Students Who Are Involved in Music Education During the K-12 Years Are More Likely to Go On to College: Blacks Take Music More Often Than Whites

A new Harris poll of more than 2,500 adults nationwide found that 75 percent of all Americans were involved in a music program while they were in school. Students who participated in music programs such as band, orchestra, or chorus were more likely to go on to higher education than students who did not participate in music. More than 80 percent of students who were involved in music in their K-12 years went on to college and 86 percent of college graduates had participated in music education. Nearly nine of every 10 students who enrolled in graduate education had been involved in music during their K-12 years.

African Americans were more likely than whites and other ethnic groups to have participated in a music program during their K-12 years. Four fifths of all black students had some form of music education compared to 75 percent of white students.

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