Music is a delicate phenomenon that has its value at all levels of life. From its soothing nature to holding educational and commercial relevance in the contemporary world, music offers great scope in building a career. The passion of music-learning enthusiasts dwells in their instruments and is often reflected through the magic of the harmonizing chords that are a treat to relish. Nowadays, these musical instruments can open up a pathway for many aspirants seeking admission to some of the best US institutes. Let us see does playing an instrument help get into a college in this article.
Does Playing An Instrument Help Get Into A College?
In colleges, the most ideal criteria for acceptance is primarily the academic proficiency of the student. However, it wouldn’t be false to state that academic scores do not define the all-around skillset of a student. There are many other factors describing an aspirant’s calibre that not only outshine him from the rest but also aid him in seeking admission in his desirable college. If one equips a gifted or acquired trait of being a musician, there is a good hope that his skills can enhance his chances of receiving the acceptance. Mostly, the fine arts colleges, music academies and colleges that give great weightage to music in their curriculum are often seen considering the music acumen of the admission-seeking candidate. This implies that a student who excels in playing an instrument often gets an advantage or help to get into into college over others who don’t. This advantage can be in the form of preference in admission, scholarship and credits.
The various factors that can help one get into a US college, on the basis of his musicianship, are as follows:
- If the student has been a part of a high school marching band or school orchestra, either one of these can lead to admission and even a scholarship.
- The kind of instrument played by the student plays a major role. The more critical the instrument gets, the greater his chances for admission become.
- If one is a performer at church choir or praise band, then he is at an advantage when seeking admission in a church-related college.
- In subjects like psychology, one can get admission through music as in the contemporary setting, music is found very beneficial in helping people with ailments like dementia.
- Lastly, It hugely depends on the college’s nature and the criteria of its admission process. Colleges like Ball State School of Music, Rice University, Northwest University, Texas Christian Universities, etc are some of the colleges that provide musical instrument degrees giving one a stamped credit of being an unparalleled musician.
How Do Colleges Judge The Overall Caliber Of Applicants Based On Their Music Skills?
Referring to the above-mentioned factors, colleges pay great heed to students’ background in music. If a student has been playing in a group for a good number of years, his coordination and cooperation with his fellow mates must have developed the necessary social skills in him. Moreover, since learning an instrument demands great patience and determination, the aspirant can secure his position in college having shown such qualities. Also, learning an instrument is not everyone’s cup of tea. It requires one to be of a cerebral disposition, which is mostly possessed by those with a prodigious mind. Hence, if someone knows how to play an instrument, his sharp intellect and logical reasoning could be easily depicted in his mark sheet as well, thus satiating the college administration with the utmost requirement of a good academic profile. Furthermore, many colleges, especially the music-oriented ones, with extracurricular programs look for participants who can showcase their skills and represent the institute by playing in school bands, orchestras, ensembles and other programs. And for obvious reasons, students who wish to hone their existing skills and create a bright career for themselves would anyway be on the priority list of any music school.
Music Schools In The Us:
Many aspiring musicians get the best education in the US music institutes from the resources and advanced curriculum customized as per the expertise of different students. These music institutes are categorized as follows:
Conservatories: Institutes like The Juilliard School, located in New York City is a good example here. It has doctorates in music and holds a specialization in training students solely in music education.
Universities: These universities have a broad curriculum that covers the theory and history of music. Performance is also given equal importance in these music universities like the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California.
Private Institutions: They are important music-learning hotspots where one can learn various music forms like jazz, rock, or film scoring. These institutions include the New England Conservatory of Music and the Manhattan School of Music.
These music schools are linked up with some well-regarded US-based music companies and hold great value in employability. The graduates of these music schools are successful composers, performers, educators and renowned musicians today.
FAQS:
- What instruments can get me admission in the college?
-Instruments that are rare yet hold a great demand in preserving classical music or retaining its historic essence showcase how intelligently one has used creativity in excelling at that instrument. Such instruments include harp, bagpipes, accordion, oboe, etc.
- Can I get a scholarship merely with my music skills?
-Colleges appreciate the value of music in academics. However, they cannot grant scholarships without considering the academic performance.
In a nutshell, proficiency in a musical instrument aids admission is the desired college but doesn’t promise. For music schools, it can be a major factor to consider, but for a general university/college, it will always be a secondary one.
