Has anyone attempted to do a sample lesson during the pandemic? I had assumed that it was totally out of the question, but S said his friend (brass player) had one with a prospective university last week. Maybe it’s actually a good time since most schools are doing video auditions and instructors have time? My S is a percussionist, which probably is one of the safer disciplines. We are fine with masked interaction, I’m just not sure how instructors would feel.
Everywhere my son is looking is doing them online this year. He’s done 2 so far and has 2 more scheduled in the next couple of weeks. It’s not ideal, but they’ve gone well so far, and it’s saving us a ton of money on travel!
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Oh! Why didn’t I think of that!! Thanks
Hmmmm, we have kind of dropped the ball on these. I guess it’s just that the kid already made all his application choices based upon the academics at the schools and what he knew about the teachers from older students who’ve studied with them, from the teachers’ playing styles, and from his current teacher, who has taught at one time or another nearly every player of that instrument in the country. We also kind of thought that skype try out lessons would be really awkward, not helpful. Kid has been in email contact with the instrument prof at each school, and kid has an impressive resume, won two international level competitions, played with impressive pre-college programs, so I know that they would give attention to his application.
We’re hoping for merit scholarships (music and academic combined) at university programs with good instrumental teachers. I’m wondering if he should go ahead and schedule tryout lessons, even if they do have to be video lessons, just so that the professor would be more likely to recommend him for merit scholarships? It is very unlikely to change his application choices at this point - would only be to increase his chances at merit scholarships for music.
@parentologist If my son had your kid’s credentials I wouldn’t be the least bit worried! 
Do you kind my asking what he said in his contact emails?
He is only applying to 4 schools (universities) for instrumental music. They each have fantastic profs for kid’s instrument, but are I’d say second tier in music overall. One of them, the prof already heard him at a competition in the “beforetimes”, invited him to apply, so he’s not too worried about a tryout lesson with him. Kid just emailed him saying respectfully, “Hi. Remember me? I’m applying. How would you like me to submit my audition? Is what I’m sending what you’d like to hear? Will I have time to do academic classes, too?” The other three, I think he just introduced himself, told them what he’s interested in (performance major plus academics - would he have time to do both - and asked if what he was submitting was what they would like to hear, if the recording was okay, etc. I think he asked all of them if they were doing live tryout lessons, back in September, and was told that they were not. He probably has been in touch via email with each of the 4 profs twice or more.
@parentologist as you know, with a BM, your son should have room for 1/4 - 1/3 of his total classes in academic areas other than music. I know he has submitted applications. Did he consider Oberlin’s Musical Studies? That is a newly enhanced BA with access to conservatory opportunities and resources. (I forget if he applied to double degrees.) I am curious if any of the university BM programs offer considerable access to other academics.
I recommend trying to schedule trial lessons even though your son has applied. My D has taken over a dozen lessons with as many universities and it was invaluable. She had her first virtual audition this weekend and was happy to see a familiar face. It shows interest and is wonderful experience for the zoom auditions. They may also give feedback on the audio during a trial lesson. Most of the trial lessons were free; a few were $150, one was $200, one was $350 (not taken). I also majored in music and the relationship with the professor is paramount. Our children will have at least 2 hours a week with their private teacher for 4 years: one hour in private lessons and one hour in studio class. If trial lessons are not offered, i would offer to pay in the email. Good luck!
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Hi, Compmom. It looks as if I lost all my emails when the platform changed, but I think you were the person who gave feedback on my kid’s common app essay. Thank you for your help. He got into Harvard early action.
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Congrats @parentologist! Will your child be attending?
Yes I did give feedback. Apart from that, your son totally deserved to get in and I am so glad Harvard could see that. Congrats!
Congratulations @parentologist, that’s wonderful news!
We’re kind of in shock. We knew that the conductor had agreed to write him a letter, but for all we knew he needed other instruments more than he needed kid’s instrument, so we knew we couldn’t count on it. He had been planning to also apply to Yale (because of the program with the school of music), and Columbia/Juilliard, because of Columbia’s core curriculum, and because Juilliard’s program for Columbia students is more of flexible Juilliard “lite”, from what he’s heard, as opposed to Harvard/NEC, where NEC is full on plus Harvard full on. But for tonight, he’s just absorbing the news. He talked about withdrawing his completed applications to three other schools with strong instrumental teachers, but we told him not to, to wait, just in case money issues interfere with his choices. He won’t apply to McGill now - he hadn’t yet begun that application, not that there’s much to it, they are totally about GPA and scores, and the audition, I’m sure. I didn’t want him that far away, if he had other choices.
