The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University

• How are scholarships determined?
• If I come from a family with no financial problems, do I have to submit financial aid documents?
• What do I do if I want to come, but can't afford it?
• Will I know who my teacher will be before sending in a tuition deposit?
• Does Peabody accept Advance placement credits?
• How do I transfer credits to Peabody?
• What if I can't come this year. Will you hold my acceptance so I can come next year instead?

How are scholarships determined?

Before discussing scholarships, we need to define three terms. Financial Assistance is a general term for financial help that goes to the student. Scholarship refers to merit (performance) based awards that come from Peabody's scholarship fund. Financial Aid is based on the "need" of the applicant and can come from a variety of sources, including grants, work study and loans.

Peabody financial "assistance" is based on four factors (in no particular order).

• The needs of the school for ensemble balance as determined by the Dean and the Ensemble Office.
• The performance level of the applicant as determined by averaging the audition ratings given by the faculty.
• Other factors that may present themselves as the application folder is evaluated.
• Available funds.
  
  After auditions, a ranking sheet for each major is created—separate lists for undergraduates and graduates. All who auditioned are listed, starting with the highest rated player and concluding with the lowest. The Enrollment Management Committee reviews each acceptable applicant, and considers the top tier of applicants for performance scholarships. The number of scholarships awarded is determined by Peabody's need for the particular talent category. Amounts of scholarships generally reflect the relative rankings of applicants, as well as their "need."  As a general philosophy, Peabody funds are used where needed to make it possible for the most talented students to attend.

If I come from a family with no financial problems, do I have to submit financial aid documents?

You do not.  However, this puts the Enrollment Management Committee in a bit of a bind.  Many families do not qualify for federal assistance, but fall into an "in between" category where Peabody would not hesitate to offer a significant Peabody Scholarship.  If we have no documentation from you we have no basis for a decision so we have an arbitrary maximum award we can give.  Also, if you decide you want to come to Peabody, but simply can't afford it, you will need to submit the documents before an appeal can be considered.  Thus, my best advice to any applicant is to provide us with the FAFSA or the international form on the financial aid web site.  It will not cause you to get any less money but it can certainly open the door to a higher award.

What do I do if I want to come, but can't afford it?

The proper procedure for requesting a reevaluation of your financial assistance package is to contact the financial aid office in writing—outlining the nature of your request, and being specific about your needs. Decisions are made by the Enrollment Management Committee.  You will find the proper form on the Financial Aid web pages under "Forms". 

While I can't predict the results of your request, there are a few things I can say which are true in a general sense. First, it stands to reason that we are better able to respond positively to small requests than to large ones. Sometimes a family's needs are simply out of range of anything we can do. Secondly, our response will be based partially on the needs of the school. Thus, if we recently graduated half of the horn players in the school, we are likely to invest more of our limited resources to help an exceptional horn player get here. Finally, it makes sense that anyone requesting additional financial help would have a Financial Aid Form (FAFSA) on file with us. Without a FAFSA for reference, we can only assume the family to be very wealthy. We understand the difference between those fortunate enough to be very wealthy, and those who do not technically qualify for federally funded financial aid. It's just that we cannot tell the difference unless we have a FAFSA on hand.

Will I know who my teacher will be before sending in a tuition deposit?

The on-line application allows you to make two teacher preference selections.  Based on your request (or lack of same) your acceptance letter will generally contain a specific teacher assignment.  In just a few cases each year you may be offered a choice, or find yourself on a waitlist for your preferred teacher's studio.  If you wish to change your teacher preference you may do so by contacting the admissions office in writing (snail mail or e-mail.  A complete discussion about teacher preferences is included in this FAQ.  You can go directly to it by clicking here.

Does Peabody accept Advance placement credits?

Peabody accepts AP credits with grades of four or five. We can accept these credits for any course which will substitute for something in the Peabody curriculum—requirement or elective. Note that Music Theory is a special case. See below.

How do I transfer credits to Peabody?

In most years, roughly a third of our entering undergraduate students are transferring from other schools. Transfer credits are accepted in liberal arts subjects. We do not accept transfer credits in Music Theory. Music Theory placement is done by testing at Peabody—held during Audition Week, and again during orientation. Sample tests are available from the Admissions Office. A student's level of musical development in his or her major (for class standing purposes) is estimated by the faculty at the audition, but is not considered official until the end of the first year when the student completes a jury.

What if I can't come this year. Will you hold my acceptance so I can come next year instead?

Peabody admissions policy relies on the audition ratings applicants earn in a given year. Increases in the number of applicants have raised the level of development necessary for entrance from year to year. For that reason, there is no provision for an applicant "deferring" acceptance from one year to the next. Of course, you are welcome to reapply next year, but we will have to start from the beginning.