FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is unique about the Shepherd School admission process?
Each year we assemble a team of musicians based upon very specific ensemble needs. For orchestral instrumentalists, we populate only two orchestras, so we try to capture a specific number of students for the violin sections, horn section, flutes, etc… We also need specific voice types for our vocal program,-soprano, mezzo, tenor, etc... A final consideration is studio attrition, and how vacant studio slots can be best filled.
How may I tour the university campus and the Shepherd School of Music?
Student-led tours of the campus are offered year-round at 11:00 a.m. and at 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. No appointment is necessary for individuals. During the academic year, a tour is also offered at 10:30 a.m. on most Saturdays. Tours depart from the Office of Admission, Lovett Hall, Entrance C. The tour will provide you with an opportunity to see academic buildings, the student center, and our residential colleges, including a student room. We recommend taking the tour in conjunction with our information session conducted by an admission officer. The Shepherd School of Music does not offer formal tours, but prospective students are invited to attend Shepherd School classes and rehearsals at their leisure. A class schedule is available.
May I stay in a residential college when I audition?
Overnight stays are a great way to meet current Rice students and to explore our campus, but availability is limited. High school seniors interested in staying overnight on campus can make arrangements to spend up to two nights with a student in one of Rice's nine residential colleges. For the fall semester, overnight visits will be available from mid-September through late November. For the spring semester, overnight stays will be available from late January through mid-April. To arrange an overnight stay, you must call the Rice Office of Admission (713.348.7423) at least two weeks in advance. Arrangements are made on a "first-come, first-served" basis.
If I don’t stay on campus for my audition where should I stay?
The Rice campus is located in the heart of Houston’s museum district where there are numerous hotel accommodations. For a listing of nearby places to stay, please visit our neighborhood hotel listing.
Do enrolled students have to live on campus, and will I live in a residential college all four years?
We believe a large part of what makes Rice a remarkable environment for undergraduates is the residential college system, so we encourage all freshmen to live on campus. New students are assigned to one of our nine residential units, or colleges. Each college houses approximately 230 freshmen and upperclassmen; another 70 or so members of each college live off campus for one of their four years at Rice. The colleges serve not only as residence halls but also as primary centers for dining, studying, playing, networking, and developing leadership skills. Each college functions as a self-supporting unit, boasting its own government, budget, sports teams, dining facility, and commons.
What are Houston and the Rice campus like?
As the fourth-largest city in the United States and the largest in Texas, Houston offers the diversity and richness found only in world-class urban centers. The city's population totals 1.9 million, while the greater metropolitan area covers 8,778 square miles and has a population of 4.7 million. Economic vitality spans the energy, healthcare, space, high-tech, and chemical industries. Houstonians support more than 500 cultural, visual, and performing arts organizations; 75 art galleries; five major museums; resident companies in opera, theater, symphony, and ballet; and four major league sports franchises. More than 90 languages are spoken in the Houston area.
As a Rice student, you will benefit from the best of two worlds—a traditional university campus located in a thriving metropolis. The campus includes about 50 major buildings, designed over a period of nearly a century and which are representative of the changes in style of 20th century American architecture. The university's earliest buildings were conceived by the architect, Ralph Adams Cram, in a revivalist style based on the medieval architecture of Southern Europe and are characterized by red tile roofs, rose-hued brick, semicircular archways, and elaborate detailing.
I’ve heard the Shepherd School is really just a graduate school. Are there many performing opportunities for undergraduates?
There are on average 300 students at the Shepherd School; approximately 125 undergraduates, 120 master’s students, and 55 doctoral students. With chamber music, studio class, choral ensembles and orchestra concerts, there are numerous performing opportunities for undergraduates. Undergraduate and graduate students perform together in ensembles, assuring that students learn from each other while maintaining the highest level of musical excellence.
Can I apply for the Bachelor of Arts in Music?
We do not admit freshman students directly into the BA degree. This degree is reserved for enrolled students, often performance majors, who have decided to change their focus.
Can I enroll in the second (January) semester?
There are no freshmen mid-year admits to Rice University or the Shepherd School. Transfer applicants may be considered for mid-year admission (January), but this is subject to studio availability.
How many undergraduate applications do you receive annually and what is your acceptance rate?
The Shepherd School receives close to 300 undergraduate applications annually and our acceptance rate is typically around 20%.
May I take trial lessons from faculty members?
Individual lessons are scheduled directly with the faculty members, but the Shepherd School admission office can provide faculty contact information. All introductory lessons are subject to faculty availability.
Is there a chamber music program at the Shepherd School?
Depending on their field of study, undergraduate performance majors are required to participate in four to six semesters of chamber music at the Shepherd School. We believe instruction in chamber music to be critical to maintaining a successful career in music.
What undergraduate performance opportunities are there in Houston outside of the Shepherd School?
Many of the professional ensembles throughout greater Houston frequently employ Shepherd School students. Churches, synagogues, museums, private parties, and weddings are just a few of the “gigging” opportunities.
When are applications due?
The application deadline for Shepherd School applicants is January 2, 2008.
Do music applicants have to complete the Rice application?
Yes. The Shepherd School is an academic division of Rice University, and music students take academic course work, live in residential colleges, are an integral part of Rice’s campus life, and ultimately receive degrees from Rice University.
Do I have to take SAT subject tests?
All music applicants need to take either the SAT or the ACT with the writing test, as well as two SAT subject tests. Shepherd School of Music applicants should take two SAT subject tests of their choice, as there is no specific SAT music test offered.
Am I allowed to designate a studio preference?
