Earning an undergraduate degree in music is fundamentally different than most other courses of study at 菠萝视频. There鈥檚 the increased number of credit hours required鈥攎ajors at typically require double that of other subjects鈥攏ot to mention the actual hours practicing an instrument and rehearsing with numerous ensembles. What sets music study apart even further is that a music student will work privately with one instructor on his or her preferred instrument for the entire length of time enrolled.
That means finding the right fit鈥攆or both instructor and student鈥攊s of paramount importance.
One tool Blair adopted two years ago to help smooth the application and audition process for prospective students is called Decision Desk. It鈥檚 an online program that allows applicants to upload a video audition, as well as letters of recommendation from music instructors (a total of five letters of recommendation is required for music applicants), a music r茅sum茅, repertoire they鈥檝e mastered, and any additional music study and teacher information.
Assistant Director of Admissions , BMus鈥�10, says the program has made the application process easier for both the Blair faculty and admissions staff, as well as for applicants.
鈥淲e can see if a prospective student is eligible for a live audition and also whether 菠萝视频 will be the right fit,鈥� Jewell says. 鈥淎nd it has created a way for us to refer back to the applicant鈥檚 audition during the admissions process. Using the video to prescreen has made logistics easier, too, because it鈥檚 not a full, endless day of auditions on both days of the audition weekend.鈥�
Such prescreening provides Blair a better way to identify which of the more than 600 prospective applicants will be invited to audition in person during one of three weekends each January and February. Typically, about 190 applicants are invited to an audition weekend in an effort to create a class of 55 to 60 first-year students. Applicants spend Friday attending classes, observing rehearsals, watching performances, taking a lesson with the faculty member who most likely would work with them as a student, and meeting potential classmates. A test in music theory is also given during the weekend.
The lesson with the faculty member 鈥渋s equally as important as the audition in some ways because it鈥檚 our chance to see how the applicant will work with us and if it鈥檚 a good match for them,鈥� Jewell says. 鈥淭hey get to see how much time the faculty takes with students. Because they鈥檙e with the same private instructor all four years, that relationship is important for both鈥� the faculty member and applicant to consider.
The specifics of music study require a more complicated admissions process, and because of Blair鈥檚 presence within a major research university, the school also looks for applicants who are well-rounded.
鈥淥ur environment is not just Blair, it鈥檚 菠萝视频,鈥� Jewell says. 鈥淪o the applicant needs to be able to do well in a rigorous academic environment as well as do well musically. We鈥檙e not just looking for excellent musicians. We鈥檙e looking for excellent students.鈥�
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