BIOLA or AZUSA PACIFIC for Music or Speech Comm. Major?

<p>Anyone out there who can help? My high school senior daughter did not get accepted at the MT (Musical Theatre) programs she applied to for this Fall. After grieving and accepting this, she knows she needs to move forward QUICKLY!</p>

<p>She now thinks she would like to major either in Music (emphasis Music in Worship, like leading a praise team) or Speech Communications. Her Christian faith is very important to her. She is outgoing and fun loving and would like a school where students stay there on weekends, as we live in Iowa, and these schools are a long way from home. She has a 3.8 GPA and 28 ACT, class president, choir president, Best Buddies president, etc., highly involved in local theatre and leads Praise Teams at church and small groups at Youth for Christ.</p>

<p>Since this change in her college plans was unexpected, she will have to make a decision w/o the opportunity to visit either school, and that's a little scary, but we know it will all work out. </p>

<p>If anyone has any opinions on which school would be a good fit for her or can tell me about these Majors (Including internship opportunities), we would be so appreciative. Thank you!</p>

<p>I know several kids at Biola, and their families, that really like it. Their kids sound like yours ( and she REALLY sounds like my daughter, but my D is not at Biola). No personal experience though.</p>

<p>A young lady from our church transferred to Azusa Pacific this year, as a theater major, music minor (voice performance). She’s a lovely singer and person and was also looking for a good theater/music program with a Christian atmosphere. She LOVES it! She had been very involved with our youth choir programs, performing solos and lead roles in our musicals. Our church has very high-level music and theater opportunities, so if Azusa Pacific was a good fit for her, I’ll bet your D would love it. It does have a good reputation for music, and not just in church circles. You can major in church music, performance, education, etc. They also have study abroad specifically for church music (Martha’s Vinyard or Australia). A minor in theater is available, with courses in drama ministry. I can’t speak to Biola from experience, but most church music folks around here would recommend Azusa Pacific.</p>

<p>APU is about to launch BFAs in acting and musical theater. It’s your best bet. Biola does not have a theater program of consequence.</p>

<p>This is all such good information, we really appreciate your advice and help.</p>

<p>My son will be attending Biola in the Fall. He’s been accepted into their Cinema/Media Arts (film) as well as Torrey Honors Institute (Great Books program). He’s pretty much grown up on their campus through the many outreaches they have to kids in the community as well as home-school programs. We love Biola. Biola does require students (and faculty) to sign a statement of faith, where-as Azusa requires it from their faculty, though not students. My ds’ girl friend has been accepted into their Music and Torrey Honors. I’d be happy to answer any questions I’m able to.</p>

<p>Irene, congrats to your son regarding the media arts program! How competitive is it, in terms of admission? I believe you have to be admitted to Biols before the media arts app. is reviewed. Also, do you know anything about their men’s soccer program?</p>

<p>Thank you Shinkrap :). He’s quite excited to go. In terms of admission to the college, I really haven’t looked at the numbers lately, and since my ds has a great GPA/SAT the concern has mostly been over him getting the highest merit based scholarships possible. He hasn’t been interested in any other college except Chapman, and had decided against that for a few reasons. It’s not terribly competitive to get in the college, imo (you can find the info easily on their website). As for the cinema/media arts major, less than 50% who apply are accepted. And yes, you do have to be admitted to Biola before acceptance into the cinema/media arts dept. Their Honors program also is naturally competitive as well. Sorry - I don’t know anything about their men’s soccer program.</p>

<p>Did your son submit a portfolio or anything?</p>

<p>No portfolio for the college itself, but he did submit a work for cinema/media arts major. Since he is an aspiring screenwriter, he submitted a screenplay he’d written.</p>

<p>Ah ! My son has been working on a script for television! He also does a lot of design work for his schools newspaper and yearbook.Do you know how they calculate GPA? Do they include religion classes? Do they superscore SAT’s? Freshman and senior year? Also, how do the kids feel abort the three times a week chapel? My son’s current school is once a week chapel.</p>

<p>Ok, I’ll stop now.</p>

<p>Does your ds plan to major in the same area? Is he in high school or college?</p>

<p>GPA is uw. Each student graduates with a minor in Bible. Yes, they superscore SAT’s (just looked up the def. for that…). I’m not sure what you’re asking about freshman and senior year. I haven’t heard anything negative from the kids we know about the chapel requirements.</p>

<p>Oops! I mean do they include religion, freshman and sophomore grades in the admission GPA?( My son has taken a LOT of religion/Bible classes). With regard to majors, he vacillates between majoring in “acting”, and engineering as his “back up plan”, also interested in “something in physics”. I know there is a 3+2 plan that would be great if he perused engineering. I told him if he wants to pursue “acting” on television, he needs some marketable skills as well. He is a junior in HS, so we are still waiting for this to evolve.</p>

<p>Do they include ‘religion classes’ taken in high school in the GPA? If I’m understanding your question correctly, then the answer is yes :). They also include p.e. and electives. If you’re interested/think your son may be interested at all in Biola, you can find a Merit based scholarship calculator on their website. You enter his GPA and SAT/ACT scores. Oh, and yes, they include all four years into the GPA.</p>