How To Get Accepted Into Your Top-Choice Music School School

Music
School Central Presents…

How to Get Accepted Into Your

Top-Choice Music School
School
Bill Zuckerman
Music College Consultant

Notice

The opinions contained herein are the sole opinions of Bill Zuckerman & his
organization Music School Central Inc., and are not to be construed as fact.
This free e-book should be used for personal purposes only. None of the
content in this book is to be considered legal advice.
Copying and republishing of contents from this document are allowed when
credit is given in full to Music School Central.
How to Get Accepted into Your Top-Choice Music School
___________________________________________________________
“Our son, Ben, discovered his passion for music later in his high
school career. So, when he decided that he wanted to attend a
music conservatory, my husband and I were at a complete loss.
Bill was there to help us every step of the way. And Ben was
accepted to his dream school, the Berklee College of Music!”
- Lindsey F, Parent
“Bill worked with my son, improving his ability to tackle

auditions, applications, repertoire, portfolio, and interviews.
My son was accepted to nearly every school he applied to,
including his top choice college, Juilliard”
- Birol, Parent
© 2018 Music School Central 1

___________________________________________________________
Getting Started
Choosing a music school can be an incredibly daunting task for

a family. There are so many factors to consider when making
the decision to apply for and choose the music college best for
you.
Depending on your major, there are myriads of considerations to

choose.
I certainly remember the stress and struggle I constantly felt

when looking into music school just a little more than a decade
ago as a composition major.
Have things changed since 11 years ago? Yes – admissions

processes at music schools have become even more complex,
confusing, and challenging than ever before.
The competition is leagues and leagues higher than it used to

be.
And getting accepted into your top-choice school has never

been so difficult!
And another thing you must consider… how do you even FIND
the best school for you?
The number of steps it takes to find and get accepted into your
top-choice school is breathtakingly difficult.
From essays, to auditions, to prescreenings, to trial lessons…all

that stuff…what you are about to embark on is FAR more
2 © 2018 Music School Central

___________________________________________________________
difficult than what a “normal” liberal arts applicant has to

experience.
THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS
Here’s what you need to know…
The only thing that matters when it comes to attending the right
music school for you is finding your ideal OUTCOME.
Yes, you heard me correctly…
Going to a school is a great experience for a young musician; it

is an enormously powerful asset to your future.
But, the number one reason to go to college is to prepare you

for doing something that you want to do.
Let me ask you this…
Why would you ever attend a music school that is anything less
than an excellent fit for you personally?
Going to music school is much more than the brand name.
It’s about finding a place with the right opportunities, community,

and people for you to engage with.
It’s about finding a place that will nurture you for the career YOU
want to have.

___________________________________________________________
But here’s the catch: many music schools are tremendously

difficult to get accepted into.
If a music school has an acceptance rate between 40 – 50%, it’s

considered a safety school by most people’s standards!
Acceptance rates for good music schools range between 3% -

25%, meaning it is more difficult than ever before to find and get
accepted into the best school for you.
So Who Am I, and Why Did I Write This EBook

for You?
I am Bill Zuckerman, an independent college consultant who

has personally worked with over 125 music students from 18
different countries.
With my system, I have helped these students get accepted into

schools such as Juilliard, Berklee, Manhattan School of Music,
Oberlin, University of Southern California, and more than 50+
other schools.
Most of my students get a major scholarship to at least one

school on their list.
This ebook is a direct result of my experience working with

these students, finding out exactly what works when it comes to
finding & getting accepted into a top-choice school.
These 10 principles you will not find anywhere else on the

internet…

___________________________________________________________
If you are reading this ebook, you aren’t a normal musician or

parent.
You are someone who is clearly committed to your future

success, understanding that expert advice can give you a
distinct edge when applying to enormously competitive schools.
So without further ado, here are my 10 best strategies for

gaining admission into your top-choice school.
10. Enroll in a Summer Music Program Based at a

School You Are Interested in Attending
If you are interested in attending a particular school, enrolling

in a summer program hosted by that school can give you an
excellent perspective on what makes that school stand-out
above others on your list.
On top of that, schools DO take note of the college applicants

that previously attended a summer program at their school.
Attending a summer program not only gives you direct

exposure to the community of the school, it gives you access
to the faculty at the school.
Most summer music programs hosted by a university or

conservatory employ their collegiate faculty in the program
itself. That means you can start building relationships with
people who will ultimately determine your admission into the
school.

