<p>We got some surprising and confusing results, but the conclusion was wonderful. Much of what we had learned by reading this forum turned out to be true.</p>
<p>Things we discovered were true:</p>
<p>–There is no such thing as a safety school in an auditioned program.<br>
–It definitely pays to reach.
–Get the highest grades and test scores as possible, it will help with scholarship offers.
–Admissions really can be a crap shoot.
–Follow your gut instincts, the stars just may align for you.
–It is an excellent idea to do an “open house” type audition for an early admit.
–It is not impossible for sopranos to get merit $.</p>
<p>Things we suspect may be true:</p>
<p>–Unless you consistently win every competition, every role, you should probably apply to at least 10 schools.
–For schools with rolling admissions, it can help to audition at an early date if you can.
–For voice, schools and faculty may have a preference for a certain type of sound (ie dark vs. light, etc) and there is not much you can do about it.
–NO program exists that has everything you would like. No matter what, you have to compromise.
–Things will usually turn out for the best.</p>
<p>D’s experience: She filled out applications for 10 schools: a variety of conservatories, universities, LAC’s, some double major, some dual degrees. Academically, all were matches or safeties. Because she had a good offer relatively early on, she withdrew applications at 2 schools, so only 8 were full applications. 4 were reach schools, ie, pre-screens required. Of those, 3 out of 4 were rejected. That left 5 possible schools. Of these, 1 was what we (and her teachers) considered a “match,” 3 “safeties,” and the one reach school. 4 auditions were in person, one was regional, ie, recorded by a staff member and viewed later by faculty. The auditions: D felt she did her very best audition at her reach school, and she also did well at the match and two of the three safeties. The results: rejected by the “match” (regional audition), rejected by what we had considered the “uber-safety” (She had had a lesson w/faculty with very positive feedback and plenty of encouragement and post-lesson attention–that teacher was NOT at the audition), accepted by 2 safeties, one with a large academic scholarship but no music merit, the other with no merit $. She was accepted by her “uber-reach” with a music merit scholarship that the financial aid officer described this way: “a top-tier scholarship, they must really want her, there are very few applicants who get more than that…” </p>
<p>After a few rejections in a row, there was a point at which my D felt crushed, “I guess I shouldn’t be a music major…” A few days later, a very attractive offer from Eastman. This had been D’s number one choice from the very beginning. Gratitude and relief.</p>