Okay this isn’t personal experience, but I am on a Musical Theater Parent FB page, and I swear that about half of the posts this time of the year are about waitlists. Don’t quote me on any of this, and I’m not sure any of it is exactly parallel to the music waitlist experience, but this is what I have learned there: waitlists tend to move around April 1 when all financial offers have gone out and kids start releasing schools they know they can’t afford or just aren’t interested in. And they move again just after May 1 when decision day passes. They say to go ahead and commit to #2 right at the decision day May 1 deadline, pay the deposit and just go on like normal. If you come off the #1 waitlist, forfeit the deposit at #2 and commit to #1. There have been some stories on there of kids physically moving into their #2 in August when they got the call they had come off their #1 waitlist. They packed their stuff up and headed to #1. It’s crazy in the MT world. Maybe more so than music…if you can even imagine.
My D was on 2 waitlists (acting and MT). Came off one in April. Came off the other early May. She declined both. Still you should go forward with the other schools and make a commitment on time at a school. If he does come off the wait list, he can accept at the other school. This happens every year.
I have seen waitlist moves for music performance over the years. In general, these performance waitlist are not real large and do move. So you shouldn’t think of them like academic wait lists. Of course, one never knows. If your kid is serious about the school, he should be in regular contact with them about his desire to go there. Merit is never guaranteed…but I have seen it offered for waitlist students. And, I do remember a couple people coming off waitlist in June…
Hang in there.
Hi! My kid is a freshman and chose NEC. He told each school no as he eliminated them, exactly so that the waitlist could move. Fingers crossed!
Thank you so much. That is really helpful. I have heard that MT is crazy competitive. I cannot even imagine the scenario you are describing… being headed to one school to then get the call. I’m hoping for some info in April. If we lose a deposit on another school I’m fine with that. Thanks again!
Oh, that gives me hope! Thank you. I wasn’t sure if people did this or not.
Thank you! That gives me hope. He did write a really great letter of continued interest and I’ve been in touch with the school. So fingers crossed!
There was a kid last year who posted an update in the fall that he got off the waitlist for his dream school (Frost) during the summer. I think he also got either merit or financial aid or both. Don’t lose hope!
My son was accepted as a transfer to Bard but waitlisted for the Conservatory. Does anyone have any insight as to the experience at Bard as a non-Conservatory music performance major? He would work with the same teacher but I believe the enemble opportunities would be different and I’m worried about him not getting what he needs as Conservatory students get priority. Also if anyone can share about experience about SMU Meadows School and the vibe there I’d be grateful. Thanks.
My daughter is a 2nd year VP student at Bard Conservatory. I do not know anything about instrumental ensembles. However, I do know that voice students at the college can audition into the conservatory at some point. I assume that is true for instrumental music students. Although there are certain classes only open to conservatory students, my daughter has taken many of her music classes with non-Conservatory students. I would reach out to conservatory admissions - they have always been extremely kind and helpful.
In my experience, waitlists definitely move because a certain bunch of kids will get offers everywhere, and each kid can only pick one school. I’d wait it out, but of course commit somewhere by May 1. Sometimes, you can switch after that point even after committing.
If there was a school that was definitely “out”, I’d email admissions and the teacher (if you have a close enough relationship) right away and let them know that you’ve decided to pursue other opportunities so that they can have a chance at another good student.
@Drummmermom2 I would wait all the way up to the deadline for responding to the school where he is accepted and would want to go to. He may get off the waitlist by then. If not, commit to whatever school he now wants and he can put the #1 school out of mind unless there is a surprise.
How does he feel about a BA vs BM? Music classes would be 1/4-1/3 of his total classes for a BA. But lessons and EC performance could continue. Good fit for some, not for others. If he wants immersion in music he can focus on BM’s. (Or, if there is an option to try later to get in to the BM program, once on campus, that is an option.)
@sillinessforBschools how does your son feel about the double degree requirement for Conservatory schools?
Were there issues transferring music classes to the Conservatory?
My S got waitlisted at Colburn, and a student declined in april and they offered my son the spot (he ended up not taking it, for a variety of reasons). ’
One of the reasons for waitlists is every school “overbooks” their spots, because they know historically the rate of deciding to go there at the school of kids the accepted and it is not 100%, even at schools like Juilliard. Waitlists do move, as a rule of thumb they will move more at schools not seen as being the tippy top than at the ‘top tier’ schools .
Waitlist can also reflect studio choice, if the kid puts down a couple of teachers and neither can/will take him, they can be waitlisted and they can get off if they find another faculty member willing to teach them.
