Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Piano and College Applications

I'm a senior in high school, which means I will in a few months be applying to colleges. I want colleges to know that I've been playing piano, and possibly get a scholarship or two from that also. But, I haven't done any music through the school, or anything else like that, so I'm not sure how I'll show colleges that I've been playing for years. Any suggestions?

Send a recording.

Your question is not clear.

If you are planning to apply for a music "scholarship or two from [playing the piano]" (what does that mean, actually; do you think colleges give out multiple scholarships as casually as you make it sound?), then you'll have to apply for the scholarship and your musical background and audition recording will be part of that application.

If you're saying that you are hoping to get a scholarship for a program other than a musical one but that you want them to know that you've had some musical training, that, too, will come up in your application process under something like "extra-curricular activities" or "other interests."

Regards,

When I applied to colleges (20 years ago, but still relevant, I imagine), I sent a recording with each application. A large "classical" piece I had worked up, some improvisation, a composition. All of this was from my private lessons, not "music through the school". Colleges like people with well-developed passions!

-J

I didn't send one.
I think that's why I got in.


But seriously folks .....


Yes. A few things.....

Is there a "college advisor" or anything like that at your school? (Most schools have them, as far as I've ever known.) Assuming there is, ask him/her the same question. Put a lot of weight on what he/she says.

Have you had a TEACHER? If so......same thing as above: ask him/her.
If you haven't.......While it's hard to generalize and there are always exceptions, I would have to guess that it would be very rare for someone to be advanced enough or well-prepared enough to have a fighting chance at what you're asking about without having done some serious work with a teacher.

Finally......Especially if neither of the above is yes, but maybe even if they are: Contact the colleges you're interested in, and ask them. I think just the fact of asking them will help get their attention, and that could be helpful -- in addition to whatever you might learn from their answers.

Good luck!

Sadly, most of these counselors are overworked. They each have to cover 400-600 students, check their schedules, and keep up with their academic performance. And that's on top of parent conferences and other discipline issues. A student might have to wait weeks just to get a 10-minute consultation with these bureaucrats.

Unless you are a serious music major, don't count on that.

Colleges want achievements. That's why I tell my 8th-grade piano students to start gathering data: write down every music festival they've attended, every music exam passed (level, score, and date), every competition won, etc. Get a box to collect all the certificates, medals, plaques, trophies, etc.

If you are applying to a major university, a lot of applicants play the piano or another musical instrument. It's about your experience, achievement, and other stuff that separates you from the other applicants. Have you performed with famous people? Do you play an unusual style?

Thanks! I totally blanked on being able to send recordings! Or maybe I just assumed they didn't care about random CDs sent in with regular applications...

I'm not planning on being a music major. And don't worry, I wasn't expecting easy scholarships. But my high school career being summed up on a sheet of paper looked very sparse, and writing 'Piano' down at the bottom hardly captured the truth of the matter.

The counselors at my school (3 of them for a grand total of around 600 students) are lazy, worthless human beings. They don't have any answers when you ask them about anything, they advise against taking hard (honors and AP) classes because they will be 'difficult', and they often take their lunch break when our student lunch is...I've seen them walking off campus looking over their shoulders as if trying to avoid doing their job with as much vigor as they should be applying to their job.

But I will speak to my teacher about this, and asking colleges directly is another good idea. I just wanted to bounce this off of someone first.

Thanks again.

I'm planning on applying mostly to smaller liberal arts schools (not necessarily to become a music major). All of them have separate parts on the application for a recording if you want to send that in. A couple offer smaller scholarships based on that.

I had thought that 'guidance' counselors of that sort had gone the way of the dinosaurs. Advising students to avoid 'hard classes' is a form of counseling malpractice these days.

Merman,

My son is in exactly your boat at present (rising senior applying to colleges), so we're going through the same process.

I think the common application has a supplement page that you can use to advertise your musical accomplishments. That's where you include your piano information. You can also include a formal music resumé as part of your application if that's something you wish to advertise. My son is going that route. In a page you can list your teachers, your major competitions and performances, and any other honors you have received. In addition, you should most definitely send a CD with 3-4 works on it that represent your portfolio.

