Few high school graduates take the risk to pursue higher education in music, but those who do have access to a top notch education. The United States offers unique programs, qualified educators, and overall stellar universities when it comes to music. If your child is interested in earning a bachelor’s degree in music, consider one of these top-tier schools based on acceptance rate:

• Academy of Vocal Arts: AVA is the only tuition-free university dedicated exclusively to the study of voice. Located in Philadelphia, this institution offers only 25 spots per year to vocalists who are aspiring opera singers. It’s repeatedly ranked online as one of the top music programs in the nation. The program is dedicated to one-on-one instruction with vocal coaches and conductors as well as foreign language, stagecraft, dance and movement, stage combat, and professional development classes.
• The Colburn School Conservatory of Music: Between 9 to 11 percent of applicants are accepted each year into this program. With one-on-one instruction and group lessons, students at this Los Angeles-based college take classes in music theory, ear training, voice, and chamber music. However, if you make it into this school, you receive a full scholarship, including tuition, room and board, and a living stipend.
• Curtis Institute of Music: This conservatory has an acceptance rate of less than 5 percent, and there’s a good reason why. This Philadelphia-based college specializes in music, specifically opera. Notable alumni include composers Leonard Bernstein and Samuel Barber, pianist Jonathan Biss, and conductor Alan Gilbert.
• Juilliard School: Located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, this prestigious music college is world-renowned. With an acceptance rate of less than 7 percent, only the brightest and the best, like Yo-Yo Ma, Robin Williams, and Jessica Chastain, earn a spot at Juilliard. With degrees in dance, music, writing, and theater, students have access to the best performing arts education in the country.
• Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music: As a college that believes “in the importance and necessity of music in today’s challenging world,” earning a spot in this program is no small feat. With a 10 percent acceptance rate, the Bienen School of Music in Evanston, Illinois, offers high-caliber facilities and experienced staff for a quality education.
• Rice University’s The Shepherd School of Music: Each year, this university populates two orchestras and creates a range of specific vocal abilities for its vocal program. The Shepherd School of Music offers chamber music, studio class, choral ensembles, and orchestra concerts for undergraduate and graduate students. The acceptance rate for the Houston-based school is around 15 percent, and the small class sizes allow for intimate music sessions with experienced educators.
• The University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music: Located in Rochester, New York, this college believes that “music is about communication.” As a community of “artists, performers, composers, and scholars,” Eastman is for those who want to enrich others’ lives with music. With only a 13 percent acceptance rate, this college takes young musicians who are ready to buckle down and prepare for a top-notch learning experience.
• Yale School of Music: The University’s good name is no exception when it comes to its music college. In fact, Yale University is the only Ivy League institution to offer a school of music, which has an acceptance rate of 8 percent. This means that only “the creative musicians and cultural leaders of tomorrow” are admitted. The highly-selective admission process is for only graduate students and involves an online application, prescreening recordings, résumé, letters of recommendation, academic transcripts, a GRE score for composition applicants, and supplemental materials for musical arts applicants.

Whether you’re looking to stay on the East Coast or head West,it’s well worth it to take a shot and apply to these prestigious music schools.