It’s funny. His very good suburban high school hardly ever has anyone get into Harvard. I think he said it’s something like 2/65 since they began Naviance stats, and my older son said that he thinks the last time was in about 2011. Kid had good grades in virtually all honors/APs, but had a lot of A minus grades, and an occasional B. And his ACT was 36, but he got a 34 on the math. He’s smart, but there are kids at his high school who are smarter. Had VERY high achievement in music, though. He’s the perfect illustration of the big “hook” improving one’s odds of getting in. I didn’t read Allen Cheng’s advice on prepscholar until after kid had submitted his applications, but kid kind of naturally evolved into what Cheng had described, just by virtue of doing what he loved. I have no way of knowing if Mr. Cheng is right or not, but clearly, it was what the admissions committee was looking for.
Congratulations to your son! Could you tell me a bit about your son’s musical accomplishments and how he was able to covey that in college application process? thanks!
He won two international contests, and in addition to his extremely well respected high school ensemble, in which he played all through high school, he also played with three highly respected ensembles/programs outside of school during high school.
In addition to two academic letters of recommendation, he had two letters from teachers/conductors at the highly-respected outside-of-school ensembles.
These accomplishments were listed on his applications. His essay only tangentially mentioned music. He did submit a recorded music supplement. I think that the letters of recommendation helped greatly.
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Thank you. that’s very helpful. what instrument does your son play? My daughter attends Juilliard pre-college but no idea how that will figure into the process. I was trying to message you. Is that feature no longer available?
I just sent you a message. The way to message on this new platform is to click on the person’s screen name. That will take you to an option to message. When one has received a message, you will see a green number notification of it on the (for you) blue P circle in the upper right hand corner of the screen, next to the search magnifying glass icon and the stacked three lines.
High schoolers who attend conservatory preps (and certainly Juilliard) tend to do well with admissions. at top schools like the Ivies Your student can submit a music supplement with recording/video, music resume and letters of recommendation from teachers or director. These letters do tend to make a difference, as @parentologist mentioned.
Your son and I sound very similar! I was admitted to SCEA Yale class of 2025 and am very excited about it. I will wait to hear from the rest of the colleges I applied to, as music / vocal performance is very important to me as well as my academics. Best of luck to him as he makes his college decision.
To those questioning pandemic trial virtual lessons, I highly recommend them. I have done zoom voice lessons with many professors and many universities since April of 2020. It allowed me to build a rapport and relationship with those professors. Best of luck.
Honestly, I think that my son’s choice of Harvard was driven by having performed multiple times in their historic Sanders auditorium, his already longstanding relationship with their orchestra’s conductor, and the fact that his ‘adopted’ family in the Boston area are Harvard people. He spent a ton of time in both Boston and NYC over the past four years, playing in ensembles, and he loved both cities. I think he really wanted Harvard, even before I pointed out to him that their combined psych/life sciences major was perfect for him. After he got in, we had a long conversation about whether he should continue his applications elsewhere, and he finally just decided that Harvard was right for him, that even if he were to have the choice of Yale/Yale school of music, or Columbia/Juilliard, he still would choose Harvard. So he withdrew his other applications, and didn’t submit Yale and Columbia. Such a relief to be done!
As for zoom lessons, he says that his zoom lessons with his Juilliard teacher work well, but mostly because they had 3/4 of a school year of in-person lessons first, so they knew each other well, and the teacher already understood son’s playing style. He continued his zoom lessons with him through the summer, and this year, too. But we both felt that zoom tryout lessons with a new teacher would not be productive, just be frustrating. Perhaps voice would be different? When I think of his first lesson with his second teacher (after some 6 years with the first), the things that the man accomplished with him in just the first lesson were incredible - and there is just NO way that it could have been done over zoom. So the only value would have been for son to get more on their radar, and maybe make some assessment of teacher’s personality.
Just such a frustrating year. I think that had son not chosen Harvard, he probably would have waited to see where he got accepted, and hoped for the possibility of in-person lessons in April, to help him decide where to go, rather than do trial virtual lessons. As it turns out, for him, it’s become a moot point.
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