<p>Does the Penn State MT program function independently from the rest of the university when it comes to admitting freshmen? Or does a student first have to earn the right to attend the University Park campus as a freshman before being considered for the MT program? Penn State has strict SAT and GPA cut-offs for getting into the main campus AS A FRESHMAN. If you don’t meet them, you have to spend at least your first two years in godforsaken branch campuses such as Erie or Hazleton or Altoona. My older D, who wanted to major in creative writing at main campus, was peremptorily assigned to the Erie (Behrend) campus because of her GPA and SAT scores. That was a non-starter for us. She was also accepted to Susquehanna University and is having a great experience in their wonderful writing program. </p>
<p>But back to MT. My younger D wants to make a career of MT and has the voice and acting ability to do it. Dance is coming along. But her high school grades at a tough private school in the Harrisburg area are great in humanities and the arts, not so great in science and math. I’m concerned she may not meet the main campus cut-off scores. Is this something she needs to worry about or does the audition for PSU MT trump everything else?</p>
<p>Your D would need to be accepted into the University and also get accepted artistically. But, they do not have “strict cut-offs” as far as I know. The Penn State web site says, “The high school grade-point average (GPA) accounts for approximately two-thirds of the decision. The remaining one-third is based on other factors, which may include standardized test scores (students taking the ACT are required to complete and submit the writing component), class rank, the personal statement, and activities list. Class rank is also considered for students with honors or Advanced Placement courses whose schools do not supply a weighted GPA. The optional personal statement and activity list are sometimes considered for students whose applications require additional review.” </p>
<p>They then give some scores and GPAs, but go on to say that, “The ranges in the chart above represent the middle 50 percent of students offered admission for fall 2012—they are not cutoffs or averages. Placing in the upper end of both ranges increases the likelihood of being offered your first choice of campus and/or major. Placing in the lower end may require you to be more flexible in making your campus (and perhaps major) choices. This chart in no way represents a promise or guarantee of admission.”</p>
<p>So, yes your D has to get into the university academically. But, if she gives a great audition, they will be more likely to forgive slightly lower scores/grades on the scale they give. </p>
<p>Note that Penn State now (as of this past year) requires a MT prescreen. Good luck!</p>
<p>Monkey 13, are you talking about admission to Penn State in general or to the University Park campus AS A FRESHMAN? That’s what I’m talking about. If you’re told you have to go to a branch campus for your first two years, which they do to any number of students who want to go to main campus, a great audition isn’t going to help.</p>
<p>She’s talking about admission to the BFA MT program. If they want you based on your audition you are pretty much in. GPA & SAT are not so important to the theater dept at most schools. Audition is everything.</p>
<p>Actor 12, thanks. That’s kind of what I thought would be the case, but I didn’t want my D to spend the time and energy to audition if she was going to be barred from enrolling as a freshman at University Park and sent to Altoona.</p>
<p>FYI, although they state they require a pre-screen, they took a LOT of walk-ins at Unifieds. I don’t know if they will continue to do that next year or not.</p>
<p>The BFA MT program is in the School of Arts and Architecture. I’m pretty sure A & A is the only “school” at Penn State where all of the programs in that school are only at University Park and that admission to the programs are by audition or portfolio. The majority of the admissions are for freshman. You cannot be sent to another campus for the first two years if you are in a program in A&A. Once admitted to the program, you will be at University Park for all four years. Please be aware, that it is STANDARD practice for the Penn State Admissions department to send a letter asking the applicant if they would like to enroll to the University for a different major if they are academically accepted to the University but not to the BFA program.</p>
<p>Stagedoor 22, thanks. The whole idea of being told you have to go to a branch campus for the first two years has always seemed a bit odd to me. I grew up in Michigan, where there are many state colleges and universities, all with independent identities (and their own football teams). University of Michigan doesn’t tell you, well, we’ll take you as a student, but you have to start at Northern Michigan University in Marquette. You’re either in or you’re not. So I was little perplexed when my older daughter was told she had to start at the Erie campus. Hopefully things will work out better for the younger D.</p>
<p>We were told that you only have to qualify academically for ANY of the penn state system schools. It is fairly easy to do that.
Since MT is only at University Park, if accepted artistically, you are automatically assigned to that campus.</p>
<p>If they’re doing what they’ve done in previous years, today would have been the faculty meeting to make final decisions (as yesterday was the last audition day). Decisions are sent to Admissions tomorrow and the letters start going out. People should be receiving letters and packages by Thursday. Good luck to all!</p>