<p>My S is at Cherubs right now, and after talking to many people he seems to think he is better suited to a BA. He does not like the rigidness and predetermined focus of a BFA. I think he decided he just wants more flexibility. He has recently considered directing and playwriting as some of his interests. This will cut down his list considerably. He is a smart kid with great grades and test scores. He is also an outstanding writer, with definite interests there. </p>
<p>What are your thoughts on this?? So far Fordham stands out, as well as Emerson, USC and U Minn. I think Muhlenberg, Kenyon and Vassar as well. What other auditioned BA's am I missing? I think he will still audition for NYU and BU... because both have more flexibility in their programs. I think Northwestern is perfect, but I just don't think he can academically get in.</p>
<p>Are you also looking at other non-auditioned BAs and then seeing what their theater programs offer? Many schools offer playwriting and directing courses. A few off the top of my head that might be good fits are Carleton, Macalester and Connecticut College. Hamilton might also, and it is very writing focused. </p>
<p>Among the uni’s I know Wash U in St. Louis has a Directing and a Playwriting path, along with an Acting path in the major.</p>
<p>Of course, the downside of a non-auditioned BA is that the major is open to anyone, so perhaps the talent level will vary, but I’d bet you’d find quite alot of very good actors at any of these schools, because they attract smart, talented, high-achieving kids.</p>
<p>Muhlenberg is a non-auditioned BA. There are auditions for scholarships. Depending on your S’s interests, American has an auditioned BA that is very flexible. Most students double major - my D is triple majoring. They are very strong in Arts Management and, rumor has it, they are going to be starting a Physical Theater concentration. They don’t have a concentration in directing, but my D has gained considerable experience directing through the student-run theater, where she is currently the Artistic Director.</p>
<p>The major at Kenyon is very strong, as is the writing program, and one of my daughter’s fellow theater majors (graduated several years ago) has just finished his first year in an extremely competitive MFA playwriting program. Glassharmonica’s daughter is doing the performance/playwriting combination at Fordham–also highly competitive–and seems to be thriving. I can’t remember which of these schools you’ve visited…the issues of fit and school culture will be big for a BA program, as your son will be more part of the whole fabric of the school than he would in a BFA niche (hope that made sense!).</p>
<p>5boys - I know the summer programs are expensive, but they are worth every penny if they can help a student decide on what - or what NOT - they want to study in the theatre realm. My S did a voice program at Berklee a few summers ago, and I choked at the price of a three-day program, but it showed him that he is really not that interested in singing as a career. I was happy to have him make that decision, no matter the cost (and he also had a ball at the program, just wasn’t for him!).</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! I had a feeling he was going to come to this conclusion, but I agree MH… the price for Cherubs is well worth this self discovery. He just has A LOT of interests.</p>
<p>He has an unusual personality, as he is very creative and free spirited, but also very analytical, focused and has an extreme eye for detail. I could see him as an actor, director, writer, or an astrophysicist, mechanical or aeronautical engineer, or a teacher. Although I would have to say his true passion is acting… but he is happier in the more classical acting. I want him to go to an undergrad program where he can explore all of this stuff and go from there, where he can have plenty of options. </p>
<p>He already has American on his list… he added it late, as he has heard some amazing opportunities in the DC theater world. I will have him take a look at JMU too. Right now he is all about Kenyon… he talked in length to a faculty associate( intern) at Cherubs at their college night, who attends Kenyon, and for some reason my S thinks it sounded perfect. I think it would be a reach though. </p>
<p>I knew that Muhlenberg was a non-auditioned BA, but my S will audition for scholarship there for sure. Skidmore is on the list too. I don’t know about Conn College, I have heard mixed reviews about it… don’t know if it would be a fit for my quirky, hipster, S. Whitman is also on the list as they have a HUGE merit scholarship for theater talent, and I think my S would like it. I am so glad that Cherubs does this college thing, because it is so great to get a chance to talk to actual kids that are in all these different programs, and what they like and don’t like about it. The other kicker is that my S also wants a lot of singing opportunities.</p>
<p>I agree that with the BA, it makes it a little trickier with the whole culture of the school… also his academics will come into play more. He is a good student, just not tippy top. 3.7 GPA, 2100 SAT’s 750 Math 2, 780 Bio SAT2’s and he just got 2 5’s on his AP’s. Rigorous private prep. Taking 4 AP’s this year.So some of the top schools are out.</p>
<p>5boys, all the choices people are mentioning sound great. But I wouldn’t dismiss Northwestern, if he’s interested. His stats sound fine for it; at the least, he’d be competitive. You just never know. And it sounds like based on his experience this summer, he’d be able to write a terrific essay for any school on their ‘why us?’ question.</p>
<p>5boys - your son’s stats sound awesome. interested as to why Kenyon would be a reach for him. academically? I ask this because we have a tour scheduled there in a couple of weeks, my daughter is also very interested, and she it is a bit of an academic reach for her (she is in the low/maybe category). His stats are higher than hers, so I wonder where the reach comes in. Also, there is no opportunity to audition at Kenyon. I just had an emailed Q&A with a member of their theatre department. We love every single thing about this place “on paper”. Can’t wait to see it in person.</p>
<p>Chaptertwo. Unfortunately I am a little bit of a cynic when it comes to the small need aware LAC’s. When I went through this process with my 2012 S, he was in love with one of these types of schools, perfect fit, had scores above the 75%, and an OK GPA, but within the ball park for sure. He applied ED and was then deferred and ultimately denied. My honest to god belief is it was because we needed FA. People might disagree with me, but that is the way it felt to us. I don’t think there was any glaring problems with his app’s, as he did get into quite a few schools, and most with merit…but they were below the top 50 schools. I am trying to avoid this with kid 2014. On paper he loves everything about Kenyon too. Our Naviance is sketchy… not enough data points. He looks like it shouldn’t be a reach, but my S’s GPA is not over a 4.0 like EVERYONE it seems. On Kenyon’s CDS it states the average GPA to be 3.9…huh??</p>
