Does he need to stay the night? Maybe a very early flight in and late flight home?
I always love reading about the acceptances! So happy to see a new crop of students moving forward. A few comments:
IU MT - my daughter (IU VP) performs regularly with IU graduates from both VP and MT They are both competitive, well respected programs.
Grad school money - it can be a mixed bag in our experience. My D got from $0 to 50% tuition to nearly a full ride (but at a lesser school that needed a mezzo). Most seemed to be around 50%. I know the common wisdom is that there is a ton of money available…but my D and many of her friends found that few schools couldn’t afford full rides for all their grad students. Taking a year off can be a good strategy bc needs change year to year with schools…so if it’s not a great result one year, the next could be better with a little more growth and a change in the program needs.
As for “picking a school”, there were a lot of good comments about teacher, growth opportunities and checking the semester by semester curriculum…and of course the “vibe” of the school. If all looks good, it is fine to encourage your kid to use their “gut instinct” about the school and student body. All reputable schools will have lots of learning experiences…but it’s important for the school to provide some “fun” too. If a kid thinks they have found their “people” and it checks off all the boxes…then let them pick that school. A fun environment DOES matter. It’s hard to grow if you are unhappy.
And one parent mentioned that they thought money would make a big difference…but strangely all schools are similar in tuition. This was our case too for UG. It was like they all knew what a fledgling VP mezzo would pay…and they all came in within a $1000 or $2000 for tuition. They do seem to be experts at this…
Good luck…the finish line is close!
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What a great post.
First time posting but have been following. My son has gotten into multiple schools with merit which we are grateful for (Berklee, Belmont, Loyola New Orleans, Hartt, Syracuse, still waiting on NYU Clive). One of his top choices was Frost (MADE program) which he was accepted to but did not receive merit. We do not qualify for need on paper (although we live in a high cost of living area) but full tuition there will likely not work. My son is going to email them to ask for another review-but from what I have been told they do not reconsider. Anyone know or have experience with this? Thanks so much!
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Thank you for asking your friend!
We are hoping we can do the early flight and late flight home option, it’ll all depend on what the co-chair he reached out to replies back with. If the classes are more afternoon classes then we could definitely avoid the need for a hotel.
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Yeah I was the one that not only asked about picking a school but also thought that money would ultimately make a big difference but it’s definitely not when two of the top 4 end up being about $500 different because of the scholarships both schools offered him.
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I think I’m more on edge than my son.
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So my son reached out to the Guitar co-chair at Berklee asking about sitting in on some classes. They recommended a campus tour, which we already did, and to stop by the Guitar department to chat with them. And that there are always tons of different events going on campus. He really feels like he needs to sit in on some classes to compare to something like UM Frost where he was able to sit in on some classes and rehearsals. I’m at a loss on what to tell him to do at this point.
Different schools have different ways of dealing with you. Some roll out the red carpet…others don’t. So you and your son are learning that…and it’s up to you how you feel about it. If not done already, he could reach out to music administration and see if there is a guitar or other music student he could text/talk with. Many schools have student ambassadors who will communicate directly with your student about the school. They are usually very positive students…but as young people go…they can be very honest too. If he can’t get into a class, he may be able to spend time with another student…have lunch together…maybe even go to a practice room together. If a student can’t visit a school, they can still communicate with a student at the school about any questions by text or whatever way they feel comfortable. It can be insightful.
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I tend to agree with your logic, for what its worth. But nobody asked either!!!
Through all my daughter’s due diligence, some of the most productive time was with a student at Steinhardt who she spoke with via Zoom. The student was incredibly candid, and gave a little more insight (warts and all) than we received on the student panels, both at NYU and everywhere else. She was still able to audit classes and tour the university, but we got a lot of “Look! We all eat our vegetables here!” vibes from the tour guides and host students.
Maybe not enough “meat on the bone” for you or your son, but if circumstances won’t allow exactly what you are looking for, you might get enough through this route. You’d save yourself a plane ticket anyway. Food for thought.
Meat…vegetables…food. I’m laying out a lot of subtext here. It must be time for lunch.
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He actually started messaging someone via Instagram yesterday but isn’t getting much answered lol I told him to try to find others he can maybe chat with that can give it to him Real. What’s funny is we got brutal honestly when we toured Steinhardt and I think it immediately jumped off of his list because of that honesty. I don’t want people sugar coating stuff because I kinda expect that from admissions folks. I want the RAW stuff lol
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One of the strengths of Berklee is its size, which allows for a vast array of resources. But size can also make it more difficult to give individualized attention to applicants and admitted students. Berklee enrolls about 7,250 undergrads, so they’re presumably taking in over 1,800 new undergrads each year. Assuming a yield of about 40% (I have no idea what the yield is, but I’d be surprised if it’s higher than that), you’d be looking at over 4,500 people admitted to the undergrad program each year. It may just not be practical to have 4,500 people (or even any meaningful fraction of that number) sitting in on classes in a compressed time period. I’d also reiterate what has often been said here in the past, which is that you shouldn’t judge a school by its admissions process. Once you enroll, you’ll never have to deal with the admissions office again. If he’s able to connect with one or two current students, I agree that would be a good source of information.
In terms of the choice between Berklee and Frost (and I know there are a couple of other great choices potentially in the hopper), assuming the cost is equivalent, I would view it as a no-lose choice. Both schools offer an environment where he can develop and thrive musically if he connects with the teacher, fellow students and general vibe. It makes sense to put together a pros and cons sheet – among factors that may be relevant are faculty, students, academic environment (e.g., does he want a robust set of non-music courses), size (e.g., does he want the depth of resources of a big program or the more intimate environment of a smaller program), location (including music scene in the city), alumni network, weather, housing, friends in the program. But I also think “gut feel” is as good a basis as any in choosing among excellent programs. And most important, once the decision is made, don’t second-guess it or look back. Just look forward to the next stage of the journey!
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Right there with you. Everything is so nerve wracking, and as parents, we’ve all done so much to support our kids as they do hard things. In our house we’ve experienced the highs of multiple acceptances, the low of a rejection, and now a waitlist at IU Jacobs which is a situation I didn’t consider could happen! It’s a lot to think about. I’m trying to focus on the pride I feel for my boy maybe actually getting into THE Jacobs School of Music which feels like Juilliard to us here in Indiana. It’s an awesome accomplishment! Keeping fingers crossed, thinking positive thoughts and loving my boy. 
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Thank you for this! And you are right, we probably shouldn’t expect them to accommodate a lot of people just like my son who are unsure and want to sit in on classes where obviously Frost can because it’s just a much smaller program overall. I do have a feeling a pro/cons list is going to be key here.
We got an email from BU to check the portal to make sure that DS can access it in light of decision info coming soon. Does this mean he can expect a decision today? In next 2 or 2? Or 4/1?!
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Same.. does anyone know/ have experience with BU CFA admissions?
Even though my son didn’t apply to Juilliard, some of his opportunities will be affected by people who did. Is Juilliard announcing on 4/1 for all studios?
The website IvyWise has a timeline list by school that might be helpful to you concerning BU. I tried to post the link but am unable to - best of luck.
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Thank you so much! I had never heard of that website before.. looks like it’s all next week