAT or GPA is not unusual. It's impossible to recruit musical talent without the musically trained people deciding between people. However, sad as this might seem at the end it comes down to money from alumni donations and this is unfortunately rarely generated from the orchestra or band but rather sports.</p>
<p>If you are talented and play an instrument and demonstrate that you'll do something with it (not necessarily major in music) at the school, it could be a good thing depending on circumstances.</p>
<p>My father is the music dept chair at a prominent LAC, and no really good violinists matriculated last year, which means that any good violinists this year that sent tapes will get strong recommendations from him in the admissions decision.</p>
<p>I have taught instrumental music for 14 years. And I have a son who just graduated form HS. He played in the school orchestra from 6th-12th grade. When he was accepted to GaTech, FSU and Auburn with a 3.7 and 1240 SAT I contacted those schools admissions department to ask what put him over the top. All three said that the commitment shown by playing an instrument and sticking with it for the entire HS career meant alot in their decision. My son is not a music major and may not even play in the university orchestra. Admissions officers know what kind of commitment being in HS band or orchestra takes and put alot of weight on that in their decision to admit, regardless of major.</p>
<p>RaboKarabekian -- I'd love to know the name of that school! My D is a fabulous violinist who wants to play in college - possibly minor, but not major. She is actively seeking out LACs who will let her do this.</p>
<p>Rice has an orchestra for non-majors.</p>
<p>Boston University also has an orchestra for non-majors...and a wind ensemble, and a couple of pep bands, and a jazz band.</p>
<p>The pep band probably wouldn't be a big draw for the violinist. :)</p>
<p>You know...I just noticed that these posts were originally from 2004.</p>