Music - separating out a course from EC, and writing the course description

[lewelma]

More questions!

 

DS plays violin, a lot of violin. It is absolutely going to count as a course because he does it in an academic way with formal exams through the royal school of music and through the NZ exam system (and these credits count to his high school diploma).  So the questions is NOT should I make it a course.  The question is about writing the course descriptions.  

 

It would be nice to clearly lay out what he does each year in music all in one place.  His private lessons, quarterly performances at retirement villages, his Trio, his string group, his exams, his competitions, theory, music appreciation etc.  But if I do that for clarity, haven't I mucked up the EC nature of some of this stuff?  By putting it all into the course descriptions, have I then stolen all the hours from an EC?  And if I do separate a course from EC, how would I do it?  I could definitely split it by solo vs group work, although he has earned credits in the NZ exam system for his group performances, so I don't want to appear to by fudging it.

 

Also, how would I write each course over 4 years in a different way?  They are all pretty much the same. 

 

Suggestions?

 

Ruth in NZ

[regentrude]

"Violin. 1 credit per year.

This course consisted of private instrument instruction as well as instruction in music theory and appreciation. The student regularly performed in public and participated in various ensembles. Evaluation: Examinations (here briefly mention the type of exam and the levels)"

 

I would have him put all the ensemble stuff under extracurriculars.

[regentrude]

So for EC, he might list:

Violin ensembles.

Trio (x hours/week, x weeks/year, yearly since zth grade))

String group (explain) (y hours/week, y wks/yr, yearly since zth grade)

[lewelma]

I like your course description.  You should be writing this document for me!  (actually, it is almost done, all that is left is music!)

 

So you don't think its worth putting it all together to see the whole of it?  I don't totally get how the ECs are viewed, as here in NZ they are not considered at all.  People keep saying you need ECs but I can't actually figure out why. Or even why it matters if something is listed on a transcript vs EC.  Just very confusing.

 

 

[regentrude]

I like your course description.  You should be writing this document for me!  (actually, it is almost done, all that is left is music!)

 

So you don't think its worth putting it all together to see the whole of it?  I don't totally get how the ECs are viewed, as here in NZ they are not considered at all.  People keep saying you need ECs but I can't actually figure out why. Or even why it matters if something is listed on a transcript vs EC.  Just very confusing.

 

The reason they want ECs is that they want to see a student who is passionate about something that is outside of school.

For us homeschoolers, the distinction between EC and school is completely blurred because we integrate learning into our lives. For PS students, ECs mean having done something beyond the required, scripted course of study.

 

You are sort of putting it all together by mentioning ensembles in teh course description. I think you overestimate the amount of time admissions officials are going to spend reading your course descriptioins. I cannot imagine anybody caring what exacly is in the music credit for a student who applies as a mathematician - that would only be relevant to a student entering as a music major.

All they will note is "played violin at high level for many years"

[lewelma]

I agree that no one is likely to read the course descriptions! Seems crazy to spend so much time on them, but whatever.  The finished documents (transcript, school profile, and course descriptions) do make me feel as if we have accomplished something in our homeschool. :001_smile: They are looking good, and I am so glad I took 2 months off and revisited them yesterday.  Fresh eyes and all that.  I cut cut cut!

 

Thanks for helping me see that it is the homeschooling is what is blurring the concept.  I get it now.  Sounds like I am just trying to make my son's learning look recognizable. This also helps me with the WOOT and whether to put it on the transcript.  Sounds like if it is a class it is viewed as 'he did the work that was required.' but if I put it down as an EC then it is viewed as 'went above and beyond to learn for a passion of his.'  So clearly EC is better for WOOT and my kid.

[regentrude]

Also, an EC does not need to have an instructional component - but a class has to.

that's why I would split the performance groups from the instruction component.

Edited July 14, 2017 by regentrude

[lewelma]

Interesting difference.  

 

Trio and String group have instruction - professional musicians from The NZ Symphony Orchestra.  Instruction is 3 hours a week. WOOT has clearly instruction too.  Which is why people are saying that I *could* list them as courses if I wish.  So confusing!!!

[regentrude]

Interesting difference.  

 

Trio and String group have instruction - professional musicians from The NZ Symphony Orchestra.  Instruction is 3 hours a week. WOOT has clearly instruction too.  Which is why people are saying that I *could* list them as courses if I wish.  So confusing!!!

 

Yes, in that case, you could have it as a class.

 

I counted my DD's horseback riding as EC. She received several hours of instruction per week, but spent a lot more time at the barn.

I chose to use it as EC because she did not need the academic credit to pad the transcript, and istead of burying it as a one line item at the bottom of the transcript, she could highlight it and elaborate on it this way.

[lewelma]

Ah, so you are saying they will read an EC document more closely and with more interest than the course descriptions.  So if I put the trio and string group into a music credit they only see it on the transcript because they don't read the course descriptions.  Fascinating.  

[Gwen in VA]

My dd is a music major. In high school she did music all over the place -- leading and teaching in a nationally known fife and drum group (paid), accompanying multiple choirs (paid), substituting as a church organist (paid), performing regularly on the harpsichord (paid), singing in multiple choirs, taking music theory at the local 4-year college, and of course doing private music lessons and placing in competitions.

