I need to play all major scales 2 octaves for my university auditions, and B major is giving me some trouble. I don't know if I should play the bottom two octaves or the top. With the bottom octave, it's difficult to go from low B to C#. With the top octave, going from top G# to A# to B is really tricky. Any tips for B major?

For the b,c,c# and d scales ( I sometimes do Eflat as well) for a prospective college student its expected for us to be able do do those in 3 octaves.

The audition requirements for the university I'm looking at are:

1. Two pieces in contrasting styles, at least one of which has piano accompaniment.
2. All major and harmonic minor scales, 2 octaves.
3. Sight-reading.

All scales two octaves. Two. Every university is different with what they want.

I would tend to suppose the upper two octaves, considering that the flute of old couldn't even play the B below middle C--and even today the B foot is not standard (if more common than not).

Yeah I suppose, personally I'm going off of what my music instructors have taught me. Maybe they require two octaves, but a third might be welcome. I'm not 100% sure.

Most B foot flutes aren't very capable of doing a good low B to C# interval without adding a grace note C in between.
The auditioners are almost certainly expecting you to master your upper range of the B major scale and that is where you'd concentrate your work.
I'd suggest that you find a copy of the Moyse 480 http://www.amazon.com/Gammes-Arpeges-Exercices-Arpeggios-Exercises/dp/0046181652
And go directly to focusing on any 5# scale exercises for starters and then progress through the entire book a few times.

~bilbo
N.E. Ohio

Thank you! I'm getting better at the top octave-I do better when I tongue every note instead of slur.

The audition requirements for both universities I'm looking at are very vague, and don't indicate a tempo for scales. Since one of them requires the repertoire to be at the grade 8 RCM level, I have been working under the assumption that the scales should be sixteenth notes at quarter note=60 like for the grade 8 exam, but I'm not sure if that would be too fast or two slow for audition purposes.

Unrelated, but I find it odd that they require only harmonic minor scales, and not natural or melodic.

I have the taffanel and gaubert EJ that I've been using--not sure if the moyse would be better, but I'm not in the position to order anything at the moment.

scales should be sixteenth notes at quarter note=60

I'd suggest that you ask them if a Mm indication is required.
Good for the T&G.
The little T&G book (17 Big Dailys) is the historical predecessor to the Moyse.

What I'd suggest is varying the articulation. If you have that book...See page 2 EJ1 for
articulation ideas.
One secret to development is to discover what you can't do (or that you don't like)and work on that carefully.
Slowly to faster. Use metronome.
Now Specifically, the B maj. scale is difficult up high. Use your 1&1 A# on that scale (Thumb off the TBb)
Start at the B3 above the staff and work up 5 notes and back like this:||:12345432123454321 etc. :|| Do from memory and repeat loads.
Then move up one note in the scale. 234565432 and keep going up one step at a time.
If you have troubles with changing from one note to the other then work in a smaller grouping even if it's just two notes. Slow and steady.
Don't practice your mistakes if you can help it. Try to moderate the volume on the high notes. If your ears ring then stop playing so loud.
I hope that some of this hits home. :-)
~bilbo
N.E. Ohio

I should also mention that Marcel Moyse has a whole collection of work books. Expensive but....
His "De La Sonorite" is the tone exercise bible for may instructors.
He also has a small Daily study book that is different in some ways from the T&G Daily.
It's good to have daily studies variety.
That Moyse 480 book that I mentioned displays a variety of exercises for developing technique and
if you understand his method, it can be adapted to any difficult passage in any piece.

best wishes,
~bilbo
N.E. Ohio