Does anyone understand the conservatoire application process??

[fadingfast]

I’m struggling to understand and DS is very defensive about it (and frustrated with me) when I try and discuss it with him.

He has a reserve offer from Birmingham having auditioned in the second round (February). I understand this means that he will only get a confirmed offer if someone else offered a place (for the same instrument) turns it down in favour of another institution.

I have tried to find out firm timescales but without much success so far. However I’m assuming that by now, most applicants will have confirmed their offers already, meaning that he is unlikely at this point to be in with a chance this year?

His plan all along was to take a gap year to concentrate on music and prepare to apply next year, so all is not lost if he doesn’t get a place this year. It just feels like he’s in limbo at the moment though. Has anyone else been through this process? It’s all new to us and school has been pretty useless.

(If Jazz, or if classical who can play jazz / improvise well, there’s a real shortage of trombones in the very active jazz scene in the city, so picking up gigs - initially free/pass the hat types but in time will be paid ones - should be easyish)

@cantkeepawayforever his preference is classical but he currently plays with a semi-professional jazz band as well as the county jazz orchestra so he has a reasonably amount of jazz experience 🎶

Have sent you a pm rather than derailing this thread with geeky Jazz chat!

@fadingfast great news. Congratulations 🎉 to him

Congratulations to him. Mine is just finishing his first year at a different conservatoire- he's a brass player too.

Is he enjoying it @Siriusmuggle?
My biggest fear after all the trauma involved in applying and auditioning, is that he gets there and doesn’t actually enjoy it!

He’s really enjoying it- there’s been the odd bump in the road but overall he’s loving it. Plenty of performance opportunities which is great. He’s picked up the odd bit of paid work which is good too. Birmingham were keen to have him but he decided against it, partly on the basis of tutor and he felt his instrument was stronger elsewhere. He liked the brass department in general there though.

Unfortunately the head of brass at RBC (Amos Miller), who my son really liked, is moving on to the RCM in September. I hope they get a good replacement for him!

It was Amos who was keen to sign him up so he’s even more happy with his decision now! He rejected another conservatoire on similar grounds. I’m sure they’ll get someone great in- the HOD where my son is is new and he’s fab.

Sorry to jump on an old post but I'm hoping someone who's been through this can remember and help me. Son has applied to 3 conservatoires and had 2 auditions so far. Has had one rejection but last night opened his UCAS portal to see that RWCMD now said "Firm conditional offer" beside it. He was over the moon, as were the rest of us. Then about 2 hours later he found a previously unnoticed email (🙄) from RWCMD thanking him for his audition but saying he hadn't been successful in getting a guaranteed place but was in their reserve pool. So I guess my question is "does a reserve offer show as 'Reserve' on UCAS? Or what on earth is going on??"

Does it definitely say Firm Conditional as I thought it was either Guaranteed Conditional (GC) or Reserve Conditional (VC) ?

It does,yes. Which is what confused me even more once I started googling as I kept seeing all these codes amd that's not what he has!

Might be worth phoning admissions team in the morning for clarification although it sounds promising.

How long ago was the email? Is it possible that since receiving the email, his reserve place has converted into a firm conditional (ie if others have already rejected their firm offer?). Perhaps a bit early for that to happen though. I agree contact admissions. We’ve been through the whole process and yet it remains a complete mystery to me!

Made him check it again and it says "Full offer". Not sure if it has changed or if I was making things up when I said it said "Firm conditional offer"! He's contacting them as we speak...