How to Submit a Music Portfolio for the Ivies

First off you may ask, why a music portfolio? Or better yet, what is a music portfolio?

With college admissions getting more competitive every year, applicants need more unique and impactful ECs in order to stand out.

The top colleges in the US, known as the Ivy League, are among the most well-known. Attracting over 380 thousand applicants in total for the class of 2029, it’s no small feat to be accepted into one of these prestigious schools.

Now we’ve all touched an instrument at some point in our lives. Perhaps you dabbled in the piano or violin. Maybe you tried it when you were little, or started during high school. 

As you start getting older however, you might think that music has no real value in the context of college admissions. Chances are, you probably aren’t musically-inclined and don’t have perfect pitch. Nothing crazy, right?

Well actually, it DOES help! While it may take a little bit of effort on your end, a decent music background can most definitely help boost your application!

In this article, I’ll show you how to submit a music portfolio to the Ivies—step by step—so you can leverage your musical skills even as a non‑music major!

P.S. Just a disclaimer, this article is targeted to students who do NOT want to go into a music or visual-arts based major in the future.

Why is a Music Portfolio Important?

AOs at Ivy League colleges take a different approach to admitting students than what you might think.

There are various categories that each applicant is graded on such as academics, recommendations, essays, personal qualities, etc. 

And you guessed it, there is a category for the arts! This actually includes all visual and performing arts, in which music is a part of.

Then, the AO will grade the applicant on a scale of 1-5 or 1-9 for each category based on how well they demonstrate it in their application. For both of these scales, 1 is considered the best representation of that category, while 5 and 9 are the worst.

However, the arts category is special. If you aren’t going into a visual or performing arts-based major, that section is optional. So, most people skip it entirely. 

Because so few people complete this optional arts category, if you complete it, it will give you a competitive edge over your peers.

Even if you think your music pieces are not very good, it will never hurt your application. It’s a supplemental portfolio that’s only going to improve your odds.

Demonstrate Discipline and Time-Management

One of the best ways that music can help your application stand out is by exemplifying your personal qualities. Many times, AOs want to know who you are as a person. This is normally done through your essays and letters of recommendation. 

However, sometimes activities, such as music, can indirectly show to AOs your work habits. For instance, if you put a significant amount of time into preparing for a music competition, mention that in your application. 

Maybe describe your practice routine. Show what you did leading up to that competition. If you ever got an award or some form of recognition for your hard work, make sure to highlight that too.

Be sure to quantify your achievements as well. Specify exactly how long you spent practicing and what impact it had. 

Example: Practiced 10 hours a week for one month leading up to [insert competition] leading to a gold medal and/or [insert certificate/recognition]

More Tips:

Practice Logs & Achievements: Show how your weekly practice routine (e.g. 10 hrs/week) led to measurable improvements or exam scores.

Application Tip: Turn your metronome‑driven timelines into a “Project Timeline” graphic in your résumé or Activities Section.

Showcase Leadership and Collaboration

Music doesn’t have to be done solo. Many instrumentalists form trios, quartets, and hell, I’ve even seen quintets!

Contrary to popular belief, collaboration doesn’t necessarily hurt your application. For example, schools like MIT, explicitly emphasize collaborationand cooperation between peers. 

Even if it’s music, you can show your competence through leading a group or forming a band with your friends. As always make sure to show the impact you’ve made.

You can even organize events outside of school to expand your reach. Though it will take more effort, it’s a unique experience that will stand out in the music category!

Example: Formed a music group a led a group of 5 students. Organized a 30 min concert for the elderly impacting over 100 people.

More Tips:

Ensemble Roles: Highlight roles like section leader, concert organizer, or student‑run chamber group.

Application Tip: In your Common App “Activities,” label these under “Leadership” and briefly note rehearsal budgets, event attendance, or community outreach.

Leverage the Supplemental Music Portfolio

Many schools will allow you to submit something called an optional or supplemental arts portfolio. For people who aren’t going into a performing or visual arts-based major, these portfolios can become a unique aspect of your application.

Obviously, the type of portfolio that will be submitted heavily depends on the category. For music, this might include a selection of live recordings, audio, and/or images of you playing.

Requirements

First, let’s cover how to submit a music portfolio by breaking down the specific details.

Each college will have different requirements as to what you have to submit, but for instrumentalists, normally, you need 2-3 live recordings of you playing pieces that vary across time periods and artistry.

For composers, it’s almost the same thing, but you need to submit 2-3 of your compositions and have an audio (or live recording!) of them being played. 

Once again, all of these requirements differ across institutions so it’s best to check on their admission portals.

Do I Have to Excel at an Instrument to Submit a Music Portfolio?.

One common misconception when submitting a music portfolio is that you have to be VERY good at your instrument. Well, that would be true if you were applying as a music major.

