<p>What is your first choice? PP or BoCo. Which one seems most suitable for you. If money isn't necessarily the problem shoot for the instinct.</p>
<p>does anyone know anything about shenandoah?</p>
<p>OKMOM: My daughter auditioned last year and was accepted into Shenandoah for MT. ( She decided on UMICH) Many moons ago, I graduated form there in Piano Performance and Music Therapy. Even back then the musicals were stellar. I can't say enough about how wonderful the school is,also the town and its people. They are very much family oriented type of school. The MT director I knew way back when has just retired last spring, but the new director, I also know and is just as wonderful. I know Shenandoah will take care of your voice even from the freshman year. Everyone is required to audition for all musicals, even the freshmen. I believe if you are also interested in the operas, you may be able to be in those, as well. My D loved it in Winchester when we visited, and had we lived a bit closer, she may have decided to attend. You won't go wrong with Shenandoah.</p>
<p>I am making the tough choice between Boston Conservatory and CAP 21...I have been made aware the Boco is much more intensive, but CAP 21 seems to have more options for diversity of training. Any advice would be wonderful!</p>
<p>You may also want to consider the academic environment that best meets your needs and wants. (In addition to the theater training)</p>
<p>Jasmom, you are ever so right. At the beginning of this year, the answer would likely have been Cap21 without a question if finances are in place and there no outstanding issues to consider. But now having spoken to a number of kids, there are advantages to both depending on the kid. The thing that really stands out is that you will be taking regular classes at NYU for two days a week (I think that is the schedule, memory fading). For some kids that is a big plus, as this is what they want, and they may even be a little concerned about going all MT. But some are done with school for now. They are truly done with the academics, and want to spend the next however many years on theatre and everything related to it. No more school in the traditional sense. They want total immersion. In such a case, Boco would be the better fit.</p>
<p>That's the thing that is drawing me to CAP 21...all of the academic options. Although, I recently spoke to a drama student at NYU and he actually recommended Boston Conservatory musical theater over CAP. I value academic options, but above all, I want the best musical theater training. I'm hearing great things about the intensity of training and the success of alumni from Boston Conservatory. It's such a dilemma...</p>
<p>okmom,
My daughter is a hs freshman very interested in MT. Over Spring break we visited Elon (saw the "Grand Night for Singing") the 1st weekend and Shenandoah the second weekend. Elon wows you with a gorgeous campus and talented, dedicated students. The show was very good. Many of the voices were very good as was the dancing. The tour of the school is very impressive.
Shenandoah's campus is not nearly as nice. As far as general academics are concerned, Elon is the more challenging school. But Shenandoah's Conservatory facilities are fantastic. And the MT curriculum at Shenandoah is much more to my daughter's and my liking. Shenandoah requires two years of music theory and eartraining as well as two years of piano, no matter what your piano level is. Shenandoah requires a minimum of eight semester courses of both dance and acting. Also eight semesters of private voice lessons.<br>
I was impressed with the discussion at Shen. about freshman being trained vocally a mix of 80% classical and 20% MT. Those %'s change during the school time so by the senior year it is close to 80%MT and 20% classical.<br>
Given all the MT related courses, Shen requires a small amount of core curriculum. Elon requires many more hours of core curriculum but does not require near the theory, ear training, voice, dance or acting courses. I'm surprised that Elon's degree is a BFA, but I probably don't understand the BFA/BA concept completely.
I know Elon is excellent and I would be proud for my daughter to go there. But by the end of the visits my daughter came to the conclusion that at Shenendoah she would be required to work more in the fields that she knows are important to what she wants to do(music, dance, acting) and therefore thinks she would prefer Shenandoah, at least at this point between these two schools.
