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FAQ

General FAQ
How long has McNally Smith College of Music been in existence?
Is McNally Smith an accredited college?
What is McNally Smith's enrollment and number of faculty?
How can I tour the school?
How do I get information sent to me?
Where are McNally Smith students from?
Where are McNally Smith graduates working?
Do you have an online application or can something be sent to me by email?
Who is my Admissions Representative?
What is the deadline for applying?
What is the application process?
What are your standards for applicants? ACT/SAT scores? GPA?
What’s the audition process?
Is there additional testing?
How much is tuition?
Does McNally Smith provide housing?
Where do I park?
Do you have online classes?
Do you have night/weekend classes?

Alumni FAQ

How many more classes/credits will I need to take for a Bachelor of Music Degree if I have already completed my Associate of Applied Science degree in Performance?
What other classes will I need to take if I have completed my AAS in Performance Degree?
How long will it take to complete my Bachelor of Music Degree if I have completed my AAS in Performance Degree?
Will I still be able to take lessons with my favorite instructors?
Do any of the Performance Departments have any special requirements?
Are there any other performance requirements in addition to classes I need to take?
If my degree is in something other than performance, can I apply for the Bachelor of Music in Performance Degree?
If my AAS degree from McNally Smith College is in something other than performance, will any of my credits count towards the Bachelor of Music in Performance Degree?
Is Financial Aid available for the Bachelor of Music Degree?
Are Scholarships available?
Did the National Association of Schools of Music approve this Bachelor of Music in Performance Program?
Did the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office approve this Bachelor of Music in Performance Program?
What are the steps I need to take if I want to start the Bachelor of Music program?
Industry FAQ
How can I promote my band online?

How long has McNally Smith College of Music been in existence?
McNally Smith College of Music was founded by Jack McNally and Doug Smith in 1985.

Is McNally Smith an accredited college?
Yes. McNally Smith College of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and licensed by the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office.

What is McNally Smith's enrollment and number of faculty?
McNally Smith is a small private college with an average yearly enrollment of approximately 500 students and 80 faculty members.

How can I tour the school?
Tours can be scheduled with your Admissions Representative any weekday, between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm. Information sessions take place every Friday afternoon, from 2:00 – 3:30 pm. No appointment necessary.

How do I get information sent to me?
Complete the online Info Request Form or contact the Admissions Department by calling 1-800-594-9500.

Where are McNally Smith students from?

McNally Smith Students come from every region of the United States. As we are located in the Upper Midwest, more than half of our enrollment are residents of the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North and South Dakota, and Iowa. But you may meet students at McNally Smith from countries around the world: South Africa, Chile, Venezuela, and Japan, to name a few.

Where are McNally Smith graduates working?
Our alumni are working all over the world. Check our alumni page for the latest updates.

Do you have an online application or can something be sent to me by email?

We do. Complete an Info Request Form. Once submitted, you will be able to access our online application.

Who is my Admissions Representative?
Please email Admissions and your rep will contact you immediately.

What is the deadline for applying?
McNally Smith operates on a rolling admissions basis. Although we have no application deadline, completed applications should be received at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the semester. It is best to apply early in order to have enough time to complete the application process.

What is the application process?
The brief outline of the application process is located in the Admissions section of the website. Your rep will help you though each step.

What are your standards for applicants? ACT/SAT scores? GPA?
McNally Smith is looking for students who have a strong aptitude and potential for success in our college and in the music industry. Instead of using test and grade point cut-offs, we look at more than just the GPA and ACT/SAT score when making our admissions decisions.

What’s the audition process?

Auditions are required for students planning to major in Performance. We will contact you to arrange an audition once you apply to our college.

Is there additional testing?
Students planning to major in Recording Technology or Music Production will need to complete a technology evaluation as part of the application process. We will contact you to arrange an evaluation once you apply to our college.

How much is tuition?
Complete an online Info Request Form to access a comprehensive downloadable tuition and fees information packet.

Does McNally Smith provide housing?
Students are responsible for making their own housing arrangements. Admissions will provide an apartment list and a roommate list to assist students in making arrangements. Many students live at one of the many apartment buildings within walking distance of our school. Visit our Housing page for more information.

Where do I park?
McNally Smith is located between two large parking structures. Click here for details (PDF). Metered street parking is also widely available. PDF files require the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Get it now.

Do you have online classes?

No, McNally Smith does not yet offer classes online.

Do you have night/weekend classes?
No, McNally Smith does not currently offer for credit weekend or night classes. Some weekend Pro Tools and Logic Pro certification courses are open to the public, and available to students and alumni.
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Although every student’s situation is different, if you took a standard load, you would have completed 61 of the 120 credits required for our Bachelor of Music Degree.

