@JeJeJe I think it is more stressful to parents than the kids. They have the attitude of they can do all in one sitting. Congrats to your son as well.
Hi @akapiratequeen we did not visit Boston conservatory. For some reason he discarded that school as well. I was looking into NEC/Tuffs combination. It is so nice to hear the Eastman audition process was supportive. so far it looks very intense. He really liked Eastman. Thank you for your good wishes.
@gram22 thanks for suggesting NEC. It is a great program. We have had it on the list from the very beginning but our concern is cost. We’ve heard that NEC is super expensive and doesn’t give a lot of aid.
@SweetStrings my voice teacher went to NEC and discouraged me from applying there. She advised to not graduate with debt! 
I’ve met lots of fantastic musicians who went to public schools; state schools can often have very good programs. Some examples are FSU, U of North Texas, CSU Long Beach and Northridge.
Thanks @Racingfan53 for the state school recommendations. I agree that there are good options with less debt. I really like FSU and my D is planning to apply there.
Thanks! We are all very excited – USC starts in just 7 days! It feels a very long way away from this time last year, I have to admit.
It’s still only August, so your son has some time – although it’s great to start early. If he hasn’t done so already, he can start on his Common Application essays now, just so they aren’t hanging over his head later when he is in the middle of prescreening. He may also find it helpful to print out the prescreening requirements of any school he even thinks he might be remotely interested in, and then list out all the requirements to see where they overlap, so as to minimize future work. Also, I recommend making sure that the scores (pdfs and/or printed copies) look as professional as possible (there are guidelines you can find online). If the schools prefer at least one recording be live, and if you want to accommodate that preference, then you may need time to arrange for that.
As you know, there will be extra essays, so it is good for him to make a list of all of them – and their prompts – to see how many of them overlap as well, even if only partially. (The University of California schools, for instance, don’t use the Common App but have their own set of essay prompts).
Also, most of the deadlines for pre-screening are very early, so he needs to really look closely at them to make sure he doesn’t miss them.
It can also be helpful to ask for the extra music recommendations early, as teachers are often inundated with requests and they appreciate the extra time. Usually, this has to be done through the school’s portfolio component, which may only be available once you register/pay the extra portfolio application fee – I can’t remember for certain.
I also recall that the performance videos came later in the process, so it may be okay to wait on that component for a while, as long as he keeps up his skills on his instrument. But sometime soon, he should print out what the performance requirements are for all potential schools, again to assess for any overlap and also to start working on any repertoire that would benefit from some extra time.
Starting to put together a music resume is also helpful – a lot of schools ask for it; he can add to it as the months go by, but just starting it may help to frame the process.
And…depending on where he is applying, SAT/ACT scores vary in importance from not very important to quite important. So scheduling time for any desired retakes is also a part of the process. (Sigh).
I hope this helps – I will add more as I think of it.
@mmrose This is a great list! I remember seeing something similar last year at this time and completely freaking out. It seemed like so much work! But earlier posters assured me that it does get done, and they were right. It’s like eating the elephant – one bite at a time.
@akapiratequeen Thanks! Music applications are soooo much work. We had no idea at all, and I don’t think I found last year’s journey thread (which would have been so helpful) until way into the process. But you’re right – being organized and strategic and working through the requirements does get it all done – although like so many families, some schools dropped off his list sometimes just because they weren’t a high enough priority to justify the extra work.
For those who are interested in following along with last year’s cohort, here’s the link to mid-August on the Class of 2023 Journey thread. I often dipped in for advice from the 2022 thread and it was so very helpful! http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/2070752-class-of-2023-undergrad-class-of-2021-grad-the-tours-the-auditions-the-journey-p12.html
Also, if your student is in the process of deciding where to apply, you can get great suggestions from the previous years’ acceptances list. For instance, if your D is a singer with an interest in contemporary music, you can see that @amyizzy’s D was in the same boat last year and applied/was accepted to the following schools:
Amyizzy’s D, voice/contemporary music
11/16/18, Columbia Coll (honors) Contemp, urban & pop music (Vocal) BA, email
11/19/18,LOYOLA NEW ORLEANS- Pop & Comm Music, (Vocal) BS, email*
11/21/18, Coll of Saint Rose-Music Ind (Vocal) BA, phone & email
12/18/18, Berklee-Prof Music (Vocal, Songwriting, Recorded Arts) BS, portal
3/15/19 CCPA/Roosevelt (Vocal Jazz & Contemp Studies), email to portal
3/18/19 CUNY (Vocal Jazz, minor in pop music studies), email
3/29/19, The New School, Vocal Jazz & Contemp Music, BFA, email to portal
The asterisk indicates where she chose to attend, btw. You can also private message AmyIzzy (sorry to single you out, you happen to be first! LOL) and ask questions about any of the places her D applied.