There are so many factors that determines the "right" school for the students. Two very important factors should be the school's specific MT curriculum and the quality of the curriculum instruction. I believe Shen and Elon both have high quality instructors. Both my d and I believe the MT curriculum at Shen is one of the best.</p>
<p>jamimom, while it's true that Tisch kids take classes on the two days of the week that they aren't in studio, these classes are also drama-based classes unless they're double majoring. Similar classes are also on BOCO's curriculum, as are liberal arts classes. There are, if I'm not mistaken, 18 credits of L.A. classes required at BOCO.</p>
<p>broadwaygoon, congrats on your acceptances! I guess it's nice to have this difficult choice. Have a look at the schedules for both. I think you'll see that both are intensive programs, I doubt that one will be that much different than the other. Check the faculty credentials and bios. Speak to students if you can but don't take the word of one student as gospel, on ANY topic actually. :) Have you visited both? You have two good options. I wish you the best at whichever you decide upon.</p>
<p>Saturday at the Square at NYU was wonderful. I talked to several students and they seemed to love the Cap21 program. I have to make my decision this week and I'm still having a really hard time. I've done as much research on all the schools as I think I can. I do still have some questions about NYU..so if any of you know the answers it would be great!</p>
<p>I've heard about a lot of "tension" between departments within Tisch. Is this really that big of a deal? Do the Cap21 students get along and work as an ensemble? </p>
<p>Do undergrads or graduate students ever teach the classes? </p>
<p>Any more votes on NYU, Elon, or Miami?? Haha thanks guys.</p>
<p>Broadwaygoon, congrats on your great choices! Were you at the Saturday in the Square event this past weekend? I know two people trying to decide between BOCO and Cap21 as well. Good luck with everything!</p>
<p>Boston Conservatory vs. other schools - One of you is comparing to Point Park, the other to CAP 21. We have not visited Boston, so I don't know much about it, but it seems that way back on this forum someone said they have a "cut" system. I'd probably never be able to find this posting again, but I'd recommend that you check into this. I believe that Point Park and NYU do not have cut systems. All of these seem to be excellent choices, and I'm sure you can't go wrong, so good luck!</p>
<p>Yes, I've been reading the threads from the beginning (again) and I read that Boco starts with a group of 50 and then culls it down (naturally and not) to half or less than that. I'm sorry that I can't remember which number thread it was on.</p>
<p>If you go to the BoCo website you can read the academic policies and regulations regarding promotion to the 3rd year of MT study. All MT students are formally evaluated at the end of their 3rd semester for promotion or dismissal from the program. However, students can be placed on probation anytime during their first 3 semesters. If faculty do not feel the situation has improved sufficiently, students can be dismissed after the probationary semester. Sounds like some students are asked to leave freshman year and some during the sophomore year. The information I read on the website makes the process sound fairly benign, but I seem to remember hearing that of the 50 students entering the MT program as freshmen, only about half graduate.</p>
<p>As some of you know, my D had been accepted into the MT program at American only to be rejected by admissions. She appealed and yesterday got a reply that she is accepted!</p>
<p>This has been quite an education. One thing that I've learned is that the schools were not prepared for the numbers of applicants this year. I have repeatedlyl heard that across the board, this has been the most competitive year ever.</p>
<p>newmtmom...
What great news to hear of your happy ending! She must be so happy!
Thanks for updating us all!</p>
<p>Newmtmom--
You and your D have certainly been through a great deal. Now, it is celebration time. I've heard such great things about American and I'm certain that your D will enjoy every minute. Wonderful!</p>
<p>CONGRATS to newmtmom and her daughter!! :)</p>
<p>I talked to a student at Boco, and she said that, although students are put on probation, if you're doing your work you should be fine...there isn't any type of specific "quota" they need to cut.</p>
<p>I couldn't be at the Saturday in the Square for Tisch...travel was difficult.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone for the advice....I'm so honored to have to choose between these schools but it makes my decision harder because, either way, there is a sacrifice.</p>
<p>CONGRATULATIONS! newmtmom and d.
That is so exciting. I admire your perseverence - when things turned around, you and your d looked for guidance and continued to explore all possibilities. Now it is time to celebrate all that hard work!</p>
<p>Newmtmom - I'm so happy for you and your D! What a relief...enjoy! </p>
<p>Boco does have a jury at the end of the 3rd semester (mid-way through your sophmore year) and that they put you on probabtion if need be, but don't actually cut until the end of the year. I've also heard that if you are doing your work, you should be fine, but don't have any first hand knowledge. What I really appreciate is that BOCO is having a get together next Monday for newly admitted students at someone's home near our home (we are in So. Cal) with an admissions counselor on hand to answer questions, get to know other incoming students, etc. It seems to be a very small MT world as my D knows kids going either to BOCO or to other schools in Boston from the CMU summer program, as well as kids from the L.A. area. She already knows people that she will be flying back and forth with. Another reason to go to a summer program such as CMU. They have all stayed in touch and plan on connecting up once again. Puts a worried Mom's mind at ease.</p>