___________________________________________________________
9. Prepare for Your Audition At Least Six Months

Ahead of the Application Deadline

One of the most important things you can do to receive an
acceptance letter into the college of your choice is to really
prepare your audition into music school.
The audition is the most important part of the entrance into

college. Even if you are a non-performance major, like a
composer, you will still have to present an “audition” of your
scores. Some composers also have to present a performance
audition.
There are a few ways you can go about preparing for your
audition at an exceptionally high level. The most common way is
to ensure that you have had advanced training ahead of the
deadline.
If you have been taking private lessons with an excellent

teacher for many years already, then you can have him or her
help you out in preparing your repertoire materials.
However, my best recommendation above all else is to get an

evaluation of your musicianship with a high-level professional
who regularly helps students pass auditions at their top-choice
music schools.

___________________________________________________________
8. Prepare for Your Interview At Least Six Months

Ahead of the Application Deadline
Almost every music student will, at some point, inevitably be

asked to perform an interview with either faculty or staff.
Notably, some schools, such as the world-famous Berklee

College of Music, require every applicant to provide an in-
person interview.
So how do you get good at interviewing?
Of course, the answer is practicing…
But, for what kinds of questions do you practice?
Well, there are many techniques for mastering interviews that I

teach my own clients. My favorite, however, is teaching students
that all interviews come down to just three major questions…
QUESTION 1: Why Us? (example: What made you interested in

applying to our school?)
QUESTION 2: Why You (example: Tell us about yourself? What

makes you unique/different?)
QUESTION 3: Do you have any questions for us? (ALWAYS

HAVE QUESTIONS PREPARED!!)
Every interview you will EVER have in your life will come down
to these three major questions. Prepare for them as best as you
can when getting ready to apply to music school.

___________________________________________________________
7. Research What Kinds of Performance

Opportunities Available at Various Schools
Without question, the most important part of being a

performance major at a music school is to participate in a
plentitude of opportunities for actually performing.
Some schools stage over 1,000 performances per year – at an

excellent, high level music school, you will not find a shortage of
opportunities for performing music.
Be aware of how many ensembles a school has, the different

kinds of ensembles, and if there are opportunities for you to
excel at what you want to do.
For example, if you are dedicated to becoming an opera singer,

make sure you attend a school that will have multiple
opportunities for you to perform in a student production of the
opera.
If you wish to write orchestral music, be sure to find a school

that not only has a good student orchestra, but also is willing to
perform or, at the very least, read through a piece of yours and
record it for your student portfolio.
It may seem tempting to think that every school will have ample
performance opportunities for you. In reality, you want to choose
a school that not only has the opportunities right for you, but
also offers ensembles and experiences that will help you grow
as musician. Be thorough in your research, and be open to
multiple performance possibilities at the college level.

___________________________________________________________
6. Make Your Pre-Screening Materials Excellent
Pre-screening materials are central to your admission to a top-

choice school.
If you are a performing musician of any kind, you will be likely

asked to submit pre-screening materials in the form of a video.
If you are a composer or producer, you will be asked to submit

materials in the form of an original portfolio.
Regardless of the type of pre-screening material you submit,

you must realize that this is central to your success moving
forward.
Your grades do matter in admission, of course; but more

importantly, your artistic background and finding a school that
fits your profile correctly will mean so much more to your
chances of admission to an incredible program.
So why am I telling you this?
Because your pre-screening materials are a direct reflection of

you as an artist.
I recommend getting the highest quality audio/video possible,

but don’t pitch-correct/splice your recordings if you are a
performing musician; the schools want to hear your
musicianship without its integrity diminished.