Sounds like mine! Fortunately, my high school had a "Career Center," and the lady who worked there really, really went out of her way to help us find scholarships. In fact, for one local scholarship, she gave one to the class valedictorian and one to me!
Depending on where you live, you might find a number of local organizations who give out scholarships. Those are much easier to win than the national or state ones.

Many colleges also require essays, and depending on the prompt given, you can probably work your piano background into one of those. E.g., a common essay topic is something like "Describe a time you had to work hard to achieve a goal" (and believe me, you can tell a lot about a student's priorities by the 'goal' they choose to describe!). You could talk about learning a complicated piece to play at a recital in front of 200 people or whatever.

Since you are not applying to the music program specifically, I don't know if a CD would be that helpful or even paid any attention to. I'd recommend adding in a link to a YouTube channel (if you don't have any videos uploaded, go ahead and do so) when you describe your extracurriculars, so that people reading your application over can easily look up your recordings if the CD gets lost/separated.

When applying for a music scholarship, each CD is important.
I would also work on having a resume, a list of repertoire and accomplishments. And I would send all of this to the admission office and to the respective piano division director.
Then I would call the piano division director and talk to him directly.

Yes, but if you read the OP's response, he is not applying for a music scholarship, hence Monica's response which you seemingly contradicted.

He said he is not planning on being a music major

"I'm not planning on being a music major"

However, he does seem interested in a possible music scholarship with piano.
Which is where my response comes in.

... and there are indeed some schools that offer music scholarships for students who do NOT intend to pursue a music concentration. Many of those scholarships require an on-campus audition and not a submitted CD.

Good luck with your applications, Mermanof83 Brian.

I would stay off the subject of the worthlessness of your school's academic counselors when you go to write your essay. Just saying. You seem to write well, though, and that is a good sign.

Do you have anything in mind for music in college, other than as a major or to plump up your application? A minor, perhaps? What major do you have it in mind to declare?

And (I hope), did you disregard the worthless advice and take the difficult courses anyway? How did that work out for you?

When I was your age, I was so totally clueless (and yet, convinced that I knew everything). I take it for a good sign that you're looking even this far ahead, and that you're asking for advice. Some of the people who have answered you are educators--- and don't be fooled by how simple it sounds. Once you try to do what they've suggested, it's going to take an effort to bring it forth. But that effort will show in your college applications, and it's one thing the admissions officers really have their eye out for.

Really? (Are you sure?)

Really???

Sorry for the repetition but I find that very surprising.

I was about to be saying that I doubted he could think in terms of "a scholarship of two from [piano]" if he's not planning on (or not good enough for, or whatever) a strong concentration in music.

If there are things like what you said (and it sounds like you know what you're talking about)....it seems so odd, that I'd have to wonder if there's way more than meets the eye.

Please do tell.

How not?
Speaking of which......I don't think you've mentioned anything about how advanced or accomplished you are with piano. Reading between the lines, I was figuring you probably aren't extremely so, but this makes it seem like maybe you are.

Anyway.....putting together everything you've said on here so far, I would guess -- unless you're more advanced than I think it seems -- that your best chance is to not think in terms of "music scholarship" or "piano scholarship" per se, but to think of music as an extra thing that adds to your overall credentials, and which therefore gives you a better chance at a 'regular' scholarship.

P.S. Good job thinking about and responding to all the specific points that people are mentioning, and good to hear that you do have a teacher. When all is said and done, he/she might be THE BEST resource on this question.

Well, Mark, here is a prime example:

Richmond Scholars Program

This one is a complete full ride to a rather expensive private institution, and it is available if you simply minor in one of the arts.

Another one is offered by Case Western Reserve University. Their "Music Achievement Awards" have in mind non-majors who want to continue their music training. This is available by on-campus audition only. I may soon be taking a trip to Cleveland for this.

Here it is: Case Music Awards

Stanford University has its "Friends of Stanford Music" that provides stipends for lessons and other scholarships for Stanford students.

You just have to look around.