Congratulations Savannah!
On behalf of the president and the board of trustees, I am delighted to announce your acceptance to Berklee College of Music as a candidate for the bachelor of music degree, September 2010, fall semester.
A new door has opened, and a new chapter begins in the pursuit of your life's passion. Your acceptance to Berklee College of Music is a privilege reserved for those we determine have what it takes: to be, rather than to seem to be.
Your experience at Berklee will be rich and filled with possibility. In preparation, I would like to share some traits that will be fundamental to your success in this challenging environment:
A pioneering spirit and boundless thirst for knowledge; willingness to explore new musical horizons; openness to the creativity around you; passion and focus; respect for your peers; and a professional attitude toward your work.
These are the qualities at the core of Berklee's success, the essence of who we are. They resonate with our community and are mirrored in our creative diversity.
Only you can determine whether you are ready. Ready to contribute to the legacy and the legend. Ready to thrive. Ready to question. Ready to lead. Ready to fulfill the potential that is so evident to us.
We have opened the door. Now it's up to you.
Yours in music,
Damien S. Bracken
Dean of Admissions
BUT.
Dear Savannah:
The Scholarship Committee has completed reviewing all admitted candidates for scholarship consideration. While we have every confidence in your ability to succeed at Berklee, the unprecedented level of competition in our admitted class means that we are unable to award you a scholarship at this time. However, this decision does not preclude you from receiving need-based funds from the college. We encourage you to visit the financial aid section of our website to learn more about financing your education at berklee.edu/financing.
We wish you all the best in all your future musical endeavors.
Sincerely,
Tod P. Oliviere
Director of Scholarships and Student Employment
Berklee College of Music
so.. yeah.
I know the feeling... i'm in the same situation right now :( not cool.
ReplyDeleteAs a Canadian parent of someone in the same situation -- though we're currently at the pre-decision waiting period -- I don't think Berklee could be slighted for this. Tuition etc. for pretty much ANY post-secondary education in the USA is ridiculous, and in my opinion, actually harmful to your country, Americans. You can't vilify Berklee because the problem is all over the states.
ReplyDeleteTuition to go to Humber College, the best jazz/contemporary music college program up here? $8,500/year. I suppose double that for residency. That's super-cheap by comparison and typical of most college fields of study up here. I honestly don't know about university tuitions because, frankly, my son wanted to audition for only two places: Berklee and Humber. PERIOD.
He has been accepted into Humber and about $6,000 of scholarships await him if he doesn't get a full ride to Berklee. And hey, he is a SOLID potential recipient for a full-pop from Berklee. He received a tuition scholarship ($5,500) to their 2013 Five-Week program. He's received in total over the years about $50k in scholarships and awards. He is an excellent musician... But, the competition to get into Berklee is insane. it's a big BIG world and there's a lot of talent out there. Search for "super kid drummer" on YouTube and, GULP!
Even though my son has A LOT going for him we in no way assume it'll be a slam-dunk. And we're grateful to have such a fantastic college as Humber (a solid second to Berklee) at a far more bearable cost in our back-pocket.
So, Savannah, what did you do to move on past this disappointment? This was five years ago. Where did you go?