All music credits should count towards graduation to avoid discouraging students from participation. Schools should strongly encourage their students to engage in the fine arts because it has demonstrated mental benefits, improve attendance and graduation rates, and encourage life skills that continue to be an advantage throughout people's adult lives. Schools should encourage their students to participate in music programs because of the mental benefits they produce. In a study conducted at the University of Toronto by Dr. Glenn Schellenberg, it was found that children's IQ can be increased by participating in fine arts. Dr. Schellenberg and his team used one hundred and forty-four first graders for their research. For a year they received music lessons, drama lessons or no lessons at all. From the results, they found that the IQ of all groups increased by four points, but the IQ of the children who were given music lessons increased by seven (Music). Student involvement in the fine arts also helps produce higher test scores. Studies have shown that students involved in higher-quality music programs in their schools scored approximately 22% higher in English and 20% higher on standardized tests than schools with lower-quality programs (EAT). The reason for the improvement is believed to be that the concentration required for music training and success on standardized tests are similar. I believe that the mental benefits of school music programs are a strong reason to consider them valuable to students. School music programs are proven to have positive effects on attendance and graduation rates. Many students consider band, orchestra, or choir to be the highlight of their school day, as it serves as an incentive... middle of paper... discouraging students from participating. Schools should strongly encourage their students to engage in the fine arts because it has demonstrated mental benefits, improves attendance and graduation rates, and encourages life skills that continue to benefit people throughout their lives. Works Cited “11 Facts About Music Education.” Do something. Np, nd Web. 19 Feb. 2014."Newsletter Eat smart for a better start."PBS. PBS and Web. February 20, 2014. "Music and Theater: How They Fit into College Applications." Music and theatre: how they fit into university applications. Np, nd Web. 21 February 2014."Music and IQ." - Scientific updates. Np, nd Web. February 21, 2014. “Music for Young Minds.” Music for young minds. Np, nd Web. February 21, 2014."Music makes a difference." Groundswell for the defense of music. National Association for Music Education, nd Web. February 14. 1923.