 

The only part of all of those experiences that ended up on the transcript was the music theory classes (201 and 202 at the local "Public Ivy" college, so not intro music theory.)

 

The rest of them we listed as EC's. Dd had plenty of "academic" credit; we didn't want to water down her academic transcript with lots of non-academic classes, and she certainly didn't need the credits. So she had a list of music-related EC's a mile long, but we kept ALL of it (except music theory) as EC.

 

Perhaps we did it this way because of my experience way back when as a public school student -- I studied violin, was in multiple youth orchestras and spent every Saturday in a all-day pre-professional program in addition to attending music camps and other summer programs. NONE of that was on my transcript since it was all outside of school.

 

There are many ways of handling music on the transcript and listing it as an EC, but this is how we handled it!

[regentrude]

Ah, so you are saying they will read an EC document more closely and with more interest than the course descriptions.  So if I put the trio and string group into a music credit they only see it on the transcript because they don't read the course descriptions.  Fascinating.  

 

Yes. The ECs have a separate slot on the college application form; there is a specific place where people will look. 

The course descriptions are attached as suplementary documentation and not part of the stuff that is looked at by default.

 

Also, the course descriptions are a long document because they contain all classwork, so by that nature, any individual course will be buried among a lot of other stuff and be seen only when somebody goes loooking for it specifically.

Edited July 15, 2017 by regentrude

[Pen]

You could probably count it as part class and part EC.  Or two classes if there is enough for that and an EC. Or 2 ECs.  

 

Here, it is possible for kids to take more than one music course in school, for example, both band and music appreciation in same year...where each takes 5 periods per week, with outside practice, and individual lesson time or study time in addition.

 

If any of the instructors would make a good writer for recommendations, maybe that could be a class rather than EC so as to give some recommendations for class work that are not from you as mom.

[lewelma]

I've considered his violin teacher as a recommender because he is basically the top classical musician in the country.  But I need to have 1 STEM, 1 humanities, and 1 guidance counselor I believe.  And the humanities is from ds's English teacher at the correspondence school who is awesome.  (She even read up on how to mark SAT essays and then helped ds with 13 practice ones even though she is a *New Zealand* english teacher). My understanding is that the don't want extra recommendations, is this right?

[Joules]

 My understanding is that the don't want extra recommendations, is this right?

 

Will you be using the Common App for some?  Many colleges have a certain number required, but you can attach additional ones.  Others only allow a certain number to be attached.  Be sure to check with the university before you sent extras.  One college told me they accept only one.  Once that one arrives and is in your file, any additional ones that arrive are trashed.  Then you are left hoping the one you really wanted arrived first.

 

It's good that you are figuring out wording for EC vs academic now.  If he is applying to lots of schools online, it will help him with the online applications which have separate sections for each.  He can do lots of copying and pasting.

 

I like regentrude's suggestions.  One way to think of EC vs class: The class is the things that are required for the grade, and the ECs are things you do with that talent/knowledge that aren't required for the grade. 

[Gwen in VA]

Many Common App schools allow you to submit an extra "document" to the Common App. You can use this opportunity to submit a music resume -- a compilation of ALL your daughter's musical experiences. (Google "music resume" for help if you haven't seen one before -- there are thousands of examples on the internet!)

 

With my older kids we used the extra document to submit a "Why homeschool?" statement, but with my musician daughter we submitted her music resume. That way ALL of the colleges she applied to had the opportunity to see ALL her musical activities. (The conservatories required a music resume, but she had to submit the music resume as an extra document to the LAC's she applied to.)

[Hoggirl]

We are four years out of the application cycle (hard to believe!), but when Ds applied, some schools asked for both a "music resume'" as well as a music teacher recommendation IF a music supplement was submitted. Not all, but some. Princeton comes to mind. Is your Ds doing a music supplement? I am only somewhat familiar with the Royal School of Music exams (same as in England, correct? Graded(scaled) on level of difficulty?). Depending on his level of playing ability, perhaps you should consider his doing a music supplement. My thinking was that schools that allowed music supplements and wanted that extra info probably placed a lot of emphasis on music. Those that did not, probably didn't so might not have as much appreciation for a teacher rec.

 

For the caliber of schools where Ds applied, they really expected students to be conservatory level in terms of their repertory if submitting a supplement. So, if he isn't at the level, I wouldn't submit. If he is, and a supplement is allowed, I would definitely do it. And, just to be clear, by "music supplement" I mean a recording of your Ds performing. Note that most schools are EXTREMELY specific about requirements for these, and they must be followed EXACTLY! I can elaborate further if you like, but I don't want to insult you by telling you something you may already know. :)

 

Ds used his Scout Master where schools allowed an extra recommendation. Any extra recommender should be able to address an aspect of the student that isn't anywhere else on the application. You don't want it to be a repeat of what they could glean elsewhere. The Scout Master was able to speak (write) to ds's leadership abilities in a different way than a teacher could. I will add, however, that we were fortunate in that at ds's small school his Spanish teacher (who was one of his recommenders) also taught choir (and Ds volunteered as accompanist for three years), so Ds kind of got a two-fer on that one. So, if the music teacher can address something very specific about your Ds, s/he might be a good choice for an additional recommender. But if it's just more, "Ds works really hard and practices consistently, and does well on the theory portion of the exams," that probably doesn't add much that can't already be determined.