My daughter was accepted into the musical program class 2020. Wondering if any other acceptance are out there? And how does anyone feel about their cut program? Or has it changed as stated by them?
My D knows people in the program & she doesn’t think they have a cut program. @NAtlantaStudio has students who attend - if she doesn’t see this, try sending her a PM.
Very impressed by one of the new MT professors at U of A, Hank Stratton.
This is not a cut program. Have many students there urgently and several who have graduated in the last two years. If a student is not excelling they don’t kick them out. However they don’t beg them to work. Like this program very much.
Well, on our campus visit we were told that it was not called a cut program anymore. But the students still have to audition each year to remained as a BFA musical theatre major. If the feel that you have not progress, then you are dropped to the BA program. That was our understanding of this system. Bottom line is that the student has to caught on too, and make progress in the different styles that are being taught to remain in the BFA program. Being dropped changes everything for that student. As a parent that is a concern that we have with this program. But its good to know going into this situation.
Which U of A…
University of Alabama
University of Arizona
a different U of A?
Since posters are asking about cut program status, I suspect they are talking about Arizona…
University of Arizona in Tucson is what is in question.
Auditioning for a jury (even if it’s every semester) isn’t the same as a cut program. A cut program is one in which the school has a target number they want for their class and they cut students to get to that number. It doesn’t matter if they have a class full of Kristin Chenoweths, they cut a specific number of people. The jury system evaluates each student’s progress and decides if that individual student is making enough progress to continue.
That being said, if there are any schools that hide an unofficial cut program behind the facade of a jury program, that would be interesting to note (since it’s unpopular to admit that you have a cut program these days). One might be wary of a school that consistently admits a certain size freshman class and consistently graduates a comparatively smaller number of students.
I was answering for University of Alabama - sorry! That’s the first school we think of in the southeast. 
As a parent, I would be concerned about Arizona. This is the only program that I know that posts a somewhat ominous statement on their theatre department web page:
The word retention in that phrase is what I find troubling, given their history of running what is overtly or covertly a “cut” program.
Further, they have a web page dedicated to “Advancement Requirement” with the following statements:
In essence, students must audition twice at Arizona, once for admission to the program as Freshman and once again to advance to the Junior level and advanced coursework.
While there is nothing overtly unreasonable, per se, in the statements noted above, when taken altogether, I would not get a “warm and fuzzy” feeling about this program. While many programs warn of the highly competitive nature of admissions, few, if any, issue similar warnings about advancement and retention.
I personally feel that once admitted, unless a student is receiving failing grades or grades below a minimum standard, then they should be able to complete the curriculum to which they were admitted. This is part of what I think is a reasonable “academic contract” between student and school. I believe the onus is as much on the faculty as the student to ensure that the student can “respond to the training” if the student has passed the barrier for admission to the program. Why make students audition twice? Why not just use grades like any other department to ensure students are progressing in a satisfactory manner?
Hmmm…unless, of course, there is something inherently subjective being utilized to control advancement.
“Cut” programs used to be more common, but have been dropped at just about all other schools.
I totally agree, @EmsDad. According to those guidelines, even if you’re talented and work hard and respond to training, they could still decide halfway through that you don’t have “professional potential” and kick you out for that reason, which is ridiculous!
I thought that was standard practice in all of the programs. They have juries, maybe once a year, maybe more, and if you’re not meeting their standards you can be cut. I didn’t think any programs guarantee that you get to stay in once you’re accepted.
An example of a “cut program” is Cal State Fullerton, who have the following information on their web page:
“The projected enrollment numbers for the MT BFA degree are dependent on state resources allocated to the
Department. Typically, we have: freshmen MT hopefuls = 50 - 75; fall sophomores = 36 – 48; spring
sophomores = 18 – 24; juniors (BFA admits) = 10 – 12.” Here clearly it’s a numbers game - they tell you right up front that they have no intention of keeping all the freshmen in the program.
@Tahuna - most programs do have juries, but I think getting dropped from a program as a result of a jury is rare these days. The point of the jury at most schools is the learning involved in the preparation process and constructive feedback, not to judge students for advancement and “professional potential.” At Western Michigan, for example, juries are used to simulate the professional audition process and provide feedback to help prepare for a career in the field.
For Arizona, caveat emptor.
Thanks EmsDad!!!