<p>I can’t speak directly about MSM, with theory and ear training they will place you where they think you fit in. One of the things about ear training and theory teaching is that on the pre college level and college level how it is taught varies. My S finished the theory track at the program he was at, and in college he placed out of the basic theory track (4 semesters), but someone coming from a different program may not (and there are areas where he is weak, where the program at the conservatory he is at teaches things differently). To show you how different things are, my S did ABRSM and had finished level V, yet he placed into the third year track where he went to pre college…I think that is because the people teaching ABRSM in the program he was in went well beyond the baisc material.</p>
<p>As far as being placed in a class with fifth grades, I can’t speak for MSM directly, but from what I know from my S’s old program, they didn’t mix it like that, and if they do have 5th graders in theory classes I would bet pretty good money they would be like any other student in the class. I suspect you will find that most of the kids in your class are near your age, one of the things to keep in mind is that a lot of the kids getting into those pre college programs often have had little to no theory, so many kids start at theory 1 and ear training 1, so you won’t be alone.</p>
<p>As far as orientation goes, I wouldn’t worry too much about it, I suspect what we went through with my son at his program will be very similar, They’ll talk about the program, about what is expected, probably get a long speech (if you are an instrumentalist) about how important orchestra and chamber are, and they will likely give a big speech about concerto competitions and their meaning, trying to deflate the “I am so much better than you” kind of thing (the irony is the parents are much worse with that kind of thing than the kids, at the orientation I was at when the head of the program said something about that, many of the parents made faces like someone had set off a stink bomb in the room). They will probably tell you that regular attendance is mandatory, about whatever ground rules they have, which you’ll find in their student handbook and such. Put it this way, my S rolled his eyes when we asked him what happened in his orientation, and other than seeing that those running the program seemed intent on making it a safe place for the students, to try and foister collegiality rather than cut throat competition, there was no divine wisdom in the parents portion, either. MSM may be slightly different, hopefully this helps, one thing I will tell you, is that my son was very, very anxious going in, was afraid he wouldn’t fit in, that he wasn’t good enough, and by the end of his four years, he said it really was some of the happiest days of his life, the time spent there:)</p>