Just wanted to add something to this thread, in the article they make a big point about music theory and such. While there are definitely benefits to studying theory and solfege early, can make you more comfortable, can let you take more advances course earlier (or in the first x semesters, focus on other classes, electives and so forth), it also is not a big deal if you come in pretty much new to it (and few schools i know of use it in their admissions). My son proctored and graded the theory exams at the conservatory he is at, and he said most kids did pretty badly on it, were directed to level 1 and the other graders said the same thing, piano students seemed to do a bit better than other students, and he said what was interesting was that kids in the top studios didn’t do any better or worse on average than kids in the other studios on that instrument…the most interesting one is he graded a couple of composition students, and none of them did very well, that surprised him.