Conservatory of Performing Arts Admission

Apply to BW Conservatory of Performing Arts

The application for fall 2026 enrollment is now available!

The application and audition fee must be submitted by October 1 to audition in October, November 1 to audition in November or December, and by January 15 to audition in January or February. MTCA applicants must apply by January 15 to receive an admission decision. Please note that auditions are reserved on a first-available basis and may fill up well before an application deadline.

First-Year Applicants

Two Ways to Apply

Choose and submit one application.

OPTION 1: BW ONLINE APPLICATION

No application fee
Supplemental materials are built into the application

APPLY >>

OPTION 2: COMMON APPLICATION

No application fee
Supplemental materials are built into the application

Complete the Common Application and remember to select Baldwin Wallace University under the "My Colleges" tab.

Application Instructions

Once you submit your application to the BW Conservatory of Performing Arts, you are given access to the applicant portal. This portal allows you to submit other required admission materials (outlined below) and to monitor the status of your application.

Official high school transcripts
School report form (from a high school guidance counselor)
Teacher recommendation (optional)
Baldwin Wallace University requires all incoming students to demonstrate proficiency in English (reading and writing) and mathematics as a prerequisite or corequisite to enroll in credit-bearing courses. BW will determine proficiency in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, meeting benchmark scores on the ACT or SAT or BW-approved placement tests. A member of the BW Schedule Building Team will use your information to develop a tailored schedule for you.
During the onboarding process, you will be asked whether you intend to submit ACT/SAT test scores for course placement or if you intend to take a placement test. “Accuplacer” is an option for English course placement, but students must find an external testing site for the Accuplacer test using this website. The Accuplacer test typically costs $25.
Students are automatically placed into appropriate math courses based on their major.
Students who do not provide ACT/SAT test scores for course placement or complete the "Accuplacer" placement test by their chosen Orientation date will be placed into the most appropriate courses, taking into consideration any Advanced Placement (AP) scores or college credits earned during high school, if applicable.
To register for an audition date, you will need to submit an audition fee using your applicant portal. Auditions are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis after the audition fee is received, so please be aware that the sooner you submit your fee, the sooner you can schedule your audition. See full details regarding the audition process.

Please note, test scores are required for all homeschooled students and for international applicants who have taken an English-language curriculum.

Students from non-accredited schools will also be required to follow the requirements for homeschooled students.

Every admission file is reviewed by admission counselors, who holistically review every facet of the student's file, including the application, transcripts, recommendation letters, and student report form. While reviewing all of the documents, admission counselors look for consistency with personal identifiable information such as name, address, date of birth, transcript dates, etc. If inconsistencies are identified, authorized university personnel may request additional information as needed to confirm the validity of a student's credentials.

Scholarships

Merit scholarships are based on a student's cumulative weighted high school GPA, and the merit level is established at the time an admission decision is made.

Admission Requirements

In addition to completing an application, Conservatory applicants must audition, and those interested in a music degree must submit a music teacher evaluation form through their applicant portal.

The Baldwin Wallace community is made up of students with varied interests and diverse socioeconomic, geographic, racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds. The admission committee carefully examines the academic achievement and aptitude of every candidate for admission to Baldwin Wallace University. The goal of the admission committee is to admit students who can best benefit from and contribute to the academic program and life of the University.

While no minimum grade point average or standardized test score is specified, students must provide evidence of their preparation and fit for future success at Baldwin Wallace University consistent with code of conduct statements for the University, program or profession. All aspects of a student's application are considered, including the types of courses completed, grades in those courses, grade trends and end-of-course assessments, when available, and used as the primary means for informing an admission decision. The first-year profile provides preparation metrics for the most recently enrolled class.

Recommended High School Curriculum

The admission committee has determined that the following high school curriculum will best prepare most students for academic success at BW:

Academic Area	Minimum
English	4 units
Mathematics (including Algebra II)	4 units*
Natural science (with labs preferred)	3 units*
Social science	3 units
Foreign language	2 units
Academic electives	3 units
Total	19 units

*Candidates considering majors in the sciences or mathematics (most notably nursing and engineering) are strongly encouraged to complete four units each of science and mathematics in high school.

Nursing applicants who are best positioned for admission have completed biology, chemistry and Algebra 2 with a grade of B or higher. Physics and medical terminology courses are also recommended.

Engineering applicants who are best positioned for admission have completed chemistry, physics and pre-calculus with a grade of B or higher.

Test Optional

The admission process is meant to assess a student's preparation and fit for BW. Because high school grade point average is most predictive of grade performance and progress toward degree completion at BW, considerable weight is given to high school grade performance during the admission review process. The rigor and types of courses students take in high school, as well as their grade trends, are also considered. Students are encouraged to take demanding coursework that best prepares them for the academic environment at BW.

