MUSIC AND ACHIEVEMENT/Must Read!!!

MUSIC AND ACHIEVEMENT
There have been a number of studies done on the effect of music on academic development. It has been shown that high school music students have higher grade point averages than non-music students in the same school. At Mission Viejo High School in Southern California in 1981, the overall grade point average of music students was 3.59 and for non-music students the overall grade point average was 2.91. This same study also found that 16% of the music students had a 4.0 overall grade point average and only 5% of the non-music students had a 4.0 overall grade point average.3 A study of graduates of the New York City School of Performing Arts found that 90% of them go on to college.4
Rees feels that involvement in high school music programs helps students develop the skills necessary for a variety of occupations. She states: "Successful music students tend to possess the qualities and skills that are generally considered essential to employers in business, education and service organizations."5 She also recognizes that music education assists students in improving their writing, communication skills and DOES improve analytical skills. Rees further states that to be successful in music, takes a great deal of self-discipline and notes that "music majors have the highest SAT scores in all areas."