<p>Thanks, glinda. I'm sure, she will be interested and will do anything possible to have as much of the singing experience at college as she can. </p>
<p>We'll probably go visiting East Coast schools this spring, including Princeton. Is it advicable to try to contact some of the a capella teachers/leaders during the campus visit? If yes, what is the best way to do it? Will it add anything to her chances of getting in? :-) (We'll probably try to contact some music faculty anyway, but those would be, most probably, her primary instrument teachers).</p>
<p>All of the a cappella groups are student run, meaning that they don't have any faculty advising or connections. However, the leaders of the groups are some of the nicest and most enthusiastic students you'll meet, and I'm sure they would be happy to talk to you. Contact information can be found on the groups' websites. You'll want to look into the all girl groups (Tigerlillies, Tigressions, and Wildcats) and the co-ed groups (Katzenjammers, Roaring 20, and Shere Khan). All have a unique bent to them. There are clips of the music online, or if you're lucky enough, there'll be an arch sing one of the nights that you visit campus. Arch sings take place twice a month and consist of the eight oldest groups taking turns singing in one of Princeton's gothic arches, where the acoustics are good. Our schedule for the spring is 3/31, 4/13, 4/19, and 5/5 from 10pm-12am. There are also other concerts, such as the Co-Ed Jam taking place in early April. As you can see, the groups are a major presence on campus. </p>
<p>As far as applications go, the students hold no sway with the admissions office. However, I very strongly suggest that your daughter set up an on-campus audition with the music department as a supplement to her application. She can do voice or piano or both. If you cannot make it to campus for an in-person audition, a recording will do, but I know that they look highly on those who take the initiative to come to campus if possible. I'm convinced that my audition was one of the things that tipped the scale in my favor. Best of luck in your college search!</p>
<p>And remember. The kids who are happiest at Princeton, no matter the major, are those who either revel in the social whirl, or don't care at all. That is, IMO, the single determinant characteristic of what makes the fit at Princeton happen.</p>
<p>glinda, thanks for your suggestion about audition. Would junior-spring campus visit be too early for audition? What is the better time for that?</p>
<p>They are usually done the fall of your senior year, once your application has been submitted. Once the new application comes out, there is an optional form for arts supplements that will have the information on it.</p>
<p>There absolutely are nerdy social circles:). I just mean that if you love the eating club life you will be happy and if you hate it you will be happy. The people I have seen not enjoy it are the people who think they want the eating club life but don't really like it.</p>
<p>Me, I quit my club and was happily independent.</p>
<p>And what's there about eating club life to like or not to like? :) What are the reasons to be accepted or not accepted into them? Are there any musically-nerdy ones? :)</p>
<p>My D doesn't like it when people are divided/discriminated by some superficial/"beyond control" criteria - like looks, money, social status etc. If that would be the case with the eating club selection, she would probably ignore it.</p>
<p>Tower is considered the conservative artsy eating club, although it was the most popular bicker club this year. There are many choices now in terms of dining and social arrangements:
- Bicker eating clubs: these are the ones to which you must apply. Generally speaking about 2/3 of students will be accepted.
- Sign-in eating clubs: you just list your preferences. If there are seats available in your first choice, you’re in; if not, you go into a lottery, but eventually there will be a seat somewhere for you.
- Four year colleges: you can stay for your entire four years in a residential college.
- Co-op dining; you can join a co-op, where you cook your meals in common. One is for vegetarians; one for omnivores.
- Independent: you can get a room with cooking facilities and simply make your own food.</p>
<p>Admittedly social life for most students revolves around the eating clubs, but most eating clubs are open to all Princeton students for many of their functions, and if you consider “the Street” shallow and superficial, you will find kindred spirits on campus. However, some parents who think their children are “nerds” find out they are more than capable of successful navigating the eating club social scene, whether by formally joining or selectively participating.</p>
<p>what is the best way to contact the Princeton music department? We'll probably will be visiting soon; I tried to e-mail their music program director (Mr. Pratt) - got no response. Who else could I e-mail? Or is trying to set-up an appointment/interview/mini-audtioin for a visiting h/s junior completely useless?</p>
<p>When my kid visited Princeton he spoke to the orchestra conductor about ensemble opportunities; some friends of my kid also auditioned on violin with the conductor. Try contacting the conductor. If you get no response by email, try calling the office and leaving a message. For piano, the teachers they list are all adjuncts. In terms of the application process, you can send a CD as part of the application.</p>
<p>The bicker criteria remain a secret myau...it is completely up to the leadership of the particular eating club to which you are applying. Bicker is actually often times completing a variety of stupid tasks, kind of like rushing, but not nearly as harsh or degrading. Some clubs its just a question and answer interview, and you are evaluated by the council members. It varies.</p>
<p>Let me add my two cents. DD sent an art supplement with classical guitar and classical voice, following the instructions. She applied as an engineering major and we didn't know if anyone even listened to the supplement. Until she arrived on campus, that is, and did NOT sign up for gee club auditions as she thought she would be too busy. She then got an email from the Glee Club director introducing himself as the person who had listened to her supplement, strongly recommended her to admissions, and asking why she hadn't signed up for auditions. She did so, was accepted and has loved every minute of it. She took classical guitar lessons her first semester from a very qualified teacher (studied with Segovia), but is too busy this semester. They were 1/2 subsidized at the end of the semester due to her Glee Club participation. She hopes to pick it up again as a sophomore, but her life is so full, engineering is difficult, and I'm not sure she'll be able to. Music is her passion and always will be, but she has decided it will not be her career. We're going to co-ed jam this Thursday night and I'm so excited!</p>
<p>Someone made a comment along the lines that Princeton students are too busy with their thesis to focus on music. Actually, though, students in all the arts have the opportunity to do a creative thesis, which can involve novel writing or choreography or musical composition and/or performance. For example: <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S07/39/55A60/%5B/url%5D">http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S07/39/55A60/</a> The creative theses enrich campus life because often other students (frosh through seniors) are asked to perform in them, when the project calls for an ensemble. So actually the thesis is a chance to go deeper into one's art form.</p>
<p>I'm deciding between Princeton and Yale as a music major (I play percussion and am planning on also doing a capella). Does anyone have experience with both music programs who could give me some insight?
Thanks!</p>
<p>I just need to say something about the Princeton music department. I have been seriously looking into the music departments of higher-caliber schools and Yale and Princeton seem to have the best. Princeton, however, seems particularly interested, more so than Yale, in making its music more mainstream among its students. For example, a very famous composer named Steven Mackey is on the faculty there. Mr. Mackey is a very contemporary composer and may appeal to a younger audience that is not interested in hearing the Bach's Brandenburg Concerto. If music is what you're interested, I truly believe that Princeton is the way to go.</p>