Here’s the full list from 2023, minus AmyIzzy’s D. The 2022 list is pinned at the top of the Music Major threads:
aafraser’s S, VP, Tenor
3/22/19, UCLA, portal
3/22/19, Oberlin, email
3/22/19, Eastman, email
3/23/19, NEC, snail mail
akapiratequeen’s S, jazz saxophone and music ed
12/18/18, Berklee (EA), BM, Jazz Saxophone
1/24/19, Rutgers Arts & Sci, BA non-audition
2/19/19, Ithaca College, Jazz Studies, snail mail
3/6/19, Rutgers/Mason Gross, BM Jazz Saxophone & Music Ed,email/portal
3/15/19, Syracuse U, BM Music Ed/Jazz, email
3/20/19, EASTMAN SCHOOL OF MUSIC, Music Ed/Jazz Performance (dual major), email to portal*
3/28/19, NYU, Music Ed, portal
basso_texas’s S, BM, VP
1/28/19, TCU, phone
2/14/19, NEC, email
12/14/19, CCM, email/portal
3/8/19, MSU, email
3/12/19, U of Houston
Bay Area Mom 2016’s D
12/14/18, Loyola NO, Pop Comm Voice, Music therapy w/ Jazz Voice
12/15/18, Belmont, Songwriting, snail mail
3/22/19, UCLA, Ethnomusicology, via portal*
3/22/19, U Miami, Music Therapy & Contemp Vocals, email
chollist’s S, BM, Cello Perf
1/25/19, Western Washington U email
3/12/19, U of Washington, email
3/15/19, SFCM, email> portal
3/15/19, Indiana U, snail mail
dsinha’s S, BM, Jazz/Pop Guitar
11/8/18, Belmont, Comm Music, snail mail
12/18/18, Berklee, Music Profess, snail mail
3/6/19, CSU Northridge, email from prof
DrummerDad18’s D, Jazz/Pop Drumset
12/18/18, Berklee,portal
3/22/19, U of Miami, Jazz Perf,portal
3/23/19, USC, Pop Music Perf, snail mail/portal*
3/29/19, The New School
frodo6598’s D, BA, VP
12/14/18, Chapman,portal
12/17/18, Loyola Marymount, portal
2/5/19, St Olaf, email> portal
3/4/19, UC Irvine, email>portal
3/22/19, UCLA, BA Music Ed (VP), portal
3/23/19, USC, BA Choral Music, portal
FromSeattle001’s D, Jazz Clarinet
12/19/18, Berklee ,via email/portal
3/23 NEC, via snail mail
GagasMom’s D, Commercial VP
12/15/18, Loyola NO, email
1/3/19, U of Oregon, email
1/22/19, Colorado U @ Denver, email
1/31/19, BERKLEE, email>portal *
2/4/19, College of St Rose, snail mail
2/12/19, U of Memphis, email
highnotes2018’s D, VP, soprano
2/5/19, U of Maryland, email
3/15/19, Carnegie Mellon, email
3/22/19, U of Miami,portal
3/22/19, Northwestern, portal
3/23/19. Boston U, email
3/23/19, USC, email
3/28/19, NYU, portal
jazzyboydad’s S, Jazz Performance, Vocal
3/22/19, U of Miami, portal
3/22/19, Oberlin (waitlisted), Oberlin College (accept)
3/28/19, PRINCETON non-audition), portal
4/1/19, Peabody, portal
jkviolin: MM, Violin Perf
3/4/19, DePaul,email
3/15/19, Carnegie Mellon, portal
3/15/19, Rice U, email
3/18/19, USC, phone
kwesterb 11"s S, Jazz Guitar
12/18/18, Berklee, portal
2/12/19, UT Austin (video audition),portal
3/22/19, U OF MIAMI, email to portal*
3/29/19, The New School, email to portal
leejay22 S, BM, Bassoon Perf
12/18/18,Penn State - portal & snail mail
1/18/19, INDIANA U - snail mail Jacobs, portal IU 11/18/18*
3/1/19, Univ of Colorado @ Boulder - portal & snail mail
leilajean’s S, MFA, Guitar
3/16/19,CALARTS, Performer-Composer Program, email*
Lendlees’s S, Percussion Perf
1/23/19, Miami of Ohio University, email (academic acceptance 12/14/18)
2/12/19, TEMPLE U,portal*
3/18/19, Indiana U,snail mail
3/36/19, McGill,email from professor
liszthoven1, BM, Piano Performance
4/1/19, Curtis, email
lkbux64’s S, Jazz Guitar
12/19/18, U Michigan, BA non-audition,portal,
1/22/19, U of Richmond, BA non-audition,snail mail
2/20/19, Emory U,email
3/1/19, U Michigan, Jazz Studies BFA, portal
3/14/19, Washington U St Louis, BA or BM (non-audition), portal
3/23/19, USC, Jazz Studies, priority mail*
3/29/19, The New School, email> portal,
4/1/19, Peabody,portal
MeritHopeful’s D, BM Music Ed & VP
12/5/18, SMU (Music admit to BM Music Ed program, University on 12/14/18)
12/13/18, Trinity U (admit to U, no separate Music admit required)
12/19/18, U of Puget Sound (University, no separate Music needed)
1/25/19, UNC-Chapel Hill
3/4/19, U Colorado/ Boulder, via portal
3/22/19, U Miami, portal
3/25/19, U of Washington
momcello’s D, MM Cello Perf
3/6/19, Eastman, portal
3/28/19, Julliard (Waitlist), portal
mperrine’s D, Horn Perf
2/4/19, Loyola NO, portal
3/18/19, Bard, email
3/18/19, EASTMAN, email>portal *
3/23/19, Boston University,portal
musicalkids, MM, Cello Perf
4/2/19, TRINITY LABANConservatoire of Music & Dance*
musiciseternal’s S, VP, Baritone
2/14/19, NEC, portal
2/14/19, CCM, email> portal
2/23/19, Lawrence,snail mail
3/6/19, DePauw, email
3/7/19, Baldwin Wallace,email
3/22/19, Oberlin, portal
3/31/19, BoCo @ Berklee, email>portal
4/1/19, Peabody, portal
new2music’s S, VP, Tenor
2/20/19, U of Michigan,email> portal
3/15/19, Carnegie Mellon University, email
oboeboy1917, BM, Oboe Perf
2/2/19, Eastern Illinois U,snail mail
2/20/19, Lawrence, snail mail
3/15/19, Carnegie Mellon, email
okisaperson
