My son is in process of applying to music schools and music programs of LAC or universities. I read on this site about seeking a trial lesson with the would-be professor. That made a lot of sense, so he reached out and now has a few of those scheduled in the next couple of weeks. I started thinking about whether this trial lesson in October could impact his audition in Jan/Feb. Specifically, won't the teacher be forming an opinion on my son during the trial lesson? He is certainly preparing for the trial lesson, but is thinking its purpose is to see how he and the teacher relate to one another. Preparing for the audition will be on a different level.
So is it a good idea to have these trial lessons before auditions? Or should we have waited until after the audition, and then schedule a trial lesson?
Related question: are the auditions "blind"?
Last, earlier in the process, I believed that there was no point in applying to schools that were so expensive, he wouldn't likely attend even if admitted. I am averse to student debt, and regarding scholarships, my son is talented, but so are all kids who apply to these selective programs. Since he'll have many years of grad school ahead of him, it seems prudent to save on undergrad studies.
Then I read on CC that music scholarships often materialize so you can't predict how much the final cost will be until the acceptance letter arrives. What is your experience with music scholarships - are they meaningful relative to the cost of tuition? I have seen some outside music scholarships for ~ $500 or $1000, which doesn't put a dent in the tuition of some of these schools.
So I am interested in parents' views on whether you just apply to see if you can get in and see how the scholarship plays out. Or do you get realistic and cut bait to save the investment of time and money spent in the application and audition processes.
thank you so much or your thoughts.
↧