Summer camps have long been a key recruiting ground for colleges, allowing professors to build relationships with high school musicians and potentially recruit them for college programs. But with the enrollment cliff approaching and fewer students able to attend due to financial and personal constraints, colleges are facing a major recruiting challenge.

In higher education, recruitment for student musicians is still stuck in the past, relying on outdated methods like in-person auditions and performance résumés. But just like student athletes, talented musicians deserve a more accessible, modern recruitment process. The barriers to entry in music are high, leaving many talented individuals overlooked.

Colleges face a tough choice: be selective or cast a wider net to fill seats amidst the predicted enrollment cliff. While essays provide some context, they rarely capture the full picture of a student’s character and potential. Enter the musical applicant—a student whose years of dedication, creativity, and engagement in music can reveal far more than any essay ever could.