NEC Admissions Policies
Applicants to New England Conservatory must demonstrate a high level of proficiency on their instruments or in their submissions of original musical compositions or theoretical/musicology papers. Application evaluation employs objective and subjective criteria with an emphasis on the musical audition or portfolio review. In addition, NEC is searching for those applicants who show academic preparedness, collaborative ability, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the capacity for hard work—characteristics which will help students flourish in NEC’s educational environment and beyond, and which are indicative of the potential to succeed as professional performers, composers, conductors, educators, researchers, and academics. Diversity is viewed as an essential goal for the college community, and differences in age, life experiences, education, extracurricular activities, and racial, ethnic, and/or cultural background are valued in the admissions decision.
All applicants to NEC must include, as part of their application submission, video recordings of required repertoire for a pre-screening round (preceding the Final Audition round) that is reviewed by the studio faculty in the major to which they are making application. The pre-screening process allows NEC to identify, by faculty review of applicants’ recordings, those students who would be most likely to succeed at the final audition, and at NEC. This practice eliminates the need for applicants to spend time and money traveling to a live audition if they will not be competitive for admission, and in turn allows faculty members to spend their limited time in auditions evaluating those applicants who are truly competitive for admission. The Final Audition round (mostly live, but in some circumstances can be recorded) are heard and evaluated by the studio faculty at NEC in the major to which the applicant is seeking admission.
Required Testing as Part of the Admission Process
NEC does not administer tests as part of its general admission process, with the following exceptions:
Contemporary Musical Arts (CMA)
On the day of their live audition, CMA applicants take an examination in ear training, (written and sung), which is a critical component of the major. The results of the exam may factor into the department’s rating of an applicant’s suitability for admission.
Jazz
Jazz applicants are given a brief aural (non-written) ear training test as part of their jazz audition. The results of the test may factor into the department’s audition rating, particularly at the graduate level.
Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA)
All DMA applicants invited for a live audition must sit for a three-hour exam in music theory and a three-hour exam in music history. The results of both exams will factor into the DMA Committee’s admission decisions.
NEC does not require the submission of any standardized test (SAT, ACT, GRE) scores as part of the admissions process, except for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A recent TOEFL score is required of all applicants whose native language is not English. Students whose scores meet NEC’s published TOEFL minimums may be required to take English as a Second Language (ESL) courses at NEC. Students whose scores are close to but below these minimums may be admitted, but they must enroll in the Summer Intensive English Program, as well as enroll in ESL courses at NEC until their scores meet the published minimums. At the discretion of the Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid in consultation with the Dean of Academic Affairs, the TOEFL requirement may be waived if an applicant has already completed four years in an English-speaking school or if they have acquired comparable, demonstrable English language skills through other means.
Admission to degree programs at New England Conservatory is extremely competitive. Each year the number of applicants for admission far exceeds the number of spaces available. This is true at all levels of admission, although the competition for admission to specific programs may vary from year to year.
Admission decisions are made independently of financial aid awards, and the admissions committee does not consider financial need as a factor in granting or denying admission. Separate from the admission decisions process, the Office of Student Financial Planning reviews financial aid applications from accepted applicants and awards aid to eligible students. Applicants interested in NEC scholarship must complete the institutional financial aid application questions within the application for admission. US Citizens/Permanent Residents must also complete the FAFSA to receive timely notification of their financial aid awards.
NEC aims for a clear and ethical admissions process that serves the needs of future students, parents, and the institution. Requirements for admission are published on NEC’s website. The Academic Catalog, which includes descriptions of NEC’s degree and diploma programs, academic policies and procedures, tuition and fees, and course descriptions, as well as other pertinent information for both current and prospective students is available on the website.
New students take several exams/auditions during Orientation, including placement exams in Music History, Music Theory, and Language and Diction (for Vocal Performance majors), and departmental and ensemble auditions. These auditions and exams are assessed by faculty with the goal of assigning students to proper levels of certain required courses.
Commitment to Cultural Equity and Belonging
New England Conservatory is committed to providing a safe environment for learning, working, and performing where all members of the community are valued and respected and can reach their personal and artistic potential. At a minimum, everyone in the NEC community commits to refraining from discrimination, harassment or retaliation, which is not only against NEC policy but is also illegal under federal and state law. See NEC’s Equal Opportunity & Anti-Discrimination Policy (https://necmusic.edu/employee-policies), Diversity & Respect Policy (https://necmusic.edu/employee-policies), Title IX Sexual Misconduct Policy (https://necmusic.edu/title-ix), and Gender-Based Misconduct Policy (https://necmusic.edu/gender-based-misconduct-policy). But eliminating discrimination is just the beginning; NEC strives for a diverse, respectful community and is committed to cultural equity and belonging.
Believing that a vital and diverse community is built on the respect of individuals, NEC fosters an atmosphere of intellectual and artistic freedom, and encourages the open exchange of ideas and creative initiatives. Learning at NEC is an active process that is encouraged and supported by common respect for the talents and potential of each member of the community. An essential part of an NEC education is gaining a deep appreciation of the traditions and cultures from which music originates.
Systemic racism, unconscious bias, and white supremacy generate countless imbalances of equity, equality, and access. It doesn’t matter whether these imbalances are unintentional; what does matter is that we as an institution take action to identify them, understand their impact, and intentionally dismantle and reset them.
We must examine ourselves, and systematically advance respect, equity, and justice—within NEC first, throughout our field more broadly, and ultimately across society.