<p>Interesting update today - and I am sure it is a call that many have taken with college stuents...."Mom - I'm changing my major" Now, while that seems radical and unthinkable to many who put their heart and soul into MT and auditions and getting accepted, my heart says it is for the best. AND the change is not that radical...she is moving into Vocal Performance.</p>
<p>Why change? She loves music and she loves acting...she is an adequate dancer but will never be great. She called me last week and told me that she had spent a great deal of time listening to Maria Callas and reading and listening to her and growing to understand that the opera may be able to give her the same dramatic opportunities that the MT stage might. She is also blessed (and has decided that her choice of OCU was correct!) becuase she still must audition for every MT show and every opera and can still take on the straight shows as well.</p>
<p>As I told her today, she is growing and just taking a small course correction to her goal of being a performer. That is what college is supposed to do - hlep you grow and focus yourself so you can be the best person you can.</p>
<p>I know many are in the ugly waiting phase right now but I felt that it was important to note that we all change and grow. You will all find a home and hopefully find satisfaction in wherever you end up.</p>
<p>I'm not going anywhere - even though I wont be a true MT mom anymore - just connected in a different way!</p>
<p>MikksMom
D - OCU '11
Vocal Performance Major</p>
<p>Great of her to recognize what she wants and do something about it. You can keep me company. I am the mom of a VP kid who shamelessly haunts this board - there are lots of similarities with regard to the audition process and we can all learn from each other. Most of my D's friends don't understand how she could choose VP over MT and it can be hard to explain.</p>
<p>MikksMom,
Good for your D to come to this decision so early in her college career. After all, she's only in the beginning of her second semester of college and she already knows that she will have a better fit in a different, but related, major. It sounds like it will be a very smooth transition for her at OCU. I also like how you responded to her about college being the time to grow. Sometimes people are too focused on the outcome and don't take the time to enjoythe process. I wish her lots of luck!</p>
<p>Hi, my S did the same thing his first semester, he's in the second semester of his sophmore year and he still loves it, I really think it was the right change for him, but a hard one for me to wrap my head around, it had been MT, MT, MT forever. The classes for MT and VP are the same execpt in a few areas. And the way things are set up at OCU she will have plenty of opportunities for MT performances also! You have a PM.</p>
<p>My D changed from MT to Jazz Vocal Performance. She had wanted nothing but MT since the age of 9. After attending Carnegie Mellon and CAP21 summer programs my D decided to pursue Jazz Vocal Performance. After much soul searching she decided the singing is what mattered the most. She is in the midst of her auditions.</p>
<p>Mikksmom, I think your daughter's experience is very positive. So much of what college is about is exploring options and areas of interest and figuring out what you want to do most. One drawback to a BFA is that at age 17, a student is already commiting to a major and so forth, when what is more typical is to figure that out IN college. I realize that many who enter a BFA truly KNOW this is their path. Still, many even leave a BFA after a year after experiencing it and that is not so odd to me. It is very early to have to commit when just seventeen. What is very cool for your daughter is that what she wants to switch to, VP, is offered (and strong) at her school, OCU. It means she really did land at the right place because switching to VP is not an option at some BFA in MT programs. Also, at her school, she can still be involved in musicals. I think it is really great that your daughter has developed into figuring out what she wants to do. Changing or fine tuning one's educational plans is a positive thing. She is developing and maturing and it seems like her exposure to the options and various courses has led her to choose this option that fits what interests her the most. Pretty cool.</p>
<p>Thanks Soozie - she even said to me - "Mom, I was meant to be here because I can do this here. Most other places it would not be an option". I am proud of my mature D.</p>
<p>Mikksmom -
Soozie took the words right out of my mouth. ;-) Your D (btw whom is friends with my D - met @ Cap21) will be much happier now that a load has been lifted. She really did find the best "fit". BEST of luck to her you should be proud! :-)</p>
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That is what college is supposed to do - help you grow and focus yourself so you can be the best person you can.
