RAlec114

Hey everyone, I'm a pretty new member to CC and I'm just wondering how much do you think these Music ECs will affect my admission chances to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, etc all those top colleges that I am aiming for. Next year I am a sophomore, these are some awards that I have attained or am planning to attain.

"-" hyphens are things I plan to attain or have atttained
"*" astericks are things that I probably won't attain, but I have a slim chance if things work out

-District/Regional/State Orchestra
*All eastern Orchestra
-Phylidelphia Youth Orch/Philidelphia young artists
-Mainline Youth Chamber orchestra (a respected orchestra in Philidephia)
-Concert Master at school
*Concert master at MLYOrchestra or PYOrchestra or PYAorchestra
-playing violin for 10+ years
-playing violin for church group, aiding worship
-regional competitions
-Small school music awards, etc
**Juliard Precollege
*Temple precollege, or other non-prestigious precollege program

how much will this boost my chances? Keep in mind this is the music part of my ECs, I have already won 1st places in science fair, I have shadowed doctors, done research, and I plan to volunteer, and I have some writing awards.

Thanks!!

Overall, I am a very good musician (violin), like top, but not the top of the top.

When you rate my chance increase, please describe it as:
No real increase in chances
minimal increase in chances
small increase in chances
fair increase in chances
decent increase in chances
somewhat significant increase
significant increase
amazing increase
SPECTACULAR INCREASE! (lol)

Demiitasse

^Completing all those ECs will really get you in the running; take your music seriously and passionately and HYP etc. will definitely consider you. Make your goal to be using your strength (clearly music! ) to be as involved as possible. Show your ambition.
I would aim higher in terms of competitions and such. Participating more in music festivals and such (like Juilliard Precollege) means more practice. As they say, reach for the moon; if you miss, you'll land among the stars :]

violadad

There's a current thread here Music Supplement for College Applications?, and some links within to other similar threads as well.

RAlec114

thanks. I have a better idea now on how much it'll affect me.

QuasiProfound

Your music ECs are amazing!

RAlec114

thank you for the replies..... please anymore opinions!?

breaker746

Just another asian who plays the violin.
Harvard has amazing music programs, and unless you plan to attend those music programs, would only help slightly. It seems that you have a focus on science as well, so you are going to have to choose what you want to do. Understand that most HYP applicants are first chair or in some very high level orchestra.

Small Increase in Chances
If planning to attend the undergraduate music program, music EC's are necessary, therefore significant increase in chances.
If you do consider yourself well above average, I recommend sending a CD.

RAlec114

Yes all of the top schools have amazing orchestras -- Yale, Princeton, Harvard -- and I am of course applying to their respective orchestras.

I have considered an undergraduate music degree, but I will probably do a science supplemental degree instead.
Would it hurt to have an undergraduate music degree for someone who wants to be a dentist? =P

But breaker, you are wrong in your statement:
"Understand that most HYP applicants are first chair or in some very high level orchestra."

very few people, even good players, attend outside of school orchestras, due to many reasons (time, connections, auditions, too busy, too far), and also very few are 1st chair of some orchestra. High level of musicianship isn't very common, unlike sports and academics. because music relies on given talent and a boatload of time (3-4 hours a day)

but I know that there are quite a few applicants like me (and above me) and I understand your point completely.