My D was accepted into CAP21 over the summer. We flew out to NY last week and visited the CAP21 facility and took a tour with Ricky Oliver. We also took the train out to Long Island and visited Molloy College. As a parent, I was more than happy with the visit, there is something special going on at Molloy and there relationship with CAP21. The CAP21 kids are like celebrities on the campus. It’s a small campus, most students commute to the school, everyone was so friendly, and it’s easy to get to and from Rockville Center and Manhattan. The dorms where nice, laundry was good, Starbucks, Subway, and the cafeteria smelled really good. Do yourself a favor and go visit.
No one in my family has attended Molloy.
But I’ve grown up in the neighborhood. I can tell you that it’s a safe little upscale village about 40 minutes from NYC by train. There are a million restaurants and pubs, a lively little down downtown full of shops. It’s 15 minutes from the beach. It’s just a few minutes off the Southern State Parkway, so it’s easy to reach.
A number of the kids I currently teach will be going to Molloy. It’s the kind of place I would be very comfortable sending my kids… my younger 2 will certainly consider it if they choose to stay home.
LOL, @“Big Shoes” – the BFAs are considered an exotic species on campus! They are often asked to sing at sporting and other school events, and they entertain the alumni at Homecoming!
@EastchesterMom -That’s what they where saying, kind of cool. The young lady that gave us the tour campus is friends with a BFA sophomore from Texas. She hooked her up with my D and they’ve been texting back and forth.
Hey guys so I did get some clarification. I am accepted to both programs but If I go (which i’m strongly considering) I would probably do the four year program. I’m pretty excited.
Go for it, @broadwayboy223 …this is your lucky day! If you need more encouragement, I bet Ricky can set you up with a current student so you can get an insider’s prospective.
Back to what’s going on with the Molloy/CAP21 Class of 2018! This from a previous post by Ricky Oliver, @CAP21Admissions:
“There will be, however, a great opportunities for our students to showcase their work while in school. While we do not do OKLAHOMA! every semester, there a number opportunities to put into practice the lessons our students are learning in the their training. Most take shape as devised pieces that are created by the students, in the goal to give practical application to the lessons in their curriculum. For example, when our students are learning about Rock/Pop style in their Vocal performance class, they are given a Rock/Pop devised performance that highlights that training. It’s one thing to sing Stevie Nicks, but its quite another to act, and embody that material. Our students get the opportunity to showcase their work in a way that is supported by their training, lesson-by-lesson.”
Well, the second showcase is next month…the Composer Project! The class has been separated into two groups, and each was assigned a composer to study for the entire semester. The purpose is to get a deeper understanding of that particular composer. The class will break down songs piece by piece to understand what the lyrics and music mean, and they will tell the story that the composer wants to convey. The kids are working their butts off on this; they are in class working on it until 9:30 p.m.! My D has revealed NOTHING about what she’s up to, because she knows I like to be surprised. Can’t wait!
So I’m very much leaning towards accepting the spot at Molloy/Cap 21, but my parents have some hesitations. Basically they are just nervous about me going and are “unsure” because Molloy isn’t on the well known Top 25 theatre programs. I tried explaining to them that Cap 21 was the training that used to be at NYU but they are still skeptical. Any ideas to help ease their minds? I’m being forced to attend this Oklahoma Unifieds saturday morning so we will see how that goes.
@broadwayboy223 - “Top 25” by whose standards / criteria? You need to find the right fit in a program; where you feel the most comfortable. I think many will say that NYU is on the top of their list of desirable programs. Yet after my D’s audition, she said she would not attend if accepted. The vibe wasn’t right. So listen to your parents and rack up those acceptances. Then only you can decide which program is right for you. If your parents aren’t sipping the Molloy/CAP21 koolade, maybe they should call Ricky. They certainly should check out the website.
We haven’t said it out loud yet but I’m pretty sure that I will be accepting the offer at Molloy. I was officially rejected from NYU. And I didn’t get called back to any of the major oklahoma schools ( I did receive many to the smaller schools ORU, OBU etc). I believe we are visiting NYC and Molloy in April right around my birthday. I haven’t been to the campus yet but I just have this really good feeling about me going.
You’re wise to have a look before you decide, @broadwayboy223. I think you will like what you see, and so will your parents. Arrange for a campus tour of Molloy, and give Ricky a heads-up that you are coming to CAP 21. I bet he can arrange for you to meet the founders and directors, Frank and Eliza Ventura.
