In my experience applying to graduate schools three years ago, the application process alone was a test of my endurance and abilities. The lengthy lists of requirements and differences between the schools left my head swimming. Hopefully, this guide will provide those embarking on graduate school applications this year with some clear direction and considerations.
Getting Started
Questions, questions, questions! The prospect of answering “Where should I apply? How many schools should I apply to?” is daunting, to say the least. First, consider the following:
How Many Schools?
My cousin recently began the process to apply to medical school. Her MCAT teacher recommended that she apply to 25 schools, because of the high rejection rate in her field. This is unreasonable for singers, as our admissions requirements differ greatly and entail travel and live auditions, as opposed to simple paper applications and test score submissions.
The online resource www.GraduateDegree.org recommends five schools as a starting point for all disciplines. They further explain that two of the schools should be schools you can reasonably expect to be accepted into, two should be more difficult schools to enter, and one should be a shoot-for-the-moon type. The website also emphasizes quality over quantity in preparing one’s applications—especially applicable in our field. I applied to six schools, because I included two schools of the “long shot” variety.
The Ever-Important Teacher
Choosing the schools you’ll apply to should invariably focus on three things: teacher, coach, and number of opera productions per year—with teacher being the most important. Consult with your current teacher and other trusted advisors at your undergraduate institution. Lists of prestigious schools are available everywhere, but rank doesn’t necessarily mean it is the best school for your vocal needs.
*Helpful tip: Schedule a lesson with the teachers you’d like to work with. Though travel and lesson cost can be expensive, it will be well worth your time to know the teacher when you walk into the audition. Furthermore, if you have worked with the teacher before, you are more likely to be recommended for financial aid or assistantships. You may also decide that the last thing you want to do is work with a particular teacher at an institution, and it is much better to find that out before you apply than a year later when you’re a month into your first semester.
Location! Location! Location!
Where the school is located may also factor in. Do you want to stay near your family? Is the school near a major airport or city center? This is important because of the distance to auditions for Young Artist Programs and the availability of outside performing opportunities, such as church work, oratorio, and smaller opera or musical theatre companies.
I attended graduate school at Baylor University in Texas, and travel to New York for YAP auditions was expensive and took a good deal of time. However, my school offered travel grants to graduate students that covered nearly all of these expenses. E-mail or call the graduate admission office to find out if a school you’re considering offers similar grants.
School Categories
Next, consider the type of school you want to attend. Schools can easily be divided into three categories: small (liberal arts) schools with a music program, large (usually state schools, but some private institutions as well), and conservatories. Each type has several pros and cons, and at least one of each type should be in your list of schools.
Small or Liberal Arts School
Pros:
• Fewer students—less competition for roles (especially helpful for female voices)
• Program specialization (e.g., linked to non-music programs)
• Smaller class sizes
• Exposure to other programs/activities (many liberal arts programs have excellent language programs)
Cons:
• Fewer productions per year
• More likely to be undergraduate focused
• Fewer of this type have graduate programs
• Easy to be in a “bubble” and not gauge level of outside competition well
Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn., is an excellent example of this type of school. Robert B. Gregg, director of graduate studies for the school of music, mentioned individual attention as one of the most important strengths of Belmont’s vocal programs. Additionally, the integration of vocal students with instrumental and music education majors in required courses for all graduate music students allows for the students to experience both important performance and academic study.
The vocal area’s particular specialization includes a degree in vocal pedagogy, a clinical program linked with Vanderbilt Medical Center. For performers, Belmont’s partnership with the National Opera Association can yield internships. However, because there are more undergraduates, some graduate students do not get as much experience in student-led productions.