<p>We are going to visit and he will interview. I know there is no opportunity to audition, but I am hoping they will at least take a look at his theater resume. He has done some very impressive theater stuff, and has won awards etc. He is also a VERY good writer, and I am sure his essays will be unique, as he has a very true voice when he writes. I think being a boy will help at Kenyon too. He will apply, but I am not overly optimistic for sure. PLease come back after your visit and let me know her thoughts!</p>
<p>5boys,
Please don’t toss Northwestern aside. My S applied to most all of the schools which have been mentioned here-Muhlenberg, Conn College, Vassar, Brandeis, Skidmore, Northwestern and one more I’ve forgotten. He did the Cherubs program and loved it and he’s at Northwestern now, going into his senior year. I would say exactly what connections said in post #10. Your son will be able to write a great essay showing his interest in NU. A decent percentage of the students who attend Cherubs are admitted to NU. Your son has good strong academics and NU has a good financial aid program. There are directors and playwrights in my son’s acting class, and with your son’s other potential interests, Northwestern could satisfy his intellectual curiosity. The majority of students double-major.</p>
<p>If your son is a really strong singer, NU is legendary for it’s a cappella groups. There are many great groups!</p>
<p>5boys, I have not been through this before, and I hear your concerns loud and clear.</p>
<p>In fact, you have managed to touch on all of my deepest, darkest fears. kidding.</p>
<p>All of what you say makes sense and rings true. We will be “needs the meets-full-need” people … and Kenyon is fairly close to home geographically, and looks so otherwise great, that we’re giving it a whirl.</p>
<p>From the outside looking in, your son does appear to be everything they want. But I totally understand treading lightly since you’ve been burned before in a similar situation.</p>
<p>I have feared that my daughter will not get in one of these small, desirable LACs (because of the financial aid need, but because of the non-wowing stats, unlike so many on CC). Her unweighted is 3.5; weighted is 4.2. ACT is mid 20’s. Theatre resume is fab. Lots of theatre-related EC’s and awards. So I feel she has a shot…and maybe a slightly better shot with early decision. (won’t make up our minds about that until after the visit).</p>
<p>Anyway, I do get your reservations, but he sure seems worthy to me p.s. where is 2012 Son?</p>
<p>5boys, has your son actually visited Kenyon? It makes me very nervous to fall in love with a school like that without visiting. That was the one school my kids visited and didn’t apply to, each for different reasons. It felt the most isolated of any school we visited (and my son now attends Grinnell, so it’s not like we were looking only at bustling areas!). </p>
<p>Bates was another college that, for my son at least, sounded perfect on paper, but when we visited we could tell very quickly that it wasn’t the best fit. </p>
<p>Kenyon may very well turn out to be the perfect place for him, but I just really caution against falling in love with a school that hasn’t been visited, particularly a small, isolated LAC.</p>
<p>Is your son not interested at all in NU or just not in a BFA? I would imagine that the Cherubs experience would mimic a BFA experience more than the actual NU experience because the college curriculum itself would be more fleshed out with academics in other areas.</p>
<p>(note: my son was not a theater kid – it’s my daughter who is the theater student, but they did both look at many similar schools, Kenyon being one)</p>
<p>SDonCC - I was going to say something similar - my younger daughter thought Kenyon was the best on paper but when she got there it was so not her and she didn’t apply. It was to “preppy” for her plus the required courses were way to stringent for her. Overall it was too “traditional” a school for her. However, we do know two kids who attend and absolutely LOVE it (one just graduated, one will be a senior in the fall). So I also caution you as SDonCC did.</p>
<p>However, NU does offer as many classes in theatre as any BFA program depending on what you want to do. My daughter loved taking non-theatre classes but really made sure to take an incredible number of theatre (and MT classes including dance and voice). She realized by early sophomore year she wanted those non-theatre classes for “fun” not for a minor or double major. She graduated last month and feels she is as prepared or even more prepared overall than many BFA students she meets on auditions. NU’s BA theatre program offers the flexibility to pick and choose, taking as many or as few theatre classes as you wish. As a quarter system you take at least 9 classes from September to June, you can take more, which my daughter did.</p>
<p>Let me be the first to say that I have serious doubts about whether Kenyon is right for my S. My S is the type who needs constant stimulation and gets bored very easily. I think Kenyon, like some of you said, looks great on paper, but might lose it’s luster upon visiting( and we ARE visiting). One of the things he hated about USC was that you really couldn’t go off campus. He is in Evanston right now, and loving the fact that he and his friends can go out for food, ice cream at anytime of night. Truthfully, I see him in a big urban city… although he isn’t quite there yet. I talked to him yesterday, and he agreed, that he was still going to go through some of the BFA auditions, and is going to keep all doors open till decisions are made. I think he will apply to NU( he already has said that they were told they definitely have an advantage being a cherub), but I know of a few theater kids from our HS who were Cherubs and did not get in… with higher GPA’s than my S. On paper, IMHO, think that NU is actually a better fit. He is also a Varsity competitive Sailor and an Eagle Scout. But there is certainly no harm in putting the app in the hat.</p>
<p>Chaptertwo… He is going to St Lawrence University… he leaves in a month. He has been on a gap year following his dreams of hiking the complete Pacific Coast Trail( 2650 miles from Mexico to Canada, youngest person to do it) and climbing El Capitan in Yosemite. He is also working as an EMT and Search and Rescue at a National Park.</p>
kidding.</p>