<p>I think you are right.
All they need to know is, this school is a reach and this school is a fit, etc.</p>
<p>See - I don't know how this works - the above was intended to go - privately to CoachC.</p>
<p>Mt dog,</p>
<p>To send a private message to anyone, including Coach C, you must click on their screen name next to a post and then choose "send a private message" if it is enabled. You will then be taken to a screen where you can write your message and send it privately. The difference in the screen should be clear.</p>
<p>If you have found that you made a mistake in a post or just want to delete it after you have "submitted" it, you have some time right after it is posted to click "Edit" at the bottom of your post and change anything or delete the post all together.</p>
<p>Lastly, with regard to the content of your post, I strongly disagree with you that the "most effective training" in a BFA MT program takes place on stage in performance. Performance should have a place in of all of these programs, but I think the focus on the IMPORTANCE and frequency of performance is oft overestimated by students and parents alike. I prefer programs wherein performance is an extension of the educational mission, not its raison d'etre.</p>
<p>Mt dog - </p>
<p>Thanks for your post!</p>
<p>I hear what you're saying about different people having heard different "truths" about MT programs - I still maintain that the best way to judge a program is to look at the callback and casting success of their RECENT grads (as some schools ride on the laurels of programs long faded in effectiveness).</p>
<p>In regard to your points of concern, which are GREAT ones, some clarifications are necessary:
Of the schools I listed as top tier in MT, none of them have grad programs where the grad students and undergrads are one casting pool. This type of joint casting pool is very rare in MT programs.</p>
<p>In addition, none of the schools I discussed have sophomore year de-selection juries ("cuts") - CCM has freshman year cuts, but they are not de-selection juries.</p>
<p>Thanks again for your answer - keep the dialogue going!</p>
<p>Hey, just so you know, the reason Otterbein doesn't really have a national rep yet is simply because its a very very new program - 10 or 15 years old. Additionally, acceptance is extremely competitive so only about 10 or 12 graduate each year [unlike the huge classes coming from schools like NYU].... so sheer numbers dictate how often you'll hear about us. </p>
<p>However, even though we have much fewer students going to the city each year, we have phenomenal successes every year. In addition to the aforementioned Alumni of ours, Megan McInnis, who originated the role of Amy in LITTLE WOMEN with Sutton Foster [and just took over as Eponine in Les Mis] ....An '05 graduate, Mandy Bruno, just played Eponine in LES MIS before Megan McGinnis, and is currently on Guiding Light - An '06 graduate, Molly Camp, was a guest star on Law & Order SVU - another '06 graduate, Daniel Everidge, will play Roger in the upcoming revival of GREASE - an '07 graduate, Kyle Bailey, was offered the Standby for Glen in the nat'l tour of THE WEDDING SINGER.... and that's just in the past few years. Many other alumni get national tours such as THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, CATS, MISS SAIGON and others. </p>
<p>Pretty good for a program that's only about 10 or 15 years old.</p>
<p>I think there is some confusion in the last post. Megan McGinnis did not attend Otterbein and was not Amy in Little Women. She played Beth. Amy McAlexander who played Amy in Little Women is an Otterbein graduate I believe.</p>
<p>whoops, my mistake, I had Amy McAlexander and Megan McGinnis switched. that's what happens when you're reading the Little Women playbill as you're typing.... literally. My apologies. </p>
<p>since i'm writing on here, though, a few of our students have callbacks currently for Spring Awakening, and Renata Wilson was just offered the Lady Of The Lake in SPAMALOT in Las Vegas. </p>
<p>woohoo Otterbein!</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I am new to this whole process and have been looking at this site for a little while now. My daughter is going into senior year and she has compiled a list of schools. Some we have visited others she has been to for various reasons. She is an average student that doesn't have a whole lot of AP classes. School is usually not her top priority. UGH!!! She does do about 2-3 shows a year along with 2 choirs, voice/acting lessons and she has completed 3 summer programs over the last 2 years. Musical Theater is all she thinks about. Her list is as follows:</p>
<p>BOCO bfa
UArts bfa
CCM bfa
DeSales ba
Hartt bfa
Ithaca bfa
Otterbein bfa
PSU bfa
Point Park ba
Shenandoah bfa
Muhlenberg ba
Montclair bfa</p>
<p>This list isn't necessarily in any order since she hasn't visited all of them yet. The reason I am writing is because I just wanted to know what others thought about this group of schools and would there be any comments or suggestions. I have been on on the list for each school but since some of the info is a few years old and the programs change it is hard to tell if it is still accurate.</p>
<p>Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Looks like a good list to me. My first thought is that the State College campus of PSU, where the BFA MT program is located, requires higher GPA and SAT scores than the other PSU campuses. Applicants to the program must meet the academic requirements. Since you did say that your daughter is an "average student without a lot of AP classes", you might want to check it out before going through the application process.</p>
<p>The academic profile you gave is very vague but academics will matter very much at Muhlenberg which is a pretty selective school. Make sure your D's profile fits with that of accepted students to that school. While Muhlenberg can be a safety for SOME students, it is a REACH for others. It is more academically selective than Penn State already mentioned above.</p>
