<p>One more stab in the dark … (because I can’t get your problem off my mind; it’s so unfair that bureaucracy, red tape, and/or communication issues should get in your way after all your effort) …</p>
<p>Could they possibly have mistakenly routed your application through graduate admissions or accidentally sent you the graduate admissions form letter following their review of your file? Graduate jazz performance applicants don’t have the option of a live audition.</p>
<p>Those form letters likely arrive via the click of a mouse or the push of a button. Did someone push the wrong button?</p>
<p>I’m sorry. This has got to be VERY frustrating and disappointing for you. :(</p>
<p>I highly suggest you call Schroeder again, since at the time you spoke to him you had not received the mysterious email. Or email him. You deserve a straight answer.</p>
<p>(And there is a way to submit a music supplement on the common app - is there any chance you did that as well as your prescreen?)</p>
<p>I am so sorry this is happening to you. I agree with others, keep trying to get a hold of the direct contacts, the people who work in the office will either be students on work study or some member of the bureaucracy who frankly could give a crap less IME. If you think you would like to go to NYU, it will take some work, because if you don’t, you could end up like the other poster said, in limbo, never hearing anything. You paid the fees, which aren’t exactly cheap, and at the very least you deserve an answer.</p>
<p>if you don’t get an answer in the next week or so, then I would call the office of whatever dean runs the Steinhardt school and tell them the situation, that basically all you want to know is what your status is, did you pass pre screen or not, that it isn’t fair to have you apply, pay your fee, and then basically get lost in the shuffle. You won’t get through today because of MLK day, but start tomorrow and don’t stop until you get an answer. There is a reason why people hate bureaucracies, and NYU is a gigantic one, that hasn’t changed in 30 years from everything I hear. Don’t be afraid to push it, if the guys running the program don’t get back to you, then go up the ladder, it may be the only way to get an answer.</p>
<p>I’m sorry, but “whatever dean runs the Steinhardt school” is not going to have an answer for you. NYU is an interesting and huge place and the jazz division has its own weird rules and systems. The year my son was accepted, he received a “likely letter” via email - this had never happened before, but a few others went out (including the young man whose prescreen had been lost and who finally got things straightened out when his mom spoke to Schroeder.) </p>
<p>I agree with everything else musicprnt said, but you absolutely need to speak to Schroeder (again) or Alegria (but one of them - not a student), the two people who run the JAZZ program. </p>
<p>Be polite and clear - you just want to know if this emails means a) that your prescreen was rejected, b) that your prescreen was so good you don’t even need to audition (seems unlikely), d) that your prescreen was too late or lost and this email is a bad way of telling you that, or e) they’ve made a clerical error and you should either receive a yay or nay on the live audition. Or perhaps because you’re ED II, there isn’t time for a live audition and they’ve made a decision already?</p>
<p>And I would not wait a week!!! Auditions are coming up soon. You need to find out what this means.</p>
<p>Tripsounds I went back and found the e-mail my S received and yours is actually more informative. Ours was this, received 15 days after submitting the Jazz studies specific Pre-screen recording and all of the required material requested on the Steinhardt application. :</p>
<p>"Thank you for your artistic submission. We have reviewed your materials and at this time we require no further information. You will receive a decision from the Admissions Office by early April.</p>
<p>Regards,</p>
<p>NYU Jazz Studies Faculty"</p>
<p>I could not get any one to explain what this really meant, even pleading with Mr. Schroeder’s office for an answer. We needed to know whether or not to continue with the application as the final Common App had not been finished. My son simply did not complete the process.</p>
<p>It sounds as though the only thing you will hear about is admission to the larger university, not Steinhardt. I am sorry and we all deserved better treatment and more clarity.</p>
<p>The good news for my S is that he was accepted everywhere he auditioned and now attends UNT.</p>
<p>Called again today and was once again redirected to about four different people before finally being told to email a faculty member. This entire situation is simply UNACCEPTABLE, and if it does not get solved the jazz program/university will not stop hearing from me. Thank you so much for all of your help and advice, everyone.</p>
<p>Be firm, and tell them you want to talk to one of the heads of the program as others mentioned, don’t let them tell you "e-mail the faculty’, tell them you tried that and you want to get someone on the phone who can do something. What you are experiencing is unacceptable, and you have the right to a simple, clear answer. The reason I suggested talking to a Dean was to complain about the way you are being treated, the bureacracy may not care but generally the higher ups might, because they are protective of the school’s reputation. Among other things, you have paid a not cheap fee to apply, and they could be open to being accused of taking the fees of people they had no intention of even auditioning and such (probably not true, but still). You may want to check NYU’s website and see if they have an ombudsmen’s office, they are there for that kind of thing, and may be able to help cut through the crap and the idiots who tend to work for the bureaucracy there.</p>
