D2 will be a senior next year and is currently finalizing her next-year’s course schedule. She has a rather hefty load planned right now … but the more she’s talking to other music majors (some are currently seniors in hs, some are already in school), she’s getting mixed feedback.
Those who applied to conservatories or other hard-to-get-into music programs all seem to have had a light, light, LIGHT senior year so that they could primarily focus on auditions. Some even started homeschooling for that senior year only. Some others had a tough course load and have told her they regretted it (but why? Because they were seniors and wished they’d goofed off more, or a more substantive reason? D2 isn’t sure), while others were glad they got more gen-eds out of the way with multiple AP credits.
So - I’m here to see what your students did for their senior years & how that worked out. Did your students feel that the second semester was tougher than the first semester… whatever their courseload?
D2 is (has always been) homeschooled, so we can be somewhat flexible with her classes and their timing… but a heavy load is still a heavy load, even with some flexibility added in. So I’d love for her to have more POVs to take into account while planning.
(dd will probably be applying to 6-12 programs next year, so travel time/etc will be an issue)
S had fine grades and took the demanding classes available at his school. And the credits from APs have been helpful, so as to not have to take Calculus, Chemistry, US History, some English and other classes in his college years (kind of a pay-it-now or pay-it-later). But, he did ease off in the senior year. Skipped physics altogether. Took his first study hall. Had a second study hall slot for being a teacher’s aid. He also was not in band and avoided joining most clubs such as the math team. All ECs were dropped except for his youth jazz band at a place outside of school. It was great. The extra time for dealing with auditions and for making pre-screen videos and for thinking about college choices was so helpful.
Depending on the school you go to, their elective classes might actually be easier than AP classes, so you can think about that. For example, we learned that the placement tests for Spanish were easier to score credit on at S’ college than it would have been to place upwards with AP scores, so he skipped the Spanish AP test after 4 years of taking it, then he got some credit by testing at the college. APUSH is a class that probably could have been left out and taken in college because it might be less intense there.
First semester is demanding because of pre-screen prep and selecting colleges. Second semester has the auditions, but it seems more like executing what was planned, so it is more leg-work and less brain-work.
Great topic.
My D did not continue with AP English in her senior year. She also dropped down to four academic classes for the spring semester one of which is a classical music appreciation elective. Even though she does school online, her teachers were hawks about her falling behind (which she did). She is now caught up and I am glad she reduced her academic workload her senior year. The spring semester, in particular, should be light if planning several audition trips or if your kid isn’t academically strong.
Some been there advice. Performance music major is a very time demanding path for undergraduates. If your child will be attending any school with a reputable program with liberal arts, they will be expected to carry 12-18 hours a semester (12 will mean you can guarantee a fifth year), participate in likely three ensembles, practice (instrument) usually 4-6 hours a day (logged and reported), if planning on grad school-add extra leadership roles/festival demands etc…oh…and maintain at least a C average in liberal arts courses and likely be required to carry a B average in music degree related courses.
All that to say-if your child is dog paddling in high school…it’s going to be a very tough road. Our son was a 4.25 HS GPA, 32 ACT, several AP courses…and there were days in undergrad he felt like he was gasping for air. His masters at a top program has been even more demanding. Looking ahead for those considering a MM down the road-grad school will look back at the totality of their education as an undegrad, their resume, and their “extra”, not just their audition.
Moral of the advice-kiddos can’t slack off, have to make the grades…or undergrad will eat them alive as a performance major.
I know this is a college forum, but I have seen some fine musicians not focus on high school and go straight into musicianship. That boundary might be being explored if there will be too much difficulty with college classes. But I think “having difficulty” and “easing back the academic throttle while pushing forward the music throttle” are two different ideas.
You know the old saying: Money can’t guarantee happiness; but lack of money can guarantee misery. Academic ability can’t guarantee performance success; but lack of academic ability can guarantee a rough ride in college.
@perdad is right. If you think you are going to college to perform and play/sing all day…and can put your academic skills on coast…you will have a rude awakening. I honestly thought all the horrible struggles in those dark days of Junior and Senior year were done! I thought college was the reward…only to find out her crazy schedule persisted!
However I do think most kids/parents know that. I don’t think backing off the academics in senior year equates to lower academic effort in general. My D backed off 2nd semester of senior year. Her APs prior to that helped in undergrad and allowed her to be a part-time student second semester senior year of UG for grad school auditions. Again a needed respite to focus on auditions. The ebb and flow in her academic schedule was a reflection of serious planning (not coasting) and it worked.
Of course, you can always skip academics and just go out and perform in some art forms. I know ballet dancers (typical to get out young), musical theater performers and actors…who had no or a few semesters of college…and have done very well. Academics is not required for performance success…but in the case of classical music (and probs others) it is more expected.
Too right @GoForth! (re: “having difficulty” and “easing back the academic throttle while pushing forward the music throttle” are two different ideas). Music schools want to be sure you can handle the academic work, which is still very challenging at many schools. My son is a double major in performance and Music Ed at a conservatory and I think he has 19 or 20 credits this semester. But music schools do understand that the majority of HS musicians just cannot take 4-6 AP classes junior and senior year and have adequate time to practice and be on the top of their game musically. It is usually easier for a musician applying to a BM program to clear the academic bar than a general applicant at the same school. If your schedule is rigorous enough to show that you can balance some challenging classes and high level music, then you should be good almost anywhere. It also depends on the schools you’re targeting - if it’s a school like Northwestern, for example, or you are applying to double degree programs, you may need to keep the rigor higher than you would otherwise.
