CLINTON, SC – The Presbyterian College Department of Music has recently undergone changes to the way potential students apply and audition for scholarships.

Dr. Porter Stokes, the Barksdale Chair of Music, chair of the department and director of choral activities, explained that during the application, students must answer questions about their musical abilities, aptitudes, training, and experience. At the end of the application, the student is provided several ways in which a video performance is uploaded to the College. The student also has the option to provide a link to such a video that the student has posted in any of the available online hosts such as Youtube, Vimeo, Facebook, ect.

“In order to adapt to the ever-changing environment of college recruiting and to address interests and concerns of this generation of prospective students, the PC Department of Music has moved from an on-campus in-person audition to an online audition in which the prospective student completes their application for a music scholarship and auditions at the same time,” said Stokes.

This new system differs from in-person auditions, which have been the norm for generations. Stokes explained that the exception to this is larger institutions that have conducted satellite auditions in large cities.

Some of the benefits of this new audition system for students include having access to the audition process from the student’s own home and school, having access to the audition process 24-hours-a-day from when auditions are opened to the January 29th deadline, not having to be confronted with the often nerve-wracking process of an in-person audition, and not having to worry about their health on a specific date.

Stokes explained that the new process will also improve auditions in that students may avail themselves of professional guidance in preparing their video or simply record themselves with any available electronic device. Further, this new system benefits students who live several hours from campus in that they do not have to schedule a special day to travel to campus for an audition.

From an admissions stand point, students who come to the College for visits can concentrate on meeting faculty and students, seeing the campus, and discovering Presbyterian College without the distraction associated with auditioning. Further, admission counselors can show audition videos to prospective students when they arrive on campus.

For more information visit https://www.presby.edu/music/.