Strong music skills -- can they boost chances for music major at top schools?

My son is a serious jazz saxophone player who spent the summer at Berklee on a scholarship, but is now thinking he’d like a liberal arts school with a music major rather than a conservatory setting. His current gpa is 3.5. Question: will his strength as a musician help him over the hump for admission for schools that might be above his reach otherwise? Should he bother with places like Northwestern, Oberlin, Michigan etc? Where else could/should he apply?

Does your son want a BFA, BM or BA? Some liberal arts schools with strong music departments will often accept supplements such as recordings of performances, that can help, Wesleyan, Colgate, Hamilton accept supplements.

If you go to the music major forum there is a pinned discussion about the different types of degrees that musicians can think about. Northwestern only has a music major thru Benien, their conservatory, same with Oberlin I believe. Both these programs require auditions and offer BM in jazz studies. You can’t major in music at Northwestern outside of Bienen, but you can get a minor. Tulane has a good jazz studies major and I think their gpa average is 3.51. Skidmore has a good music program, Bard, Lawrence, Vassar (might be a reach). Is your son a junior or senior?

Rising junior. Thank you! He wants a BM or BA.

They are schools. Music should be an and, not an am. (I am a student and also a musician, as opposed to I am a musician who wants to go to a top college for some reason)

You’ll probably get more responses if you post your questions here:

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/

Lots of people with a great deal of experiences that can offer advises in that forum.

Thank you!