However, since most of us probably just had a few private lessons here and there (probably), and just so happened to have a few decent recordings lying around, this would be a great option to enhance your application.

They don’t have to be outstanding, but they need to be decent enough to show that you put effort into it. 

These portfolios will eventually be passed onto the music faculty at your targeted institution for review.

Now that might sound scary, but just know that they aren’t making the final call. Because you aren’t directly applying for a music/arts major, they can’t really determine your admission status.

The most they can do is give comments on your portfolio and refer it back to the admissions office.

What if I Know that I Played Badly?

Like I mentioned above, the music faculty can only do so much. Because you aren’t applying directly to the music school, they cannot make the final decision.

Worst case scenario, the music faculty doesn’t provide any comments (whether good or bad) and your status remains neutral.

Just know that a music portfolio will only HELP you in the admissions process. It will never actually work against you.

How to Submit a Music Portfolio

Every college has different supplementary material requirements. Some don’t allow portfolio submissions, while some do.

Select Ivy League colleges, such as Brown and Columbia, require a $5 processing fee when applying. Be sure to check their admissions portal for specific details.

Example Portfolio Submission Guidelines

Now that you know the basics, here’s exactly how to submit a music portfolio to Brown University via Common App.

While this walkthrough is tailored to Brown University, many Ivy League institutions share similar steps. Make sure to check with your targeted college!

First, you will want to go to your chosen institution’s homepage or portal.

For Brown University, the URL is boxed in red at the upper left hand corner on the image above.

Next, on the homepage, click the “Apply” button. Every college’s website will be structured differently, but they will be somewhat similar in their format.

Now after clicking that apply button, it will take you to a page where if you scroll down, it will show you a bunch of different admission types.

Choose the one that fits you best, as their are a TON of options. The majority of people will probably be choosing the “First-Year Applicants” option at the top left corner.

If you choose something different, just know that the next steps might be slightly different.

Once you click on the first-year applicant link, it will take you to a page detailing a step-by-step guide on what you need to submit.

On the left-hand side is where you will see a sidebar with all the sections that will need to be completed.

Near the bottom of the page drop-down menu is a hyperlink titled “Supplementary Materials”. This is where you will find all the information on art portfolios, etc.

You will want to click on that link.

Once you scroll down a little bit, you will get to the image above.

More information can be found on their official website, but here’s a quick rundown.

Summary:

All portfolios need to be submitted through the Common App in a software called SlideRoom. Make sure to submit it before the corresponding deadlines mentioned in the description (November 4 for Questbridge/ED, and January 6 for RD). You will need to create a separate account for SlideRoom and the portfolio will be directly uploaded onto the platform.

At the bottom left corner, there is a button called “Music Submission Details”. Click that to follow the next step.

After clicking that button, it will direct you to the image above. This page shows the maximum file size of the materials that you submit.

Brown University allows you to submit any combination of images, video, audio, and PDFs (composers only) of music-related content.

This gives you a lot of freedom in terms of how you want to organize your portfolio. In a way it’s not as restrictive and allows you more creativity in terms of your musical prowess.

They also allow you to link any media from Youtube, Vimeo or SoundCloud. In addition, a $5 processing fee is required, but it can be waived if it poses a financial burden.

Lastly, there is a button to submit your portfolio. At the time of writing this article, that link is not live as it is not college application season, but when it is, it will take you directly to the SlideRoom platform.

If you scroll down on the same page, there are more requirements for the portfolio. Namely, the total length of recordings should not be longer than 15 minutes. All pieces must be properly labeled with it’s composer(s) and title(s).

Brown is also special in a way that they DON’T require a letter of recommendation from a music-related person. Instead, you provide some background information about your music studies, training, and experiences.

Portfolio Submissions for Other Institutions

Reiterating from before, every college has different requirements. Always check on their official website or portal for the most up-to-date information.

Another example would be Stanford. They are not an Ivy League institution, however, they do share similarities with the Ivy League portfolio submission process.

Stanford’s process offers another model of how to submit a music portfolio. However, make sure to check on their portal for specifics

If you go to Stanford’s first-year applicant portal requirements, at the bottom of the drop-down menu, there is a section for an arts portfolio as well.

I won’t go over this in detail, but this page has everything you need to know about the submission process. It even includes a FAQ section at the end!

Additionally, there are links that will take you to separate files that tell you exactly what you need to include inside your portfolio. The music one will be linked right here.

Conclusion

Music isn’t just for future performers—it’s a powerful way to showcase your discipline, leadership, creativity, and commitment, even if you’re not majoring in the arts.

By highlighting your practice routines, ensemble roles, and original arrangements, and by submitting an optional music portfolio through Common App or SlideRoom, you’ll set yourself apart in the Ivy League applicant pool.

Ready to make your application stand out? Start curating your recordings today, follow each school’s submission guidelines, and give your candidacy the extra edge.