It really was @classicalsaxmom. A confidence boost for us all after the rough patch during the first week. Thanks so much! It was a very good learning experience though and I’m glad she stuck it out and got out of it what she did.
One other comment as well to wrap up D’s last day here for the Berklee 5 week summer program. I emailed one of the directors of the program with some comments and questions and asked her if she felt that the summer program was representative of what college at Berklee would be like since the classes and faculty look to be the same. This was one of her comments in her email back to me;
“The structure of the classes and lifestyle (dorms + urban setting + schedule) is very similar to what life at Berklee would actually be like.”
So I do think that kids that are seriously considering Berklee as a college choice would benefit greatly from this summer program. It IS accelerated and IS intense. D’s Musicianship teacher (who she loves) told me yesterday that the 5 week program is like “Berklee on steroids” because they are taking basically the same content in 5 weeks of a particular class that a regular student would take in a 12 week semester. But the structure and faculty and overall lifestyle is the same. It’s been a very useful and informative summer giving her a good dose of what she wants and what she doesn’t want for her college experience. So on with the journey! It’s been so informative reading @GoForth’s journal this past year. I hope mine can do the same for others next year. I can’t believe he is ready to move his kid off to college. We will be doing the same thing in a year from now. I suspect this year will go by in the blink of an eye!
You are in the most hectic phase now/next. I read over my journal notes somtimes and feel sorry my writing skills are so weak, but I hope the information comes through. Your story, @SpartanDrew will help a lot if somone else has summer camp chaos.
I confess that I feel awkward posting this and I’ve been thinking about it a few days. I feel like my comments may offend some (and for that, I apologize), but as a veteran interested in helping out people who are entering the exciting world of music/college applications: Please be cautious about taking a college off your student’s list this early in the process or identifying your student in this forum. To the first point, I hope everyone is casting their net far and wide because your student needs to have several final options. No one knows at this point how their auditions will go. And students’ perceptions can change: What is a fav now could drop off the list later and what is a current “poor fit” could end up being their best option (financially, geographically, etc.) or their only option. I know of someone who missed on all pre-screens and really had to scramble in December. It happens. Second point: Adcoms do visit these forums. This forum is all about sharing information and learning from one another, but it’s paramount to keep all options open until your student makes his/her final decision.
That sounds fair, @momzhood . Thanks for risking the share.
momz, you are not the first to write that warning…I felt risky doing it too, earlier in the thread. I would also add that at a certain point communication should mainly be between the applicant and the school, not the parent.
6,500 people have read this thread!!
Well, I even posted lists of potential colleges in my thread that got thinned down over time. If someone wanted to put the pieces together, they could derive, “So, you dropped college X”. It sounds like SpartanDrew’s exposure to and analysis of one college was so thorough that a definite and detailed crossing off the list seems alright.
I definitely think this phase in the process is definitely time to get it close to the final 5.
I tend to be of the “throw your net far and wide” school. But I know parents/students who have been of the “targeted and few” school who have done fine. I wouldn’t have had that confidence and/or musical know-how to join that crowd.
I have noted (not scientifically…just through observation) that instrumentalist who have been at this “game” longer may be able to be more targeted due to their background in festivals, competitions, teacher connections and lessons etc.
As a parent of a vocalist who started serious voice lessons sophomore year and never did a summer festival or college program…I was like a scared little rabbit. Her teachers were pretty confident…but it was a brand new world to me so we went far and wide.
As I stated earlier, I agree with not taking schools off the list…just demote them…until something changes or not (but that’s how I operate). I have seen people do a lot of research, visits, lessons etc and do very well with a tighter list. I think @GoForth is an example of that. I thought his list was a little skinny (5 yikes)…but I’m not a jazz musician with a superstar analytic dad. I have seen people make it work with 3!
In the end, everybody has to pick their own journey. Just be aware of the risks particularly if you have not been able to work/play/sing outside of your high school and community environment. In that case, far and wide may be necessary to get a few acceptances and good financial offers.
Agree wholeheartedly with @GoForth as well as @bridgenail. I think it comes down to this for D at this point. She is deep into filling out college apps, private tutoring for an SAT retake, choir council retreat with school, weekly lessons with her voice teacher, preparation for an upcoming gig, musical auditions and preparing another 4-5 songs for college prescreens and YoungArts submissions. And yes, she should eliminate some of her senior activities (she is eliminating her women’s select ensemble which is an after school activity) but honestly it’s up to her what she wants to take on or not. She has 6 colleges on her list (narrowed down from previously perhaps 8-10) with maybe 4-5 of those being serious contenders. She has removed several due to financials, geography and overall poor fit based on her experience (certainly not mine).
She knows exactly where she does NOT want to go either from personal experience or undesirable geographies to her. I have taken NOTHING of the list…she has. And she should if she feels certain she has no interest in pursuing it further. Additionally, the travel costs associated with auditioning live at each of these schools is exorbitant so taking one off the list that she feels certain isn’t the right fit for her saves us likely $1500-$2000 just for one trip, airfare, hotel, food, etc., more if the location is to the other side of the country from us. As it is we are likely looking at 4 big trips if she is invited to her top choice schools for auditions, all involving airfares. Ouch. Another year of no vacations for us…
As it is she feels a little overwhelmed by her list but has been steadily and daily working on her music for auditions, her essays, SAT prep and her Common App. I feel that she is in a very good place moving into “audition season” and she will be just fine with her current list of 6. Hopefully as she moves through auditions and visits and eventually gets offers (or not) it will become very clear to her where she wants to eventually end up.
