@tripletmama: With regard to your post #910, yes, I think conservatories do look at grades but I think they accept a wide range. They certainly accept a wide range of test scores. I know of two voice students accepted to NEC and there was a 16-point difference in their ACT scores. GPAs ranged from very high/several APs to okay (not bad, okay grades, but no APs). So clearly, talent was the most important thing to NEC in these cases.
Music performance is a rare “major” in that there are various formats for study. The HS student who wishes to have minimal academic work can pursue a stand-alone conservatory; the one who thrives on academic work in addition to music can pursue a music school within a university and still others seek a second degree whether for a back-up or to inform their performance (my D’s thing). A friend of mine from HS (dark ages) was dedicated to music but had an engineering mind. He got an EE degree then his MM in Jazz at Miami. Designed moog synthesizers (ZZ Top used some - I said this was the dark ages) and now works at Intel, performs in a local band and teaches organ performance at Westminster. He’s made a great life mixing his interests/talents.
Wow lots of great conversation on academics. It will be interesting to see how everything shakes out here. D is back from her memphis weekend and is now a mere 28 “missing assignments” behind in school and rocking a C+, a D and an F. Yeesh. She assures me it’s temporary but my right eye can’t quite stop twitching. Oh why didn’t we have her take fluff classes this semester??? I will say, she really wanted 4 years of a language so despite the current F, as long as she can get that up to a B again I’ll be happy. She’s never had a C in her life. Her world religion class is also a tough one but it’s with the one teacher she absolutely loves. SO even though it’s hard, she is so happy (as am I) that she is finishing HS with this wonderful teacher.
As long as we are discussing balancing academics and music, S18 will have an interesting balancing act if he attends FSU. He is admitted to the BM program in vocal performance, an arduous path that leaves only 27 credits for general university courses. BUUUT…he is also admitted to the university honors program and today was invited to the Presidential Scholarship weekend. If he gets Presidential he will have some seminars and other additional obligations (or opportunities, depending on one’s perspective). It sounds like he can also participate in a special research project that itself may take 5-10 hours a week. He likes to stay busy, but I am not sure he wants to be THAT busy. He has a sample lesson with the main tenor professor in a few weeks, at which time we are going to find out if any of these academic programs are compatible with his music BM.
the journey…Baldwin Wallace just sent an email that March 8 is decision day - we will know one way or another. D didn’t even like the school. She doesn’t care. She didn’t apply to any top tier conservatories, but has not received a rejection yet from the schools she applied to, and is getting schoarships. Why do I care so much about getting 7/7 acceptances??? Why isn’t it March 8???
Just returned from UC Irvine. D went to observe a weekly studio class in which the students present/sing what they are working on in front of each other and their studio teacher. I got to sit in too! It was really fun to watch the professor comment and teach. I was also surprised by the general camaraderie of the studio and how kind they were to each other as they commented on each other’s performance. The teacher informed them ahead of time that a student was coming to observe and they were very gracious. When the teacher introduced her to the group, he said she was an admitted voice student coming to learn about the program. They all clapped for her. We didn’t wait for the free swag…we headed straight to the bookstore and loaded up on shirts, stickers and the like.
This is becoming more of a done deal every day. I am hopeful for a scholarship though…
Let’s all hope more good news is on the way for everyone. Our kids have worked so hard (and so have we)!
Concerning adademics, I don’t think it is a case where conservatory students might do less rigor, and college kids want to pile on the AP’s.
Some conservatory students have academic interests, or want to take rigorous classes in high school for their own sake, not for admissions or scholarships. And some music kids who end up at top colleges may take a lighter load than people think is necessary. Even elite schools understand that a kid who is performing or doing conservatory prep may subtract an AP or two, and appreciate the commitment.
There are students and parents on this forum who will say they want to preserve all options by taking the maximum number of AP’s despite an interest in music studies, and I think that is sometimes misguided.
Overall, I think that young musicians should do what they want in terms of academics, in senior year and throughout high school- follow their interests in other words. That way they will end up where there is a good fit. Audition season is a challenge for sure but a future conservatory student who loves history might still want to take APUSH because he or she wants to learn the material. And a future Harvard aspirant (for instance) might want to skip science if it conflicts with music theory or orchestra.
Alternatively, home schooling and online classes can provide the learning but with more flexibility. Some online courses have a weekly deadline but others just want the work done by the end of the semester, and that works well for performers. Online courses could be taken during audition season, and the work can be done in the hotel room if need be.
@cgmndt my daughter also has schools she has now decided she doesn’t want to go to but still smiles when it’s an acceptance!!! Acceptances make all of us feel good, at least temporarily!!! From what I’ve been told (by a college music prof) the more acceptances, the more power we and they have in negotiating scholarships for our kids. Of course they have to be schools of equal caliber
@compmom I agree…they all have to do what is right for them academically in senior year. My daughter was doing Economics online as she couldn’t fit it in her schedule and it’s a graduation requirement. She started in honors but convinced me to let her drop to regular as this is the last semester and it doesn’t matter any more. After all her hard work during audtion season, I couldn’t disagree!!
Yea I have Miami-Frost penciled in all the way to the finals for SpartanDrew, so here’s hoping for some good news coming up or my bracket is toast! LOL!
Hahaha! You guys are cracking me up! I’d like to see them ALL make it to the Finals personally! I would much rather that D have some great choices versus none. Let’s hope some of these top choices love our kids this $$$$$ much!!
Actually I just re-read D’s email from Purchase and I have to qualify what I said earlier. The email said “This is to let you know we’ve recommended you for acceptance into our Purchase Jazz Studies program!
You’ll be receiving official notice of acceptance soon from the college-at-large as your application is marked “complete” so please take a moment now to be sure all of that is done from your end.”
So I assume that means acceptance but I guess it’s not official until the letter comes???
Oh and I meant to add earlier that D woke up this morning with a killer sore throat. I knew it would happen sooner or later with all of the travel, stress, etc but I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am it happened AFTER auditions and her studio time recording her new tunes. I just need to keep her upright enough to go to school. She can’t afford to miss any more!! We pushed the EmergenC, elderberry liquid, travel humidifiers and good multivitamins all through season. PLus I made her wear a scarf around her face on the plane. I couldn’t believe how many people I saw traveling with masks on. So for parents of next year’s kids reading this, do every imaginable preventive measure you possibly can to keep your kid healthy!!
