<p>Without getting into specifics about mom4’s son’s situation, I will point out the following about the Early Review process and merit aid at Oberlin Conservatory for any others who may be thinking along the same lines:</p>
<p>1) The possible Early Review decisions are accept, defer or reject. An acceptance is non-binding, the applicant is free to pursue other opportunities and has until May 1 to decide among acceptances. A deferral simply brings up the applicant’s case again when regular decisions are made. A rejection is a final decision.</p>
<p>2) Because the applicant is not committed to attend Oberlin if accepted, there is no clear relationship between Oberlin being a first choice and auditioning during the Early Review period in December rather than the Regular Decision period in February or March. There are valid reasons for auditioning in December both for those who consider Oberlin a first choice and for those who are considering it lower in their spread of schools.</p>
<p>3) It is possible and even likely that Oberlin College takes the applicant’s preference for Oberlin as a first choice school far more seriously than does the Conservatory. The “Why Oberlin?” essay is pretty important in the College admission process, but there is no such essay required of Con applicants. The College has a binding Early Decision policy, while the Conservatory Early Review is not binding. The yield at the Con is a good bit higher than at the College, so they do not have as much incentive to raise yield by giving preference to those who they know will matriculate.</p>
<p>4) The Conservatory does, however, use merit scholarship money to try to attract students who are very good and/or who fill a current need. I do not know the inner workings of how the scholarship money is allocated but, if I were one of the better applicants, I would sooner give the scholarship committee the impression that I was undecided than give them the impression that I would certainly matriculate at full price.</p>
<p>5) Auditioning during Early Review has positives and negatives. On the negative side, you have two or three months less preparation time. On the positive side, if you are accepted it takes a huge amount of pressure off some of the later auditions and may let you cancel some of them entirely to concentrate on the others. Those who are auditioning at lots of schools may get burnt out by the time the last couple of them roll around and may find their playing or singing was a lot fresher in December than it is in March. </p>
<p>6) Trying to assess whether it would be better to audition in December or March is a very personal choice that is probably best made by the student and their private music teacher.</p>