I have a rising Junior who loves marching band and orchestra. She plays sousaphone/tuba. She is a straight-A student, and plays a spring sport as well. Her involvement in marching band and orchestra has meant that she loses out on an opportunity to take any electives. So, I guess my question is how we make the most of this situation on a college app, where we are really looking for as much FA as possible (of course), but won’t qualify for much, if any, need-based aid. A year or two ago I thought she may get a scholarship as a female tuba player, but I have heard that is probably not the case if you are not going to major in music. What’s the best way to ‘play-up’ the music (she also plays other instruments) if that is not going to be her major? She is looking to go for an engineering degree, most likely.
I’m no expert on marching band admissions (you may want to check some of the music threads), but I do understand that schools with marching bands do recruit players (and I don’t think they need to be majors).
Maybe talk about the effect it had and will have on her life? There are engineering fields that deal with music technology/design, etc. and if she is interested in that, it could be considered comparable to a music major.
If she’s interested in continuing her involvement in instrumental music in college, she may want to consider applying to some colleges that do not have a professional-level music major. Such schools need people to fill their bands and orchestras, and their few liberal arts music majors aren’t enough.
I don’t know whether it would help in admissions, though.
I think a girl who marches with a sousaphone, and who plays tuba, is pretty interesting. This is, at least, a good subject for an essay. See http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/1797102-elite-admissions-finding-the-and.html#latest
If she’s not going to be a music major, I don’t think it’s too likely to result in merit aid. But it might help her get into a more selective college, because it’s cool.
As university professor and parent of a rising senior who plays multiple instruments and will not major in music, there are numerous ways that your daughter’s musical and marching ability can be translated into merit aid. It will take a bit of research. Many LACs and mid- major universities. offer talent scholarships (500-2500) and book awards for non-music majors to participate in the marching band. Scholarships and stipends are also available for the pep band. As you and your daughter begin to prepare her college list, you may want to target several colleges that provide these options. Make sure to investigate the time commitment. If she is going to be a STEM, Education, or nursing major 15 plus hours per week may be too much. Ten hours or less would be reasonable.
As you know, marching band is a commitment-practices, games, and depending on the school, competitions. There is a reason the fittest kids in the school in the Fall are the band members. This commitment translates very well to colleges where applications are reviewed by a committee or even one person. It translates well whether listed in the ECs or the subject of an essay. Marching band shows commitment, ability to multitask ( play music, march, and carry an instrument that weighs half as much as you do for 3 quarters and halftime) and passion. Many schools love marching band members. STEM departments love musicians. In departments where scholarships are given to freshman, other stats being equal, it is often the band member who receives the award.
Finally, there may be local and state scholarships for four-year band members. Many of these do not require that your declared major. be music. They may ask if you plan to continue with music. There are many ways to do that without majoring in the field. Check with her school’s band director as well as the State Music Association.
Your daughter sounds incredibly talented. Much success as you explore all the merit available to her because of her passion for music.
P.S. In Ohio, the most coveted honor in the state, dotting the i at halftime at an OSU game, is reserved for tuba/sousaphone players.
One thing we found during our college search is that some schools offer instate tuition for marching band members. I believe USC (University of South Carolina) was one.
Can she try out for drum major? My D was chosen to be drum major, but some schools have try-outs, and have more than one DM. D was told this was something she should put on her college app., as it is a leadership position.
However, if DM is not an option for your D, I would think that simply sticking with marching band for all four years shows commitment and dedication to that activity. There is also a lot of self-discipline involved in marching - exact marching skills, time management, learning the music and choreography, etc.
Btw, this is the first I’ve heard about scholarships, etc for 4-year marching band members. Hmm.
Wind ensembles generally take less time than marching band does, and it’s a year-round activity.
At big universities, there may even be two levels of wind ensembles – a high-level one that you get in to by competitive audition and that performs in many concerts each year and travels, and a lower-level one that performs less frequently, rarely or never travels, and is open to any competent player. The latter requires a much smaller time commitment. .
My D1 has been playing the cello since she was 4, and became very accomplished, winning numerous competitions etc. She is not a music major but did get a talent based scholarship and plays in the university’s philharmonic where all the music majors play.
As an aside, she got a very good internship for this summer in a STEM field, and her interviewers later told her that one of the reasons they hired her was because she was a musician, and has the ability to see patterns clearly.
Thanks everyone for ‘chiming’ in (see what I did there?). This information is most helpful, and gives me some ideas to investigate. I’m not a musician myself, so this is new to me.
@inwiththeband, I would love for her to dot the ‘i’ at the OSU, and this comes from a Michigan man!
http://www.halftimemag.com/WP/features/get-paid-to-march/
Just google “marching band instate tuition” all sorts of options pop up. (I had no idea that there was a Half Time Magazine)
My S played up the leadership component of his marching band and overall music experience in HS. He was section leader, quartermaster, and squad leader for the band. Additionally, he played in the local youth orchestra and was president of it his senior year (also played in both levels of jazz band, brass ensemble, and basically anywhere the HS music department asked him to.) I think all this translated well on his apps, even though he didn’t plan to major in music–and this son of two Michigan persons was offered a half-tuition scholarship to UMich (bah humbug on that other band, lol.)
My daughter plays several wind instruments and piano at a high level. She has been heavily involved with music since a young child. She will be studying engineering and plans to continue to participate in music. She earned a full tuition scholarship and while it is not for music, her depth of music involvement certainly came to play in her application success.
While she won’t be attending Purdue, she did apply there and get a partial tuition scholarship, but one thing that was intriguing about their music program was that PU has no music school so students are not competing for spots in groups with music majors. Further, the music program is supportive of engineering student’s busy schedules. That was appealing to my daughter. A couple other schools we visited made it clear that she simply would unlikely have time even if she could get in past music majors. This doesn’t help you financially, but makes a difference for a non music major who wants to stay involved in music.
@2muchquan @garland LOL LOL. Thanks for the gentle reminder that graduates of “the school up north” use CC too.
I’m glad that we can use our collective wisdom to make marching band parents aware of additional merit/talent money that is available.
Absolutely, imwiththeband! 
Oh, Illinois!!! I hate it that tv college sport casters don’t show halftime and the bands. There was nothing more wonderful to do in October than attend football games and watch bands march in at half-time. Beware Ohio and Michigan, someday Illinois will beat you in football! I also bet lots of the band majors aren’t majoring in music and a tuba player if so cool.