Music Advocacy
BE AN ADVOCATE FOR MUSIC
Advocacy for the Fine Arts: THE ARTS AND THE UNIVERSITY
Representatives of major universities offered these comments on the role of the arts in the admission process. Excellence in music is a common denominator at many schools. As you can see from these comments, musical expertise is a significant factor that can boast an applicant’s chances of acceptance into a top university.
University of Michigan
Richard H. Shaw Jr., Director of Admissions
Intellectual leaders from Plato to the present have recognized the importance of the arts to a thriving civilization. The University of Michigan joins in recommending the arts because of their humanizing influences, their demands for self-discipline, their abilities to evoke idealistic dreams that transcend everyday issues, their effectiveness in reflecting the achievements of diverse peoples, and their capacities to stimulate that most important of all intellectual abilities: creativity. Perhaps in no past era of our increasingly global civilization have these qualities been more sorely needed than they are today. The University of Michigan is a community rich in varied artistic achievements, and we are especially pleased to consider applicants whose backgrounds synchronize with artistic values.
University of Virginia
John A. Blackburn, Dean of Admissions
The founder of this university, Thomas Jefferson, was an avid musician himself, and his influence can be seen today in the strength of the offerings in music, drama, art studio, history of art, and also architecture. This university seeks students who have solid backgrounds in English, math, science, history, and foreign languages. In addition, we look for students who have well-developed talents in the arts, for we know that they add a richness to our student body. They enhance the quality of life for all of our students and faculty at the University of Virginia.
Brown University
Vartan Gregorian, President
We've made a tremendous mistake in diminishing art, music, and dance as fluff or frills. The arts, like sports, play a vital role in bringing students together and promoting teamwork. Athletics provide stability and a way to release energy. The arts allow children to develop creativity and imagination. The Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington D.C., has one of the lowest dropout rates anywhere. Ninety percent of the participants in The Boys Choir of Harlem go to college following high school.
It's almost impossible to overemphasize the creative arts in education.
Yale University
Worth David, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions
Qualifications for admission to Yale College include not only the reasonably well-defined areas of academic achievement and special skill in non-academic areas, but also the less tangible qualities of capacity for involvement, commitment, and personal growth. The arts offer remarkable opportunities for the exercise of these qualities. The highly skilled artist, the student whose intellectual interests include close study of the arts, and the many applicants who demonstrate motivation and the willingness to extend their reach through participation in the arts, all promise to enhance the quality of life at Yale.
UCLA
Dr. Vu T. Tran, Director of Undergraduate Admissions
As one of America’s premier universities for teaching, research, and service, UCLA conducts a comprehensive review of applicants to all programs. In the selection process, we define merits beyond the standard academic elements, which include but are not limited to grades, test scores, or academic subjects completed. UCLA values students with special talents and/or accomplishments. Students who can demonstrate their skills and achievements as accomplished musicians or artists would definitely enhance their chance for admission to all majors