<p>Hey everybody! This is my first time using this site so I'm not exactly sure if I'm even putting this question in the right spot but this is a question to anyone who has applied/been accepted/has graduated/or is interested in pursuing musical theatre. Anybody who has a legitimate opinion that they can back up!</p>
<p>I am lucky enough to have been accepted to Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory for musical theatre and I'm very very confused about which program is right for me. I completely understand that many will say that "it depends on you and what you want in a school" and I agree. But I'd really like to know anyone's objective opinions on which program is better... based on alumni, connections, training, things like that. Which school do you think is the better choice for musical theatre training?</p>
<p>Thanks I'll appreciate anybody's help and comments!</p>
<p>You must be very talented and are to be immensely congratulated. </p>
<p>First question and most important question - have you visited both campuses. You have to know how the campuses "feel" to you. </p>
<p>Second, what about money? Has CCM offered you a scholarship (Cincinnatus?) Does that matter to you? CMU is VERY expensive. My D was accepted to CCM for acting and with her Cincinnatus scholarship it is not that much more expensive (only about $8 to 10 thousand more) than UCLA (which she was also admitted to) which shocks me! She was also accepted to CalArts, and even though Cal Arts is in our state, CCM is SO much cheaper than Cal Arts. Somehow, CCM keeps those costs down.</p>
<p>Third, have you examined what the last 3 to 4 years alumni are doing? I believe both of these schools have alumni pages that tell you what the alumni are up to. You can get a sense of how successful the alumni have been. I think that you will find both schools' alums are very successful, but see what you can figure out.</p>
<p>Fourth, what about the people? If you can afford it, go to new student days and meet your classmates. You will be living, eating and breathing with these people for the next four years. You really need to like them. If you can't afford to do that, each schools have a facebook page for their class of 2013 mt. Get to know them on the web. Email. Talk on the phone. See what you think of their personalities, facebook pages, etc. These things will tell you a lot about a person and whether you think you will "vibe" with them.</p>
<p>Ultimately, only you can know. But these are just some of the suggestions that may get you there. Don't let what people say about one school being better sway you, because I am fairly certain you will find people in both camps. I think you will do just find whichever school you choose. Trust your instincts.</p>
<p>And if you end up at CCM, let me know.... and if my D ends up there, I'll make sure you find each other.... I'm sure the actors and the MT get to know each other!</p>
<p>Hi and congratulations ... it is a HUGE accomplishment to be admitted to the MT programs at both CCM and CMU (I guess you got into NYU Tisch, also). You must be amazingly talented.</p>
<p>But in order to provide a meaningful answer to your your question, it would be helpful to know a little bit more about you and what you hope to get out of a BFA MT program. For example, are you a boy or a girl? Are you looking for an MT program that also has a strong Acting core, or would you much prefer to focus on building your MT rep and dance skills? What do you perceive as your strengths and weaknesses? What kind of training have you had to date? Etc., etc. </p>
<p>Once you post a little bit more about yourself and your goals in pursuing a BFA MT degree, I'm sure a lot of people will jump-in to respond.</p>
<p>In the meantime, congratulations again on your successful audition cycle! I'm curious as to whether you're waiting to hear from more schools or if you were rejected from any programs. In the meantime, you should be very proud of your accomplishments.</p>
<p>The questions you asked were spot on and I wish I knew the answers clearly myself but I juggle them all the time. But i will definitely take your advice and put some more info about myself on the thread. It couldn't hurt.</p>
<p>I've had the most training in the voice area and the least experience with dance... and I love to act and feel pretty confident in that area. I want a good strong acting program but I feel like CMU may be too acting-centric for me... especially because I have no real desire to pursue film, which is a major credit of many of their alumni.</p>
<p>I'll include all that on the thread in a bit, but since you asked, yes I did get into NYU Tisch, but I don't feel like its the program for me. I also was accepted to Baldwin-Wallace, which was my backup school, so thats also out of the picture. And I'm waiting to hear from Boston Conservatory. So keeping my fingers crossed to make it 5/5, no rejections so far. The experience has been unbelievable. I'd do it again in a second. But its hard to come of the high of audition success and get into making final decisions. </p>
<p>These are two of the top schools in the country; you certainly can't go wrong in either case! When I go to see a Bway show, both schools are very well-represented in the Playbill cast credits. I do think CMU is more acting-oriented than CCM. I don't think that means you HAVE to pursue film, though. CMU does claim that they train actors for leading roles, rather than for chorus roles.</p>
<p>This is just my opinion - obviously - but I believe the vocal training at CCM is superior to CMU. Do MT majors ever ask for sample lessons from voice teachers? Preserving a healthy vocal technique as a performer is key.</p>
<p>I would choose CMU. Its singing training definitely isn't lacking...Patina Miller, Megan Hilty, and many many other actors with exceptional voices have gone there. They were probably already great when they went in, sure, but the singing training is there at the college.</p>
