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bonnieann
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Posted: Mon Jun 11th, 2007 11:02 pm |
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Hi,
I am new here and this is my first post. I have a daughter who is high achieving and has Stanford as her goal. She is entering high school next year and is struggling with a decision about high school band. She loved her middle school band and jazz band and would like to continue music. However, she also loves club soccer. The high school band requires the students to do marching band and it will conflict some with club soccer. The music directors really push how band will help her get into college so she is stressing about it. Any advice ?
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CalifCarolyn
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Posted: Tue Jun 12th, 2007 12:53 am |
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My Daughters did not have this decision to make however one of the girls in my Girl Scout Troop did. She ended up dropping Band and staying with a vocal ensemble group because the band competition schedule was so heavy that the band director actually told kids that AP/Honors classes and Band would not work. Her younger brother selected band and he is struggling with the academic load. Next year he is dropping the honors classes because, for him a socially awkward kid, band (and the social aspect) is more important than the honors classes. He plans to attend a Cal State. Check the level of commitment band, at your HS, requires year round she already knows the time committment for club soccer.
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outwest
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Posted: Tue Jun 12th, 2007 01:41 am |
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My #1 DD chose band. But, she wanted to be a music major. I will say that your DD is entering the time when choices have to be made. You can't do it all. If your DD really loves music, but also soccer does your HS have an Orchestra? Orchestra is usually less of a commitment. Marching band is wonderful fun and you have instant friends. The season is all of fall and then most schools go into Concert band which isn't as much of a commitment. Some schools have Jazz ensembles, too. Maybe your HS has some smaller groups that aren't so time sucking as marching band. If you are in the midwest or Texas, those marching bands take it all very seriously. They are great, but I can only imagine the time involved there.
The other thing I'd like to say is that she should try to figure out what she would enjoy the most and do that. She has four years to be in high school and she should have a good time there, too, and not always looking towards college. Colleges like Soccer players, too. [Stanford has an incredible marching band that draws all those HS band nerds in, by the way  ]
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Tue Jun 12th, 2007 02:11 am |
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Bonnie,
The truth is no single extracurricular is the ticket to college, especially to highly selective colleges like Stanford. What colleges DO like to see, however, are students who have followed their hearts and interests, and remained dedicated to a few extracurriculars over the long haul.
My advice to your daughter would be not to make this choice based on what *might* look good to a particular college four years from now, but rather on what she will enjoy doing the most over the next four years. I'd also encourage her to explore new interests during high school, and to look for ways to build upon her current talents as well. That's ultimately going to be what will be attractive to colleges, not the specific extracurriculars chosen.
Hope that helps -- sounds like your daughter has a tough choice to make, but if she's anything like her mother, she's good at those tough choices.
Carolyn
(P.S. It's also impossible to predict what Stanford, or any college, might be looking for in applicants four years from now, or how many other students may be applying that same year with the same extracurricular. Heck, it's hard enough to predict what an individual college will want and what their applicant pool will look like next year. And, of course, as your daughter moves through high school, Stanford may also fall off her radar as she learns about the 2,600+ other great colleges and universities out there. So, if anyone - be it a coach, a band leader, a teacher, or a guidance counselor - says a certain extracurricular is a sure thing, don't believe it!)
Last edited on Tue Jun 12th, 2007 02:27 am by CarolynLawrence
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Lynda
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Posted: Tue Jun 12th, 2007 03:09 am |
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Hi Bonnieann,
Carolyn gave you great advice. Band directors-they usually have great hearts but I wouldn't count on most of them to really know about college admissions.
Our son had to make lots of tough class choices in HS. Several honors or AP classes were offered only first period. First period was band/Orchestra(only 1 class). He had help from some teachers who supplemented the regular classes w/AP info. He took a class at the CC the summer after his freshman year. We also signed him up with a Berklee (Boston) online class. Each year there was a big decision of some sort to make. He went with his heart and looking back, that was the correct choice. I had lots of fears then, my worry was a waste of time.
He will be a senior in college soon-music performance. He loves music but I really can't remember when he made the decision of a major.
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bonnieann
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Posted: Tue Jun 12th, 2007 04:37 pm |
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| Thanks everyone for the advice. I have already advised her to do what she would enjoy because I think that is really important. High school should be fun. The problem is that she really enjoys both music and soccer. But getting good grades is her number one priority and I think she is thinking about the time commitment with the marching band. I wish orchestra was an option but she plays saxophone. And she would love to be in the jazz band but there weren't any openings. She is still thinking about it.
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CarolynLawrence
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Posted: Tue Jun 12th, 2007 04:48 pm |
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Bonnie,
My son also plays the sax and drums. He doesn't play with the school band because it conflicts with drama, but he started a band outside of school which combines rock with jazz (it's called "ska" in kid parlance). They have had some success with lining up paying gigs, and it's been a great experience for him in terms of having to set up auditions for new members, schedule practices, market the band, etc. So, there may be other opportunities for your daughter outside of the formal school ones -- just make sure she continues her lessons!
Carolyn
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Deja
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Posted: Tue Jun 12th, 2007 06:33 pm |
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Lynda wrote: Each year there was a big decision of some sort to make. He went with his heart and looking back, that was the correct choice.
