Advice for HS Juniors thinking about auditioning for Musical Theatre/Acting Colleges

<p>OK. I am curious to learn the name or names of the BFA/MT program who admits students based on a talent audition that also provides a academic scholarship based on grades. And also which schools mentioned above that allow stacking.</p>

<p>Pace, Evansville (though not MT) those are from my direct experience though I am sure there are many others</p>

<p>Well, these schools offer BA’s with MT emphasis, not a BFA, but their BA’s are more like a BFA, and they stack.
U Tulsa
Southwestern U
St Edwards</p>

<p>These schools are audition for money, not admission; they are small, selective, private schools, so it’s not like there’s 50 kids in a theater class. But there is a review after a couple semesters. </p>

<p>Not quite what you are asking but it might be of some interest to you. I thought D would want a BFA but after looking closely, her top picks are mostly BA programs. You never know.</p>

<p>As far as BFA MT programs, I believe that TCU stacks. Not sure but I think they do.</p>

<p>State schools in Texas that I know for sure stack - only SFA but they only have a BFA acting, not MT. (though they do musicals) I’m not saying SHSU or Texas State don’t stack, but I don’t know.</p>

<p>I don’t know about the northern/eastern schools.</p>

<p>I’ve heard many schools (I know BoCo, for sure) aren’t really a fan of coaching because it makes the auditionee give a very rehearsed and “learned” interpretation. (Perhaps they want to see what the person has been able to do on their own?) That is basically why sometimes they will work with the person on doing things differently… which I guess could be a good thing in the end, since you get more time to spend with them in the audition room but I don’t know…thoughts?</p>

<p>@beenthereMTdad…other schools with academic dollars that allow stacking with talent money include Baldwin Wallce (BM), Ball State (BFA), Elon (BFA), University of Oklahoma (BFA), Otterbein (BFA), Point Park. All of these have separate academic and artistic acceptances, and all have sent lovely academic merit awards to kiddo, with the instructions that talent awards can be granted additionally. I am sure there are others, but these I can speak of first hand.</p>

<p>More audition programs which offer academic scholarships, most of which also allow “stacking” with talent scholarship (unless of course the scholarship is a full ride)</p>

<p>Ohio Northern, Michigan, USC (including Trustee’s full ride), CCM (Cincinnatus Scholarship, which can be smaller amounts or a full ride), Wesminster/Rider, Temple, Texas State, Webster</p>

<p>TCU, SMU (BFA Acting) and OCU - all offered D large academic scholarships and accepted her in BFA. TCU allowed stacking, but D didn’t get talent offers at the other two, so don’t know. American (BA in MT) offers both academic scholarships and talent, which can be stacked. </p>

<p>Also D’s BF got stacked scholarships from Otterbein and Webster.</p>

<p>Snapdragonfly, my S is in the exact same position as your daughter – he was accepted before the holidays both academically and artistically to his top choice school and was given a nice academic scholarship. But that award alone isn’t enough to make it affordable for us, so we’re still waiting to hear about the talent award, which he has been told he’ll be receiving. </p>

<p>Now, had the school awarded him both scholarships together early on, assuming the total amount brought it within financial reach for us, S would have committed to the school back then, withdrawn his apps to all the others and the process would have been over for us long ago. </p>

<p>Fortunately, it worked out fine – having gone through the other auditions, he now has some additional options which may be equally appealing to him. We’re just waiting for these schools to SHOW US THE MONEY…tee hee. </p>

<p>As you said, “pleasepleasepleaseohplease”…hope it works out for your daughter!</p>

<p>MTguyMom - now you may also get to take the final step of showing his top choice school any better financial offers he’s gotten elsewhere. We know of several cases where schools have matched other offers… especially for talented guys!</p>

<p>Isn’t it exciting that they have all these great options?</p>

<p>Once talent offers are presented, you can also just flat out ask for more- we did with good results. Don’t be afraid to be blunt and say if we don’t get more money, he/she will probably not be attending. Good luck to all of you- this is such a long, hard process!</p>

<p>Oooooh, I hadn’t thought about using the other $$$ offers to negotiate a better deal with his top choice…thanks, that’s an excellent suggestion! It’s nice to hear that others have done it successfully. And yes, it IS nice that he has options – he’s been very, very fortunate. Hope everyone here has much success.</p>

<p>O.K., we won’t be bashful about asking for more $$$. Future applicants/accepted students, this is a really good thing to know!!!</p>

<p>Who do you do this negotiating with? The MT people? Financial Aid folks?</p>

<p>classicalbk - Usually depends on who controls the money. Talent scholarships would typically be the department. Academic awards through financial aid. At least that was our experience. We also found more room for negotiating with private schools but were also able to get some additional at a public. Go for it!</p>

<p>Also useful for future applicants… applying to your first choice school Early Action or Early Decision where that’s an option can be great way to save the money needed for all the audition travel, but keep in mind that binding ED will limit your ability to negotiate for school scholarship $. D has found, though, that ED to a top school can give you advantages in competing for outside scholarships, as the committees seem to love knowing where their money will be going.</p>

<p>“… binding ED will limit your ability to negotiate for school scholarship $.”</p>

<p>When a school offers financial aid at ED time it’s because they really, really want the applicant (it’s not for the money coming from full list payers, which is the other reason schools like ED). Don’t think of it as negotiation; you’re trying to get them to offer enough (if they didn’t the first time) to make the school affordable for you, so that you can accept their ED offer.</p>

<p>In binding ED, I don’t think you actually get to “decide” what you can afford. You are responsible for whatever the calculated EFC (either institutional or FAFSA) is, unless you can demonstrate additional hardship not included in the calculations.</p>

<p>I don’t know of any ED programs that recruit MT kids like they recruit athletes, but maybe there are some?</p>

<p>No, it is solely the family’s decision:

<a href=“https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/docs/downloadforms/ED_Agreement.pdf[/url]”>https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/docs/downloadforms/ED_Agreement.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Consider the alternative, that the institution doesn’t accept your demonstration of additional hardship. What would happen? Is the student somehow compelled to attend, and would then be expelled when the bill couldn’t be paid? Think of the horrible PR for the school; it’s why we never hear of this, and why it doesn’t happen.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/education/edlife/strategy.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/04/education/edlife/strategy.html&lt;/a&gt; might be of interest.</p>

<p>I would advise Juniors not to apply binding ED unless you KNOW a school is your top choice, and you KNOW your family can afford the EFC. Renigging on binding ED is risky. An RD admission can be withdrawn if the school learns you bailed on another school’s ED. I have friend who’s been HS councellor for 30+ years and she’s seen it happen several times. Plus it puts future students at your HS at a disadvantage with that school for years to come.</p>

<p>If you know a school is your top choice, and you can afford it, binding ED is fantastic.</p>

<p>“I would advise Juniors not to apply binding ED unless you KNOW a school is your top choice, and you KNOW your family can afford the EFC.”</p>

<p>Some schools are trying hard to dispel this myth, and encourage top low-income students to apply ED to their number one choices. Such schools like to lock in top talent as well as money (from full list payers) at ED time. They don’t want ED to be just for the well-to-do.</p>

<p>“Renigging on binding ED is risky. An RD admission can be withdrawn if the school learns you bailed on another school’s ED.”</p>

<p>Yes, but NOT when declining because the financial aid offered is insufficient to support attendance; such RD withdrawals can happen for frivolous reneging, i.e., when a full-list-payer simply changes his mind.</p>

<p>The Common Application Org is serious about their instructions! There is no risk when you decline due to insufficient financial aid!</p>