Written by: Heather Zimar
Published: 05/17/2006

Yale School of Music Becomes More Selective After Receiving $100 Million Gift

The Yale School of Music, a graduate-level institution, is becoming more selective after receiving an anonymous $100 million gift that will enable all of its students, beginning this fall, to attend for free.

As reported in The New York Times, the number of applicants for the fall 2006 semester increased from 754 last year to about 1,500 this year. Only about 8.5 percent of applicants were admitted. Typically, 15 percent of applicants are admitted to the school annually.   

As the school prepares for the May 22 commencement for the final class to have paid $23,750 annual tuition, many faculty members and students are wondering how the donation will affect Yale’s reputation and the type and quality of new students.

Some students say that musicians are applying to Yale who otherwise would not have given it consideration because of the free tuition. Frank Morelli, professor of bassoon at Yale, said the free tuition is a powerful recruiting tool.

Lee Cioppa, associate dean for admissions at the Juilliard School, where the acceptance rate is 10 percent for graduate students, said musicians who apply to graduate schools are particular about where they want to study and often select a school on the basis of an individual teacher. The surge in applications to Yale after the $100 gift was announced shows that at least some of those candidates applied as an afterthought, she said.

Yale estimated it will spend $4.75 million a year to provide the free tuition. Although Yale has provided significant financial aid in the past for music students, eliminating tuition allows the university to compete with schools like the University of Southern California, which has long offered full scholarships to viola students. In addition, students will be able to afford better instruments and have more time to practice instead of working to pay back loans.

Thomas C. Duffy, the music school’s acting dean, indicated other uses for the gift, like acquiring technology for live Internet clinics and workshops with conservatories around the world as well as expanding the school’s presence in New Haven’s public school system.

Robert Blocker, who was dean of the school of from 1995 to 2005 will return in July after serving as provost and vice president of academic affairs at Southern Methodist University for a year. He worked with Richard C. Levin, the president of Yale to attract the gift over the last decade. Blocker said he would like to attract faculty members from around the world and would consider special appointments and faculty chairs.

Related Links:

NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/14/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/14ctyale.html?ex=1305259200&en=dbbab50bc09ce5ed&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss