<p>I apologize for this urgent request. I was checking out my DING fares for Southwest Airlines today (which expire at 4:30PM central time), and saw there’s a fare between Chicago and Washington D.C. for $50 RT! So I asked my daughter if there were any schools she’d heard of in the D.C. area that she’d like to visit. I checked the “Big List” and researched the three listed in D.C. </p>
<p>American University grabbed my attention quickly. I checked out their website, but I’d love to hear anything any CCers can offer in the next couple of hours that could sway me to make reservations to visit. I know it’s a BA MT degree with audition, but what I’d like to hear is anything from anyone who knows someone who’s auditioned, been accepted, attended, etc.</p>
<p>Someone who used to post here has a daughter at American University. You could search the threads. Catholic University also has an MT program that I think is music oriented (maybe a BM). I think when you get to DC, you are also close to Shenandoah.</p>
<p>Also, some of the colleges hold auditions in DC. It seems like last year that Syracuse and Ithaca had audition dates in DC on the same weekend in Jan.</p>
<p>In my haste, I failed to clarify - the DING fare is only available from October 5-November 15, Mon-Thurs, and Sat. This would be just to check the school out - if we can get early/late flights, it might even be a one-day trip. I like what I'm reading so far, though, in old threads. The academics impress me; it reminds me a lot of SUNY-Geneseo in regards to academics/MT training, just a very different environment (rural vs. urban).</p>
<p>Teriwtt....If you are interested in a BA in MT by audition school, and your child's academic stats are in the ballpark, I would recommend checking out American. </p>
<p>I have not visited the school myself. One mom whom I have met from CC who no longer posts, but her D was in my D's audition cycle two years ago....her D was not successful with her BFA schools, but did get into American's program by audition and is attending. That mom was NewMTMom. However, in this past year's cycle (current freshman), there was a girl on this forum who chose to attend American and she hasn't posted since she began but you could try contacting her: carnivorousplant. </p>
<p>I have a few students who are applying to American this year. I think if you want a BA in MT program that has an audition, it is worth checking out. There are not a lot of these. Also, if you want stronger academics, this school is more selective that way than some other BA in MT schools and may be attractive to your D that way. It also is in a city. A BA school is not going to be as competitive to get into as most BFA programs. However, this one has an audition, which makes it selective, more so than a non audition BA program. I'd say artistically speaking, that would put it in the middle in terms of selectivity (not including the academic end). You could also check out Catholic University on this trip.</p>
<p>Teriwtt, did you decide to visit DC? I live in the area (the MD suburbs of DC). I can't give you much specific info about the programs at AU (that's what we tend to call American around here...) or Catholic, but I can tell you lots about the DC area!</p>
<p>I just wrote a long reply but I think it got lost in cyberspace but here goes again. My daughter is Carnivorousplant. She is a freshman at AU in MT. She ended up choosing it over a BFA because she decided during the audition process that she wanted more academics particularly writing and history. She became very interested in playwriting as well as performance while at CMU's summer program. AU reqiures 10 gen eds and a writing class and a math class( you can test out of math various ways read their website). There is a lot of choice with the gen eds you pick 2 courses from 5 disciplines. She is picking only things that she could use in playwriting. Her gen eds this semester are Art History From Cave to Cathedral and Theater Plays, Principles and Performances. She is also taking Acting, Ballet and Writing. Normal course load is 5-6 classes a semester. Her courses have sent her out into the city to see plays, ballets and to visit museums. She loves DC. I like the fact that it has its own safe campus. There is easy access to the city via the metro. We just got back from visiting and seeing her first show. AU runs a new student show for freshman and transfers called Perf 101 early in the fall every year. She enjoyed it and it was a great way of bonding with other new students. She is auditioning for 2 other shows this week. The first is a play called The Cherry Sisters Revisited directed by faculty and the other is a student directed musical. There is alot of theater going on at AU all the time. AU is a good choice for a kid with academic interests who wants to be an exciting city. Last year they offered auditions in Dec for students who already AU students and in Feb for kids applying to AU and they added a day in Apr for academically accepted students. One last note after her audition they sent her a written critique of her audition. Something noone else did. It Impressed her that they did that. If you have other questions PM me.</p>
<p>Once you are in DC, you may want to consider renting a car to check out Shenandoah Conservatory in Winchester, VA (BFA Musical Theatre) - about 1 hour from DC, and James Madison Unviersity in Harrisonburg, VA (auditioned BA in Musical Theatre) - about 2 hours from DC.</p>
<p>I'm from DC so I might be able to help you. I lived only a couple of blocks away from AU so I knew a lot of people that went there and I used to be on campus a lot too. </p>
<p>They do not have the strongest MT department. Other students at the university aren't even aware of it. They do have very nice facilities however.
And I do agree with what someone said above, that it is definitely strong in academics, so if your daughter wants more academics, then this is definitely worth checking out because it is in a very good location and the campus is absolutely beautiful.</p>