<p>Just to clarify my D is a B+ student with a SAT of 1600 the 1st go around. She will take it again and the ACT also. This past year her GPA suffered because we had alot of things going on at home and she still kept her extra curriculars going. At the time it seemed important to keep her involved in outside activities but looking back maybe not. I think she ended up last year about a 2.75.</p>
<p>I got the impression that you need safety, probable and a few reach schools. </p>
<p>We already went to PSU and the professor mentioned that sometimes that doesn't even matter. It might come down to what they need. For example they might not need 3 - 5'2", blonde, sopranos.</p>
<p>So Muhlenberg is a reach academically or just a no go, don't even bother??</p>
<p>Thanks for your quick responses.</p>
<p>Kimoki it sounds like your daughter and I would get along very well! Lol musical theater is all I think about.</p>
<p>Muhlenberg is an SAT optional school. If your daughter has clear strengths and can show it on an application - and if her strengths fit their needs for that class - then it's viable. Visit and see what your daughter thinks -</p>
<p>Kimoki, since I raised the academic issue at Muhlenberg, I feel compelled to respond. However, I do NOT assess someone's chances for admissions based on a post on a message board because it is NOT enough information to go on and I would need much more than you provided because not only don't I have enough "stats" to go on, admission is based on far more than stats. As well, I do this for my job and can't do evaluations for individuals voluntarily given the time it takes. </p>
<p>I will give you a very GENERAL answer in the hopes of helping more than one poster. Yes, applicants need reaches, matches and safeties. For a BFA candidate, ALL BFA schools are to be considered REACHES given their VERY low admit rates and subjectivity. Some BFA's are "easier" (but not easy) to get into than others. Some draw from a more competitive pool of applicants. However, NO audition based college is a safety, for anyone. From looking at your list, I thought since it was primarily made up of BFA programs, that maybe you had West Chester and Muhlenberg as the BA "back up safeties." Muhlenberg, again, is a safety for some students but NOT for ALL. It may not require an audition (it is optional for scholarships or could be a tip factor), but all BAs are not safeties by any means. </p>
<p>Muhlenberg accepts 44% overall to the college (not refering to theater applicants) and only 41% in the RD round. It is considered a "more selective" college. The average unweighted GPA of accepted students is 3.4. 45% of those admitted come from the top 10% of their HS class, 81% from the top 25%, and 98% from the top half. The mid SAT range for CR is 560-660 and for Math is 560-660, and combined is 1120-1320. </p>
<p>I do not know the breakdown of your D's SAT scores. A 1600 on the CR/M/W combined is roughly 530 on each section (and she could have a lopsided score for all I know). Without this information, I will make a rough estimate of a combined CR/M of 1060. This falls within the bottom 25% of admitted students to Muhlenberg, making the odds decrease for a student with these scores (not admitted at a rate of 44% in other words). You also do not give your D's CUMULATIVE unweighted GPA and say she is a B+ student which would be about a 3.3+ GPA. You mention that last year she had a 2.75 which is borderline B/B-. If her grades dropped in junior year, that is not viewed as positively as they might be forgiving of such grades early in high school if a student has an upward trend by junior year. A downward trend is not as good and colleges consider junior year as very important. You also do not provide her chosen curriculum (only that she dosen't have many APs, which is not nearly enough information to go on). Colleges will look at how challenging of a curriculum she took vis a vis what was available at HER school. You do not give her class rank or percentile. I gave you the percentile of students accepted from certain ranks in their HS class. If your D is not in the top 25% of her HS class, her chances at Muhlenberg will decrease. Muhlenberg is an SAT optional school and so that could conceivably help your D as she need not submit test scores if she submits a graded paper from 11th grade (but it should be very good) and has a personal interview. However, don't be deceived that SATs don't count because if you don't submit those, other things on your record should be strong to compensate and demonstrate being able to succeed academically at Muhlenberg. I also do not have your D's extracurriculars, achievements, essays, recomendations, etc. which all will be part of the admissions decision at school like The 'Berg. </p>
<p>While I don't have much to go on, I am GUESSING that Muhlenberg could be a reach for your D. It is perfectly FINE to have reaches! But given the BFAs are also reaches, you may wish to have some fall back BA safeties that are SURE BETS. I can readily say that Muhlenberg might come through for your D, and she should apply if she likes the school as a BA option, but it is NOT a sure bet for her based on what you shared. I can't say her chances accurately, however, without a full profile.</p>
<p>Thanks for your imput.</p>
<p>I realize that there aren't any "sure thing" BFA program schools. She will apply to alot of schools and see what happens. Luckily my daughter is open to different kinds of schools and doesn't have her heart set on one school. She has her favorites but is realistic. The only thing she really wants is to be fairly close to home at least for now. We are very lucky to live within a car drive from so many great schools.</p>
<p>Thanks again.</p>