The questions listed in the previous post are unfortunately not the questions high school counselors are generally tasked with addressing, nor do most have the time to research the real scoop where it pertains to music students. The counselor's job is to help students to graduate from high school under the state guidelines. Certainly part of an effective guidance and/or college counselor's job is to help students with the college admissions process, but when it comes to music, it may be more helpful to ask music teachers, students who are currently enrolled in music school, or the music admissions departments themselves. To further complicate the problem, many high school counselors and private music teachers emanate from a pre-technology generation, and had earned success merely by following their teacher's prescribed traditional path via a common Alma Mater. That world has changed vastly, of course; you may well find that the right school or program for you didn't even exist until recently. Finding the program that is compatible with your talents and dreams requires as much patience, tenacity and creativity as in learning a piece of music well!
In addition, many of the programs now require a Preliminary Acceptance Process with a rigorous set of repertoire requirements that must be submitted just to win a live audition in addition to additional steps to admission that are sometimes but not always listed in clearly on school websites. Make sure you thoroughly explore each school's website and turn in your applications early. In addition, it is helpful for you (not your parents or teacher!) to call the music admissions office to make sure your entire file is complete. It only takes one missing document in your file to disqualify you from admittance.
Your teacher may feel obligated to answer your questions while being uncertain about answers. Advice from teachers can sometimes be based on vastly outdated information. Graciously accept the advice from teachers, but make sure to verify information with the school directly and explore as many other resources as you can to get as full a picture as possible. Remember, this is your future, not your teacher's that of your parents.
In addition, many of the programs now require a Preliminary Acceptance Process with a rigorous set of repertoire requirements that must be submitted just to win a live audition in addition to additional steps to admission that are sometimes but not always listed in clearly on school websites. Make sure you thoroughly explore each school's website and turn in your applications early. In addition, it is helpful for you (not your parents or teacher!) to call the music admissions office to make sure your entire file is complete. It only takes one missing document in your file to disqualify you from admittance.
Your teacher may feel obligated to answer your questions while being uncertain about answers. Advice from teachers can sometimes be based on vastly outdated information. Graciously accept the advice from teachers, but make sure to verify information with the school directly and explore as many other resources as you can to get as full a picture as possible. Remember, this is your future, not your teacher's that of your parents.