<p>Hi all
My son got accepted to Purdue and is still waiting for OSU, driving us nuts. He is a computer science engineering major. He also would like to play in the marching band.
We have heard that OSU is very competitive, a little more than Purdue Osu has music majors Purdue has no music majors. We live in Ohio so Purdue is $$ But the band has become an issue.
Any one know how hard it is to get into the marching band at OSU, and what kind of feeling is around the band, like more serious of a band or more fun
David</p>
<p>Ceramtek, as an Ohio State Student and son of a former OSUMB member I can tell you the band is tough to get in. The band is an all brass band consisting of about 225 members. The band is arguably one the best bands in the nation. They have tryouts the summer before school starts. As for are they a serious band or a fun band, I would say that the band is more of a serious band but members that I know still enjoy it. Being in the band is a full time physical and academic activity. They practice every day of the week in the evening(their practice field is right in front of my dorm so I see and hear them every day), the band isn’t known as TBDBITL or The Best Damn Band in the Land for nothing.</p>
<p>Besides the marching band there are non-competitive athletic bands, so if your son doesn’t want to go all out into the marching band there are other options.</p>
<p>I have a couple friends in the marching band and it is intense but they love it. It is competitive to get into, but for the most part if your son was good in high school and is willing to put a lot of work and time into the band there’s a fairly good chance he’ll get in.</p>
<p>Both my parents attended Ohio State, I almost went there also but I am also into marching band. I would not of made the band, so I decided to go somewhere else and be in the band (Auburn.)</p>
<p>If he is set on continuing band, the Ohio State audition process is very rigorous. There is actually a youtube video of the audition process. My recommendation is to maybe do one of the athletic bands on campus (besides marching) and maybe try out for a DCI band. There are a lot of DCI bands from that area. Blue Coats in Canton might actually be easier to make than TBDBITL.</p>
<p>My daughter loved marching band, too. At our visits we heard that it was very intense and because of the big commitment causes some students to take 5 years to finish, so she considered pep band last quarter but found that even that required a stay on campus every weekend to perform. So her clarinet is there but not getting played.</p>
<p>my band director and mt dad’s best friend went to OSU and were bothe on the Marching Band. My band director didnt make it his first year but made his second and my dad’s friends son made it his first year. He was even a 5th year senior. I think it all depends on instrument and how much work is put into it</p>
<p>I’m going to OSU as a high school senior through PSEO and I joined the Athletic band. You go to basketball, hokey, volleyball games ect. I liked it and you just have to sign up. If you like band more for the community and fun of playing at games than maybe it would be okay if you didn’t get into the marching band. You could just join the Athletic band. Just thought I’d let you know.</p>