<p>Now that we are in March Madness time, I was reminded by some comments on the how did auditions go thread about some stressful events that occurred last year. </p>
<p>Oberlin sent out their acceptance emails on a Sunday afternoon around noon PST, I believe sometime in late March. They had hinted at our information session that they would be sending out emails in advance of letters, to those who had been accepted. Apparently they did not mention this at ALL their info sessions. Some people were extremely hurt to be finding out via CC that they were not admitted.</p>
<p>Hopefully Oberlin is not planning this again this year, but this is a super stressful time, and I am wondering if we should have some sort of etiquette about this on the boards, or if it might even be better to just avoid looking at CC altogether in late March and just wait for your own emails and letters to arrive. </p>
<p>For early review acceptances, Oberlin sent emails prior to letters. I think it is safe to assume that they will notify accepted students in the same manner. I know it is stressful for the applicants, but a school should not dictate its notification procedures because accepted students will hear first. The accepted students deserve the joy of the email.</p>
<p>It is great to celebrate an acceptance, and it has been fun to read them as they come in this season. The growing list is impressive and becomes helpful to next year’s applicants. There does need to be some caution. I seem to recall during a previous audition year someone writing that they were accepted into a competitive program, and they were told they received the only acceptance that season. So, other applicants perhaps learned on CC that they were not accepted. In addition, one musician’s “safety” school might be another musican’s #1 choice. </p>
<p>I’m looking forward to reading lots of happy news here on CC over the next few weeks. Thanks to all who have been so helpful and generous with their time and information.</p>
<p>March Madness: that’s the perfect term for what I feel. I have never been so anxious, so impatient, in all of my life. It’s all very stressful. I don’t know if I can wait another 3 weeks…I’ve been waiting for 6 months, ever since I sent my apps in. 6 months is a long freaken time. My counselor told me that “patience is a virtue,” but I’m begining to think that it’s not possible to obtain.</p>
<p>What VMT pointed out was also stated in the auditions thread. It is one thing to share the joy of an acceptance, it is another thing to add comments which may unintentionally disclose information as to other results, as well as information that was told to the student or parent in confidence. Good luck to everyone!</p>
<p>It’s pretty hard to control what other people post. When someone writes that they were accepted in the audition room, or that they were informed of acceptance early by a teacher, etc., it’s bound to upset everyone else who auditioned for that spot, intentional or not. In this age of the internet, news travels fast, but it’s news that was coming along anyway. I think our kids, who grew up with internet and its rapidly changing etiquette, handle the lumps better than we do.</p>
<p>Last year, D3 got the hint that she was rejected from a summer program after someone here posted about their acceptance. In an odd sort of way, it helped ease the disappointment when the rejection email finally arrived (foreshadowing?). Of course, she would have preferred an acceptance…</p>
<p>I agree with both GH and Stradmom. I was not talking about hints, more the overt statement that someone was told that they were the only one accepted etc. The mere fact of announcing an email acceptance says something - that those who did not get the e-mail may not have been accepted. I was guilty of this when I announced my son’s early review acceptance at Oberlin. Without imposing radio silence, we can’t and shouldn’t stop that. Some applicant’s are going to be hurt in this process, it’s the nature of the game. And in this game score is kept so to speak.</p>
<p>I am in awe of the way that musicians constantly put themselves on the line to be evaluated in auditions and competitions. I know my own ego couldn’t take that kind of rejection. </p>
<p>I once heard a youth orchestra perform a piece whose name escapes me, but the point was that musicians have to be 100% perfect all the time. The composition had the orchestra playing it correctly the first time through, and then each instrument was assigned one tiny little error on the repeat, a miniscule less-than-1% intonation/rhythm flaw. You can imagine the result.</p>
<p>So am I. Fifteen or minutes to place yourself above the others. Having to journey on even if you know you made a mistake, wanting to take back that answer to the obscure question back, or that half step or that run. Or maybe having the perfect interview or performance, and still wondering if it was good enough. And then those parents and their questions and their fretting over every answer.</p>
<p>And it keeps going - for VP it can be lovely, beautifully sung, even the best performance, but you aren’t the look or sound they wanted for the role. I really admire all the people that can keep doing this. March madness indeed, if only it was restricted to March :)</p>
<p>So I’m freaking out about next week! Just a question. I applied for a B.A. In music for voice at Syracuse. Do you think admissions will be somewhat easier than that of a B.M.?</p>
<p>Man, I feel for every darn kid who auditioned and didn’t get in…the fact they want to pursue music counts for something in my book! Here’s to everyone for pursuing their dreams, where there is a will there is a way.</p>
<p>Jamienbrandel, I don’t know this but I would think given the very nature of the BA music major that they’d be easier with admissions if you’re talking audition and harder if you’re talking GPA, SAT/ACT and the rest.</p>