<p>If a student wants a university experience as a music performance major, is it okay to attend a performing arts prep school in high school? Or is that primarily for conservatory applicants. Has any one done this?</p>
<p>It is harder to get a strong academic curriculum at some of the performing arts high schools…limited number of hours for academic classes, and there may or may not be honors and/or AP sections. Additionally, some of the non-arts faculty will be outstanding, but others are very bad, and in a smaller school, there may not be an option. If you know your young artist’s particular areas of academic interest, you might investigate the faculty and course offerings and ask about how the students do with advanced level work. Good luck.</p>
<p>My impression of “performing arts high schools” is that they vary GREATLY in quality even in the arts area. I looked at an area private arts high school that was truly a joke for classical musicians (the dance and theater areas were better). Most area music students could do much better with the number of fine area high school and youth orchestras and private teachers outside this “arts school” faculty. As well as academics, I’d check out the quality of arts instruction/opportunities thoroughly also if you’re not already familiar with the program.</p>
<p>There are several parents who post on this board whose kids went to Interlochen Academy as boarding students. I know all Interlochen students don’t go on to conservatories every year, but these parents could give you a much better idea of what is typical.</p>
<p>My niece went to Walnut Hill and then U Michigan in performance. She had really wanted to get into Northwestern, but was turned down for academics. U Michigan is at least as good a University, but they cut music applicants more slack than NW and she was able to get in there. As it turns out, she decided to transfer out of the music school in junior year and is now a psychology major in the liberal arts school there. She’s lucky to be at such a great school! It might depend which colleges you’re looking toward.</p>
<p>I can weigh in on Interlochen. My daughter did her last two years of high school there. She went there from the top prep school in Dallas, and believes the academics at Interlochen were every bit as good. She said there was less “busy work” because the faculty recognized the arts commitment, but the class discussions and curriculum were just as strong. She is a very strong student (not everyone at Interlochen is, but plenty are) and got 5s in all her AP exams, including calculus. She was accepted at all academic schools to which she applied, including Case and Oberlin and attended Rice as a vocal performance major. LOTS of Interlochen grads do not take the conservatory route. She is now 23 and regards Interlochen as a tremendous gift that she was given. She is getting married next week and her maid of honor is her Interlochen roommate/best friend. It is a magical place. My husband and I miss our trips up there greatly.</p>
<p>Another thing you can do (depending on where you’re from) is go to a regular high school and do a pre-college program at a conservatory at the same time. This is what I did. It’s a lot of work, but you get good academics and good music at the same time which you might not be able to do at a school that focuses only on music.</p>
<p>When we moved to Germany, we strongly considered putting our then HS senior son into a performing arts boarding school. However, what we learned was that the specific teachers for his instrument were not going to be as strong as what he was used to. (Ultimately, he ended up coming with us and studying with some great teachers in Germany for half a year, then returning home to live with relatives and get his US diploma.) </p>
<p>My take on this is that finding “fit” with a primary teacher at a boarding school is similar to what we looked for when looking for colleges.</p>
<p>Our family’s experience with Interlochen Arts Academy was similar to MOWC’s, although our D ended up at a conservatory (for musical reasons and not academic ones.) Our college search included universities/colleges and conservatories.</p>
<p>D spent her last 2 years of high school at IAA and her first 2 years at a local private highly-regarded prep school. We found IAA academically comparable to her first high school, although IAA was structured slightly differently. Classes are not labeled as AP or honors, but many students choose to take some AP exams. D decided to take one AP exam after her junior year and got a 4. She was advised not to take the AP music theory exam because it would be a waste of money if she went on to major in music. Had she stayed at her original high school, she probably would have taken more AP exams, but I don’t think this would have made much difference for her in the long run.</p>
<p>When D initially transferred to IAA, we were advised by their counselors to carefully consider the possible schools she would apply to and to look carefully at their academic requirements. For example, some colleges require 2 years of one foreign language, others 3. Same with science, some require 2 years, others 3, and some 4. D ended up dropping Spanish when she transferred to IAA, although we had considered having her drop Spanish at her old high school as well. Some IAA students will choose to take academic courses over the summer so they can focus more on music during the year. There is a lot of advising and flexibility.</p>
<p>If you search around the Interlochen web site under college counseling, I believe there is a list of schools where one year’s graduates enrolled. (Sorry, I’m too lazy to look it up!) You will find a wide variety of colleges and universities listed. While many IAA students end up at arts-oriented schools, a significant number of students also go on to other selective colleges and universities, including Ivy League schools.</p>
<p>Like MOWC, we also feel blessed to be part of the Interlochen family.</p>
<p>My D goes to an Arts High School, and I have taught at the same school for the past 25 years. I suggest to all my students’ parents that they have their children take SAT IIs for academic subjects, to prove to the colleges that their children do know their subjects. (You need 2 of these for some LACs anyway.) Also, the students should take the highest level of courses available, and make sure to get good grades. My daughter got in all of her schools academically. Her SATs were ok (math and reading 1200+), she did not take AP classes, but she has an A average overall.</p>
<p>What does LACs mean? I don’t know what that is. D is “fairly” strong academically (so far good with 3 APs. high honor roll etc.) at her current public HS and is considering Walnut Hill because she needs the time to focus on music auditions. Would she continue to be a strong contender at, let’s say NW or McGill or Princeton?
