Founded in 1921, the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University is an excellent school for aspiring music that offers high-quality music education through intensive conservatory training, performance opportunities, and academic coursework under the instruction of expert faculty members.
The IU Jacobs School of Music has offered degree programs in music for over a century, with the school’s first music student graduating in 1923.
Until 2005, the school was known simply as the IU School of Music.
Following a $40.6 million donation — the single largest donation from a person/family in the history of Indiana University — from Cleveland philanthropist Barbara Jacobs, the school adopted its present name in Mrs. Jacobs’ honor.
Today, IU Jacobs has a total enrollment of over 1,500 students from across all 50 states and just as many countries around the globe, with about half of the students being undergraduates.
This puts IU Jacobs in second place for the largest total enrollment of any music school accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.
Located in the beautiful town of Bloomington, IN, IU Jacobs students have the opportunity to explore all the rich cultural offerings the city has to offer — including a vibrant and active music scene. Bloomington has been ranked among the top 50 best college towns in the United States, so IU Jacobs students are sure to be able to find something fun to do when they are not practicing.
Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music has tons to offer aspiring music students, having firmly established itself as one of the foremost music schools in the country. Read on to learn more about what sets this prestigious school apart from others, including its program offerings, acceptance rates, rankings, and much more.
IU Jacobs School of Music Acceptance Rate
The acceptance rate into IU Jacobs is approximately 25% – 30%.
That being said, some specific majors at IU Jacobs have significantly lower acceptance rates than other majors.
For example, majors that are a part of large departments with many faculty members to teach courses and instruct students may larger capacity than others.
On the other hand, less in-demand programs with only a few professors may simply lack the resources to accept more than a small handful of students each year.
On top of this, numerous other factors can influence an individual student’s likelihood of admission to the school.
IU Jacobs generally admits about 200 first-year students each year, a figure that historically wavers only slightly according to the number of applications the school receives.
This means that if far more students than usual apply to the school, there will be a lower-than-average acceptance rate that year (and vice versa).
According to some sources, the acceptance rate for IU Jacobs’ graduate programs tends to be higher than that of undergraduate programs.
Still, it is worth noting that the Jacobs School of Music is far more selective than Indiana University as a whole. With an acceptance rate of about 80%, the entire Indiana University is only moderately selective regarding programs other than music.
IU Jacobs School of Music GPA
The ideal GPA for a student applying to Jacobs School of Music is at least a 3.0.
If your grades are below this number, you may find grades being a barrier to admission. However, the music school will still strongly consider applicants if they can present an excellent application/audition/portfolio.
All of the music programs offered at IU Jacobs require an audition, an interview, or both, and some programs may require pre-screening recording submissions as well. Thus, students need to look into the application requirements for their specific intended major program.
To be considered for admission to the Jacobs School of Music, students must complete both the application for admission to Indiana University and the supplemental music application.
IU Jacobs’s admissions process is test-optional, meaning that students are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
However, applicants who are worried about having a low GPA may consider submitting these scores if they reflect well on the student’s academic ability.
Submitting excellent letters of recommendation is another way that students with low high school GPAs can showcase their capabilities and impress admissions officials.
Well-written recommendation letters can provide admissions with crucial insight into the student’s circumstances and personality in ways the rest of the application cannot.
What Is IU Jacobs Ranking? Is IU Jacobs a good college/conservatory?
Indiana University Jacobs School of Music is among the best music schools in the country.
Even further, IU Jacobs is among the best music schools in the entire world. According to QS World University Rankings, the school ranks #7 among performing arts universities worldwide, and second in the United States.
The faculty at IU Jacobs are highly-revered, talented, in-demand music professionals who have years of experience performing at some of the world’s most famous venues. With 170 passionate resident faculty members, there is no shortage of musical experts to teach and mentor students at IU Jacobs.
In addition, IU Jacobs hosts an astonishing 1,110 performance events each year, offering students a vast array of opportunities to perform in high-quality productions for a real audience. The school regularly hosts world-class guest artists from all over the world, making the musical community on campus lively and diverse.
Notable Alumni of IU Jacobs
Over the course of the school’s 100-year-long history, Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music has produced many alumni who have gone on to become quite successful in the field of music.
The school’s alumni network includes more than 16,000 living professional musicians, musical scholars, and dancers worldwide.
One of IU Jacob’s most well-known alumni is Gywnne Geyer, an operatic soprano who has performed in leading roles in numerous major opera houses across the globe, from the esteemed Vienna State Opera to the Metropolitan Opera and more.
Joshua Bell, violinist and conductor, is an IU Jacobs alum who has established himself as one of the best contemporary violinists out there. Over the course of his 30+ year-long career, Bell has received a total of six Grammy Award nominations and one win.
There is also Mike Dupke, a drummer who has played with John Mellencamp. After graduating from IU Jacobs, Dupke also went on to become part of the music department faculty at the Musicians Institute School of Music.
Another notable IU Jacobs School of Music alum is Amy Webb, founder and CEO of the Future Today Institute. Currently, a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, Webb is also the author of several award-winning bestsellers.
What Are the Available Music Majors at IU Jacobs?
At the IU Jacobs School of Music, there are over 70 degree programs for music students. Each of these programs also includes a number of general education credits, so students receive a well-rounded liberal arts education that extends beyond music.
The school also offers degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level, all the way up to doctoral programs.
Students who are interested in studying classical music have many different areas of study to choose from. Instruments offered include harp, organ, piano, woodwinds, strings, and many more.
Students who are interested in voice programs can choose between the bachelor of music in performance, the bachelor of music in education, and a bachelor of science in music and another academic field of study.
There are also many different non-instrument majors students can pursue, such as music education, musicology, and music scoring for visual media. Conducting is another strong option for music majors at IU Jacobs, with programs for choral conducting, orchestral conducting, and wind conducting.
IU Jacobs offers an array of major programs in the area of jazz as well.
Should You Apply to the IU Jacobs School of Music?
Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music is a phenomenal music school to which any student interested in music studies should consider applying.
From its highly-accomplished faculty, many of whom are known to be eminent musical scholars, educators, and performers, to its extensive degree options, robust academic program offerings, and so much more, IU Jacobs has tons to offer its students.
Another reason to consider applying to IU Jacobs is its attractive student-to-faculty ratio. With just seven students to each teacher, students can reap all the benefits small class sizes provide, such as the ability to foster close academic relationships with professors and fellow students.
The school boasts remarkably well-maintained, world-class facilities, such as the Cook Music Library — one of the most comprehensive collections of music and related archival materials in the entire world of academia.
The Musical Arts Center serves as the school’s main performance venue and is also widely known for its superior quality. An additional four recital halls and one amphitheater are home to numerous performances every year.
Beyond stellar performance facilities, students at IU Jacobs also have the opportunity to make use of the school’s labs, rehearsal spaces, offices, and studio spaces.
All in all, there is no shortage of reasons to consider applying to IU’s Jacobs School of Music.
