Out of the universities I applied to, I already received a rejection from Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Bard College Conservatory of Music. Not even finishing the process fully, I was notified that after a careful review of my application, the conservatories weren't able to offer an audition.
Now, I have received rejection letters earlier in life, and developed somewhat of an immunity for them. Not being offered a chance to demonstrate my musicality, though, hit me quite differently.
A few moments of disappointment were quickly replaced with curiosity as to why I wasn't invited for an audition. What did my application lack? What were the main factors? Half an hour later, I sent an email to both institutions. Having no idea of whether I would receive a reply, I could only wait.
Three days later, an email from Bard appeared in my inbox. To be concise, the email stated that "this has much less to do with [my] talent as a musician and much more to do with [the] limited space in the Conservatory."
There was also feedback from a composition professor, who said that "Bard has chosen one applicant per year — once, [there were] two", which demonstrates just how competitive the college is.
Mentioning that I have "obvious talent and ambition, [but am] not quite as advanced as other applicants in terms of technique", they recommended a four year College Program, and assured they would be happy to interview me.
Although I did receive a reply from Bard, the answer was still vague. Not to mention Oberlin, who have decided not to respond at all.
If you have received a reply from college with different feedback, let me know!