I, too, believe it's important to encourage them to follow their hearts. Last edited on Wed Jun 13th, 2007 10:24 am by Deja
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Thumper
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Posted: Tue Jun 12th, 2007 07:28 pm |
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OK...I'll weigh in by saying that the student should be choosing ECs based on their interests, not on a perception of what will get you into college. Now the other side...marching band is wonderful...it is a social time, a lot of camraderie. BUT it irritates me that this is a requirement for music students in the schools. Playing music in a marching band and playing music in a concert band or orchestra are completely different. The reality is that marching band music is fun, but its not very difficult. And for some musicians, marching band is a headache. My daughter is an oboe player...there is NO marching band music for double reed instruments. Some of her oboe playing friends were REQUIRED to play a different instrument (picture an accomplished oboe player playing the trombone for marching band...I'm not kidding) because ALL students in the band were required to play an instrument in the marching band. Luckily my daughter's music teacher was more sensitive to this issue...she carried the banner. If your daughter goes to a big flagship U and wants to be in the marching band in college, it is likely they will welcome her with open arms. Most music majors wouldn't walk across the street to march in a marching band.
So...advice...free...have your daughter choose the EC for which she has some heart. That is what will matter in the end.
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outwest
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Posted: Tue Jun 12th, 2007 10:59 pm |
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My DD played the saxophone and the clarinet. They are almost interchangeable with a little practice. Your D could easily switch to the clarinet for orchestra if she wants to do that. Don't worry about skill level in it in the Freshman year. My D also played bassoon (double reed) and one year the band director put her in the marching band pit to play it (no marching for her that year). Piano players play the glockenspiels. But, you're right, the band directors usually have too many trumpets so they make the younger kids play the melophones. And they always choose the biggest kids to play the tubas and teach them how to play it.
Marching band is fun. Fun, fun, fun.
Last edited on Tue Jun 12th, 2007 11:00 pm by outwest
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binx
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Posted: Wed Jun 13th, 2007 02:51 am |
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Funny - S had the opposite problem. Was an excellent soccer player on a traveling team, but wanted his Saturdays free for youth orchestra. We had the same talk others are discussing here -- Can't do it all. Do what you love.
For him, it was music, so he never played soccer on a team again after 8th grade.
His school pushed marching band, but didn't require it. He did it one year only. They didn't like when he quit, but he knew what was best for him. He IS a music major, and no one held it against him that he didn't march.
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mathmom
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Posted: Wed Jun 13th, 2007 05:01 pm |
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My older son quit the band because all freshmen are required to be in the marching band and he couldn't imagine greater torture than having to go to football games. I really think it's a shame to have requirements like this.
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atlantamom
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Posted: Wed Jun 13th, 2007 10:27 pm |
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Sometimes the directors and coaches will work with you. I wouldn't assume she can't do both, at least for her first year. My daughter has done both (all four years) and so has one of her best friends. They talked to the head folks in private and worked out an agreement on practice time. Basically, these girls were able to miss a lot of marching band practice because they were able to catch on quickly. They missed a few practices and a few games, to balance. And, there have been others who were able to get special permission to stay in band, but not do marching band because of conflicts like this (happens a lot with football players at my kids' hs).
I also agree with people who suggested switching to clarinet. I also have known several people who have done. Not only can you avoid the marching band requirement, but there are more options for youth orchestras and ensembles. She can still play the sax and do jazz groups on the side. My son found all sorts of jazz groups (orchestras, ensembles, combos) outside of school....organized by adults and put together by other young musicians.
I also agree with everyone who says FOLLOW YOUR HEART. You really don't know what any particular school will be looking for in your admission year. But, tell her to be creative in seeing what she can do to work out more options.
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WestrnMom
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Posted: Thu Jun 14th, 2007 12:03 am |
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It's not necessary to do those particular activities to get into college. Because of scheduling issues (mine attended a program that conflicted with all after-school practices) certain activities had to be cut out. All music was done as an EC, which worked nicely for colleges. What we found to be more important were community service and leadership, which can be done off campus.
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Consolation
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Posted: Thu Jun 14th, 2007 10:15 pm |
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It was a constant headache to combine school soccer with the youth symphony and violin lessons for us. The soccer program had a punitive policy that if you missed a practice for ANY reason you had to sit out the next game. If you missed a game, you had to sit out the next 2 games. And "sit out" meant come to the field in full uniform but sit on the bench. This meant, by the way, that if the kid had to go to the orthodontist it had to be scheduled DURING SCHOOL instead of during practice. Miss an AP class: no penalty. Miss a soccer practice: be penalized. I think that some of these coaches are out of control. The youth symphony has a policy that you can miss two practices per semester. Why on earth can't a soccer team have the same thing? Especially since they practice or play EVERY DAY! I was enormously relieved when my son switched from soccer to cross country, where people are rational. Anyway, is there any possibility that your daughter could play the sax in a regional wind ensemble instead?
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atlantamom
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Posted: Thu Jun 14th, 2007 11:00 pm |
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Bonnieann,
Looks like there are many possiblities and lots of possible impediments. Hope you and your D can work out something that pleases you.
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