<p>I'll respond to the title of this thread. My daughter did some significant research into the schools to which she applied. She really wanted to continue playing the oboe and English horn in college (not as a music major). This required finding a school with an orchestra that welcomed non-majors. AND it required a school that did already have a full section of oboe players. She contacted the oboe teachers and asked about the opportunities. In fact, one thing that tipped her final selection was a guaranteed seat in their orchestra, oboe lessons at no charge. So she knew she had something to offer this school...plus geographically we live on the opposite coast...plus she is a girl who wants to major in engineering (although she is going in undeclared). She felt these were pluses. By the way, in regards to a previous post...music and being an athlete are NOT hooks. They are probably the most common ECs out there. Hooks are things that truthfully few youngsters bring to the college application table.</p>