Music Applicants Fall 2025

[DrF8]

Greetings! I'm applying for another round of MM/MFA music programs for Fall 2025, and I wanted to kick off a thread for this year. What programs are you applying to? I'm interested in spatial audio/ambisonics research and using a master's program as a prep for a PhD program (which I have a full list of).

Here's my list for master's:
1. Dartmouth - MFA in Sonic Practice (formerly MA in Digital Musics)
2. NYU - MM in Music Tech
3. Brooklyn College - MFA in Sonic Arts
4. Bard - Music/Sound

I'm more mentally and academically prepared this time around, and my music has progressed significantly. My list was longer, but I've attended a few open houses/info sessions and crossed some programs off my list due to being unable to attend part-time and not being a good research match.

Edited November 23, 2024 by DrF8

[oyster347]

Just wanted to chime in and offer some representation/info for music studies programs! I applied for PhD programs (and a couple masters) in music theory. Heard about interviews for Northwestern and Eastman in the last week or so, and have an unofficial (but still application related?) interview for UMass Amherst coming up, but curious to hear if anyone has heard from other places (even in different fields/depts). Mildly losing it waiting for everything else and just want February to roll around, but I know everyone is in the same boat and am my best trying to exercise patience lol. 

[r123456]

On 1/6/2025 at 8:24 PM, oyster347 said:

Just wanted to chime in and offer some representation/info for music studies programs! I applied for PhD programs (and a couple masters) in music theory. Heard about interviews for Northwestern and Eastman in the last week or so, and have an unofficial (but still application related?) interview for UMass Amherst coming up, but curious to hear if anyone has heard from other places (even in different fields/depts). Mildly losing it waiting for everything else and just want February to roll around, but I know everyone is in the same boat and am my best trying to exercise patience lol. 

I also applied for a few PhD/masters programs in musicology and early music performance, have only heard back from CU Boulder and Eastman so far (interview/audition at boulder, rejected from eastman). still waiting to hear from my other programs that i applied to lol, I am also mildly losing it but we're all in this together 

[oyster347]

Updates anyone? Allegedly supposed to hear from Northwestern today, but not feeling confident they're gonna follow up on that lol

[Do_You_Like_Apple]

Still waiting from all the schools I applied to😂

[oyster347]

21 hours ago, Do_You_Like_Apple said:

Still waiting from all the schools I applied to😂

Rip, hopefully you'll hear soon. What field?

[maryblair_.]

Hi all! Wanted to jump on to say I've been accepted now to two places (ethnomusicology phd, UChicago and Indiana) WITHOUT having an interview prior. I say this because I was freaking out thinking I wasn't going to get into anywhere because I didn't receive a bunch of interview requests, so if you are similarly freaking out, have hope!!! And best of luck to you all 

[Musicology_PhD]

21 hours ago, maryblair_. said:

Hi all! Wanted to jump on to say I've been accepted now to two places (ethnomusicology phd, UChicago and Indiana) WITHOUT having an interview prior. I say this because I was freaking out thinking I wasn't going to get into anywhere because I didn't receive a bunch of interview requests, so if you are similarly freaking out, have hope!!! And best of luck to you all 

Thanks that's helpful. I've heard nothing from several places applied, but no decisions on anything. 

[gradLH23]

Anyone know if Columbia does interviews? I heard that they only do them if you didn’t meet with professors beforehand? Just curious 

[ItsASecret]

They generally do. The only people I know that haven't had to interview went to Columbia for undergrad.

[oyster347]

Anyone else apply to Yale and/or Princeton and heard anything or know if they do interviews for music theory/music studies? I assume so, esp if other Ivies do but there's not a lot of info 

[gradLH23]

1 hour ago, TiredMusicMajor said:

They generally do. The only people I know that haven't had to interview went to Columbia for undergrad.

For musicology? Or Ethno? 

[ItsASecret]

6 hours ago, gradLH23 said:

For musicology? Or Ethno? 