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<p>Mikksmom, what a wonderful insight and attitude to share with your daughter. Congratulations to your daughter on having the maturity and courage to look inside and see what she really wanted.</p>
<p>I'm also a mom of a "course-correcting" daughter, although my daughter only reached her decision last year after a rather spectacular meltdown. She went from a music major to an individualized BA in Global Music and Cultural Relations (approved this week...yeah!), and the funny thing is that she now enjoys performance more than ever before. I think when it became something she chose, rather than something she felt she HAD to do, she was able to find her bliss again.</p>
<p>Mikksmom,
Congratulations to your talented daughter on having the courage to change her course. How wonderful she chose OCU and has the ability to indulge all her passions in one place (my D tells me what a talented actress and vocalist she is). All our wishes for the best and her continued success. </p>
<p>Best of Luck to your daughter! She definitely seemed to end up in a fantastic program that provides so many opportunities to her. I'm sure she will do wonderfully in Vocal Performance and I wish her much success and happiness! :)</p>
<p>I just want to add my voice to the chorus. Congrats to her for knowing herself well, and for choosing a school where her chocie is possible. Congrats to you for raising a sensible kid!</p>
<p>My call was, "Mom, I think I really DO want to transfer!". Not a MT major but oh, well...another step in the road.....not unhappy but feels she wants a smaller liberal arts school with smaller classes, closer relationship with the profs.....transferring was not an option in my family so I am taking deep breaths and hearing her out and trying to be supportive.... D #2 has decided (she is a high school JR) that she doesn't want to commit to theater or MT so can we please now find a college that she loves (she is VERY picky) that has a strong theater/MT/vocal performance program PLUS a good science department....specifically bio/A&P. Toss list #2 (list #1 got tossed a few months ago) and onto list #3...........what curve balls lie ahead???? Thought I got one settled in nicely...ready to work on #2....but I see its back to the drawing board.......x2!</p>
<p>Aww Khsstitches, I know how that is! Going through the transfer process myself, though not auditioning for anything either, it is hard. Hang in there! :)</p>
<p>Mikksmom- Congrats on your D. finding out what she loves and being able to do it all at OCU.</p>
<p>Defying, you are transferring? What happened? I thought you were happy at your small LAC with a strong theater program. Please PM me to let me know what's going on. :)</p>
<p>After not posting for quite awhile but still occasionally lurking, I've found my new thread! My D spent 2 years in an MT program, only to decide -- based in large part on work experience -- that what she really wanted was to get a BA in Fashion & Retail Management, with the goal of running her own clothing company someday (not being the designer, but being the person who starts and runs the business). She researched programs and decided the one she liked best is right in our area. So after being nearly 2000 miles away for two years, she's living at home, glad she made the change, and along with her new course of study is doing lots of creative writing, getting back into photography and -- thank goodness! -- still singing and planning, as her schedule permits, to audition for some local shows. This course of events has been full of surprises and adjustments for all of us -- none of us expected her soul-deep MT dream to recede, nor did we expect that she'd be back in her old bedroom! -- but it's all good. And if the fashion dream morphs into something else? Heck, to me that's what life is all about.</p>
<p>So great to hear from you artsymom and congrats to your D! I am sure it <em>is</em> an adjustment when a kid who has been hyper-focused on one thing (in this case, MT) for years finds herself/himself moving in a different direction, but college should, indeed, be about discovery, learning and growing, and sometimes, that means shifting direction. You are right: that's what life is all about. Congrats to your D! (As an aside, was it tough re-adjusting to having a kid at home? Or was it a nice, smooth landing back ...??:))</p>
<p>Thanks, defyinggravity04. I managed to swallow the lump in my throat and am working on being supportive. She has some good points. She is a writing major at Carnegie Mellon. D #2 still working on how to blend science and theater!!!!! Now thats a challenge, I think. :-)</p>