Normally students do this during the senior year in high school on a scheduled Audition Day. Transfer students and students already at Ohio State should also plan to complete an audition and the MAT on a scheduled Audition Day. Acceptance into a music performance degree is contingent upon approval of the applied music faculty. Most students enter the School of Music as freshmen and are enrolled the College of the Arts. Unlike other fields, music students begin taking courses in the major during the freshman year.
Students usually determine their specific music major at the end of the freshman year.
The GEC is a body of courses designed to ensure that each student becomes acquainted with the basic areas of academic study. The School of Music's performing ensembles have received national and international recognition over the years. The Jazz Ensemble also appeared at the Mexico City International Jazz Festival in 1990 and the North Sea Jazz Festival in 1986 and 1996. In fact, Ohio State is consistently ranked among the country's best institutions for overall academic reputation. Offering over 170 majors and more than 11,000 courses, Ohio State allows students to tailor their education to their interests through double majors, minors, and personalized study programs.