I think a list arbitrarily made from the “top ranked” 5 schools could be risky. A tailored list of 5 is probably different. Looking back, I think you do grow a sense of what is possible or likely. I think GoForthSon and SpartanDrewDaughter are towards that direction.
And I think @SpartanDrew hit on a point that I thought about often during the whole application/audition madness which was: Jeez if “we” have to spend this much time and money to get one stinking acceptance…forget it…find something else to do. You can spend a lot of energy and money…and only get an acceptance at a school you aren’t too jazzed about (I see this more often in MT where you HAVE to go far and wide…but that has risks too). So it’s a worth a serious consideration now or after pre-screens (if you’re like me) to be sure it’s worth the money.
Everyone has “their own line” they won’t cross (be it determined in some parts by money, time, emotional energy etc). If you don’t know where it is…I guarantee you’ll find it in a few months.
excellent point @bridgenail. I read your comment as I was taking a break from looking at booking flights to New Orleans for an audition at Loyola. They have a newly minted vocal jazz program (along with an established commercial music program) which I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing but only one way to find out…visit, audition, ask people in the know and get a feel for the place. But it’s all $$$. It would be really nice to be able to hit 2 college auditions in the same location (NYC area comes to mind) at the same time but I suspect as with prescreen requirements, nothing will be that coordinated or easy. :((
It is indeed hard to know the ideal number of schools to apply to - by this time last year we had it narrowed to 9, I think, and S ended up applying to 7. In retrospect, there were two, maybe even 3 schools S should not have bothered with, especially since he would have been just fine with his two “safeties” and might well have picked one of them is he hadn’t gotten into the two reaches. @GoForth I think you are right that a well-researched, “tailored list” definitely can be smaller, especially for an applicant who has been to enough festivals or otherwise has a sense of how they stack up against the competition nationally or has a teacher who has sent many students to programs of all levels over many years (both were true in our case). I think S had a well tailored list of 5, but then S added a couple more at the end because he/we were nervous it wasn’t enough.
NYC schools do tend to coordinate auditions.
I think it makes sense to narrow down one’s list but, in the grand scheme, the cost of audition trips is minor compared to the cost of college
I had trouble finding a jazz vocal program on the Loyola New Orleans website. Is it under music industry? If so it seems to be a mix of music and business, which may be to your daughter’s liking, or not. Popular and commercial music is also under this umbrella. Also it is a Jesuit school and I noted at least one religion class.
For others who are curious:
http://cmfa.loyno.edu/music-industry-studies/bachelor-music-music-industry-studies
http://cmfa.loyno.edu/music-industry-studies/popular-and-commercial-music
http://cmfa.loyno.edu/music-industry-studies/bachelor-science-music-industry-studies
(The BS is in the Dept. of Film and Music Studies rather than the Dept. of Music.
Location in New Orleans would be a huge benefit I would think. Just curious about the program.
It’s a relatively new program. May even be new as of fall 2018, I’m not sure. Juillard is reportedly bringing jazz voice to their jazz studies program fall of 2019 or so I’ve heard. Jazz voice is under jazz studies BM. Flights are booked and audition is set for September. The “religious” part is a bit worrisome as that would not be a good fit for D. Belmont is the same which also was worrisome to us but I’ve been told that the kids do not feel an overwhelming religious feel with the school.
Can you share a link or other info on it for others? Info is not on the website, that I can find, though perhaps I am missing something.
Looks exciting http://cmfa.loyno.edu/music/jazz-studies but no mention of voice as yet.
Jazz Studies
Loyola University has the oldest jazz program in the city of New Orleans. New Orleans is the birthplace of this great American art form and also fosters and maintains a very active jazz performance scene. Loyola University Jazz Faculty are selected from the finest musicians New Orleans has to offer. The faculty is extremely active in the local, national and international jazz venues. The degree program features studies in improvisation, composition, arranging, history, theory, and music industry. Students have the opportunity to perform in Jazz Ensembles and Combos. There are also many performances available in the City of New Orleans. Quite a few of Loyola Jazz Majors become active contributors to the musical fabric of the city. There are also many famous Alumni of the program including Ellis Marsalis, Victor Goines and Rick Margitza.
ps I do wonder if Berklee will reappear on your list, with perspective of time…
@SpartanDrew , good luck on the trip. It is very exciting.
D has finished her Common App! Woohoo! She worked with her AP English teacher to perfect her essay and it’s done, recommenders are assigned and completed as well! She Just submitted the 2nd college app today. Whew. 4 more to go. Wondering if it makes sense to hold off submitting apps to colleges that require decent SAT scores in hopes that her recent retake improves… if not we will try the ACT route. Ugh. I know she wants to be done with these exams and I can’t blame her. I wish I knew how much of an emphasis is placed on that stupid standardized exam at schools like Miami/Frost who advertise higher academic standards. Some of her choices like The New School don’t even want SAT scores, then you have schools like Miami who not only want them they expect high academics. I guess we will wait and see how her recent retake turns out after she had some private tutoring. I think after awhile you just have to accept that some of these tests will be what they are and not a whole lot can be done to bump those scores after tutoring and retakes.
We head to NOLA in 2 weeks! I can’t wait! Loyola has been amazing with their communication and personalized itinerary for D’s day from tours, meetings with admissions, sitting in on jazz improv classes and combos to her audition. I’m looking forward to seeing the campus and visiting that super cool city of jazz! They said they release admissions decisions for music in mid December so I’m guessing we may have our first college answer by then.