I had heard that, too, but then my daughter was offered a large scholarship last summer at the CS Music competition. I think they thought she was a junior, as most scholarships are awarded to rising seniors. She had gotten scholarship offers from several other schools in 2024 when she actually WAS a rising senior, and they definitely influenced which schools she applied to. By last summer, of course, she had already made her decision.
Remember that there will be some top candidates (not that yours is not) who are offered a full merit scholarship. Very often these same candidates are offered full tuition or even full rides elsewhere and go elsewhere.
So I consider the pool of money quite fluid (pun intended). Unless money is absolutely no issue for your family, I would not be shy about requesting some additional funding.
We did not need to ask for more merit for undergrad because my son had a full tuition offer. But my now working professional musician has always asked for (and generally received) additional funding for festivals, master classes and jobs. It is very much a part of the culture and profession to seek out funding.
I think @bridgenail speaks to this in a post above. Having your musician learn to advocate for themselves in a heartfelt and professional manner with respect to money is a great skill. My son is so much better at this than I will ever be.
As my son says, “All they can say is yes or no. And I’m pretty sure (insert name of entity) has more money than I have.”
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I know others were waiting on scholarship info from Michigan State. My son just got an email awarding him some money. So keep an eye out on email boxes!
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Again my experience is old so I hope others respond. But YES studio/teacher is an important consideration.
One observation (and personal experience) is that studio/teacher may be a KEY consideration for some classical instrumentalists. For voice, jazz, contemporary, it may be one of a few IMPORTANT considerations. Vocalists are very young in their development so getting a “key teacher” to work on specific issues, styles etc is not so defined for many in UG studies (but maybe for some). The voice teacher for grad school will be more “specific”.
Every year on this site, there is a different mix of musical styles. So this year may reflect that with less discussion on studio.
Still, if it is the “key” element for you then it could be the deciding factor (assuming the school is affordable); and that’s OK. My D is still in contact with her UG teacher. Her support has been very important.
To make her decision, my D looked a lot at curriculum and flexibility in studies (once affordability was determined). But admittedly, the voice teacher contacting her and encouraging her to join her studio ended up being a “key” consideration.
Good luck!
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My DS did get his first choice in studios everywhere he was accepted and it was a big factor, probably more so than the financial aspect from our perspective. But the biggest issue was that at three of the schools where he auditioned, the professors he met with and auditioned with were retiring or moving on to other schools, and the new professors had not been hired yet. So that made it difficult for him to know if he would connect with the new professor. Hard to go with the uncertainty of not knowing who you would be working with even if the school had a lot of prestige. Where he landed, he did get his first choice for studio, but the school also allows them to set up lessons with professors in other studios throughout the year at no additional cost. It’s so nice that this is welcomed and no one‘s feelings are hurt if you decide to reach outside of your own studio for feedback. So I would definitely put that in as a consideration as you make your final decision.
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In 2024, when my son received the initial merit letter, he received $0, but gave the process for submitting an apppeal. In that appeal I put together a spreadsheet of his top 3 with all of the financials. I got the spreadsheet from someone else I met here on this site. He ended up going from 0 to around 25-26k in music merit. I’m sure the money frees up as other candidates drop out and choose other schools. We are super fortunate with another scholarship, the Michigan grant, and now he’s also an ra, so for us the cost ended up close to what would have been the cheapest coa at CCU. (We are in Indiana also, but he did not get accepted at Jacobs, but we pay less than Indiana COA. BUT tuition increases every year AND tuition increases as an upperclassman when they hit a certain amount of hours.) one more thing you should really research is the housing at UMich. They are opening a new dorm this August so there’s more housing now, but many of the off campus housing rents are absolutely ridiculous amounts of money! Like more than my mortgage 
You can find a range of housing, but I will say I’m so relieved my son is an ra and we don’t have to deal with it!
So helpful! I’m wondering if you were awarded the Michigan grant before the music merit of zero was given, or after you appealed the music merit? How many times did you appeal your music merit? I appreciate you sharing your experience.
Nice. Congrats! Did it show up in the portal too anywhere?
Hi, we received the email about the Michigan Grant separately shortly after he was admitted, I would say sometime in March, and before we ever were informed about the music merit. My son appealed twice. The second one yielded an extra I think $1500, and then he was informed if another scholarship the same day, so it could have been coordinated together to get my son funds. I am very, very, very grateful to UMich and their donors. He loves it there, I love visiting there. In fact I’m so excited to go up in a few weeks for their last concert of the year. And bam, halfway through his bachelors’s programs!
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anyone know when juilliards coming out? its usually been on the last monday of march.
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Also anxious… I think it will most likely come out tomorrow haha
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Daughter (VP) made it to auditions, but not the final cut to the evening callback. I sure wish she made it through, but Golly I don’t envy your waiting. Go get it! Your stakes are so high right now! I hope your child gets exactly what they want!
To be so talented that this is your issue at hand. What a terrific dilemma,
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We haven’t looked at the portal. They sent an email.
Does any one have a guess when McGill’s Schulich School of Music will release decisions? Hopefully before May 1.
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We received an admission email from McGill-Schulich yesterday.
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Yes, yesterday. DC received acceptance yesterday.
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Any word on financial aid for IU Jacobs?
Just came for us 10 minutes ago. They specified it was only merit and that you would be notified separately for need based/federal grants.
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I hope they aren’t done with merit!! <looking at portal, seeing nothing>
NEVERMIND IT WAS IN JSOM PORTAL. party time.
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