Testimonial Letter

A Testimonial Letter from
Pam W., parent, Menlo Park, CA

"When our family first approached Inside Music Schools, we felt completely out of our depth—intimidated and uncertain about the world of college-level music programs, the audition process, and whether our daughter had a real chance of being accepted, let alone thriving. To make matters more complex, our 15-year-old daughter was considering a major shift in vocal genres, transitioning from classical to contemporary. This added another layer of uncertainty and concern: would she be “too late” to gain the experience and skills needed to succeed in the new genre?

Inside Music Schools proved to be invaluable in guiding us through this maze of confusion and doubt. Their support went far beyond the application process–they helped our daughter navigate key decisions in her music journey during the years leading up to her applications.

Steve Lipman enthusiastically embraced our daughter’s decision to change genres and helped her map out a clear and achievable path toward her goals. His guidance even extended to the specifics of her time in a pre-college summer program, during which he advised her on how to approach the experience effectively. Throughout the process, he was a calming presence, reassuring our daughter—again and again, as needed—that she truly belonged in a music program.

Inside Music Schools’ deep expertise in the field was evident in every interaction. With years of experience and extensive connections at music schools, they had an intuitive sense for the culture of these programs and what they were looking for in applicants. Steve was able to identify schools that would be great fits for our daughter’s personality and ambitions while also steering her away from options that might not be worth the effort. He provided realistic recommendations for safety schools and gave us a clear understanding of how to balance priorities like academic rigor, standardized testing, and other extracurricular activities with the significant time investment required for music preparation. Inside Music Schools also arranged mock auditions and group workshops on topics such as creating prescreen videos in addition to providing feedback on our daughter’s videos and other application materials.

One piece of advice we often heard about applying to music programs was the importance of reaching out to professors. Building relationships with school faculty and articulating in essays why you want to work with them can make a strong impression. While this advice sounds great in theory, it can feel incredibly daunting, especially when you have no prior connections to the school or clear sense for which professors might be open to meaningful interactions with applicants. Inside Music Schools addressed this challenge by facilitating direct introductions to professors from our daughter’s target schools. These introductions led to truly meaningful interactions. Our daughter ended up working remotely with an incredible voice professor from one of her top-choice schools for two years leading up to the application process. She also collaborated with a songwriting professor from another leading school who helped guide her and ultimately wrote a recommendation letter. Additionally, Steve also set up a trial session with a music production teacher, which gave our daughter valuable insight into her level of interest in the subject.

Thanks to Inside Music Schools’ expert guidance, our daughter is now thriving as a first-year student at her top-choice music school, surrounded by like-minded peers who share her passions. She’s not one to exaggerate or sugarcoat, so when people ask her how college is going and she responds with a genuine, enthusiastic “I love it,” I know she truly means it. I am deeply grateful to Inside Music Schools for their wisdom, encouragement, and support in helping my daughter achieve her college dreams." --Pam W