<p>Based only on a 2.9 GPA what are the odds of getting into USC Thornton, Curtis, NEC, CIM, Julliard, MSM, which ones do I have the best chance of getting into??</p>
<p>Of the institutions you mention, USC will be more concerned with grades. 2.9 might not be enough. Check with them to be sure. Curtis, NEC, Juilliard, MSM will be mostly if not completely audition-based. Not sure about CIM.</p>
<p>Grades will not get you into any of them. There is no way anyone can tell you how likely you are to get into any conservatory based on grades. Your audition will get you in or not. Grades can only keep you out if they are not sufficient in some cases. For most of the ones you listed it is the audition. . If you look at the web sites they are pretty clear. </p>
<p>Curtis: Admissions to the Curtis Institute of Music are based on artistic promise alone. </p>
<p>NEC :Each applicant is considered for admission based on a competitive review of his/her audition results, overall academic history, artistic preparation, and letters of recommendation. </p>
<p>Julliard: The Committee on Admissions selects students primarily on the basis of their performance at competitive auditions held at The Juilliard School and in selected cities around the country.</p>
<p>MSM: While admission to Manhattan School of Music is based primarily upon this audition, the evaluation of previous academic work and the number of openings in the major field for which the student is applying are also factors. In addition, performance experience, extracurricular activities, and other factors are considered.</p>
<p>USC requires all of the SAT and tests that the university requires. CIM is less clear, but all emphasize the audition.</p>
<p>Re.CIM, you need to pull that GPA up unless you play an instrument in great demand or are an instrumental/vocal phenom! They state that a “minimum GPA of 3.0” in required, but most of those entering are considerably above that. If you are terrifically talented, you should be OK, but you probably won’t be in the running for merit money.
That being said, you are one-tenth of a point off, so you should be able to raise the grades, and instrumentalists are more slack than vocal majors because the latter take more academic courses (including those all important languages).
As discussed in another thread, GPA and test scores can be very useful for admissions committees to use to decide between two relatively equal candidates (and remember, they hear many, many students each season, so anything you can do to present yourself in the best possible light, no matter where you apply, is to your advantage).</p>