Big School (State and Private)
Pros:
• More opera productions per year—better odds of roles/multiple roles per year (depends on gender/voice type)
• Exposure to other programs/activities on campus
• Program specialization (e.g., early music)
• More specialized faculty in auxiliary areas, such as musicology
Cons:
• More students, less personal attention
• Larger class sizes
• More competition for roles or concert appearances
• Overshadowing of other school programs (e.g., large engineering program or successful football team—less attention on music school’s events)
Large schools, such as Indiana University, require the prospective student to apply first to the university and then submit a second application to the school of music. Because of its size, it has a large faculty, which allows for a very focused education similar to conservatory training. Its connection to the rest of the university provides a more diverse feel than a typical conservatory. Its biggest specialty is the well respected opera program that provides “substantial performing experience,” according to Jacobs School of Music Admissions Director Townsend Plant. He noted that students at the graduate level choose IU especially because of its focus on a performance career.
Admission to the program is competitive, as the incoming class each year is approximately 100 students (depending upon the number of graduating students and other factors). One half of these students are undergraduates, while the other half are master’s, performance diploma, and doctoral students. Even with a large university and large program, the number of voice students is limited, which allows for individual attention.
Conservatory
Pros:
• Most intensive level of training
• Connections in the professional world
• Not required to participate in extra activities, such as choir
• Prestige attached to the school can help your career
Cons:
• Fewer opportunities for developing ancillary skills
• More intense competition with fellow students (think “drama”)
• Larger expense
• Less preparation for academic positions
When most people think of a conservatory, they think of the Juilliard School. With its location in New York, the nation’s core for the arts, students have access not only to school resources, but also to performances and auditions throughout the city. The extreme competitiveness of this and other conservatories is notorious. Juilliard accepts only about 8 percent of applicants. The renowned faculty and performance-focused curriculum are the elements that maintain its level of prestige.
Graduate programs include master’s and DMA degrees as well as graduate diplomas and artists diplomas, which are intensively focused on performance. Aspects of study include acting and audition training. With three fully staged productions per year, plus other opportunities at the Lincoln Center and beyond, obtaining performing experience is an essential quality of the programs.
Getting Organized and Getting Applications Out There
OK, so you’ve decided where to apply. Now you need to get your application put together and sent off so that it arrives by the deadline. Nearly every school has a hard deadline for receipt of December 1. There may be some schools with earlier deadlines, especially if you want to be considered for early auditions. Also, performance diploma programs typically have October and November deadlines. Be sure your deadlines are clear and marked on a calendar in bold, bright colors so that you do not miss any.
Organizing
1: Forms.
Gather all of the information typical for an application. When I applied, I created my own master application form in Microsoft Word that listed everything I would need, from previous addresses (and yes, you will need to put the address of every place you lived as an undergraduate, whether temporary or not, on some applications) to employment history to extracurricular activities. I printed this off and then was able to fill out every application just by copying any information needed for an application.
*Helpful tip: www.UnifiedApps.org is a site where you can fill out such information only once and it can be sent to the following schools: The Boston Conservatory, Cleveland Institute of Music, Eastman School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Mannes College The New School for Music, New England Conservatory of Music, Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
2: Recordings.
Prescreening recordings are especially important. Check with each school to see what the recording must contain. For many, the requirements are the same, which will mean less time in the studio for you. Plan to have your recording completed at least one month before the application must be postmarked. That way, if you are dissatisfied with the results, you have time to record a replacement for a track or two and, possibly, even the entire thing. Be sure the recording is clearly labeled and, most importantly, test the CD to ensure that it works.
*Helpful tip: The Juilliard School includes the following information about recording quality in its audition requirements: “The quality of your recording may significantly affect the determination of the prescreening jury. Tips: avoid distortion of the voice, excessive ‘buzz,’ and lack of balance between the piano accompaniment and the voice.”
3: Fees.
The application costs for each school will differ. State schools will have the lowest of the application fees. Because so many applications are online, paying by credit card or PayPal is easy and simple. Plan ahead adequately for the fees, as these plus the cost of airfare, gas, hotel, and food for a visit to the school and a subsequent audition will add up quickly.
4: Personal statement.