We live in Brooklyn as well. My son has just been accepted into this program…so exciting! I am curious about the best mode of commuting for the LI days…also very nervous about the financial aspect as he is the first of 4 going to college on a single mom’s income! Any pointers you can pass along would be wonderful!
Congrats to you and your S, @Sharper52! You don’t say what part of Brooklyn, but I assume your S will live at home. If he doesn’t have a car, then the best way to get to campus is the LIRR Babylon line. Once he gets to the Rockville Centre station, Molloy has a free shuttle that will run him right to campus. Quite frankly, since freshmen are on campus 3 days a week, it might make more sense to dorm the first year if you can see your way clear. Re the financials…get that FAFSA in, and don’t be shy about haunting the Financial Aid office! If he’s offered work-study (which can be at the Madison Theater!) then he really should live on campus.
Thanks so much EastchesterMom! We are in Marine Park Brooklyn. Coincidentally I just secured a new job right on the Queens/LI border. I’m thinking if I drop him at the Cedarhurst station in the AM he can do the train on the return trip at night. The work study idea sounds awesome. He is concerned with the school and study hrs…not having the time to work at his waiter job here in Brooklyn. From what he tells me this program requires a 9-6 5 day a week schedule? Is your daughter currently attending this program? Is there any widsom or pointers you can pass on re financial aide, grants and the like? So glad to have found you! Re living on campus the first year I had the same thought…but my son said its an extra 13K…a big nut! It may be more cost effective to buy another car and have him commute. Is the school’s financial office helpful? Are they good with providing info and are there grants available?
@Sharper52 – Cedarhurst is not on the Babylon line, so that won’t work to get him to Molloy, but of course he can get to CAP 21 that way.
Yes, my daughter is a sophomore. And yes, this program is very rigorous, and on top of it all, they have their Gen Eds. That being said, a lot of her classmates work…more now than during freshman year.
Financial Aid will give you a package, but I think you need to file the FAFSA first. My D got a hefty merit scholarship and the usual subsidized and unsubsidized Direct Student Loans. I don’t know anything about grants, but the FA Office is very helpful and can fill you in.
Re the dorms…it is only available for Theater majors during freshman and sophomore year. After that, the kids move off campus. We don’t live close, so D had to dorm it. It was a great experience for her and made her life a lot easier.
I’m glad you pointed that out!! Have to figure out the trains if that becomes an option. We just toured campus today it seems like the perfect place for my son. Now of course my major concern is financing. What is a merit scholarship … Is that from her high school or Molloy?
The merit scholarship is from Molloy, and was awarded because her high school grades were excellent. You need to get your financial aid package and then descend on the Molloy financial aid office!
@EastchesterMom Is it common for them to be at cap21 that late? Ricky told me classes end around 5 and since there’s really no rehearsals or anything everyone would just leave together at the end of class. Do they get a lot of homework from cap21? I don’t see how it would be possible to do a lot of homework from cap21 when they have class all day and sometimes don’t get home until late at night, on top of classes at Molloy!
Also, is your daughter’s name Jen? I visited last week and I met a Jen who said she was from Eastchester haha 
@kgg1997 – Yes, the CAP 21 days are long ones, and yes, the BFAs work their butts off. I really don’t know how much “homework” there is, but my D is always busy. I know that she practices in between voice classes, and she and her scene partner practice their scenes, and freshmen take piano (unless you play already) and that requires practice too. And yes, there are the Gen Eds, and there’s tests and papers there… This is hard work, make no mistake. Nobody said it was easy. Welcome to the life of a BFA student…when other majors knock off for the day, the BFAs are just getting warmed up. This is true not just at Molloy/CAP21, but at every program.
@EastchesterMom Are there any of their MT classes taken at Molloy? I have looked at a possible freshman schedule, and it looks like English Composition and Freshman Seminar would be the only classes outside MT program the first semester. Does that mean that the 3 days they are at Molloy their freshman year they only really have 1 class a day? We are just trying to get an idea of what the days a student doesn’t go to Cap21 would look like. BTW - daughter has been accepted into the BFA program, and will be making a final decision this next week. I think she is leaning this way heavily, but waiting on one more schools acceptance/denial letter. Whew its been a whirlwind of emotions this past 3 months.