Thank you! Honestly my kids have been participating in pre-college because they love it and when it is no longer fun it will no longer happen. I would think the incredible time commitment would be a plus for colleges. My son doesnt do competitions because he HATES them. There are very few in his instrument, they are spirit crushing and then the same few kids seem to win them all! Music should be for joy and growth and if it helps his college application, great, if not, oh well!
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@compmom My response was directed at the possible merit of going from one pre-college conservatory to the pre-college Juilliard for improving the applicant’s admissions chance and that, at Princeton (and I’d assume at its peer universities, as well) the students from the pre-college Juilliard have multiple competition wins as factual statement. Of course, there are other ways to demonstrate one’s musical excellence, but in today’s extremely competitive admissions environment at these colleges, everyone strives to set themselves uniquely apart from others and one way to do that is by competition wins and preferably notable ones at that. It wasn’t and isn’t my personal recommendation. It is what it is.
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My kid was the same about competitions and did fine with admissions. I had a dancer kid who trained and danced all through high school and when she no longer enjoyed it, stopped. Love your last sentence.
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Hook/Merit-Virginia Tech Corps of Cadet Regiment Band. Showing interest in the Corp of Cadet helps with admissions at Virginia Tech
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response. I may DM you.
She can’t get to see the school until 27 April, so she’ll only have a few days to make her decision.
Thank you again.
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This is an interesting thread. My daughter also attend Juilliard pre-college. she has some other distinctions but and other musical involvement but has never gone the competition route. She is currently a junior and we are having a hard time calculating how much weight admissions office’s will but on this EC in terms of ED/EA choices etc.
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Thank you to all who have replied and all the discussion, it’s all been interesting and has given us lots to consider!
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Harvard prides itself on its excellent symphony, so she might want to take a look at it. My son says the all-state, all-eastern, nationals route is also an option.
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She doesn’t need competitions. Juilliard precollege and whatever other distinctions are just fine. Has she done any summer programs? As long as she plays well, and submits a supplement with recording/video, music resume, and music letters or recommendation, her chance of admission may be enhanced. it depends on various things, like what the school needs, other applicants, and so on but many of us know kids who got into reach schools based on that supplement. And you do not have to be a music major for that either.
Be aware that Harvard and a few other schools have changed their curriculum for music in order to address more diverse backgrounds and interests. You can read about it on their music dept. site or google it.
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Hope your visit to Johns Hopkins (both Peabody and Homewood) goes well.
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It seems to have a lot of weight. When you look at the kids graduating this year from the precollege and where they are going to college there are a lot of wonderful programs. Same thing for the kids who are at MSM precollege, so I am thinking that I now have my answer for what colleges think of it, and it is a useful activity as long as the kids enjoy it!
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Thank you! She and her dad are walking around homewood now & have an official tour of Peabody later.
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URichmond is another - the big performing arts merit award require a minor but not a major.
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URichmond has revamped their curriculum to include more diverse musical interests and backgrounds: Major & Minor Requirements - Music - School of Arts & Sciences - University of Richmond
Off topic but quick comment that many schools are doing this in the interest of diversity. Harvard changed their curriculum a few years back in a similar way.
Here is the text from the URichmond site:
The Department of Music will implement a new curriculum this Fall 2021, which is meant to welcome students with a variety of interests and backgrounds. This curriculum redesign was motivated by three fundamental goals:
- removing hidden barriers, performance and theory prerequisites, and non-credit bearing classes
- implementing a curriculum that invites students from all musical backgrounds into the department
- providing sufficient curricular flexibility so that a wide variety of student goals and interests can be served.
Students who enter the music major or minor already capable of reading music notation and singing or playing an instrument will continue to have meaningful pathways for developing those skills in our new model. Additionally, students interested in composition will continue to have relevant courses and opportunities to develop their skills. The exciting change is that students who are interested in music production, music technology, song writing, music business, music criticism, music scholarship, or music journalism will now be able to assemble a series of MUS courses that serve their educational goals. **Note that students already enrolled in the pre-fall 2021 curriculum can continue to follow those pathways. Please contact the chair with any questions.
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