I have a strong interest in theatre, dance, and music, not so much visual arts. What are the BSs with the strongest performing arts programs?
Look at Mercersburg Academy. It has a greats arts program and a beautiful new facility. My daughter is a dancer and their program has more dance than the other schools we looked at. You can dance or do theatre instead of a required sport also!
Choate’s arts program is well-known and offers an arts concentration:
The Paul Mellon Arts Center is outstanding and is currently undergoing a large addition and renovation:
@ChoatieMom, yes arts at Choate are very good. Also loomis!
https://www.loomischaffee.org/arts/overview
Walnut hill school, Natick, MA.
It is basically a day/boarding art school.
Interlochen and Walnut Hill have the strongest arts programs.
If the OP wants to do all three arts listed—theatre, dance, and music—I’m not sure if Walnut Hill is the best choice because students there have to choose a major, and due to scheduling issues, it is difficult to take a class in another major.
BERKSHIRE!!!
@GGNewton @CaliMex I just looked up Interlochen and Walnut Hill. It looks they have really amazing arts programs, but are their academics equally as good? I actually currently attend performing arts school, and the academics leave something to be desired, which is why I’m leaving for high school.
Also @CAClover doing all three isn’t a big priority for me. I think it depends on which area I’m strongest and have progressed the most in when admissions time comes.
George School is worth a look, especially for theater. Lots of kids do music and dance, but I think dance may have more of a modern focus.
Film and visual arts are strong but that’s less interesting to you.
These are all programs that fit into the IB program so couldbe compatible with your academic interests.
The Masters School: https://www.mastersny.org/arts/performing-arts
Most BS have a program that is good enough for most students. There might be cases where a student has done professional productions their talent in a specific field, whether it’s music, theatre, art or film really goes beyond what most schools can offer. In those cases, it is often due to early exposure. Some kids chose to attend a high school that specializes in the arts but they often sacrifice elsewhere due to time constraints. We know a number of kids who chose to attend a great “arts specialty school” for example and they knew that is the direction they were going to go. There are many who will argue that the academics are fine or even great at these places but you just don’t have enough time in the day and if you want to do theatre and multivariable calculus in high school you are going to have to make choices. Also, a close friend of mine who attended a well known arts school ( not BS) near Boston always regretted not going to a more general school once she went to nursing school. Her tract took her into a professional dance company but didn’t give her the chemistry basics once she changed tracks. She didn’t even have basic chemistry as dance was essentially her " major" in high school.
I think as a parent I would seriously consider the pros and cons of going down any path so early. It was certainly something parents have to think about even if it’s a math and science academy. Kids can often change paths and as a parent, I want to support my kids’ interests but also want to know that if they suddenly discover an interest in a disparate thing that they don’t have to change schools or wait till college.
Also, if you are looking at the theater program check out an actual production. We noticed at one school that was considered “artsy” that the visual arts were sorely lacking versus two other schools which didn’t talk up their programs as much. The second two had many national arts winners, however. So don’t just listen to the school. Talk to people in the field. Are they familiar with the school and its program? How many go on to related college programs. Is there just one teacher leading the entire program? How long have they been there?
If you were a sports kids you’d check out how many wins they had for your sport. As an arts person, you have to check the claims as well. Most of these schools have excellent programs. But check it out.
@4everstressed Check the curriculum esp. upper level courses, check the SAT scores and matriculations, and check the time spent for the average student. I think you will find there is not enough time in the day. There are always going to be good stories of kids who went to specialty schools and went on to great colleges. But there may be many others who find they have less doors available to walk through when they go to college. Also, some programs at these schools don’t even allow the student to change between specialties. If you are a dance person you cannot change to theater and vice versa.
@4everstressed I was concerned about the rigor of the academic classes at Walnut Hill, Idyllwild, and Interlochen when my daughter applied to all three as an eighth-grader. She toured and interviewed at Walnut Hill and Idyllwild (in southern California), but we didn’t make it to Interlochen for an interview. My daughter is in her second year at Walnut Hill, and I think the academic classes are demanding and rigorous. I have no complaint at all about the academics; they require quite a bit of writing and reading and general studying. My daughter takes six academic classes per year, three in each semester. The four visual arts classes she takes each semester are in the afternoons between 2:00 and 5:20, for the most part, with one afternoon per week being required open studio between 2:00 and 4:00. The other majors have similar schedules, but I think music majors have a required Saturday morning commitment at the New England Conservatory in Boston. When students apply to the school, a portfolio for visual arts and the writing program is required; an audition is required for theater, dance, and music majors. If you look on the website at the courses listed and the requirements for graduation, you will see how advanced the courses are in each subject. I can’t imagine someone being in the situation of not taking chemistry before graduation because two lab science courses are required for graduation. A student could take biology and physics, and skip chemistry, but that would be the student’s choice. I want my daughter to meet all the requirements for applying to competitive University of California campuses, so she’s taking in the sciences biology, chemistry, and physics.
Also, you can look at college matriculation lists on the website as well, and you’ll see a mix of music conservatories, art colleges, and mostly standard liberal arts colleges and universities. Our tour guide was a student who enrolled as a dance major but after an injury switched to visual arts. It is possible to switch majors, but mostly it is uncommon. As a visual arts major, my daughter is drawn also to writing, film, and media arts courses. She mostly must stick with her visual arts classes (along with the academic classes), but as a senior she will have three electives and plans to take creative writing as one. She also writes for the school newspaper occasionally. I also read an article from a student who had graduated as a dance major and was premed in college and accepted to a medical school. Students who immerse themselves in an art field don’t all necessarily pursue the art as a major in college or as a career, and going to Walnut Hill doesn’t prevent them from choosing a STEM major in college. The best thing to do is pore over the classes and requirements on the schools’ websites and then visit the schools. Ask these questions. I did when I spoke with someone in admissions. Questioning academic rigor at an art school is a natural question, but one I think you will find has reassuring answers, especially at Walnut Hill.
@Happytimes2001 Are the arts programs more demanding than several varsity sports? Just wondering because of your comment about theatre and multivariable calculus…
Choate has always been known for strong arts. Hotchkiss is particularly strong in music.
@4everstressed - not sure if you identify as female but if you do, have you checked out Emma Willard and Miss Porter’s. They have amazing Arts programs. Also dance companies. We were also very impressed by the Arts programs and dance at SPS. Good luck!