Student Interviews
One of the best things I started doing several years ago is conducting interviews with all prospective students before accepting them into my studio. When people contact me with an interest in studying piano with me, I always refer them first to my website. I tell them to read over all my policies and if they are still interested in lessons to contact me again, either by e-mail or phone, so that we can set up an interview.
The interview gives me a chance to get to know the student and parents better and helps me assess their musical aptitude and/or current abilities and determine what books might be most appropriate for them. I also have the parents fill out a Parent Questionnaire for each student and this has helped immensely. I have found that the interview process helps me communicate the expectations I have for my students and also gives me a chance to understand the goals parents have for their children in the area of music.
Here are free downloadable files of the questionnaire forms I’ve developed to use in my interviews. (The images are of my own personal forms; the downloadable forms are blank at the top so that you can insert your own studio name and/or logo.)
Interview and Evaluation Forms - Beginning Student
Interview and Evaluation Forms - Transfer Student
This Parent Questionnaire (also blank so that you can customize it for your studio) is included in each of the above files.
May 27th, 2007 at 10:40 am
Hi Natalie,
Thanks for these forms. They are very useful and extensive. I am wondering if you charge for the interviews and how do the potential students feel about having to pay this. I’ve been experimenting with it. Some when hear that I charge for interview which includes a 30min lesson, they balk, but some willingly pay for it. However, even with a very careful interviewing process, I still get students that don’t stick. Problems are usually the parents - not willing to purchase music, not willing to help students practice, etc. Though we discussed my policy with them beforehand and they all agreed, and even paid for interview, I still have trouble. Alas.
June 6th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Lydia~
I’m glad you find them useful! As I was thinking about your question, I realized that I usually conduct the interview as the first lesson. Most of the time now I am accepting new students that I already know - either younger siblings of current students or other family friends. So I am conducting the interview more as an assessment with the understanding that I have already accepted them as a student. My philosophy and policies are pretty straightforward and if I get lesson inquiries from people I don’t know I always require them to review the philosophy and policies and then contact me a second time to let me know if they are still interested in pursuing lessons with me. This eliminates some who might otherwise not “stick.”
At the end of each Spring I hold Year-End Evaluations with the parents and we discuss plans for the future. If a student is going to quit, this is usually when it happens. I don’t have much of a problem with people quitting in the middle of the year. You might consider requiring a one year commitment from students up front if you want to prevent them from quitting in the middle of the year and it seems to be a problem. Just a thought!