Does anyone know anyone who has been rejected from Interlochen’s boarding school (IAA)?
The marketing is so shiny and the online presence makes it seem competitive, but everyone gets in, don’t they? Just pay to play?
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No.
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We have never applied so I dont know how many kids get in but the music and drama departments are very well thought of and the kids quite impressive so I don’t think they are pay to play. They also offer significant scholarships.
from what i’ve heard, academic standards aren’t too high (a typical student would be okay) but your audition needs to be top notch. they are very selective especially for certain majors (dance is one of them iirc)
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My kids are musicians and we briefly considered the school before deciding that it was too far away, but no, that’s not my sense of the school at all. They have a really strong reputation in the music world, and no you definitely can’t just walk in and announce that you like performing. There’s a rigorous audition process.
It’s possible that their admit % rate is relatively high compared to certain other boarding schools, but it’s also a self-selected group that apply. So that doesn’t mean that their standards are low: it just means that the baseline for applicants is high.
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My DS attended several years ago. Quite competitive in the classical music department. Studio size is limited and acceptance is audition based.
So no, definitely not the case that everyone gets in. Feel free to message me if you have questions. He had an amazing experience at IAA.
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So, nobody knows anyone who has been rejected?
That’s what all your posts say. You say, oh, no, it’s very hard to get in. But you don’t know anyone who hasn’t gotten in? See what I mean??
How do you know? Do you know someone who was rejected?
I think the self-selection observation is true. Obviously kids aren’t applying if they haven’t been involved in the arts. So, of those kids, do we know anyone who has been rejected?
(I am not denigrating the quality of the program!!! I’m wondering how nervous a qualified (visual arts) kid really needs to be.)
Yes.
Prior to my son’s final year, there were 3 openings for new students on his instrument. I think 5 or 6 applied. Thus 2-3 were not accepted. There was also one who was encouraged to leave after the first term and reapply the next year due to being unprepared socially and musically. (Per my son’s report)
Note that for instrumental music, many students apply only for junior/senior year to prep for college and conservatory auditions.
I am not familiar with the selectivity of the visual arts program. Really not sure how one would garner that information.
Thank you. Sorry for the people you know who were rejected. Is there a way to find out the 9th grade admissions statistics by “major”? I wonder if the non-instrumentals are less competitive. We got such a sense of community cohesion and overall emotional warmth at the visit. Is it actually competitive? Jittery middle school son here, hoping we hear back soon.
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So I saw this and just want to add something here for future scrollers curious about the Interlochen Arts Academy admissions process.
Interlochen Arts Camp is a major feeder for the school.
To get into the camp, kids must apply and provide portfolio (visual arts/writing) or performance (acting, dance etc.) So those accepted to the camp have already been screened. Not everyone gets into the camp and every discipline rejects potential campers.
Then at the end of camp, students are encouraged to apply to the school. Of the students who apply, some are accepted, some waitlisted and some rejected.
Not everyone attends a camp session first, but a very large number do.
The pool applying to Interlochen is yes already very self-selected. They seem to be especially careful in selecting students who will be joining them as juniors or seniors because they want to make sure the kids coming in are ready for the coming application process.
They do offer a post grad year and some students take this because they do not have the portfolio or do not feel prepared for the college admissions process.
Interlochen does offer AP and DE options. They provide these course offerings for students seeking entrance to competitive programs. There are some excellent arts programs at extremely competitive schools so students aiming for those must demonstrate academic rigor too.
So, Did you apply? Did you get in or not?
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