<p>Hi my S was accepted for MT to Baldwin Wallace and CCPA/Roosevelt
...but he is having a hard time deciding where to go...any help you can give us would be great...He will be visiting both schools again...does anyone have an opinion if one is a better choice? Pro's/ Con's???</p>
<p>Interesting question as my S has also been accepted to BW and others and is going to be sorting it out in the next weeks. I loved BW and would be happy to have him attend. It's strengths would include Vicki, Vicki and Vicki (Bussert). She is a great teacher, communicator, mentor and advocate for her kids. The dance, performance and music instruction seems strong and the success of their recent graduates cannot be dismissed. The campus is small and safe and everyone is so nice. Our only question will be if my S decides that he wants the big campus college experience instead. Otherwise it is still near the top of the list. What did you think-your child's thoughts? I never really understood the concept of "fit" that so many have mentioned but as we have flown around the country it has been obvious-there are just some campuses where you can see yourself living and working well for four years and others that just dont feel right. Unfortunately, Roosevelt is not in my S's list of schools but maybe others will chime in.</p>
<p>Not sure which school is better but after college one would think the opportunities in Chicago are far better than in Berea, Ohio. Mainly, it's the big city VS small safe college town preference and only your S can make that call. The view of Lake Michigan from the CCPA library is breathtaking as well as the living accommodations at University center in downtown Chicago. When I toured the dorms with my D it was so nice I wished I could live there :)</p>
<p>Perhaps looking into the curriculum more deeply would help make a determination as to fit. A very close friend of mine's D is an MT at B-W now and as it is a BM program it is VERY HEAVY in music classes. After college few kids stay at their college location, such as Berea, for work. As well , they usually take off for summer stock in various places around the country in the summers too. But, Berea is just outside of Cleveland and Vicki has a connection with the theater in Cleveland so very often her shows at B-W enjoy a run as well in the city ( maybe the place is the Cleveland Playhouse, not sure). For what it is worth.</p>
<p>In addition to the comments above, you should carefully examine/compare the curriculum at both (you probably already have). BW offers the Bachelor of Music thru its Music Conservatory. This means a very thick load of music-specific classes, including multi-term sequences in music theory, music history, conducting, etc. Nothing wrong with that, but some MT students are not interested in so much study of non-MT music. On the other hand, having observed an MT class taught by Vicki Bussert, I would agree she is absolutley top notch, and the main reason MT students go there. And her grads don't look for work in Berea! Bussert has great contacts in NY and elsewhere, including Chicago. </p>
<p>CCPA offers a BFA in MT, with a balanced curriculum. As far as the benefit of studying in Chicago, I agree only partly. While it's true Chicago is a HUGE theatre town, it's still mostly known for straight theatre, not MT. That is changing somewhat, and the outside world is noticing the outstanding MT work being done by Chicago's many small blackbox companies, an example being Next Theatre Co., who last year premiered "The Adding Machine" in Chicago (Evanston actually) which is now getting good reviews Off B-way. But these shows are small casts, with usually only the few leads being Equity, if any. I don't know whether many MT performers start in Chicago and migrate to NY/national. It seems to me based on studying the playbills that the bigger flow is performers with B-way or national tour experience moving to Chicago for the lifestyle and lower rent. I do see a few CCPA grads in local Chicago MT casts, so some are getting work here. I occasionally see BW grads also.</p>
<p>thanks everyone for your input!!!
Jack's dad...my S. loved BW and Vicki too..
Great points about BW being heavier on the music side..
Hopefully, with all of the information we are recieving from everyone our visits back to the 2 schools will make it easier for him to decide.
He has a lot to ponder...
Anyone else who wants to comment please do...</p>
<p>I'll sound like a broken record after my same posting on the Syracuse vs. Roosevelt thread, but my son did not choose to audition at Roosevelt, after a visit several years ago. </p>
<p>He did audition for BW and was accepted. We were so very impressed with that school. They were the other college besides his college, Elon, chosen to have the rights to perform Phantom of the Opera this year. </p>
<p>Also, along with my son and the 2 guys from Syracuse in summerstock work last summer, we were also most impressed with the young man from BW who was with them in summerstock. </p>
<p>We know 2 graduates from BW who are top-notch performers in all areas of MT.</p>
<p>Lastly, BW is very close to Cleveland, which is a very nice and large city with many theatre opportunities.</p>
<p>The two problems BW has are
a) the dance program is weak and many students go to a private studio, or even pay better dancers in the MT program for extra instruction and
b) if Vicky is incapacitated in some way (and she works all the time and travels a lot from what we gathered) there basically is no program left, and then you are stuck at a small liberal arts school that may or may not be able to hire someone with connections and drive. </p>
<p>Since the Drama Dept and MT department are separate entities in separate schools at the college, it's not like there's an Assistant Chair of MT, or anyone who could just step in from day one and keep the program running smoothly, as there are at colleges with larger departments. BW's Music Department is good, but it's small too, so we couldn't expect the Music Professors could step up and take over the MTers. They did hire another acting professor for the program last year, but it's still basically the Conservatory Professors for keyboard, theory, sight singing, and voice lessons, one dance instructor, and Vicky and 1 or two other drama teachers.</p>
<p>The best thing about BW is it is a BM program, so you can get a minor or double major as the MT major at BW is not as course intensive as a BFA in some other schools. Also, if you ended up teaching, you probably could get a temporary certificate in a lot of jurisdictions with the BM from BW while you got your Masters in Education as you will have a good liberal arts background.</p>
<p>Ok, I must jump in to set some things straight, because Happymom08 has some of her information wrong.</p>