Standardized test scores (ACT/SAT) have been shown to have less predictive value relative to high school grade performance. As such, BW is fully test optional, regardless of a student's cumulative high school grade point average. BW still accepts test scores from students who wish to submit them.

If students believe their test scores show additional evidence of preparation for BW, they can be submitted and will be considered during the holistic review of a student's application to BW. Test scores do not have any bearing on a student's eligibility for merit scholarships at BW.

With fewer homeschooled students enrolled, research detailing the connection between high school GPA and success at BW for homeschooled students is still in progress. Consequently, test scores are currently required for assessing the preparation of homeschooled students for BW. As with other students, test scores do not have any bearing on a homeschooled student's eligibility for merit scholarships at BW.

Notification of Admission Decision

Decision letters regarding your status for admission with BW and the Conservatory are sent by December 11 or March 5, depending on when BW receives your application materials and when you complete your audition.

Homeschooled Students

Baldwin Wallace is a homeschool-friendly institution. We welcome applications from students who have been homeschooled for all or part of their secondary education. All applicants are eligible for merit-based scholarships and financial aid consideration.

Upon receipt of the application, we will reach out to obtain the following required documents:

ACT and/or SAT scores - Scores should be sent directly from the testing agency. Homeschooled students are not eligible to be test optional.
High school transcript - Applicants must produce a transcript demonstrating courses taken, grades achieved and completion of high school, signed and dated by the parent educator. This may be formatted as a Word document or PDF. The transcript may also be submitted via Common Application if the student applied using that method.
Bibliography of high school literature and course descriptions of each course taken as a homeschooled student. This may be formatted as a Word document or PDF. The bibliography may also be submitted via Common Application if the student applied using that method.
Letter of recommendation - Applicants must submit a letter of recommendation from a non-parent teacher or from an outside teacher or instructor of an extracurricular activity.
School report form: Using the school report form in the online applicant portal, the parent educator may complete this form or submit a homeschool profile describing the homeschool structure, grade scale and resources used. The parent educator may also submit the Common Application's school report form if the student applied using that method.

Please note that students from non-accredited schools will also be required to follow the requirements for homeschooled students.

College Credit Plus (CCP) Program

If you are a high school student currently taking college credit under CCP/dual enrollment at another regionally accredited college or university, and choose to enroll at Baldwin Wallace once you graduate from high school, BW will award college credit for many of your completed courses (C or better).

CCP students enroll at Baldwin Wallace University as first-year students who have earned college credit. College credits earned through CCP may qualify students to be first-year students with a sophomore or even junior class standing. Regardless of the level entering students qualify for, students with CCP credit will still be considered first-year students.

Transfer Applicants

Apply

BW ONLINE APPLICATION

No application fee
Supplemental materials are built into the application

APPLY >>

Application Instructions

Consistent with the requirements for transfer applicants, Conservatory transfer applicants must submit:

Official College Transcripts

Please submit official transcripts from ALL colleges and universities attended. To be considered official, transcripts must be mailed - electronic or hard copy - directly from the college/university attended to the Baldwin Wallace University Office of Admission.

Electronic transcripts should be sent to admit@bw.edu.

Paper copies should be sent to:

Admission Office
Baldwin Wallace University
275 Eastland Road
Berea, OH 44017

Recommendation

Using the recommendation form within the online applicant portal, provide one personal or professional recommendation from a professor, employer or someone who is familiar with your goals and abilities as they relate to successfully pursuing a college academic program.

If you have been out of high school less than 5 years:

High School Transcript

If you have been out of high school less than five years, or if you have completed less than 25 transferable semester hours of college/university coursework you must submit your high school transcript directly from your high school or your official GED if you did not finish high school. Both forms can be accessed in the online applicant portal.

ACT or SAT Scores

If it has been five years or more since you graduated from high school, ACT/SAT scores are not normally a part of the application process. However, if you would like ACT/SAT scores to be included, please submit official scores.

Student Conduct Form

The student conduct form within the online applicant portal is only required if you meet the following criteria:

You are currently enrolled or have been enrolled as a full-time student within the last academic year.
The college/university attended is a four-year residential campus.
When requested specifically by the admission committee.

Other Information

Military and Veteran Students

Students with military training and experience earn valuable college credit toward a bachelor's degree at BW.

Additional Supporting Information

While not required, an admission interview, copy of a resume, written personal statement and list of training workshops and seminars are examples of additional information that may help us get to know you better during the admission process.

Students must provide evidence of their preparation and fit for future success at Baldwin Wallace University consistent with code of conduct statements for the University, program or profession. All aspects of a student's application are considered and used as the primary means for informing an admission decision.

All applications and credentials submitted for admission consideration become the property of Baldwin Wallace University when they are submitted, and will not be returned in original or copy form.