Updated 2026 Edition!
Music School Admissions:
Ultimate DIY GUIDE
Turn Your Audition into an Acceptance Letter with our music college admissions help. Stop guessing what admissions officers want to hear. Get the blueprint used by successful applicants to top conservatories and universities.
Meet Dr. David Lee Fish, professional musician, music professor, independent educational consultant, and the founder of College Music Major—the affordable leader in music college admissions help. With his deep knowledge of top-ranked music schools, he helps students successfully conquer the complex and frustrating college admissions process for a music degree. Dr. Fish and the CMMaj team can help you too!
Want to get into a top-ranked music school
like Berklee, Miami, NYU, or USC?
Avoid these 5 BIG mistakes with
CMMaj's music college admissions help!
Don't spoil your chances of getting into your dream school! It's easy to avoid these seven common mistakes if you know what they are.
Let CMMaj educate you about what not to do to maximize your chances of success at top schools with music majors. Take charge of your future and make sure you do everything right!
Our Services
- √Private consultation
- √Best-fit school lists
- √Expert evaluation
- √Online prep courses
- √Coaching, tutoring, and private lessons
- √Audition and interview practice
- √Applications & essays editing
- √Stage fright alleviation
Record of Success
As an educational consultant, Dr. Fish has provided music college admissions help to many students to help them gain acceptance at some of the best music schools with a range of music degrees:
Music Degrees
Broad Music College Amissions Help- √Classical performance
- √Jazz performance
- √Popular music (all styles)
- √Songwriting & composition
- √Media & game scoring
- √Production & engineering
- √Music business
- √Music therapy
- √Music education
- √Double & dual programs
- √Graduate study
- √Music minors
Music School Acceptance Rates
Juilliard acceptance rate
USC overall acceptance rate for music
Berklee acceptance rate
To a large extent, your future as a musician will hinge on the college, university, or conservatory you attend and the music degree you pursue.
But, given their extremely low acceptance rates, securing spots at top-ranked music schools can be as difficult as getting into Harvard.
You need to be confident about the process and audition well. That's where CMMaj comes in.
Your Challenge
number of American
colleges & universities
number that
offer music degrees
number that are
a good fit for YOU
There are nearly 4,000 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States, with almost half offering music degrees. How do you determine the best music schools to fit your educational goals and career aspirations?
Often, fewer than a dozen schools have everything you want when it comes to curriculum, faculty, resources, and opportunities. CMMaj can help you discover them.
The Better Way
College Music Major has found a better way to offer services to college-bound musicians that sets us apart from other music independent educational consultants. We are:
Affordable
We make our professional services as affordable as possible for students and their families. In addition to inclusive packages, we offer individual services as well as no-interest payment plans.
Expert
Dr. Fish's expertise is unmatched. He combines experience as a professional musician, music professor, founder of an important educational organization, and success in music school admissions consulting.
Collaborative
We work with you, truly with you. We suggest, rather than tell, keeping your wants and needs firmly in mind.
Flexible
One size NEVER fits all. The needs and wishes of each student and their family differ, and we welcome the differences.
Authoritative
Who writes the semiannual cover stories on Best Music Schools for the world's leading music education magazine, In Tune Monthly? Dr. Fish does. It's a clear relflection of his expertise and authority when it comes to music in higher education.
You can read Dr. Fish's most recent article for In Tune, "All About Admissions," here.
Testimonials
College Music Major has been an invaluable guide through our daughter's journey in pursuing her musical dreams. Dr. Fish's expertise and genuine care have helped us navigate the complexities of the music education system and inspired her to reach new heights as an artist.
Dr. Fish’s decades of experience as a university professor deeply inform his ability to connect and resonate with our teenage son. He truly understands the pressures and demands of applying to music school, and yet delivers in a way that has put my son at ease and boosted his confidence in himself. Dr. Fish is the mentor my son needs to put his best self out there in his application process.
Our Guarantees
Success
If enrolled in one of our Consulting Packages with a personalized school list, you'll get accepted into at least one agreed-upon target school (some restrictions apply).
Price
We'll beat the published or quoted price of any other music education consultant for equivalent service (some restrictions apply).
Let's Connect
Interested in CMMaj helping you (or your child) discover the best music schools for you and apply/audition for them successfully? We'd be happy to chat with you. Just fill in the form below, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.
