<p>Hi there;
It's my first post here, and I'm excited to have found this great site!</p>
<p>So, here's my question: How do people decide on which schools to look at? How did you/your child begin choosing schools to consider? I've been looking at websites of schools but they all seem the same to me... My parents have been nagging me about a list of schools that I'm interested in, but I'm just not sure where to begin. Does anyone have a good baseline of schools they could recommend? I'm up for anything: conservatory or major, BFA or BA, and really any part of the country.</p>
<p>Just a little background: I'm a junior in high school, I'm female, and my <em>dream</em> school is UMich. I have near a 4.0 and I test well. I go to school very close to Webster University, and I take voice at the conservatory.</p>
<p>I would suggest that you make a list of what you are looking for in a schools. You mention the UMich is your "dream" school. What about that program (other then the fact that graduates tend to be successful) interests you. Really list on a piece of paper what you want in a school. Do you want a school with a broader based educational component, or a program where you will not take many classes outside of your major? Is it important to you to be able to audition to perform freshman year or not? Are you looking for a program that has a weight towards a specific area of training (acting/ singing/ dancing), or a school where it is more spread out across the areas. Do you want a large school or a small school.... ?</p>
<p>I went to a VERY small HS. So I knew I wanted a school that was bigger that had a good theatre or MT program and more cultural diversity that my HS. Even though I wanted more conservatory based training I wanted a school that was not a conservatory because I wanted to interact with students from all majors... math, science, engineering, etc.... </p>
<p>There are programs that will fit your desires in terms of educational environment. The more specific you can be in terms of the range of possibilities for you, the clearer you will be about the programs that are right for you.</p>
<p>When I was applying to MT schools there were very few..... now there are so many programs that offer strong training, the options are far greater! :)</p>
<p>These are all good questions to consider. Make a short list of possible schools and VISIT them. On the visit you will no doubt get a MUCH better idea about what you like and don't like about the schools. You will learn the questions to ask. You will end up with a better framework by which to evaluate all the schools you might consider over the next year! Good luck!</p>
<p>Besides visiting (which is the best thing to do), talk to someone attending or who recently attended. Some of the best information you can get is directly from the students. Also, don't hesitate to post a specific question on one of the school forums. Finally, while most high school guidance offices don't provide much help with selecting a performing Arts college they will be able to assist with applications, essay's, schoolarship and Financial Aid information.</p>