The Interlochen Advantage: Admission tips from USC Thornton School of Music
Associate Director of Undergraduate Admission Brittany Jimenez shares a behind-the-scenes look at the college admissions process—from what USC Thornton looks for in a prospective student to what she wishes students knew about navigating this exciting chapter of their lives.
An Interlochen Arts Academy percussion student rehearses with the school’s Percussion Ensemble.
If you’re planning to study music in college, you’ve probably gotten a lot of good (and possibly conflicting) advice about how to get into the college or conservatory of your dreams.
There are dozens of ways to sharpen your skills and build a musical résumé: from high-profile concerto competitions and prestigious ensembles to summer intensives and year-round arts boarding schools. But with so many options, it’s hard to know which opportunities will make you stand out in a competitive field of applicants.
To help you make sense of the exciting—yet sometimes daunting—college admissions process, we spoke with Brittany Jimenez, Associate Director of Undergraduate Admission at USC Thornton School of Music. Below, Jimenez shares what USC Thornton looks for in prospective students, what younger students can do to set themselves up for future success, and what admissions representatives wish applicants knew about the application and audition process.
What are some of the things that USC Thornton looks for in a prospective student?
Our application process is designed to discover your individual story, so that we might see how you would take advantage of the many opportunities available at USC. Like many highly selective universities, we conduct a comprehensive, holistic review of your application to consider your musical, academic, and personal characteristics.
We strongly value community and collaboration at the Thornton School, so in addition to an applicant’s preparation for their individual program, we also look for students who are collaborative, open-minded, thoughtful, creative, have a forward-leaning vision of the music profession, are artistically and intellectually curious, and show diversity of experience and perspective.
From an admissions perspective, what are the advantages of attending a dedicated arts boarding school?
Students at arts high schools have the opportunity to be immersed in an environment that is dedicated to the arts and their growth as an artist, which is often similar to the environment at collegiate music programs. Students at a boarding school also have the unique experience of living away from home, which can be helpful preparation when going away for college.
No matter where your studies take you, you get out of it what you put into it. Developing independence, strong study habits, and your commitment to your craft in high school will always help you succeed in your next academic, musical, and professional endeavors.
What types of extracurricular programs or experiences stand out on a student’s application?
We pay close attention to your personal narrative, background, and circumstances, realizing that each student is unique and has something to offer. Your application will paint a picture of you and how you might contribute to the community, tradition, and spirit that make USC the dynamic place it is.
While there’s not a checklist of extracurricular activities we’re specifically looking for, USC Thornton applicants have often participated in ensembles, private lessons, student clubs and organizations, and have been meaningfully involved in their community.
What sort of weight does summer program participation carry on an application?
While participation in a summer program isn’t required, it is a great way to continue growing as a person, student, and musician outside of the regular school year. Summer programs will also help you build your musical community and study with new people. They also demonstrate your willingness to go beyond your typical high school requirements and explore new places.
What are some things that younger students (like freshmen and sophomores) can do to be a stronger applicant in their senior year?
Challenge yourself, try new things, discover what you love, develop good study skills and habits, practice as much as you can, collaborate, and create meaningful relationships with your peers and mentors.
Musicians and industry professionals are natural researchers—it comes with the territory. There are always new things to explore and create. High school is a great opportunity to research who you are, what is important to you, and the type of impact you want to have on your community and the industry. While you certainly don’t have to have it all figured out by senior year, making the most of whatever opportunities you have in your freshman, sophomore, and junior years will definitely help you come senior year.
What’s one thing that you wish applicants knew about the application and/or audition process?
On more than one occasion, I’ve heard our current students provide this advice to prospective students navigating the admission process: Trust the process to lead you to a school that is going to be a great fit for you.
Control the parts of the application process that you can, give yourself plenty of time to complete the application, put your best work forward in all parts of the application, proofread/double check everything, and do your best to enjoy the process. You are a human, and there are humans on the other end of your application who are excited to get to know you. You are always welcome to reach out with any questions you have about our programs or the application process—we are eager to hear from you!
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