I agree, if you get waitlisted at you number 1, wait, if you haven’t heard by the may 1st deadline, accept at another school. If for some reason the no 1 school after may 1st contacts you, see if it is financially affordable, and accept and turn down the other school (you will lose your deposit, though).
Okay, thank you. This is not a top tier school so I’m hoping the list will move. So, your son was offered a spot before you had to commit to another school? This is what am hoping for. To possibly wait another 5 weeks is killing me.
Thank you! I am hopeful that he will get off the list before we have to commit. He is dead set against a BA even though that school is a dream school for many kids (and parents). It will be a little shocking to turn it down but it seems like that’s where we are headed. Ugh.
RE waitlists. My daughter was waitlisted by 2 schools during her grad school process (2 years ago) - Rice and Eastman. Eastman in particular was very interactive during this process, checking in to make sure she was still interested, etc, giving her detailed info on how the process worked. They actually emailed her early on a Saturday letting her know they expected to have a spot open up that day and was she she still interested. She replied that she was, and then several hours later, got the offer. Rice was much more hands off and ultimately she did not come off their list. Anyway my point is, there IS hope from the wait list!!
We are currently wait listed by an AD program she auditioned for and it is driving me CRAZY. There are so many other decisions (example what city will she even live in next year) that need to be made that are all on hold for this one piece. Hopefully soon.
He wouldn’t mind the double-degree requirement. The school he is currently enrolled at doesn’t have that as an option, but he had almost gone to the Lawrence double-degree program. At Gettysburg/Sunderman as a performance major it is very hard to double-major or minor but many Music Ed or BA Music majors do.
I don’t think he should have trouble with transferring classes given Conservatory certifications, etc. His grades are beyond solid. If they make him take a placement test to confirm level for theory or musicology I think he would be fine.
I hear ya! Grad school decisions need to be in sooner. And, since grad students don’t always want to live on campus, you feel an urgency to get the decision done so you can move on to securing housing! Most Freshman live on campus so they don’t have that pressure. I remember being very anxious for my D to get her decision done so we could figure out costs and secure housing…which I remember took awhile. Hang in there. It’ll all work out.
Musical talent (creativity) can’t be put in a box…and flourish.
Silos are a thing in music schools. Classical musicians need to focus on the basic repertoire, skills etc. I think that it is often simply an administrative structure for getting the foundational work done. But then some people have a very black and white thought process…and others may be insecure Freshmen (or older)…so the structure, the insecurity and certain personalities can breed an atmosphere of singularity in your pursuit of the arts…along with the idea that if you don’t live, breathe and sleep classical music (or other types)…you’ll never make it! And this can be re-enforced by faculty (looking for success through their students). It happened to my D by a teacher who wanted to coach her…which was a privilege. Luckily, her main teacher was more lackadaisical…and more famous…so my D really benefited from her teacher’s attitude which was more flexible in the path and goals (while still insisting on the classical basics).
I guess what I’m trying to say is…you will feel competition at schools in odd ways…from faculty, curriculum, peers for the above reasons…and some people are just so darn competitive no matter what. I don’t think those people are always the issue bc in college…people stop wanting to work with these individuals. They only get away with that behavior so long (their heydays seem to be high school and a bit of early college). I think that the real issue can be the creeping competition of music, in general, that makes you decide to suppress some of your true interests in order to stay on the straight and narrow….your only chance for success. If you don’t find it after college (where you gave up years to your music muse who turned away from you at the end of your journey), you can become very bitter. I see this in posts of people not “making it in music”. Others can walk away from music with a more positive attitude. It was a great discipline, a wonderful time in their life etc. They may have had a more well-rounded attitude and experiences. Of course this is a bit of speculation on my part.
So…my unsolicited advice…is send your kid somewhere they’ll ENJOY themselves. Somewhere they’ll grow musically, but also creatively and as a person. Somewhere they can make connection bx music and life. Do not go to school JUST for the “path to success no matter what” with hours of practice alone in practice room in the hopes that one day…you’ll be a star, a sensation…or at the very least a working artist. That’s rarely necessary and doesn’t seem to end well in many cases.
Hello Everyone, my son has committed to UNT for percussion performance! He is my 4th child and first music school applicant. As I have said to all of my other kids, love the school that loves you back! S25 has done just that! Thank you to everyone who chimes in on this thread especially @TigerLily52 . I am looking forward to seeing how it unfolds for all of you!