<p>jts, both programs are great, just go with your gut and how you feel, you seem to be leaning more towards CCM with what I read from your posts. Ultimately, like everyone has said do what you feel is best for YOU. And to correct what someone wrote above, CCM does not cut anymore. When it comes to area around the school obviously you want things to do and fun places to go but as an MT in a BFA program you will be busy and will also find amazing things to do around campus to matter where you are. I would say choose the program that is best for you and that you feel like you could spend 4 years working your butt off and choose that, the area around the campus shouldn't make your decision. Good luck, it is a tough decision but you're lucky to be in your situation!</p>
<p>I'm not sure that CCM doesn't cut. CCM acting still cuts. We know this because we just have been talking to a freshman there in CCM acting. They call it "boards". But I don't know if that only applies to Acting and not MT.</p>
<p>CCM MT was always a "cut for cause", not a "cut to number" school; it has indeed dropped the cuts entirely. There is a detailed explanation about it somewhere here on the board - most likely in the CCM dedicated thread under "MT Schools".</p>
<p>If the OP has the most voice training going in, it seems to me that he/she (did he/she say if she is a girl or a guy?) ought to strongly consider Carnegie Mellon, for the strong, strong actor training. You go to school to more strongly develop your talents, and if what you need is more actor training and dance, it seems to me that CMU (particularly for acting) makes sense.</p>
<p>Someone I know who auditioned this year at CCM and got in for MT said that at the orientation/welcome session at CCM, one of the teachers/administrators said something like "In musical theater, you can get away with less strong acting as long as you are a good singer." (Not an exact quote, but certainly an accurate rep of what the person said.) This was a big turn off for my acquaintance, who firmly (and rightly, I think!) believes that acting is THE foundation of any stage performer. A good actor with a less great voice can be riveting on stage in a way that a fabulous singer who is not a strong actor cannot. After all, musical theater is a way of telling stories, and in order for us to suspend our disbelief and believe/live into the story, the actors have to be so good that we forget that people don't just burst into song in real life. :)</p>
<p>In the end, of course, only the OP can decide between these two schools with the C's and M's in their names. I don't think he/she can go wrong with either.</p>
<p>From the general concensus I've gotten so far it seems like most people are leaning towards CMU... and that means most of you agree with me.</p>
<p>I live in Pittsburgh, have worked with the faculty, and feel like that school is a fantastic fit for me. </p>
<p>HOWEVER, I have gotten very little scholarship from CMU and CCM is much more affordable. Going to CMU may mean I could be upwards of $100,000 in debt after graduating, as opposed to $10,000, going to CCM.</p>
<p>Is going to the school that is "right" for me... The school that I feel is better worth being so much in debt????? Especially when both schools are so comparable in reputation and training?</p>
<p>My parents are extremely against the idea of taking out so much money... but it's my understanding that it isn't unheard of to take out major loans like that. Any comments? Advice?</p>
<p>Oh and I am a guy... for those of you who are wondering. haha</p>
<p>One more comment on CCM. Although I think CCM's reputation is probably strongest in voice, we heard an interesting comment from a student panel during audition day. One of the Jr. MT students indicated that most or all of the freshman would study voice with a grad student for a year. That did not sit too well with us. Her comment was "if you get in here, your voice must be pretty awesome already...", which still didn't do it for us. The wrong vocal teacher can really mess you up. As I said, these were just panel comments from a current student.</p>
<p>Not trying to be facetious, but if you are any good at math, you know the right answer to your dilemma. Even if your family is wealthy, $90,000 savings is significant.</p>
<p>jts, I would not recommend that any student take on a personal debt of $100,000, but especially not one who hopes to earn a living onstage. The average student debt is approximately $20,000 in the country, according to an article I read recently, and handling that, while not ideal, should be do-able. A debt of $100,000 is overwhelming and if you are going to have to repay this yourself, you're going to be in trouble. Financial aid guides say that you should be able to devote 10% of your gross salary to service your debt. </p>
<p>I heard of a young man recently who graduated (not a theatre major) with $120,000 in student loans. He had to renegotiate the terms of his loan because he couldn't afford the ~$1100/month payment. I don't know what recent college grad could! His new payment is ~$750/month, which is still onerous. With the renegotiated interest rate and term, he will now (if he's able to make the payments as scheduled for the term) be paying tens of thousands of dollars more than the original $120,000 loan. This is a hole that most kids will never be able to dig themselves out of, even those who are going on to lucrative, stable employment. Think long and hard before putting yourself in a position like this.</p>
<p>Also to the OP, why not talk to CMU and discuss your financial situation? Who knows there may be additional money available to you! Worth checking it out.</p>
<p>As everyone has said, it is a very, very personal choice, but I will say this, when we visited both campuses when my D went through this, CMU felt very, very welcoming, and everyone in the MT department was happy & helpful.</p>
<p>I have to agree with MTgrlsmom. My daughter loved the MT faculty and kids and has good friends in both programs. My daughter knows a boy who got into both (as well as UM and BOCO and a few more) and went and met with the MT heads of the schools on his final list (3 or 4) with his dad and ended up getting almost a free ride to CMU, where he is happy, thriving, and loving it so call not only the financial aid offices but make appointmets to go see the MT heads ( they have some great power) with your parents - it could prove to be so worth the money spent. I have heard that CMU has lots of funds when necessary. And you know both programs want you so you are in the driver's seat!</p>