<p>tripsounds, a few posts back, I posted the emails of the two faculty members who can help you. (And, musicprnt, they are in essence “the deans” of this program.) Email may be the quickest way to reach them, if they don’t have direct lines. Why not compose an email to both of them (cc) explaining your situation. Give your phone number. Calling a general number is not going to bring you an answer. You simply must either ask to speak directly to Schroder or Alegria, leave them a message ON THEIR extension, or send either or both of them an email. </p>
<p>I’m so sorry this is happening to you, but you can’t keep asking the “flacks” for an answer. You’ve got to ask for the top dogs, one way or another.</p>
<p>Do you really want to go to a school that treats their applicants this way? I know its NYU but really? If I was spending close to 60,000 dollars a year I would expect better treatment than this. Maybe look somewhere where they treat you like they want you to audition?</p>
<p>My daughter received a similar letter for the musical theatre program at Steinhardt on January 15th. Her email reads, … at this time no further information or additional audition is required. Please be on the lookout for an admission decision from the NYU Office of Undergraduate Admissions in the coming weeks. My first reaction was that she did not pass the prescreening, since it seems obvious that an invite to an audition should be sent. However the last sentence about waiting for an admission decision in the coming weeks is odd. Why not just send a clear and concise response so that applicants can move forward in one direction or another? I am now convinced this is simply a very vague rejection letter.</p>
<p>The letter in question almost seems like a ‘waitlist’ kind of letter to me. Like: “We don’t want to offer you a spot right now, but you’re a close second. We’ll be in touch.” Of course, I have NO idea what it really means, but in reading the two threads, it kind of smacks of a waitlist. “Please hold on. Don’t give up on us yet. We’d like to keep you in the wings, just in case we can use you.” Hmmm.</p>
<p>I don’t know. Telling people no audition is required when the department policy is that auditions ARE required seems a lot different than a wait list to me. Seems like either a clerical error or a very strange way of telling someone they’re suddenly changing the rules, that nothing they can see in an audition will change their mind - you’re either already in or already out. And for the “you’re out” category they could just as easily have sent a prescreen rejection!!! Which makes me think it’s a “we know you’re in, we just can’t tell you yet.” </p>
<p>My son’s year, NYU jazz actually sent “likely letters” just after auditions (as in “you’re audition was terrific; you are very likely to be admitted”). I haven’t heard of them doing this again since. Maybe that’s what this is - only more guarded. But then why not be clear when the student calls to ask what the letter means. Tripsounds, have you gotten any answers?</p>
<p>At least the wording of the musical theater version leans more in that direction.</p>
<p>Either way, it’s very frustrating.</p>
<p>But a “wait list?” Doesn’t seem much like that to me at all.</p>
<p>^I agree. That’s what makes ‘waitlist’ come to mind for me. Not that I think they INTEND for it to be interpreted as a ‘waitlist’ letter … but that THAT’s what it ultimately is. If they thought they were good enough to pass the darned prescreen, why not just tell them, “You passed the prescreen. Schedule an audition.”?? And if they thought they were unseasoned enough to reject, why not just reject them? To me, it’s like they’re unfairly putting these families in a holding pattern rather than making the call.</p>
<p>When I first read this thread, I thought it was a clerical error. But as I learn more – other recipients of similar letters and NYU’s tight-lipped refusals to respond to these poor kids, I am starting to see it as more of a “We don’t want to tell you yes, but we don’t want to tell you no” letter. If that’s the case, it’s really disrespectful of their efforts and their money.</p>
<p>I truly, truly doubt it means “You’re so good that you won’t have to audition at all!” Not that I know anything about the letters’ recipients, and not to disparage anything about them. But just that: WHY would a music school make exceptions like that based on a prescreen recording, no matter how good it is? That would just be … odd … and unprofessional … and risky for the school.</p>
<p>So if it doesn’t mean that, and it doesn’t mean “you’re rejected,” then it probably means something in the middle – which is “Hold on. We’re still thinking about this …”</p>
<p>I am 99% sure these emails mean that you are still in consideration for admission to the academic part of NYU but your application to the performance subsection is not accepted. My S never heard back about whether he was to audition or not. Such a vague and disappointing way to communicate. A simple “we are not considering you a candidate for our program” would be much more humane.</p>
<p>musictwins, again, the way NYU works is… if you don’t get in to your major with these specific audition/portfolio-based programs, you don’t get in. There is no getting into NYU “undeclared” or for just the “academic portion” when you’ve applied to these programs. I know that’s not the case with other schools, but that’s how NYU works for music, acting, dancing, etc. At least not ever before. So that theory really makes no sense! </p>
<p>And it makes no sense to “wait list” someone without an audition if your department REQUIRES auditions.</p>
<p>I also know that last year one student’s parent was virtually told over the phone that his audition was just a formality and it didn’t matter if he couldn’t get there on time (there was a tight schedule).</p>
<p>I know that tripsounds has passed prescreens at at least one other very selective program.</p>
<p>Also, we now know that the student (was it yours, music twins?) who received a “similar” letter last year was actually quite a different letter.</p>
<p>But it’s all conjecture at this point. Just thought I’d clarify some facts about NYU.</p>
<p>Has anyone ever received an actual pre-screen rejection? Because look for an admissions decision shortly usually and very sadly seems to mean a no is coming.</p>