<p>Does anyone know of any with relatively high acceptance rates?
I wish to major in vocal performance.</p>
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<p>Your question to me seems to indicate that you don't have too much background info or actual knowledge of the admissions/auditions aspects of most performance based programs. I suggest reading the great thread here <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-family-s-experience.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/258796-so-you-want-music-major-one-family-s-experience.html</a> as a starting point. It was written from the standpoint of an instrumentalist, but the basics apply. </p>
<p>Perhaps after reading it, and providing a bit more info, you'll find a number of experienced posters willing to offer suggestions.</p>
<p>Audition-based programs are always dicey, and the stats are not particularly good for female voice majors anywhere. The numbers are a lot better if you happen to be male.</p>
<p>Peabody has one of the highest overall admit rates that I know of for a major conservatory. For female voice majors, they say it is "usually below 30%" which is a lot better than the single digits typical of many top programs. For male voice majors, they accept about 60% of their applicants in a typical year. They have a very good page at Peabody</a> Institute - Conservatory Admissions: Undergraduate Voice that lists the characteristics that they want to see in their applicants.</p>
<p>I just read the link above to the Peabody site, and I must say that is excellent information and generally good guide lines for any student looking to apply VP, probably most anywhere.</p>
<p>I have found that for most conservatory programs, that information is difficult or impossible to find online; HOWEVER a quick e-mail to the admissions officer usually results in the detailed info you want: how many auditioned for undergrad spots on a particular instrument, how many were offered admission and how many accepted, for the past 2 - 3 years. This is important info to have, if you are determined to find a performance program safety school. As far as I know, you gotta collect the info one by one.</p>
<p>Also, important info to collect while you're at it: how many graduate performance students are at the institution, do they have priority for certain studios/ensembles etc.</p>
<p>Bottom line, it is much more difficult to accurately estimate performance program acceptance compared to regular college admissions, where standardized test scores + gpa can give you excellent clues.</p>
<p>Usually you find out once the freshman year starts and you hear how many students were offered spots and how many accepted. It has been all word of mouth in our experience. I think it varies from year to year in terms of which instruments are projected to be underrepresented in a given Fall, depending upon who graduates the preceding Spring.</p>
<p>It does indeed vary from school to school,from year to year and from instrument to instrument. The odds are always going to be tough for sopranos and mezzos, and for certain instruments (flute and violin spring to mind) because of the sheer number of applicants.</p>
<p>It is really hard to estimate your personal chances at any one school unless you are among the very best on your voice part or instrument that particular year. Even then, it is always possible to blow an audition.</p>