The nightly ritual begins. The child gets home from school and lies on the couch with a snack. The parent yells at her to start in on her homework, practice the piano, clean up her room. And so the fighting (and eye rolling) begins. Maybe it’s easier just to quit the piano lessons? What’s it truly doing for her anyway?

With it becoming seemingly more competitive to get into a good college, parents and teens both focus on getting good SAT scores. During this crucial point in life, many teens put the arts aside to focus on their studies. However, studies show that high school students who are involved with music making receive higher scores than their peers on the SAT.

The benefits of learning to play an instrument start early. Even before they begin school, children can benefit from learning about music. One study showed that preschoolers given music lessons were more advanced than their peers, especially with abstract thinking skills, which benefits them throughout their life. Children in early elementary school who were involved with music were more advanced than their peers in math, reading, listening, and language skills. Music helps give children a good foundation so that they can develop skills that they will use for the rest of their lives.

Through several studies done over the years, the same is seen to be true for teenagers taking the SAT too. Teens involved with music scored about 50-60 points higher on the verbal section and about 40 points higher on the math section. In addition, these studies show that the longer teens had been involved with music, the larger the gap was between them and their peers.

Another study looked at how music can affect students with a lower socioeconomic status, as poorer students aren’t as likely to have received music lessons at an early age. When these students were involved with the arts, however, their SAT scores were given a similar boost.

These studies show how important music can be for all ages. Playing the piano is not just a hobby. It can also be beneficial in other parts of your and your whole family’s lives.