12/13/18, NYU, Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music *
PAPDAD’s S, BM, Music Education/Piano Performance
12/4/18, Baldwin Wallace,snail mail
12/22/18 (10/18/18 Academic) SUNY Potsdam,mail, Honors Program
2/5/2019, U of Maryland, Piano Performance, portal
2/26/19, Ithaca Coll, Piano Performance, snail mail
3/20/19, EASTMAN, Music Education, portal*
5/8/19, McGill, portal
PercussionMama’s D, BM Percussion Perf
2/21/19, U of Michigan, email> portal
3/06/19, Chapman U, email>portal
3/07/19, Rutgers U
3/22/19, U of Miami,portal
3/23/19, Boston U, portal
3/23/19, USC, portal*
CUT FOR LENGTH – the rest is here: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/2119460-acceptance-thread-for-undergrad-class-of-23-grad-class-of-21.html#latest
@MMRose Thank you for the list. This is great. So far he started his common app ,and working on the essay. I will make sure to check the pre-screening dates. I was under impression that all the pre-screening videos + portfolio is due on December 1st for most schools and interview + auditioning comes sometime in Feb, March.
He will be asking the references to his teachers. Our schools started today so he needs to also worry about his school work as well. Too many AP classes 
Today I bought a big calendar to mark the dates, and I am planning to leave it in the kitchen so everyone can see.
@akapiratequeen you are so right when you wrote “It’s like eating the elephant – one bite at a time.” Thank you again.
@Doransa, Some schools have auditions starting in January. Oberlin started on the 8th of Jan a couple of years ago. I think by the end of Jan, my S had 4 or 5 all done, and had about 4/5 in February.
From what I remember, IU Jacobs was a bit strange. The app to the college was due before the prescreen. So watch for schools that have different deadlines for the college app and the prescreen submission. Northwestern/Bienen was the other way - the prescreen was needed before the common app was due, but they waited for the common app to be in before they scheduled the live audition.
I would recommend making a spreadsheet having each deadline listed, and all the prescreen submission requirements for each. For violin perf, they were all similar, but with some variations.
@SweetStrings , my son is at FSU for BM in VP. If you have any general questions about FSU or the music school let me know. He loves it there.
@gram22 I just started a spreadsheet, and looking through the admission pages to extract information. For Oberlin they want the common application submitted on December 1st but Pre-screening materials on December 4th. Seems strange. at least they are not asking for essays or instrument proficiency.
CIM, Eastman applications not opened yet so not much information on those. I think they might have some essays as well.
Thanks for that list @akapiratequeen; very helpful!
I’m wondering if anyone can provide some insight on a music resume – I need to put one together for applications, but I’m very low on the solo performances. Anyone have tips? I’m also wondering if we should submit music resumes to the places where it’s optional?
racing fan… i don’t have a big resume either so i’m putting down what i did in hs
ie: choirs, all state, musicals, prove voice teachers, music theory etc…
@Doransa, every one of them has a short essay (may even be more than one). Unfortunately, as far as i can remember, most of the conservatories do not use the common app. Also, for Oberlin, depending on the instrument, they may or may not need a prescreen submission. Similar to Oberlin, UCLA’s prescreen submission deadline was after the application deadline.
I second that – I think every school my son applied to wanted at least one extra essay beyond the common application.
@Doransa I just remembered that Oberlin required two essays but the prompts weren’t released until after my son submitted the prescreening materials, and then there was only a very short window (a couple of days, I think) until they were due. I think there might be more time to complete them if you submit the prescreening ahead of the deadline, but I’m not sure.
Artistic / Music Resume—— It should be just in 1 page or a little more, not 3-4 pages. First, your name and instrument(s) / voice. It should start from “most current” and includes month and year on: Ensembles and Solos (including high schools), Awards and/or recognitions, Instructors and Directors (including email address), Summer camps or/and other programs (includes location), Artists whom performed with. My son didn’t include “music related” volunteer works. Also, I read somewhere in CC that some musicians include their head shot at very top. My son didn’t include his volunteer works or head shot.
@MMRose thank you, it is nice to know.