___________________________________________________________
5. Two Easy Secrets to Essay Mastery
My clients ask me all of the time “how do I make an excellent

college essay?”
The truth is, there is no one formula to making an incredible

college essay.
However, time and time again, I see the following three

principles that, when applied to a student’s essay, can make
their essay stand above the rest.
SECRET 1: Use the essay as an opportunity to tell us more

about you and what makes you a good candidate for their
school.
The most important reason a school asks for an essay is not to

figure out whether you are a good writer or not; rather, it is about
finding out what is unusual or interesting about you that makes
you a good candidate for their school!
The essay is not a time to simply put your resume in a

paragraph structure. Rather, it is the time to tell us, on a deeper,
emotional level, who you are, what makes you different, and
what you want to accomplish.
SECRET 2: An essay’s first goal is telling them about yourself.

However, using a variety of sentence structures as well as
proper grammar makes your statement that much more
intelligent.

___________________________________________________________
Never use the same sentence structure again and again; keep
your structure and vocabulary as rich and varied as the person
you wish to portray.
4. Three Secrets to Resume Mastery
Likely, you will be submitting a resume to at least 50% of the

schools on your final list of schools.
The resume is unspeakably important: you must provide a

snapshot of all of your accomplishments to an admissions
committee!
Thankfully, although prestigious accomplishments are

impressive, it is most important to have a resume that is
excellent formatted.
Here are three secrets to resume mastery…
RESUME SECRET 1: Reverse Chronology
Your resume should list all accomplishments in each individual

section in reverse chronological order. That means your most
recent goods are first.
RESUME SECRET 2: Musical Accomplishments Are Most

Important
I’ve worked with students who are both academically gifted and
not-as-much. Either way, although it is important to list some
academic accomplishments, highlighting your musical

___________________________________________________________
accomplishments is most important when making a musician

resume.
We want to see things highlighted such as:
• Performance experience
• Lessons experience
• Awards
I have many templates I use with my students, but this should

get you started.
RESUME SECRET 3: Shorter Is Better
Most undergraduate applicants should not submit a very long

resume. 1-2 pages is appropriate.
3. Decide Whether You Want to Attend a

Conservatory, University, or Liberal Arts
College
Colleges for music, or colleges with excellent music

departments, can be categorized almost always into one of
three primary types of schools.
Here is a brief overview of each kind of school:
Conservatory: Conservatories are educational institutions

that have a complete focus on music and other arts.
Conservatories exist for the purpose of training musicians and
sometimes dancers and actors, as well as for musical research.

___________________________________________________________
Conservatories are the best option for those who wish to take
their musical talents to the highest professional level possible
without much interference from academic studies outside of
music.
Some conservatories are stand-alone, self-sufficient institutions

(Juilliard, Curtis, New England Conservatory are examples).
Other conservatories are attached to major liberal arts colleges
and universities (Oberlin Conservatory, Cleveland Institute of
Music are examples of this).
Some schools could be considered conservatories, but choose

not to call themselves one, like the Berklee College of Music.
Likely, it is because conservatories are very much attached to a
“classical music” history, and a school like Berklee specializes in
many genres outside of classical music.
While the benefits of complete focus into your passion are clear
with a conservatory, you may be missing out on some of the
“college experience” if you choose to go this route.
Check out the next two offerings.
Liberal Arts College: Liberal arts colleges are great choices

for musicians who would either like to double major in music and
an academic subject, or for those who would like to pursue
music in an environment that is not as traditional & intensive as
a conservatory.
Some liberal arts colleges do house competitive conservatories.

These include Lawrence University, Ithaca College, Oberlin
College, and Bard College.

