<p>I have been accepted into UM’s Music Engineering program for Fall 2010 and thought I could give some perspective on the matter.</p>
<p>Music Engineering at UM is very selective. It’s also one of the best (if not the best) programs in the country and also one of the most well known in the industry. The way UM differs from most other programs in the field is they concentrate on not only the engineering side, but the performance side as well. So you’ll need to pass the performance audition.</p>
<p>I don’t you’ll be penalized if you have no studio experience. I’m sure it’s helpful but I’m sure they wouldn’t cut you from consideration because its not listed on their site as a requirement.</p>
<p>My audition was a little different from what people would expect. I had a live audition scheduled but it was cancelled due to snow. So I ended up sending in a CD. I kept in constant contact with the viola professor and I think that helped a lot. So obviously a live audition is preferred, but not required. </p>
<p>Also when it comes to SAT scores, none of mine were over 700. My highest was reading, but I did get a 5 on the AP Calc AB exam (maybe that outweighed my not 700+ math score?)</p>
<p>Also with regards to the financial aid questions: UM helped me the most with financial assistance. All combined grants and scholarships (from the university, frost school, and the government) I was offered more than the full cost of tuition. So if you need the help, I’m sure you can find it.</p>