Any experience here?</p>
<p>LAC=libersl arts college</p>
<p>I think the general advice about checking the program for your D’s needs applies specfically to Walnut Hill as well. I know a little about their strings, it’s one of the better boarding academies for string students. Based on the admittedly few Walnut Hill students I know I’d check this:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Who will the teacher be and will your D study with this teacher exclusively or frequently, or will she see a teaching assistant? (Possibly a NEC grad student, who might be excellent, but might have limited teaching experience for kids preparing for IMPORTANT college auditions)</p></li>
<li><p>Based on what your D would need with her current high school credits to fill out the desired transcript, check the specific course listings and availability schedule-wise for her to include in her senior year course work.</p></li>
<li><p>I know Northwestern has had students who did some years at Walnut Hill. Often they are double majors - physics and music for example.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Good luck!!</p>
<p>Our daughter almost went to Walnut Hill for senior year, and we are so glad she didn’t. The academics did not look challenging enough at WH (in fact, they told her she only had to take 2 academic courses/semester, or even one), At her high school, which is not of high quality, but best in senior year, she took 4 AP classes and has gotten some 5’s on the exam. More importantly, these classes broadened her interests. At the same time, she took excellent classes at NEC on the weekends, continued lessons/private work, and had a great year. WH kids all seem to go to conservatories. This is a wonderful thing, and we expected our daughter to do the same. But after being admitted to a few good conservatories, and a couple of good colleges, she is going to a college (actually, Ivy League). For us, finances were part of this decision, frankly, but in any case, not going to WH seemed to give her more options.</p>
<p>I was also glad she was home for the stress of all those auditions. Could your child take fewer classes at the local high school, and still graduate, leaving time to get ready for auditions? Our daughter only took those 4 classes, plus the NEC work, and it was a great year.</p>
<p>I have a friend who’s graduating from Walnut Hill this year and is going to Juilliard in the fall. He really got a lot of his experience at Walnut Hill, as he was able to study with a great teacher and just do a lot of bass playing which is exactly what he wanted to do. I think if you’re interested in studying academics and music, Walnut Hill might not be the place for you… </p>
<p>Attending a high school along with a pre-college program would probably be a better option. You’d still have the benefit of a great teacher, but would also be able to study academics, which I personally think really enhances your understanding of music.</p>
<p>Interlochen Arts Academy is a wonderful experience and it was the best move i could have made. I feel more confident than i would have for my upcoming auditions to be a vp major.
I am an extremely academic student, and i came from a rigorously academic school but Interlochen challenges me both musically and through academics, so i highly recommend that route.</p>
<p>I’ll vouch for everything everyone said about Interlochen. I spent my junior year there and am about to begin my senior year. The academics and the music are both OUTSTANDING. I’ve found basically all my favorite teachers there, and they’ve opened up some doors for me that I didn’t even know existed. My violin technique has expanded enormously in only a year. THANK YOU, MR. SONNER! :-D</p>
<p>I’ll also add this: many people go through Interlochen with the idea of music for a career, but many have no intentions whatsoever of becoming musicians. In the violin section alone this year, two of my friends graduated that went on to pharmacy and physics. One very good friend of mine who is now headed to Walnut Hill (traitor) came to Interlochen thinking he wanted to be a doctor. Now he’s applying to NEC and other music-only schools. Your mind can change about what you want to do, and a place like IAA is perfect for exploring further what you plan for your future.</p>
<p>Does Interlochen offer AP’s?</p>
<p>Here’s a link to their website: [Interlochen</a> Arts Academy](<a href=“http://www.interlochen.org/academy]Interlochen”>Interlochen Arts Academy | Arts Boarding School | High School). To get the most accurate and up-to-date information, call their admissions office and/or their counseling office to find out about their academic program and what would be available. If your S or D has specific academic or AP interests, they are very open and friendly and will be able to tell you if it is possible to pursue those interests.</p>