___________________________________________________________
These are also good choices for musicians that wish to be

general “Music” majors. A general music major is a major in
music without a particular conservatory-level emphasis on an
instrument.
University: Universities are institutions that provide

specialization and degrees in an exceptionally wide range of
subjects. Universities are good for music students who want to
get a well-rounded college experience, or for those who wish to
double major in both music and another subject.
Some universities do house conservatories or major music

schools, and can provide the best of both the conservatory
world as well as the university world. Some of these include
Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, University of
Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, Case
Western’s Cleveland Institute of Music, and Northwestern
University’s Bienen School of Music, among many others.
Other: Some community colleges have good music programs.
The Berklee College of Music now allows students to get full

Bachelor’s degrees online.
A few universities, like Tufts University in Boston or Columbia

University in New York City, offer joint double-degree programs
with conservatories that are otherwise unaffiliated with the
university. If you enroll in the Tufts 5-year joint program, you will
receive a Bachelor’s in an academic subject from Tufts, and a
Master’s in music from the New England Conservatory.

___________________________________________________________
Generally speaking, however, all schools fall into either the

conservatory, university, or liberal arts college categories.
2. Have Someone Look Over Your Application

Materials Before You Submit Them to Colleges
Without question, the music college application is far more in-

depth and complex than the standard “common app” college
application.
From making sure your essays read well, creating an

outstanding resume, writing a compelling personal statement,
presenting a competent CD/Mp3 of your playing, ensuring any
scores you submit (if you are a composer) look like they are
publisher quality, and more, having someone knowledgeable
look into your application materials can be of tremendous
benefit for your musical future.
Too often, exceptionally competent, talented, and bright young

musicians are barred from entrance to the best schools for them
because of missing small details. Sure, a misspelling in an
essay may not seem like a critical mistake, but when that one
essay is in a sea of literally thousands upon thousands of other
essays, it can definitely stand out negatively.
Have someone you know who is a qualified musician look over

your application materials before you send them out.
If you are interested in having high-level professionals look over

your application materials, keep reading through to the end of

___________________________________________________________
this e-book to find out how we can ensure maximal success for
you when submitting your application to colleges for music.
1. Visit Any Schools You Have Been Accepted

Into
At the end of the day, the most important part of choosing the
music school best for you is to go with the school that not only
matches your musical and financial considerations, but even
more so what feels right to you.
It can be tremendously difficult to know this without at least

visiting the school once accepted, or even before this.
I encourage my students to visit schools and take trial lessons

with various teachers at the schools.
WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE?
I am certain that, if you have read this free ebook all the way
up to this point, and have perused some of the articles on my
site Music School Central, you have gained a tremendous
amount of information that will assist you on your quest towards
going to the music school that will best prepare you for making
your career aspirations come alive.
Still, it is wise to seek out the very best guidance and consulting
available when looking into music school. There is tremendous
benefit and knowledge you can accrue by working with
professional college consultants.
___________________________________________________________
There is a distinctive edge over your thousands of competitors

from all over the world you can gain by working with my team at
Music School Central.
“Working with Bill was the best decision we made during our
son’s high school career. He ended up with many college
acceptances and scholarships from programs we never knew
existed.”
- Monique C, Parent
I personally work with music students of all age groups and help
them find & get accepted into the very best music schools for
them.
I have guided over 125 students through the difficult path of

school selection, portfolios & auditions, resumes, essays, pre-
screenings…all that stuff.
With our College Consulting program, you will:
• Choose a college that matches your musical and career

aspirations.

___________________________________________________________
• Audition for a college music program confidently and with

ease.
• Master the essay and resume with a team who has

reviewed thousands of applications.
• Gain a list of right-fit schools that match your interests and

credentials.
• Work with Bill personally throughout the major steps of the

college admissions process.
Of course, this is just the beginning…
Every student I take on is very unique in their individual needs.

