Bmus Entrance test

banquo

Oh yeah, tres seriously. It's still a BMus.

@tootyflutty, It is TOTALLY worth commuting.

I actually saved money by moving out there, and i've one of the dearest rents in Maynooth.

tootyflutty

Maynooth is my last choice that I would accept, I have arts after it, but I absolutely detest arts.
Thanks Banquo, but do you reckon it'd be worth it even if I live in Meath, Maynooth is bout half an hour, is there really that much saving?

CaoimH_in

sure just move tbh, you maynot save alot of moeny but you do get the whole college experience, which im sure is worth it

banquo

It's hard to work out tbh. My rent is one of the dearest in maynooth at 425 a month. So weekly its:

105 (Rent-ish)
50 (food)

So it costs me 150-170 a week to live. That might seem like a lot, but in paying rent I was able to save money on food (not having to buy rolls, coffees, etc constantly) on travel, and a whole lot of time. Also

CaoimH_in

tbh, i'd recommend moving no matter the prices.. alot of stress avoided, and all those days where you just want to head home and are wrecked and have to drive? not to mention dangerous! is this the first time your going to college? i'd reccomend for the whole independant lifestyle.. My folks are sending me for that, bit of money, but i've even tried to convince them I don't need to go to college.. they don't listen so, i recommend just going for the move.

banquo

If you get it, and it's your first choce on the CAO, I'd say even move out at the start of the summer if you can get a part-time job up here. It's harder than it was - much harder, from what I've heard from jobseeking friends - but it'd get you used to the whole independant lifestyle.

Also, although I'm sure you probably don't want to do it, I strongly reccomend taking a year off. The reason 1st iin college has such a high drop out rate compared to other years is that students come in with a bit of money and go mad with the drink and sex and don't get around to studying or doing assignments. There were several years between my LC and taking up this course and it did me a world of good.

CaoimH_in

so after your leaving you did what?

banquo

I figured that I should really spend a year getting all the sexy druggines outta my system, so I worked in an Off-licence in ballymun for a year (the only place in the world where you'll get held up by a chick) and then did Comp Applications in DCU. Great course, but wasn't for me. I'd known from the beginning that it was computers or music - turned out it was music!

I knew that whatever course I picked I'd have to pay fees for first year. So, having no skills, I got a minimum wage job in a newsagents for a year. 55 hours a week to raise the cash (6,500 for fees, 2,000 for a new piano, 3,000 for rent, etc)

I shopped around the different music courses. I struck Dundalk and Mater Dei off the list immediatley after speaking with them (fine places, but I had my own reasons) so that left Cork, DIT and NUIM. Cork, according to the word on the street, is all about performance, and I'm not into performance. DIT was very performance-oriented too, but was not as much as Cork. NUIM, however, told me that they were more into a 'rounded' degree with performance as an option. It seemed to be the only place in Irland where a musician could study theory, history and composition as main subjects and not just as small modues to accompany the performance stuff. I spoke with lecturers about modules and content. I was really excited about the history modules, orchestration, nearly everything. So I did the exam, interview, got in no bother. In two years I've been to 50 lectures in total-ish and got 2:1s both years, now I'm 23, in my final year and doing musicology.

/closes book on life story.

Hurrah!

CaoimH_in

hehe, good story man.. good job all in all, your college days self funded?

banquo

Aye, except for this year when I (finally) got the grant.

It's hard enough funding yourself through college though. I had full time jobs in 1st and 2nd year. It's totally do-able though. You miss nearly every single lecture but as long as you get the assignments you're fine. Not that I promote that attitude to college - if you can go to lectures, go!

CaoimH_in

So was the run around worth the course your in? Heavy into the aul drugs?

rcaz

Anyone hear anything back yet?

I got a letter from Trinity, I got an interview for there, but I'm starting to get really nervous about Maynooth...

banquo

Maynooth took ages to send out the letter, now I think about it.

Also, I don't touch drugs. Not a moral, I'm-better-than-you thing since I basically happen to live in a drug den these days, but they're just not for me.

TBH, the runaround was worth the runaround. I met loads of people in the different jobs, had a bit of money, and learned what it was like to work a 65 hour week (just one time; it sucked)

CaoimH_in

do they send you out one when you don't make it to say, you didn't make it or just leave you hanging...

When I said: Heavy into the aul drugs
I ment: Were you heavy into the aul drugs?

"I figured that I should really spend a year getting all the sexy druggines outta my system, so I worked in an Off-licence in ballymun"

tootyflutty

I sorta eh . . missed the Trinity test , not to bothered, mam was more miffed than me! But the points for it were just stupid and they're entrance test is a load of bullsh*t!
On the other hand I have my D.I.T test and interview next Tuesday and the Cork School of Music next weekend.
Wish Maynooth would hurry up!! :rolleyes:

CaoimH_in

Im now literally Praying for this test to come back I just want to see what went wrong!

tootyflutty

got my letter...In for the 7th of May woo!!

funky penguin

Good luck!