<p>The dance portion of the program is not the strongest component. Essentially it is what you make of it, if you push yourself to become a dancer you can ( I myself am taking the steps to achieve this goal by the time I graduate). The goal of the program is to turn out individuals who can stand out on their own as well as in an ensemble, not typical cookie-cutter chorus boys/girls. </p>
<p>Vicky is the program. Yes she does travel across the country all the time to direct. But never is she gone so long that the program falls apart and fails to function. It's actually beneficial to BW students because she is ALWAYS casting her students in her shows and spreading the BW name to agents, casting directors, choreographers, producers, etc. </p>
<p>As a matter of fact there is an assistant chair for the MT program. Scott Plate, who is an acting instructor, is an equity actor whose been in the business for well over 20 years, has his MFA from FSU and is MORE than competent to keep the program running smoothly at any time Vicky is away.</p>
<p>The course load at BW is just intensive as any other BFA program. The only difference is we take more music courses. It is essentially impossible to double major as a MT major because we take 18 credits (the maximum you can take) a semester. And very few people pursue a minor, unless they have already had college credits before attending BW. This is further complicated by the fact that many of the students work professionally while in school, not mention other rehearsals that are associated with school performances.</p>
<p>It is true that there aren't as many professors here then at larger musical theatre program. However there aren't as many students per class. The program focuses on the individual and each of us have a personal relationship with our instructors. </p>
<p>I hope this helps clear up any confusion on BW and helps your son make an informed decision.</p>
<p>~BWMT09</p>
<p>BWMT09 </p>
<p>I don't want to sound like I'm your mom, but you have to face reality. If Vicky were to die today (God forbid!), the program at BW would not be able to function at the same level. Same thing if she suddenly became disabled.<br>
I'm glad to hear Scott Plate is now Vicky's Assistant Chair, it was just too scary before he was hired! See, we mothers of college age boys think about these things -- probably more than you kids do--you're still indestructible, right?</p>
<p>If you can't double major at BW, why were we told you could when we came for the audition? In fact I think one of your Phantoms has a double major in Spanish and MT, no? And he was given as an example of "Yes, you can get a minor, double major, whatever." I believe there's also a girl in a sorority, who was given as an example of how BW is different than the other schools. To me this is not a bad thing. To limit a person's college education to only MT for 4 years is not what most parents want, either. In fact, if you can't double major, that might make our decision easier, as we thought you could. </p>
<p>I'm not putting down the BW program--I think it's one of the fastest growing in the US, and will some day be up there with CCM, CMU, UMich, PSU, etc., and is doing pretty amazing things with the resources it has. I just wish it had more resources at this point in time.</p>
<p>If any program head of any program were to die they would not be able to function as smoothly as before. </p>
<p>I have faced reality. The business is unpredictable and there are no guarantees. No matter where your son chooses to go to school he is entering an intensely difficult, cutthroat business. </p>
<p>This may sound biased to you, but I have a much more informed viewpoint of how the business works. BW is very well regarded with casting directors and agents in NY, and this is all that really matters anyway.</p>
<p>Good luck to your son. The college decision process is difficult, I know. I hope wherever he goes he is happy.</p>
<p>Happymom - I must say, I found your tone to BWMT a bit condescending, and I must say, as a parent, it never entered my thought process about what the implications of the head of an MT program dying would have on that program!</p>
<p>There is some truth in what you say on some levels, but the same could be said about many programs -- Aubrey Berg at CCM or Brent Wagner at UMich are as pivotal to those programs as Vicky Bussert is to hers.</p>
<p>Would it be possible to double major at BW? Possibly, but not easily, as would be the case at many if not most other MT schools, unless you already had AP hours. </p>
<p>
[quote]
the MT major at BW is not as course intensive as a BFA in some other schools.
[/quote]
I don't understand the basis for thinking it is not as course intensive.<br>
Voice lessons are with voice faulty all four years, which is better than some programs. Students take dance every semester, which is more than some programs. </p>
<p>People certainly form their own opinions of programs, and how they feel the programs match their needs and desires for a college education. But we should be careful about couching opinions and feelings in a manner that sounds like factual information.</p>
<p>MusThCC, I didn't mean to sound condescending, I am just voicing some of the concerns and upsides of the BW program as I see them. </p>
<p>As far as the program not being as course intensive, we were informed of that aspect of the program in our interview, and at the audition. The curriculum has elective courses, unlike others. This was brought out to be one of the advantages of BW, not a fault. </p>
<p>I don't know about CCM and UMich, as we don't have a "vested interest" in their programs, but we've been following BW from a couple of counties away for a few years, and the locals really wish it would just grow a little. This has been a general concern. They added Scott and that eased our mind a lot, we'd just like to see another dance instructor, at least. </p>
<p>Oh well, Ohioans are always getting into trouble for speaking their mind.</p>
<p>Well i think one thing that should be said is that a BM is a BM not a BFA! I dont think this should be seen as such a bad thing! It all comes down to fit.</p>
<p>I do plan to attend Roosevelt in the fall for BFA acting. I do not know anything about BW because i am an acting major. I know that when i visited CCPA and got to walk around Chicago and even see one of their shows i knew it was a great fit for me. It is a conservatory so they don't play around but i like that attitude, i like the fact that the teachers seem to care for you not only as a person but as an artist. The word Artist was used a lot on my visit, i love that. There is not cookie cutter mold there (believe me the mix of people that attend are nearly comical) I love that everyone is seen as an individual. Also CHICAGO! 'nuff said. When you don't have class of rehearsal you can go see any professional show of any kind. </p>
<p>Being from Ohio i can say from my opinion i don't have any interest in Clev. It's not really a pretty place lol but thats a much as i can say about that. :-)</p>