Regarding cost and Franklin & Marshall – F&M switched to a need-based model of aid only, no merit aid. If I understood correctly that this family needs merit aid to make the finances work, as they are not eligible for financial aid, then F&M would not be a school to keep on the list because it will never be affordable.
In one case, concern over Witt’s financial situation - classes being cut back and so on. The others were perhaps more personal reasons.
Not sure on OWU.
We visited F and M because of his leaning toward small LACs and it was on the way to a scheduled trip to James Madison U ( scheduled before the strong preference for small colleges became known) He and we liked it so much, however, hat we completed the financial calculator when we got home, and indeed according to that it is out of our range. I thought for sure that with another one in college already, that we’d qualify for SOME reduction. I will call their financial aid office though just to be certain that there is not something we are missing that could affect the cost of attendance. F and M would be a reach for admission for my son though anyway, so my guess is even if they still gave merit, he would not be one to receive it. He is unlikely to apply here.
Check out Fairleigh Dickinson. Not exactly a LAC, but perhaps close enough. Its theatre program looks pretty interesting. They offer a BA in theatre, with various concentrations (including acting – musical theatre is broken out separately), and it looks like the second semester of the sophomore year is spent at the school’s campus in England. Admission is by audition, and they do mention that “additional scholarship money is available for students with potential.”
It’s part of the School of the Arts, which is located on the Florham, NJ campus (about 3500 students), and there is a film department as well. The school also offers MFAs in several areas, which I think usually has a correlation with good resources, production values and opportunities, and faculty, even for undergraduates. I have a BA in theatre – definitely the way to go, in my opinion – and an MFA, and I have to say that FDU’s program is intriguing enough that I’d be giving it a look, if I were starting from scratch. Good luck!
Eckerd College is a member of the CTCL school. It is a little over 1800 students located in St. Petersburg, FL- a diverse, culturally attractive, “blue area”. There are both theater and musical theater majors. Besides their own productions, a local theater, The Simple Theater calls Eckerd home. They have an improv group, Another Man’s Trash, lots of intramural sports and a waterfront with activities for students. They are noted for a strong professor/mentor program, study abroad programs, creative writing program with Writers in Paradise series and merit plus financial aid awards. With your son’s current stats, the merit award would bring down COA to approx. $37,000 prior to a financial aid and work study award.
If you are going to be in the Columbus OH area, I recommend you check out Otterbein. Their BFA theater programs are top rated, and they also have a BA program that is less well-known but equally excellent. Your sons stats would result in significant merit $$. The town is walkable and adorable, and it’s less than 30 minutes from Columbus airport.