Remember:

Be enthusiastic.

Always smile, but not to the point of complete freakiness.

If you have a certain subject in mind, ie. performance, composition or musicology, say how you want to study this in third year

Know your Key sigs insdie out.

Be able to sing basic intervals.

If you get a lovely looking woman with long black curly hair, mention that you love Chopin. BUT NOT TOO MUCH! She might get jealous.

If you get a nice man with grey hair and glasses, mention how you always wished you were born a Czech.


Finally, have a few questions to ask at the end to show enthusiasm, such as 'when will I find out if I'm in', 'whats the story with tuition in my instrument' blah blah.

Go get 'em tiger.

CaoimH_in

Didn't get in

banquo

My commiserations, Caoimhe.

@tootyflooty,

What Funky said! In addition:

If you get a lady with brown hair, you love Schubert - got it?

If the guy with grey hair and glasses doesn't respond to the Czech comment, then you love Stravinsky and Mahler (might be a different guy)

Finally, just talk about stuff you like. I spent my entire interview talking about a fugue subject from the 9th, Beethoven's use of contrast, and Beethoven in general (if you were to run into me in the pub this would still be the case)

Whatever discipline you want to do (compo, perf, etc) say that you want to specialise in that discipline - this will work especially well if you get a young lady with curly brown hair and glasses as an interviewer. She is also notable for her enviable ability to look at you in
such a way that you'll completely forget any objections you had and come out thinking 'What just happened?!' This lady is incredibly intelligent - as are all the staff, but her especially so imo - so be prepared to look and sound smart, engaged and enthusiastic.

The best of luck. The standards for entry are much higher this year than in previous years. There were two interviewers per person when I did, I'd guess that that's still the case.

Come for a pint after!

God Speed,

Banquo.

Edit: If you're worried about missing it (trains can be unreliable, to put it mildly!) you are more than welcome to stay in mine the night before. Live right by the college. PM me if you want. Interview prep also catered for!

funky penguin

Ah Rob we can do mock interviews!

Baggsie Alison Hood!

Btw who's the intelligent curly haired woman...? Is that Lorraine?

sadie06

banquo wrote: »

The standards for entry are much higher this year than in previous years.

I got called for an interview. Really delighted as I wasn't sure at all whether I would get it or not.

Banquo, could you explain why/how the standards are higher this year? I probably shouldn't ask!

funky penguin

There's a new Prof., and she's basically kicking ass.

sadie06

funky penguin wrote: »

There's a new Prof., and she's basically kicking ass.

Ah yes. That's great! I just hope she doesn't kick mine...

CaoimH_in

anyway to get your test back? I've tried e-mailing.. but they never seem to reply.

tootyflutty

Aww Caoimh_in Sorry to hear that! Actually I would like my test back too, just cos I'm curious

haha thanks for the offer guys, you's ain't charging are you? :pac: haha, actually got a friend over on campus might just stay with her. Thanks for the idea!

I was just gonna say my usual music general stuff, bout musical experiences and orchestras and my repertoire, wasn't gonna bother with stuff for different examiners. You's reckon I should learn some stuff? Like I did work experience in Maynooth Music Dept. was gonna drop that in too, see how that goes down haha.
:cool:

CaoimH_in

Wonder how EL_Pron got on... hmm!

sadie06

CaoimH_in wrote: »

anyway to get your test back? I've tried e-mailing.. but they never seem to reply.

Maybe phone them.

banquo

funky penguin wrote: »

There's a new Prof., and she's basically kicking ass.

The above statement is true. She was the curly-brown-haired lady I was referring to, but it could equally have been Madame Schubert (trying very carefully not to mention them by name! but you know who I mean..)

Tooty, you seem to know your stuff and have a real interest, so you probably don't need to prep too much for this. They really are very friendly. However, if we do hold mock interviews (and we totally should) then I bagsie the Czechmeister. I can be super enthusiastic for ten seconds, then instantly go silent and look at a list in my hands, then go back to being manic.

I can imagine the poor interviewees reading this thread and being awful scared going in.

/Student enters interview room
Madame Schubert (looking around): You said Schubert would be here!
Czechmeister: I'm sorry Madame, but if it's not in the handbook...
Analyson: Gneh-heh-heh!
/Trad Dude enters, can of Guinness in hand
Czechmesiter: Sorry Trad Dude, interviews are on in here
Trad Dude: Sooooooo....
Madame Schubert (excited): Are you Schubert!?
/Trad Dude leaves
Student: I like Stravinsky
Strav-head: Excellent! I happen to be an extension of Wikipedia on Stravinsky, and every other composer since the beginning of time.
/Trad-Dude re-enters room
Trad Dude: Eh, this is my office...
Student: Am I in?
Prof: Yes.
/turns to staff
Prof: Everyone is fired.
Madame Schubert: Schubert?

/back to thesis

CaoimH_in

the single funniest thing i've read since

"I'm sorry to say we cannot offer you a place..."

ahahaha