I Want to Major in Music… How do I Apply?
Studying music is SUCH a challenging and fulfilling pursuit! I’m so excited that you’re considering it! That said, it does make your application process much more complicated than the average student. In this post, I wanted to outline the different components of your application process. It’s a lot to manage, but with the right tools, organization, and support, you’ll get through it!
***Note that the delineation in this blog post is specifically for non-conservatory schools. If you’re applying to a conservatory, then this will likely be a more integrated list with less redundancy. But, for the purpose of education in this post, I wanted to outline the more repetitive process you’d experience with a university application. If you apply to conservatory, then you would still have most or all of the components noted here, but likely wouldn’t need to submit two applications or two sets of essays/letters of rec. ***
Campus Application
Essay: This will likely be a more generalized essay speaking about why you are interested in this institution and/or some sort of impactful experience in your life.
Transcripts: You will need to share your academic record. Some schools will accept an unofficial transcript at this point, others will ask you to self-report your grades, and some will require official transcripts. Just make sure you’re checking the website and following the instructions.
Test Scores: It’s more common for these to be optional, but something to have on your radar.
Letter(s) of Recommendation: This will likely be a more general recommendation- perhaps from a guidance counselor or a math teacher.
Interview: This is more common for private schools than large state schools. Not every application will have an interview component.
This is where your non-music major peers stop their process. As you can see from the list below, you will move through a much more complex application process than non-music majors. It’s a lot to manage and keep track of. I would strongly encourage you to prioritize strong organization as you get into the thick of things.
In addition to items above, you will likely also need to submit some or all of the items noted below.
Program/College Application
Essay: This essay will likely ask you to speak directly about your position as a musician. What inspires you, what are you ambitions, what do you love, etc.
Letter(s) of Recommendation: This will need to come from someone that can speak to your musicianship. Your high school music teacher or your private lesson instructor would be a great choice for this.
Resume or CV: This particularly common for those of you applying to musical theatre programs.
Pre-screening: This will vary from school to school and instrument to instrument. It’s very common for voice, flute, and violin.
Portfolio: This is especially common for anyone applying to composition or music technology programs.
Interview: A lot of composition and music education programs require an interview and it’s often done on the day of your audition.
Audition: Not all programs will require an audition, but a large portion of them will. It’s common for auditions to take place January-March with February being the heaviest month. If you see an opportunity for auditions prior to February, I would strongly encourage to you take advantage of it!
As you can see, there’s a lot that goes into it. You’ll find a version of this list for each program/school you apply to. The average student applies/auditions for 10 campuses during senior year. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, please know you don’t have to do this alone. I can help you, all you have to do is ask.
That’s all for now, folks. Talk soon!
-Veronica