What other classes will I need to take if I have completed my AAS in Performance Degree?
8 Credits - Applied Music (Private Lessons)
1 Credit - Improvisation Techniques
7 Credits - Ensembles (one or two or each semester)
2 Credits - Music Theory IV
4 Credits - Aural Skills III & IV
6 Credits - Music History
2 Credits - Arranging
2 Credits - Pedagogy (Learning how to teach)
3 Credits - Entrepreneurial Skills (Music Business)
1 Credit - Conducting
1 Credit - Keyboard for Non-Majors II
12 Credits -Electives to help you personalize your degree
10 Credits - General Education Electives

How long will it take to complete my Bachelor of Music Degree if I have completed my AAS in Performance Degree?
In most cases it will take an additional 4 Semesters of schooling to complete a Bachelor of Music Degree.

Will I still be able to take lessons with my favorite instructors?
Yes

Do any of the Performance Departments have any special requirements?
Yes, Voice students will need to take 2 semesters of Diction and 2 semesters of a foreign language.

Are there any other performance requirements in addition to classes I need to take?
Yes, You will need to present a Junior Recital (30 minutes) and a Senior Recital (60 minutes).  There will also be a Senior Jury that you will need to pass.

If my degree is in something other than performance, can I apply for the Bachelor of Music in Performance Degree?
Yes, You will need to pass an audition and have had a G.P.A. of at least 2.5 in your previous program.

If my AAS degree from McNally Smith College is in something other than performance, will any of my credits count towards the Bachelor of Music in Performance Degree?
Yes, all 20 General Education credits will count, 12 REC or BUS credits could count as electives, and in addition you may be able to test out of some of the Music Theory and Aural Skills classes.  If you took Private lessons they would also count.

Is Financial Aid available for the Bachelor of Music Degree?
You may apply for all the same Federal and State grant and student loan funding as before.  In addition, any remaining student loan payments from your previous enrollment period may be deferred while you are enrolled in the Bachelor Degree Program.

Are Scholarships available?
McNally Smith College is offering scholarships to all prior students interested in enrolling in the Bachelor of Music Degree program.  Scholarships range from $700 - $1000 per semester for full-time attendance depending on prior cumulative G.P.A.  Scholarships are for a maximum of 4 semesters and will be awarded to any student who returns during the 2005 – 2006 academic year who has completed a minimum of 45 credits at our institution in the past.  No application is necessary.

Did the National Association of Schools of Music approve this Bachelor of Music in Performance Program?
Yes

Did the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office approve this Bachelor of Music in Performance Program?
Yes

What are the steps I need to take if I want to start the Bachelor of Music program?
  • Contact admissions to apply for re-admission to college
    • Your application will be sent to your Dept. Head
    • Your Transcript will be sent to your Dept. Head
    • If you are transferring from another program you will need to audition
    • You will need to take an ACT or SAT test if you have not done this previously
  • Meet with your Dept. Head to discuss what additional classes you will need to take to complete your degree
  • Meet with Financial Aid to discuss what financial aid is available
  • Meet with your Dept Head to pre-registrar for classes
How can I promote my band online?
Being successful in the music industry takes more the just talent; it takes a solid understanding of marketing. After all, your band will never be discovered if people don’t know who you are! Guerrilla marketing is perfect for new band promotion as guerrilla marketers use their creativity instead of cash.

Below are 5 “Guerilla” ways to promote your band online:

1. Set-up a MySpace Music Page
MySpace isn’t just for kids, in fact most MySpace users are in their late teens to early 40’s – likely the demographic your band is looking to market to. MySpace music pages allow musicians the ability to post information about upcoming events and even upload their songs. The Black Eyed Peas, U2 and Don Henley are just some big names bands who have leveraged MySpace for promoting their band.

2. Start a Blog
Blogs are simple and free to start. They allow you to connect with your audience on a more personal level. Blogging is a great way to build word of mouth advertising and support for upcoming shows.

3. Create a Profile on Last.fm
Last.fm is a website perfect for band promotion, it logs every song you play and like MySpace, you can upload songs to your band profile for people to listen to and comment on. Last.fm allows you to build communities and connect with fans from all over the world.

4. Flickr
Band promotion is made easy with Flickr. A one step upload process allows you to share photos of your band with friends, family and fans.

5. Post on YouTube
Do you have any video of your band playing live? Throw them up on YouTube, it’s free and people are bound to watch it.

The internet offers countless ways to assist you with your band promotion efforts.
Unleash your creativity today and explore the guerrilla in you!
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