@halflokum just going to step in and correct something that I’ve seen you say a few times now, probably just because it is relatively new so you didn’t know. Emerson did used to have a program where they started large and then cut to a specific number, one of the last true cut systems.
But when I visited last weekend, and in my own reconnaissance work, I learned more. They have officially done away with the cuts. The current seniors, the class of 2017, were the last Emerson MT class to go through the standard cut system, meaning there is no longer any redirects or arbitrary cuts in place. In fact, Emerson’s MT class ranges between 14-18 now, starting at freshman year. In fact, as I was told last weekend, currently the Junior class is 14, the sophomore class is 12 and the freshman class is 16. So definitely a small and intimate program
I agree with what you said about ithaca and Syracuse not being necessarily small programs though, especially because of the integration of the MT and Actig classes together which count as a big class, therefore making it a bigger program
@MTmom2017 - as you say, the key is finding out what YOU (meaning the kid, the family, whatever) want, and go with it. There is no program that is perfect for everyone. @halflokum and I were having a conversation earlier this evening as to why our kids each refused to audition for a particular “tippy top/lotto school” type program (it was a different one for each of us). NYU isn’t for everyone b/c NO school is for everyone.
@JaneDo - I don’t think we (parents, CC, whatever) will ever get the math perfect and be TRULY able to determine what programs are “most” selective… and even if we could- would it really matter? Brown’s acceptance rate (9.3%) is almost 2x harvard’s (5.4%) does that mean the education is only half as good as Harvard? What about Cornell? It’s 14.7%acceptance … how can it be of ANY value? (In case you are missing it- HEAVY sarcasm intended) I don’t think smaller, or more “selective” (whatever that means) necessarily makes a program more intense, or better…
@Monkeiiboy, no, you haven’t seen me say anything about a cut system at Emerson a few times and in fact you’ve never once read anything from me about that other than to correct the record. I am not referring to the former cut system at all. I am completely aware of the fact that they no longer cut and on the contrary, I myself have corrected others in this forum on that point more than once back when no one was talking about the Emerson program here other than me. I have always been a huge fan of the Emerson program and remain so. I think it’s a terrific program in a very very cool school.
What I was referring to is that in the first two years at Emerson, BA acting track students are in classes with the BFA students.In the second two years the BFA students (acting or MT) continued in studio specific classes which the BA students are excluded from. That is what I meant about a larger group in the beginning.
Now if you want to correct me on that with respect to the BA program being in with the BFAs, I’ll welcome the correction if that’s no longer how the program works. I could absolutely be wrong about that now and will applaud the correction as I do care about posting correctly. But I’m not wrong about that being how it used to work. I’m positive about that.
PS: Just got this edit in in time. I see you have committed to Emerson. Congratulations! Good pick. Huge fan.
@halflokum whoops I am so sorry that is my bad, I misinterpreted! I thought the conversation was aimed at specifically MT programs, and thought your comment about starting large and getting smaller was only referring to the MT program, completely forgetting that there is a bit of a blend that first year at Emerson. Did not mean to insinuate you were spreading misinformation. Nor did I mean to come across condescending or sound like I was accusing you, as I realize it sounded a bit that way.
It is my understanding that you are correct! Though I believe that sophomore year is when the break off between MT and the other general TAP majors begins, it happens in earnest in junior year.
@Monkeiiboy no worries. I was momentarily thrown by your your saying you needed to “correct comments I’ve made a few times now”. Huh? I barely post now. My record with respect to anything I’ve ever said about your amazing future college is CLEAN! I love Emerson and no, that’s not where my daughter went to school but I still think so highly of Emerson and even did even back in her day when the cut system was in place. I did mean that the pool is larger in the beginning because the curriculum in the first couple of years includes theater students outside of the BFA. And I see that as an additional strength of the program BTW.
@MTmom2017 well stated. Sometimes I think in all these CC discussions - what the kids want gets lost in the process. It doesn’t matter where the parents think they should apply or attend - it’s up to the kids - they have to go where they feel is a fit for them. Sometimes that is not where they end up starting!
I applaud those high school students who read and participate in these forums. Sometimes we parents are so passionate and have such strong opinions about certain programs, it must be daunting to read and try and jive the students’ thoughts and opinions with those expressed here.
So to those students reading. Trust yourself. You know what is best for you better than anyone else. Don’t be swayed by the views you read on CC. Informed, perhaps, but trust that you really do know what is best for you.