Because of this, it is important to tailor every program to the
needs of each individual student.
“What a great experience it was for our daughter to work

with Bill. From the beginning, he listened to what our
daughter’s goals were and what she wanted to achieve as a
musician. Thanks to the Bill, our daughter is attending her
first-choice school in the fall.”
– Steve and Kathleen P. – Parents

___________________________________________________________
If you or the musician in your family is interested in enrolling into

our program, don’t hesitate to contact us right here – we would
be honored to offer to you our very best assistance.
You can sign up for a completely free phone-call with this link:
www.musicschoolcentral.com/bookings
After you schedule a time for a call, be sure to fill out the short
(5-minute) application that follows the booking form.
The very first call together is free. After that, working with me in
our program is not cheap. This program takes an enormous
amount of 1-on-1 time with a student to ensure our program
works successfully.
This being said, most of my students make up far more than

their investment into us with scholarship.
Many of my students have received scholarships that total

between $40,000 – $150,000+ for four years of study.
ONE CAVEAT:
As of the time of this writing (2018), I have received nearly 100

inquiries in the last 30 days to work with me.
I can only take so many students at a time, and I will not be

accepting many students into my program soon.

___________________________________________________________
So, if you are interested in working together, be sure to contact

me right away. If we are a good fit to work together, I can still
make room for you in my exclusive program.
www.musicschoolcentral.com/bookings
To Your Success!
Bill Zuckerman, Music College Consultant


How To Get Accepted Into Your Top-Choice Music School School

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Music

School Central Presents…

How to Get Accepted Into Your

“Bill worked with my son, improving his ability to tackle

© 2018 Music School Central 1

Choosing a music school can be an incredibly daunting task for

Depending on your major, there are myriads of considerations to

I certainly remember the stress and struggle I constantly felt

Have things changed since 11 years ago? Yes – admissions

The competition is leagues and leagues higher than it used to

And getting accepted into your top-choice school has never

From essays, to auditions, to prescreenings, to trial lessons…all

2 © 2018 Music School Central

difficult than what a “normal” liberal arts applicant has to

THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS

Here’s what you need to know…

Yes, you heard me correctly…

Going to a school is a great experience for a young musician; it

But, the number one reason to go to college is to prepare you

Let me ask you this…

Going to music school is much more than the brand name.

It’s about finding a place with the right opportunities, community,

© 2018 Music School Central 3

But here’s the catch: many music schools are tremendously

If a music school has an acceptance rate between 40 – 50%, it’s

Acceptance rates for good music schools range between 3% -

So Who Am I, and Why Did I Write This EBook

I am Bill Zuckerman, an independent college consultant who

With my system, I have helped these students get accepted into

Most of my students get a major scholarship to at least one

This ebook is a direct result of my experience working with

These 10 principles you will not find anywhere else on the

4 © 2018 Music School Central

If you are reading this ebook, you aren’t a normal musician or

You are someone who is clearly committed to your future

So without further ado, here are my 10 best strategies for

10. Enroll in a Summer Music Program Based at a

If you are interested in attending a particular school, enrolling

On top of that, schools DO take note of the college applicants

Attending a summer program not only gives you direct

Most summer music programs hosted by a university or

© 2018 Music School Central 5

9. Prepare for Your Audition At Least Six Months

The audition is the most important part of the entrance into

If you have been taking private lessons with an excellent

However, my best recommendation above all else is to get an

6 © 2018 Music School Central

8. Prepare for Your Interview At Least Six Months

Almost every music student will, at some point, inevitably be

Notably, some schools, such as the world-famous Berklee

So how do you get good at interviewing?

Of course, the answer is practicing…

But, for what kinds of questions do you practice?

Well, there are many techniques for mastering interviews that I

QUESTION 1: Why Us? (example: What made you interested in

QUESTION 2: Why You (example: Tell us about yourself? What

QUESTION 3: Do you have any questions for us? (ALWAYS

© 2018 Music School Central 7

7. Research What Kinds of Performance

Without question, the most important part of being a

Some schools stage over 1,000 performances per year – at an

Be aware of how many ensembles a school has, the different

For example, if you are dedicated to becoming an opera singer,