The Shepherd School admits directly into individual studios, so we prefer (where possible) to know with whom you wish to study.
Would I take private lessons with a teaching assistant?
No. Shepherd School performance majors study privately with faculty members.
How important are my high-school grades and College Board scores?
While it is critical that you have a successful audition, it is also important for the Shepherd School admission committee to see your non-musical academic strengths. Music majors are required to take non-music academic courses at Rice University, some of which may be challenging. Maintaining a good high school GPA and testing well on the College Board exams helps indicate what type of college student you may be.
AUDITON FAQ'S
How do I schedule my audition?
It is the applicant’s responsibility to call (713.348.3578) and schedule an audition time. Auditions are scheduled only for applicants wishing to major in music. Audition dates are posted for graduate and undergraduate auditions.
May I send a tape for my audition or must I come to the campus and audition live?
Audition tapes will be reviewed by Shepherd School faculty only when all other application materials (including the application fee) have been properly submitted. However, most faculty members will still require a live audition before enrolling someone in their studio. We do not conduct regional auditions in order to encourage serious applicants to visit the campus and explore our faculty, ensembles, and campus first hand.
What are audition days like for applicants and their families?
Prior to your arrival on campus, you will receive an audition confirmation packet listing the date, time, and room location of your scheduled audition. We offer morning orientation sessions for applicants and their families on our busiest audition days, and we encourage all to tour the music building and general campus at their leisure. Shepherd School class schedule is available.
Should I bring an accompanist to my audition?
All instrumental auditions are conducted without accompanists. Voice applicants will have a pianist provided for their audition.
When will I know the results of my audition?
Rice University will notify Regular Decision applicants to the Shepherd School of their admission status by April 1, 2008.
FINANCIAL AID FAQ'S
What forms are required to apply for financial aid?
You will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) www.fafsa.ed.gov, the College Scholarship Service PROFILE www.collegeboard.com, the Shepherd School Financial Aid Form, and submit copies of tax returns including W-2 forms (from both applicant and applicant’s parents). The FAFSA and CSS Profile should be completed electronically. Your income tax documents should be mailed to The College Board using IDOC (Institutional Documentation Service). The Shepherd School Financial Aid Form should be mailed directly to the Shepherd School.
What if I know my family doesn’t qualify for financial aid, but I want to be considered for a merit award?
If you wish to be considered for a Shepherd School of Music merit scholarship, you must still complete the FAFSA, the CSS Profile, and submit copies of all W-2 forms to the Rice University office of Student Financial Services. The Shepherd School Financial Aid Form should also be completed and mailed directly to the Shepherd School.
How are merit awards determined?
Merit awards are generally distributed by the Shepherd School to applicants exhibiting exceptional musical ability and potential, coupled with excellent academic credentials. Merit awards are reviewed annually, and as long as merit recipients continue to make satisfactory musical and academic progress in their field of study and the degree program to which they are admitted, the expectation is for the award to be continued for four years.
Do you offer any type of tuition payment plan that allows families to pay in installments?
Yes. The Rice payment plan is designed so that students or parents can pay over the course of the semester, as opposed to paying the full amount of tuition. This option is given during the first billing cycle when the down payment is due. The only charges that can be put on a payment plan are current tuition, fees, insurance and room and board.
The down payment required by the payment plan is 25% of the current tuition, fees, insurance and room and board, plus any unpaid previous balances and other charges. All down payment calculations are made with the anticipated aid in mind. Financial Aid funds CANNOT be used towards the down payment. The remaining amount due on the account will then be split into three installments due during the semester. This will include a finance charge of 1.67% of the remaining unpaid balance.
Do you offer special Shepherd School scholarships for international students?
No special international scholarships are offered. Merit award considerations apply to all applicants (including international), but international applicants do not qualify for any U.S. need-based financial aid.
UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION SURVEY COMMENTS
I thought the way that prospective students were treated both before and after their admittance was phenomenal. I VERY MUCH appreciated the phone calls I received regularly: I was constantly updated on my status of acceptance, my merit-based scholarship money, and was always asked whether or not I had any questions or concerns. The people I talked to from the Shepherd School (the admissions dept.) were incredibly cordial, and very helpful. In addition, I found the letterhead of Rice University, and the folders I received all with a surplus of helpful information, to be very flattering. I was sincerely impressed with the way students were treated by the Shepherd School, because I felt like the school really wanted ME! and not somebody else, and that they were willing to accommodate me so that I might be their student. Thank you for that!
…I will always remember the courteousness of the faculty at Shepherd and the upbeat, kind people that I met with and spoke to. Thank you for making the college decision process so much less stressful, and for showing me that I have the talent to play with some of the best musicians in the world, considering the caliber of your school.
I had a fabulous visit and audition day, and everyone I talked to from Rice was incredibly helpful during my decision-making process.
I really appreciated the respect I was given as an applicant; no other university was as helpful! Thank you!
Your school is wonderful! Everyone seems so happy and friendly, the audition was a good experience (unlike SOME schools), and the campus is beautiful.
Thank you for being so attentive during the admissions process. After being accepted to the Shepherd School, I visited the campus and was treated like a VIP! The symphony and faculty are amazing, and I am very excited to attend Rice this fall. Everyone I have met from Rice has been great!
The Shepherd School was very helpful, friendly, and attentive to my needs throughout the admission process.
I was incredibly impressed by the attention the Shepherd School administrators gave to me throughout the admissions process. They were infallibly organized, helpful, and kind. I did not find that sort of care from any other institutions I was considering, and the difference certainly played into my decision to come to Rice.
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