My son was a good student but not good enough to be considered for competitive academic merit awards. For him, it was a matter of easing up on APs, which are super time consuming at his school, and picking the slightly easier options. For example, honors senior English instead of AP Lit (he’d already had AP Lang), or regular physics instead of AP Physics in order to make sure he had the main 3 lab sciences. He actually started backing off junior year, when normally the good students at his school take 4-5 APs and he ultimately decided to take just one AP plus a few honors. He had a great junior year, managed stress well, and had some wonderful musical achievements he might not have had otherwise.
He still ended up with one too many AP class senior year, which became an issue when he had the demands of marching band plus prescreens/apps in the fall. He ended up dropping the most time consuming AP that had a lot of reading. I have been advising other music parents I know whose kids are academically talented but want to apply to BM programs to figure out the # of AP classes you are sure your kid can handle and then subtract one to account for the demands of applications, prescreens, auditions. Getting an A or even a B in a slightly less challenging class is going to look better for music admissions than a C in a difficult AP class.
My son is taking 4 AP classes (5 exams), a Dual Enrollment class and 2 music classes. I wish that we had found a way to schedule at least one less AP class - particularly the last 1.5 months with audition travel every weekend have been very difficult and he is dying right now.
fivethirtyfive, is your daughter applying to BM or BA programs?
I would like to add that I know someone who didn’t take all the recommended classes for admission to Harvard (no senior year science, math to AP Statistics with no precalculus, that kind of thing) but got in due to participation in conservatory prep and a music seminar at a college (not for credit).
The discussion sometimes is around how conservatories care most about auditions, but some conservatories/schools of music are part of colleges or universities that DO care about academics. And on the other side, even elite schools will look favorably on a kid who does a lot of music but has a little less rigor in academics as a result. Music requires so much time and discipline and admissions folks know that.
Some kids are naturally talented in academics and don’t need all the AP classes to function well in college. In fact, in educated homes, reading skills go UP during summer break 
In other words, it is hard to generalize. I think kids who love history or English should take demanding courses if they can. Kids who don’t like academics are fine lightening the load. I wouldn’t worry about it too much but go with what the student wants and loves to do.
Then think about finding a school that fits the kid, rather than fitting the kid to schools.
“Then think about finding a school that fits the kid, rather than fitting the kid to schools.”
Thanks @compmom ! 100%!
Thanks for the thoughtful replies! Her current plan is a BM degree. She’s considering both conservatories and music schools, so she’s got to stay fairly well-rounded right now.
As of this moment, senior year looks to include 3 AP classes (Calc or Stats, English Lit, & Music Theory), 1 non-AP Physics class, Spanish IV, and several (govt, history, econ) CLEP exams.
The CLEP-exam classes will start over the summer and she should have those tests out of the way throughout the fall semester - leaving the 3 APs as the year-long time-sucks. She’s only planning to take two AP exams (not planning to test for Music Theory), so maybe that will lessen the load a bit if needed in spring.
hmmm… so much for her to think about! Hearing how others have done helps her start to see her own picture more clearly. Thanks!
Do the CLEP exams alter her status as a freshman applicant? Why is she taking them? To avoid those gen eds in undergrad? That sounds like quite a load. Does she really need to do all that? I took CLEP’s but during college not high school.
The distinction between “conservatories” and “music schools” is fuzzy to me Both are BM programs so essentially conservatory programs. I assume you mean freestanding versus part of a college or university, where you might have to gain admission to both music and academic programs.
Some :LAC’s and universities have “conservatories” and some have “schools of music.”. Freestanding places are always called “conservatories” as far as I know.
@fivethirtyfive Be sure her school is okay with her not taking the theory AP exam. S’s school requires all students enrolled in AP to take the exam and they sign an agreement to that effect. I don’t know what they could really do to force someone, but if you agree to it, it’s obviously the right thing to do.
Yes - to avoid gen eds in undergrad. (and she’s still about 20% in favor of double-majoring. This has declined from 90% several months ago… but she wants to continue to be prepared on all fronts until she feels more certain of her decision…)
Some schools won’t accept the credits, some will. The CLEPs shouldn’t be too time consuming for her due to her previous exposure to those particular subjects & since she’s starting them over the summer. She’s an excellent time-manager, so we’ll see what she can do. If/when it’s too much, she can change the trajectory as needed.
Yes, free-standing conservatories vs conservatories/music schools within a university. It’s clear in my head, haha - and using the two terms for us helps us clarify which type-of-music-school we’re talking to. Conservatories generally aren’t going to care how many APs she has… music-schools-within-a-university-system might. 
@BassTheatreMom - She’s homeschooled, so her principal (aka: me) is a-ok with her not taking the Theory exam. 
She doesn’t see the point since she fully plans to take MT1 wherever she winds up. Her #1 school won’t accept the score anyway.
Well, then that makes sense. And yes, S’s 5 on AP Theory didn’t matter much since his school makes everyone go through their theory sequence. But having the class has made his theory experience a lot easier for him.
I and my daughter have both done CLEP’s for specific reasons (for me, I am already pretty educated due to age, for daughter, she has serious academic challenges and will never finish without some shortcuts). Overall I think it is a shame for a student to avoid taking gen ed classes that way, unless the gen eds offered are truly awful. But that’s me. It sounds like your daughter may have some academic interests (unless the double major idea was for another instrument) and might enjoy some of the gen eds.
For some it can save money so if that is an issue, then it is a good idea!
On the terminology: many colleges seem to have “conservatories” (Oberlin, Lawrence, Bard, Ithaca) as do some universities (SUNY Purchase is one example) These would meet your definition of “schools of music” since they are on campus with other academic programs and degrees. I think the term “freestanding” clarifies this issue!