How to narrow down the initial list

CLRN8MOM
Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:15:15 +0000

Hello, ImThinking: My D and I were in a similar position a few years ago. I would try to get a reasonable outside assessment of your talent/skill level to see what schools would be a good fit. One good way to do this would be to attend a summer music program or to contact a local university music school for an appointment. Also, I contacted many university teachers via email when my D was a sophomore, to find out a bit about their programs and where their students ended up after the BM. We ended up not applying to any schools where the majority of grads went into either music education or into non-music fields. It is thus helpful to have some idea of where you imagine yourself in 10 years. Also, talk to your current teacher to see if you can be put in touch with other teachers around the country that you might be able to talk to for more information. One of the most important criteria for how you choose your program will be the teachers there. Also, we were interested in the strength of academics, and financial aid or typical size of merit scholarships is also an important factor. I wanted D to be at a “full service” music school so she could be exposed to a wide range of opportunities and not just classical music. Which brings up another good point: talk to your parents and see what they think! Best of luck and don’t worry, as you start collecting more information your list will shrink.