Want to save yourself time, money and aggravation before visiting music schools?

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Here are 10 great tips to investigate before ever heading out the door.

 

1. Curriculum

• Does each music school offer what you want to study?

• What classes, ensembles and other musical groups are required in order to graduate?

• Are there foreign language requirements?

• What are the options for elective classes?

• If you have taken AP or IB exams, can you get credit for any of them?

• Are there any basic classes you can test out of?

• If you want to explore other areas, is a double or dual degree an option? Or can you take a minor? Will this require additional time to graduate?

• What classes or programs in addition to your major area of interest appeal to you?

• How flexible is the curriculum? What support is there for pursuing independent projects?

• Are there study abroad opportunities for music majors? Will it take you more than four years to complete your degree if you do study abroad?

 

2. Teachers

• Are there faculty you’d like to study with?

• How accessible are they for lessons, meetings, etc. ?

• Will they give you a sample lesson when you visit?

 

3. Facilities

• What facilities are available for what you want to study? How up-to-date are they?

• What kind of equipment and unique resources are available –– and can you use them as an undergraduate?

• Are there enough conveniently located and readily available practice rooms? Can you use them 24/7? What are the pianos like in the practice rooms?

• Is there instrument storage in a safe, climate-controlled area on campus? Where is it, in relation to practice rooms and classrooms?

 

4. The Music Environment/Your Fellow Students

• What is the playing level of other students and where will you fit in (top, bottom, middle)?

• Are there students you will be able to learn from?

• How competitive are students with one another?

• How many undergraduate music majors are there and how many are in your area of study?

• Is there a graduate music program in the area(s) you’re interested in?

• What is the student/teacher ratio?

• What is the average class size?

• Does the school sponsor musicians/groups in residence?

• What master classes have been offered within the past year?

• Is the school religiously affiliated?  If so, will that affiliation be comfortable for you? Will you be accepted for who you are?

 

5. Applying

• If the music school is part of a larger university, do you need to apply separately to both?

• Do you need to submit SAT or ACT scores? If so, what were the average scores for students admitted to last year’s freshman class?

• Will you meet the academic requirements?

• What was the average high school GPA for students admitted to last year’s freshman class?

• Are transcripts and letter of recommendation required?

 

6. Auditions

• Are pre-screens required? If so, when are they due?

• When and where are auditions held?

• Do you need to bring an accompanist?

• If recorded auditions are acceptable, are they as competitive as live auditions?

(See Applying and Auditioning for more information.)

 

7. Career Opportunities

• What career services are offered?

• What support is available for performing outside of classes?

• Is there a gig office?

• Is there support for students teaching private lessons? Is there space at the music school where you can teach? Does the school help promote this?

• What support is there for performing in music festivals and competitions?

• Are entrepreneurship classes or programs offered?

• Are there opportunities for students doing their own projects?

• Are internship opportunities available through the school during the school year and in the summer?

• For alumni: what services are offered and how long after graduation are these available?

 

8. Paying for School

• What is the total cost of attending? Include tuition, room, board, books, travel (going home for vacation, required travel to competitions and festivals), school fees, property insurance, and health center fees (and health insurance if you won’t be staying on your family’s plan).

• Are lessons included in the tuition or do they cost extra?

• Are academic and performance scholarships available? Do they continue for all four years? Are they adjusted for cost of living increases?

• What financial aid opportunities are available for music students?

• What percentage of students receive financial aid?

Bear in mind that the bottom line may be lower than what is stated on school websites, once scholarships (academic, performance, etc.) as well as financial aid are taken into consideration.

(See “Paying for School” for more information.)

 

9. Housing

• Where do freshmen live? Sophomores? Juniors? Seniors?

• How is housing assigned?

• What kind of support will the school offer in finding housing?

 

10. Location

• Does the location of the school appeal to you and if so, why? Or –– why not?

• What are the features of the campus and areas surrounding the school?

• What transportation options are there for leaving campus?

• Is having a car important? If so, where can you park it and how much does parking cost?

• What transportation options are there for getting home or to anywhere else that’s important to you?

• Do you have family members or friends who live in the area?

 

 

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Which music schools make sense to visit? You can certainly learn a lot by watching videos and by reading their websites, but there’s nothing quite like being on campus to get a feel for what it would be like to be a student there. Consider these tips for visiting music schools.

Timing and Cost

1. Combine looking at schools with any other travel you are already planning to do to save on costs. Start doing this a couple of years before you actually start applying, to get a sense of what attracts you. This will also limit the number of schools you’ll need to see once you’re ready to apply.

2. While graduate schools may pay for you to visit before you apply, it’s unlikely that undergraduate programs will offer that option. But it’s never a bad idea to ask if there are any financial aid opportunities for visiting the schools you are interested in. Try to bundle school visits so that you can see more than one school while you are traveling.

3. Check college vacation calendars before you set your plans in motion to make sure you get a realistic view of the schools you visit. Avoid midterm and finals weeks as well as orientation if at all possible –– you may not get the time and attention you need when everyone is up to their eyeballs in busywork.

What to Expect

1. Most schools offer open houses where students are shepherded en masse through planned group presentations and tours, led by an energetic student tour guide trained to walk backwards while presenting a very upbeat talk about the school. While this allows for a view of the campus as well as a sense of who else is interested in applying, it doesn’t give you a chance to check out your own interests, questions and concerns.

2. Remember that you are a potential customer and deserve to spend the time investigating what’s important to you at every school you look at, just the way you would if you were buying a car, a new pair of skis, a computer, or anything else that you value and that will cost you plenty.

Tailor Your Visit

Sometimes it takes a bit of insistence, but politely find a way to do the following:

• Sit in on a few classes, ideally, similar classes at each school you are looking at. Sit in on an ensemble or orchestra or choral rehearsal. Can you see yourself being part of one of these groups?
• Meet with and take a sample lesson from an instructor you are interested in studying with. You may or may not need to pay for this lesson; every school is different.
• Check out the practice rooms, rehearsal rooms, performance spaces, equipment and other resources.
• Spend a night in the dorms –– ask the school to match you up with a current student with similar interests. Do you feel comfortable around other students? Does the noise level work for you?
• Does the location of the school appeal to you? Do you feel safe on campus as well as in the surrounding area?
• Picture yourself at each school. Can you see yourself going to school there?

Take Notes!

1. Jot down or key into your phone or computer any notes about each school you visit as soon as you can, to keep your thoughts, gut reactions and any new information as clear and organized as possible.

Does what you saw and experienced match what you thought before you went to see the school?

Your notes will serve you well when you get to the point of having to make a decision. A college counselor at a high school on the East Coast likes to share the story of a young woman who visited many schools and then made her decision about which to attend. She neglected to take notes or keep a list of criteria to judge each school by but was sure she remembered every detail in her head. When it came time to start college, the young woman and her parents drove a loaded-down car for two days to get to her chosen school. Unfortunately, as they approached the campus, it suddenly dawned on her that this was not the school she had expected!

2. Send a thank you email or note to anyone who has taken time to give you a lesson or helped you learn about the school. You never know how and when you may need their support –– and this will help them remember you.