Oboe2008

1) Switched teachers sooner. There were cancelled lessons (usually on the day of), drama with the other students, and I didn't really learn anything. Current teacher is amazing . . . I improved more in the first week than I had in all ten months with previous teacher, and I began to love music again. It's amazing how much your teacher affects you!

2) Began searching earlier. There was too much panic at the beginning of this year about where to apply. Although I ended up with a pretty good bunch, it would have made the whole thing a lot less stressful.

3) Taken less AP classes. I dropped math in favor of a study hall, but I still ended up with four AP classes, which had waaaay too much homework to worry about in addition to practicing for a couple of hours every night.

bwaylvsong

Like everyone else, I would have spent less time on academics and more on preparing for auditions. I also should have applied to less schools (I applied to I think 16).

jazzzmomm

16 auditions???!

BEK

I would have been more blunt about asking profs to assess my daughter's ability and give us an idea where she would have a good chance of acceptance. I think we had too many reach schools on our list and not enough safe schools.

That said, we are still waiting for results 7 of her 9 auditions. So far we have an acceptance from Ithaca and a rejection from CIM (but she felt her audition there didn't go well). We also expect a rejection from Boston Conservatory. Since she had solid auditions at UMich, Northwestern and Hartt and is strong academically, I have my fingers crossed for those schools. I think Eastman, Peabody and Oberlin were too far of a reach for her, but we'll see.

Knowing what I know now, I may have encouraged her to pick up an instrument that is not as competitive as flute....but she wouldn't have it any other way.

-Allmusic-

I am also incredulous that anyone had the stamina for sixteen applications, much less auditions! (I am assuming that the poster did some by DVD or CD, or had a number of local auditions). Either way, that a mind boggling task! Good luck! (even nine sounds like a lot to me!)

bwaylvsong

Lol most of those were applications without auditions, and many of those schools were on a unified (SUNY) application. This was last year, by the way. I think I did about 7 auditions. I ended up getting in everywhere I applied academically (except Yale), but only one conservatory (Crane). I now attend Brandeis University, where I am double majoring (for a BA) in Music (Vocal Performance) and Theatre (Musical Theatre). I am very happy here, though I must say I was very disappointed (offended even) to find out I only got into one out of seven conservatory programs.

Chazmire

Echoing earlier posts, our biggest mistake was not having the right teacher soon enough. I was ignorant and just let things go on with a mediocre (and that's being kind) teacher for far too long. It was only when I stumbled upon this forum that I realized that there was a wide world of serious musicians out there, with solid programs to advance, and it opened my eyes. My son is in 9th grade, and I got him his teachers last summer, so I hope it's not too late. But he's playing catch-up for sure. His current teachers believe in him and challenge him but I can't help thinking what might have been had I only had a clue earlier.

Vieuxtemps5

I would have just gone to Princeton and commuted once a week for lessons. Anywhere close to new york... I would have taken art history and taken a second teacher to play different repertoire for.

mamenyu

Vieuxtemps -- I recall you saying it would be a drag to commute from Columbia to Juilliard -- just think how much more difficult it would be to commute from Princeton. Princeton also has very rigorous academic requirements, including a junior and senior thesis ("the quintessential Princeton experience") which would make it nigh on impossible to keep up music at a high level for all but the rare student. Columbia-Juilliard has a big attrition rate too. Of the Ivy's Yale and Harvard are probably the most musician friendly -- Harvard is also located in an area where it would be relatively easy to find good music teachers.

Vieuxtemps5

no, I am staying with the same teacher. I'm not going to Columbia. I would only be doing lessons... no orchestra, chamber, or anything, so I would only go maybe once a month, plus I will probably go on weekends anyways. There's a couple people at princeton doing the exact same thing as me... it's not a big deal.

mamenyu

Does Princeton take transfer students? I thought they didn't.

Vieuxtemps5

Im starting a new degree. (After shifting around my program at conservatory I settled on artist diploma) so I will do a bachelors. If something doesn't work out for some reason then I'll just finish stuff up and do a masters, because almost no schools allow a 2nd bachelors (believe me, I checked).

mamenyu

If you have a teacher lined up in NY and you are admitted to Princeton, then you are set!

Linnlew

I think we would have checked more into available scholarship money within the music schools. Maybe it is a good idea to check into private verses state and see who has more money available.

The money is coming in now and it seems that the private, smaller schools have more to offer.

I guess there is never going to be enough scholarship money to make us happy!

violadad

Linnlew, scholarship, merit aid can be a major factor in selecting both initial programs and finalizing decisions.

Some programs allow academic merit awards in addition to talent/audition based awards, some don't. Some schools are quite generous with $ amounts, some are notoriously stingy.

One point to consider is additional scholarship availability once a student enters a program. Many programs have endowed, "named" internal awards that are awarded on any number of factors: competitions, class status or rank, "best" of instrument, small ensemble awards. Some are based on an application, some are departmentally awarded or on an instructor's recommendation.

You may want to seriously study the financial and scholarship pages of the institutions you're considering. The info is often outlined there, or in the institution or school's academic handbook which is normally available online.

It's a tedious time consuming process, and some schools do a better job of making the info more readily available than others. You may also call a music department and ask specifically to speak to someone knowledgeable about departmental scholarships for matriculated students.

Consider also if the school has a grant program in place that may support extracurricular music activities such as summer study, competition prep and travel expenses, instrument upgrade loans. These programs range from non-existent to very generous depending on school size, endowments, and departmental allocations.

Many instrumental, vocal, and music ed professional associations also offer small one time awards for continuing students. Some are competition based, some are academic, and some are service oriented.

It pays to ask and look. The dollar amounts can be small, but every bit can help.