@milmom2 Do you know someone who got their Tisch studio placement yesterday? My D got an email last night which was just a teaser - it said “Your studio placement is …” Literally there were three dots. Then the email went on to say most placements will come out next week and some may take “a couple of months.”
@tabers What a strange way to word an email. I sometimes think the colleges (or at least admins in the office) have no idea the stress these student go through. Tisch is an excellent school, so congratulations to your D!
@tabers Judging from the Tisch admitted students FB group, most kids got their assignments but my D also got the email that yours did, as did some others on that group according to my D. A couple of months is ludicrous. They can’t really expect the kids to commit without an assignment. I called this morning and was told that the person who sent the email is now out of the office but I should email. No one else seemed to know about it? The email they got last week said they’d have assignments by the 15th. It didn’t say that they might possibly have to wait a “couple of months.” I’d suggest you call too. Maybe they will hurry up and finish then?
@tabers Seriously?! That is just mean. I would have thought NYU Tisch would be classier than that. They have to know that these kids (and those on the waitlist) are hanging on every word from them re: their placements and making final decisions.
It seems to me the way that many of the school notify is strange. We have had the most poorly worded emails…one where D was jumping up and down with excitement one minute, only to reread it and see that it was actually a redirect. Oh well, just one more reason we are happy to be done with this soon. I’m hoping to finally have something to say in “final decisions”! It has been a long time coming!!
@Spike27@daughtersdreams@momto2artists - The subject line of the email said “Tisch Drama Studio Placement” - only when my D opened it did she see, “Your studio placement is …” I thought it was in poor taste, but held my tongue because I don’t want my D to focus on something that, at the end of the day, is largely unimportant. I did call Tisch myself and was told “studio placements will come out April 15.” When I mentioned the fact that supposedly some students had already learned their placement, and last night’s email said others may take months, the person I spoke to repeated, “studio placements will come out April 15.” So, not much help there. Good luck to everyone still waiting.
@JaneDo, I think it’s important to realize that smaller does not equal more nurturing and intimate in a positive way and that larger does not equal not nurturing and not intimate. There were several programs that my D chose not to apply to that are small but she felt (rightly or wrongly–it was just her view through research and talking with people involved in programs) did not have the professionally demanding yet nurturing, individual-focused, and positive intimate atmosphere she was focused on finding.
There is absolutely no one size fits all. My D is perfectly happy with the size of her program (which normally has around 24 matriculate each year into MT but have had more accept the last 2 years–about 54 her year and 35 last year). She was initially concerned when she realized how many decided to attend her program her year, but her concerns were put to rest by her local coaches, national coach, and the program faculty who assured her that the individual focus and quality of training would remain the same. They were right. She has found that the studio and class sizes are still exactly what she was looking for: tiny, individual-focused (which is a main goal of her school), intimate, and nurturing while professionally demanding. She has also found that she enjoys the larger number of connections and choices in social settings, both huge positives to her. While casting for main stage might be a bit more challenging (although she was cast as the lead in a musical freshman year), there are still opportunities, there is possibly even greater motivation to create work (which I think is beneficial at this stage), and it is more like real life. Others are happy with a smaller setting. It’s all individual with each person and each program.
@mtheatremom my daughter received her acceptance to Univ of AZ about 2 weeks ago. It wasn’t a MT acceptance but a deferral to Acting with $$ to go with it. I’d say a phone call would be the next step.
I think the Tisch studio notification thing is clearly a mistake. They always come out together. Something went wrong with the email. A mail merge glitch. I mean Tisch can and will do plenty of things that will irk you but this one would be beyond stupid if deliberate. The pp you spoke with don’t know what to make of it yet either so they are sticking to the script. I expect it will be corrected well before the 15th - hopefully today. Sorry for those of you that still don’t know and feel like they are taunting you. I can’t for a second think they’d be that tone deaf. They want you to be excited about your admission and about your studio. This has to be a mistake.
My record with respect to anything I’ve ever said about your amazing future college is CLEAN! I love Emerson and no, that’s not where my daughter went to school but I still think so highly of Emerson and even did even back in her day when the cut system was in place. I did mean that the pool is larger in the beginning because the curriculum in the first couple of years includes theater students outside of the BFA. And I see that as an additional strength of the program BTW.