My question is somewhat premature but not really because DD14 already has her list of conservatories she’d like to attend, lol. I’m wondering how people list the pre-college music studies? She has a scholarship (merit-based) for her program that is pretty competitive. It’s a fairly comprehensive program with music theory, music history, etc. included with private lessons and chamber/orchestra. If I put those on her high school transcript, she will end up with an insane number of credits (over 35.) Someone suggested that I include a separate document that details her pre-college studies and only have high school academic classes on her high school transcript.
Is there a way this is generally done? I’m asking now because depending how I do it, I may have to have her take an additional class in high school. Would prefer for her to have a light load then as I know that final year is intense with recordings and auditions.
If you are referring to an academic application (like the Common App), I might want to list it either in the honors section or, if she has too many honors to fit in that section, I would put it in the Additional Information section (which provides enough space for it). Typically, academic applications allow the applicant to upload a copy of their resume. A resume would be a perfect place to put something like that. If you are talking about an artistic application, then your daughter will be prompted to upload an artistic resume which should definitely include that information.
Dd put it in the activities section but also uploaded a resume where possible. Aso used the principal of the pre college programme as a n extra reference where that was appropriate
Are you a homeschooler since you mention building your own transcript? If so, we had complex situations like this you are welcome to PM me for more info. But in a nutshell this is how we did it.
Private lessons and everything that came with that (performance, practice, etc) were for high school credit. Issuing more than one credit a year for music didn’t seem particularly meaningful to me and I can imagine it bringing eye rolls in admissions offices. This was detailed a bit in a school profile and in class descriptions. I did designate it as “honors”
Any other ensemble or performance or paid performance work (there was some intense pre-college stuff here too) was listed as an extracurricular. That included auditioned regional programs, competitions, etc.
We kept a list of both activities and repertoire through high school. To build into a clean coherent resume and representative repertoire list senior year to submit with applications.
The only way I see counting a program for excessive “credit” is if it’s literally something like a dual enrollment program where all the students are getting a transcript that would need to be submitted And on that note, my kids did dual enroll, those grades were included on the transcript and transcripts were submitted. I’m definitely not saying this IS the best way to do it. But for most students, anything that isn’t school band, orchestra, choir IS listed as an extracurricular so I think sticking to that model will make the most sense in admissions offices.
Both of my public school students had a full credit of band for each of the four years they attended high school. I doubt it created any eye rolls.
Their precollege ensembles and instruments studies were listed as activities. Both participated in two precollege ensembles and studied two instruments. All activities.
The music major son did attach a resume of his music things. The STEM kid did not.
For both conservatories and non performance based schools S24 also just listed the entire precollege experience as his first activity and put in the description a synopsis of what he did there (and he was there for 6 years). He did not upload a transcript. He did the same for summer programs and out of class activities related to music (pit orchestra is the main one). Only classes done at school, orchestra, was listed on his transcript. All colleges know what precollege music programs are (esp the main ones) and they will use it as a non academic activity.
Mine was not a homeschooler, so take this with a grain of salt.
Official transcript was just academic with the exception of school orchestra. I would not put precollege program stuff on the academic transcript, as it is through a separate program that in theory could have its own transcript. Generally, conservatories don’t look that carefully at the transcript beyond taking a general look at grades, GPA, comprehensiveness of education, etc. I would be concerned that the music classes would be overlooked if you listed them there.
Precollege program stuff was listed on his CV/resume (almost all conservatories ask for this), with pretty extensive detail on teachers, theory classes taken, ensembles (orchestra and chamber), etc. Some of the schools also had short-answer questions where they specifically asked for ensemble work or summer programs, and we duplicated the CV/resume stuff in those boxes. If your kid doesn’t have a CV yet, time to start one! Every teacher, program, masterclass, award, important recital performance, ensemble, chamber group, etc. should be on there. Also make sure you have a repertoire list going.
Could you give more detail about how they summarized them?
There are so many things that my D does as part of this pre-college program. Four different yearlong academic classes each year, plus multiple kinds of private lessons, ensembles, workshops, mentoring other students, music related service projects, etc. How would she fit all this information into the small number of characters allowed? Did your kids report their various pre college related activities across several activity “slots” or bundle it all in one?
My D is not likely to be applying to a music conservatory, so she won’t be submitting a full music resume. But she does wonder how much detail is normally reported on a college application for one of these pre-college programs. She also wonders if she’s supposed to report her grades, or if it would seem like she was trying to puff up her application with a bunch of superfluous As
For the not music major, it actually was sort of not easy. But really music was her primary EC, and swim team. So swim team took up one line, then the music stuff was divided…precollege ensembles on one line. Instrument lessons on one line. Chamber music on one line. This kid and the music major other kid both took AP Music Theory as a school course so that was on their course listings.
Really…we just listed the activity and the number of hours (really was an average because summers were different than during the school year).
The music major had a couple of resumes…one was of his music activities and there were a LOT. Then he also had a repertoire list (boy was he happy that I had saved every single program from every single performance he was in). And he had a general resume as well, because he did regular things also, like a job.
Both of our kids also did essays about something related to music…so there was a little info in those essays as well.
Not sure I’m being much help!
ETA…my son got college credit for his two BUTI summers so he had to submit that college transcript everywhere he applied.
My kids didn’t get grades in their precollege ensembles.
So all kids at precollege do this and if it one of the well known ones the colleges will know what it is. My S wrote something like “participate in full day precollege program with orchestra, chamber music, music theory and aural training. He listed each summer program separately and then in other slots included tutoring, volunteer work, after school music activities, work experience, etc
I absolutely think fine to give it a credit. My kids had a full credit every year. I definitely think that is TOTALLY appropriate. If I wasn’t clear on that, apologies.
I think to put ALL a busy kid’s music persuits on a homeschool transcript and assigning 2,3,4+ credits a year for all that time spent isn’t necessarily going to read well in an admissions office. Especially if that leaves you with a relatively empty extracurricular profile.
I think as a homeschooler, ideally you are creating a transcript that can show unique paths your kids. But that is still reasonably predictable and readable in an AO office. Like I said above …
