Music AppHelpers

Testimonials

What Students Say About Music AppHelpers (2023)

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Miles, cello, attending Columbia University and The Juilliard School

I entered the college application process wanting to pursue dual degree programs. My list consisted of eight universities and nine conservatories. This mess demanded a total of 23 essays, 17 applications, and 9 prescreening recordings. Needless to say: I was overwhelmed.

Enter Music AppHelpers.

I started with AppHelpers in August 2023 and they helped me develop and personalize a plan for the fall. Coaches gave me personal attention, working with me to lay out spreadsheets and schedules that were realistic. Because of them, I went into application season with a plan that I could stick to.

Not only that, they helped me throughout the entire process. There were writing coaches to help me with my essays, and advisors readily available in case anything came up. I felt, and still feel, extremely supported by the team at AppHelpers.

Additionally, the network and community of students which AppHelpers provided me with continues to be a great resource. I was able to brainstorm, discuss, and apply with the input of dozens of like-minded students who were going through the exact same process.

Even after I was accepted to my dream school, AppHelpers was immediately ready to help me apply for scholarships and plan financials.

I’m currently in the audition process and still diligently following the plan we laid out in the summer. I’m happy to report that, thus far, I’ve had great success.

I believe that AppHelpers played a large role in this success. I cannot emphasize enough how much of an asset this program has been. To mount this program at no expense to students like myself is simply unheard of. Whereas other entities involved in the application process - schools; testing services; other prep courses - have been daunting and unwelcoming, AppHelpers has been, simply put, human.

Beatrice, violin, attending the Royal Conservatorie of Scotland

You and your team are awesome Mr. Hockman, thanks for all you have done!! It's saved me, and I bet many others, from a lot of stress and confusion over the past 4 months. I swear you're getting a VIP spot in heaven or something. Maybe a mansion with butlers and a football-field-sized pool. :)

Marina, violin, attending Manhattan School of Music

I contacted AppHelpers as soon as I started working on applications for my MM in violin performance. I was planning to apply to five schools, which might not sound like that many, but they were indeed a lot of work.

Each school needed certain documents, pre-screening recordings (different pieces or movements), resumes, rep lists, and most of all, very different and specific essays. These elements make the application process very stressful and at times, overwhelming, as you deal with daily practice, school, classes, and life.

I started working with Adam Hockman, founder of AppHelpers, in August 2024. I was overwhelmed, very anxious, and stressed out. With the amount of new repertoire to learn, and especially with how unfamiliar I was with the whole process, it almost seemed impossible to pull it all together in just a few months.

Adam not only helped me organize the documents I needed for each school—organizing and prioritizing them and checking each box to meet the requirements—but he also helped me out enormously with the essays. Being an international student makes this entire process even harder. I’m bilingual in English, as I’ve been living and studying in the States for four years now, but sometimes, the way I express myself isn’t as effective as it could be. It’s in this area where AppHelpers helped me the most.

They found ways for me to express my ideas and myself in a way that was more accurate to the Anglo-speaking ear. This gave me a lot of confidence when submitting my application, as we, non-native American applicants, often get misunderstood just by the way we talk or express our thoughts.

I was accepted to the live auditions for all of the schools I applied to. Adam is still in touch with me and has checked on me throughout the process because he not only goes far and beyond for his students, but he cares about my success and honestly and genuinely wants to help.

Thanks to his help and my performance in the auditions, I will start in the Zuckerman Program at the Manhattan School of Music next fall (2024) for my MM in Violin Performance on a full-tuition scholarship.

AppHelpers has been nothing but generous, attentive, detailed, and professional. I don’t know of any other program like it. I can’t thank them enough for the help, as well as for the help they’re going to provide to so many other students who, like me, were lost or needed help from people who know what they’re doing and want you to succeed.

Austin, horn, attending The Juilliard School

Going into the college and conservatory application and audition process, I did not think it would be as stressful as it was. I thought, “I can write the essays and create a resume for one school and use them for the rest. Boy was I wrong. I had three months to prepare everything for eight schools!

About four weeks before my college application deadline, I realized how much I had to do. Although four weeks is a long time, that is a very busy season for any musician, especially a high school senior (who was already way too busy). That is when I was introduced to the AppHelpers program which would help me quickly dig myself out of the hole I got myself into.

Every time I met with my AppHelper, he was ready with a plan and never ran out of ideas to help me. Even in situations where meetings weren’t possible, I would message him to get quick help. At our first meeting, we went through every school’s website to see exactly what was required. We looked for similarities with other schools to save time on essay writing and avoid extra work.

Once we figured out what was needed, we brainstormed ideas and created an organizer. I’d write my essay and my AppHelper would give feedback to help me polish it. Our routine was very efficient and made me almost enjoy writing college essays. It was no longer a chore because I had a plan.

Saying this program has helped me would be an understatement. It is what made my applications go from alright to astonishing. It also allowed me to really look at the application process from a different perspective. Instead of being a daunting task, it was something to conquer—a challenge to embrace and overcome.

The Music AppHelpers program was the reason I could submit my applications with confidence. I believe every student should experience that.

Jafet, trumpet, joining the Virginia Symphony Orchestra fellows program

The music school application process can be complicated, so having a group like AppHelpers by your side is like winning the lottery.

In my case, the most complicated thing is putting into words what I want to say since some things make sense in Spanish, and then in English, not so much. Their guidance in the essays helped me feel comfortable with what I wanted to express in the best possible way.

Thanks to their help, I was accepted with full scholarships to the programs I applied to.

Gaby, viola, applied to five master’s programs

Despite not going to any of the schools I applied to (even after receiving very good offers), Music AppHelpers was the blessing I needed during my senior year in college.

Adam helped me at a really depressing and confusing time in my life and I am forever grateful. I was confused about what to do with my life, whether or not music was for me, and what path I should choose. Adam still helped me through the application process for what was originally 11 schools, then 5 (due to a lack of fee waivers from the majority).

AppHelpers’ use of Google Workspace helped tremendously with spreadsheets to organize audition repertoire lists, school fees, prospective teachers, audition dates, and so forth.

Going through the application process for a master’s degree is not easy, but I truly thank Adam and AppHelpers for helping me organize myself for the year, making sure applications were finalized, and reading my essays.

If I decide to go through the master's degree application process again, I will definitely reach out to Music AppHelpers!

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