Both. Only one I'm not sure on is comp

[ItsASecret]

7 hours ago, oyster347 said:

Anyone else apply to Yale and/or Princeton and heard anything or know if they do interviews for music theory/music studies? I assume so, esp if other Ivies do but there's not a lot of info 

Yale 1000% does, but their stuff is usually a lil later for some reason

[gradLH23]

11 hours ago, TiredMusicMajor said:

Both. Only one I'm not sure on is comp

Hmmm. I was told by someone who is currently in the musicology program, and who asked their cohort in Ethno, theory and musicology, and they said that not everyone was formally interviewed. Many ppl spoke lengthily to a faculty member in advance of the interview, and then casually once accepted. The person I know was approached for a casual interview bc they had not reached out ahead of time. But maybe it’s different every year? I don’t know. 

[ItsASecret]

6 minutes ago, gradLH23 said:

Hmmm. I was told by someone who is currently in the musicology program, and who asked their cohort in Ethno, theory and musicology, and they said that not everyone was formally interviewed. Many ppl spoke lengthily to a faculty member in advance of the interview, and then casually once accepted. The person I know was approached for a casual interview bc they had not reached out ahead of time. But maybe it’s different every year? I don’t know. 

Yeah I mean, like I said, I know one person in HM and one in ethno that didn't interview, but they were music majors there for undergrad.

[maryblair_.]

On 2/1/2025 at 11:29 AM, gradLH23 said:

Anyone know if Columbia does interviews? I heard that they only do them if you didn’t meet with professors beforehand? Just curious 

I had mine with them today (ethnomusicology), and this is after having a lengthy call with one of their faculty members in December. It seemed far more informal than others I've had, more of a conversation about my research and methodological approaches, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was a person-by-person basis.

From speaking to multiple faculty members, it also seems like the different subdisciplines (ethno, musicology, music theory, comp) all do their own interviewing and deciding, then they come together as a department and advocate for their specific choices within the limited available spots. Another reason why it might not be standard.

[Do_You_Like_Apple]

How's everyone doing? I applied to three schools: one interview, one silence, and one rejection. I'm about to throw up from all this waiting.

[gradLH23]

I just want to say that last year I was waitlisted at two places, rejected from two places, and the only place I got in was just not the right place for me.

I took the risk and decided to reapply.

I applied to 10 schools this time, all really great programs. So far I have heard back from 5 and have 4 admits and 1 waitlist. 

I never fully believed I’d have such a hard choice ahead of me. 

Don’t lose hope! 

[oyster347]

Anyone heard updates from Princeton, McGill, or UBC for theory? Just got a rejection from Eastman theory after interviewing, but not sure if anyone else here applied or if acceptances have been sent out too. 

[BeepBoopApple]

On 2/11/2025 at 6:19 PM, oyster347 said:

Anyone heard updates from Princeton, McGill, or UBC for theory? Just got a rejection from Eastman theory after interviewing, but not sure if anyone else here applied or if acceptances have been sent out too. 

I had an interview with McGill earlier in January. Did you apply to a PhD program for the Canadian universities? Having a Master's is usually quite important for those.

[kcost3]

I applied for PhD programs in theory. I'm still waiting to hear from ivies but was waitlisted at UChicago and waitlisted at CUNY after interviewing. Hope everyone's hanging in there!

[oyster347]

2 hours ago, BeepBoopApple said:

I had an interview with McGill earlier in January. Did you apply to a PhD program for the Canadian universities? Having a Master's is usually quite important for those.

I applied to McGill’s MA and UBC’s PhD because I was told they occasionally take people straight from undergrad- not expecting much tho. Also applied to the direct-entry PhD at Toronto and got an offer last week! Did you apply to other places in Canada or mostly in the US?

[BeepBoopApple]

1 hour ago, oyster347 said:

I applied to McGill’s MA and UBC’s PhD because I was told they occasionally take people straight from undergrad- not expecting much tho. Also applied to the direct-entry PhD at Toronto and got an offer last week! Did you apply to other places in Canada or mostly in the US?

Congratulations on the Toronto offer! That's a great achievement and a great program. I mostly applied to schools in the US -- McGill is the only program I applied to in Canada.

[r123456]

has anyone heard from UPenn? it seems like they might have sent out interview requests already but I haven't seen any admissions decisions... trying to stay hopeful lol. i have a few acceptances/offers for MA/MM programs but Penn was my top choice going in