Oh, the dreaded personal statements. I remember sitting at my computer, staring blankly, wondering how to answer the questions. Most schools ask why you want to attend graduate school and what your long-term goals are. For me, it was difficult to say what I felt without sounding kitschy or ordinary, or, at my worst, like the only reason I wanted to go to school was to delay the inevitable entrance into the “real world.”
Articulating your reasons for entering music as a profession is not easy, and I recommend having as many people read your essay as possible for their input. The personal statement, like the recordings, must be started early. Remember, as impossible as it may seem to write, keep in mind the words of Steve Martin in an essay on writing which he included in Pure Drivel: “The delete key is your greatest friend.”
5: Letters of recommendation.
Almost every school requires three of these. They must be sealed and signed across the back of the envelope, which indicates that you have waived your right to see the contents. Some schools also have forms for your recommenders to fill out. You are responsible for asking for, collecting, and mailing the letters. If asking university professors, it is acceptable to request that they use school letterhead, thus making the letter look more official.
It is best if you include these letters in the packet with all of your other materials, though they may be sent separately, either by you or directly by those recommending you (in which case, you must provide the stamps for them—I know it seems like such a small thing, but it is more respectful).
As with the other materials to be mailed, ask your recommenders early. It is exceedingly rude to ask someone to write on your behalf less than two weeks before it must be mailed. Many busy professors I know (the ones who travel a great deal) must be asked at least a month before you need it in your hand or mailed.
6: Transcripts.
Official transcripts are required. You can obtain these in the transcript office of your undergraduate school either in person or by mail or fax. You cannot obtain official transcripts by e-mail or phone for legal reasons. Plan according to your distance from the transcript office and availability of a fax machine. Official transcripts will be mailed to you if you do not collect them in person and will have a signature on the back, indicating that no tampering with the document has occurred.
7: GRE.
The Graduate Record Exam is similar in type and scope to the SAT, though it is taken at a testing center at a computer. It includes a writing test as well as multiple choice questions. Scoring of everything but the writing is available immediately after completion of the test. The GRE is often required by liberal arts schools and large state schools, but not by conservatories.
Princeton Review and Kaplan both have preparatory courses for the exam, which are especially helpful to those who got their math requirement out of the way first semester freshman year as an undergraduate and then never thought about it again.
8: Additional forms.
Prepare a detailed calendar for yourself. All of the schools in the comparisons above have already posted audition dates for the 2010-2011 school year. Do not double-book when you schedule auditions. It is easier to request a separate audition date than to change a scheduled one, and faculties are usually amenable to hearing someone at a different day and time who is unavailable for the dates listed.
Also, be sure to fill out the FAFSA, available at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Even if your family is helping cover any graduate school costs, graduate students are considered financially independent and, therefore, qualify for more federal aid. In addition to student loans, most graduate students qualify for federal work-study.
Audition Process
After you have submitted your materials, you then wait. Typically, a school will notify you at least a month (though often more) in advance that you are invited to a live audition. Plan accordingly, as these auditions often occur in winter months when travel can be tricky. Give yourself a few days lead time for travel, just in case.
Be sure to prepare repertoire specific to the school’s requirements. Much will overlap, as all schools will ask for pieces that demonstrate a variety of styles, languages, and time periods that are appropriate to your voice category. It helps to plan a sample lesson and campus visit along with your audition. A live audition is always preferable for everyone involved, as you can demonstrate your abilities best in person. But if you are unable to attend a live audition and must use a recorded version, DVD submissions are best.
After the audition, then more waiting. Schools generally let applicants know by April or May about admission and financial aid.
Final Thoughts
All of the admissions officers interviewed for this article stressed that the most important thing for any graduate applicant is to start early. The application process is complicated and can be overwhelming. Waiting until the last minute will not only increase the stress, but you’ll also likely send in haphazard and substandard materials.
I had several friends whose “job” it was to regularly check in with me and see where I was with my applications and my materials. Their gentle encouragement helped me to stay on task, complete everything in a timely fashion, and feel prepared for the in-person auditions. The purpose of this process is to promote your life goal. What could be more important than that?
