@twoboysandadog - What a great story! Congrats on Chapman; it truly sounds like a perfect fit.
This is one of my favorite threads, it is so fascinating to hear the journeys and I know they can be VERY helpful to those in the following years. I am just catching up and enjoying the ride.
@Griffilus - Congratulations on Elon, such a great program! Thanks for sharing your story and kudos to you and your son for using CC and creating a great list and finding a super match. I am so happy for you. I love reading these stories.
Thanks @FourStars!! Can’t wait to hear your final decision story, too!!
Hi Griffilus! Congrats on Elon! Great choice! I am intriqued by your list. I have an incoming senior. We too are looking at Western Carolina, SCAD and Coastal Carolina. We like that they have a strong film program as well. Did you audition on campus for those 3 or at Unifieds? Any specific thoughts and impressions?
I noticed Florida schools on your list? What was your experience with the FL schools?
Hi @thespis1! My S thought the program at Western Carolina was good (Terrance Mann teaches a masterclass and also directs a spring show) but he felt it was too isolated for him. The campus is gorgeous but you are surrounded by mountains in a small town and there isn’t anything close by. He was very interested in SCAD because he wants to do film but the information we learned about costs and scholarships from financial aid during a tour was very different than what was offered after the audition and acceptance. Significantly different in SCAD’s favor. Some of the fine print in the scholarship was also a little shady so that one was crossed off the list quickly. My S didn’t pass the prescreen for Coastal but he has friends that go there and like it.
I won’t say which Florida school but one he auditioned at was a horrible experience. We went for a tour and he loved the campus and the atmosphere and it went to the top of his list. The audition was the complete opposite. The faculty were rude and mean and the current students only interacted with each other. No info session, no introduction, no seeing the facilities. When the auditions started, they were told to walk in to the room, say their monologues and leave. No asking questions and the auditors wouldn’t ask them questions. My S said thank you and tried to shake one of the auditor’s hands as he was leaving and she physically pulled away from him and refused. He came out and said he didn’t care if he got accepted or not; no way was he going there. We heard that from other students and parents, too. We drove 7 hours just for that. The other Florida schools were good but my S just didn’t get the vibe he was looking for.
My S did all on campus auditions. It was tough with all the travel but I think it helped to see the campus and the facilities and meet the current students.
Hope this helps!
@Griffilus! Thanks for feedback! These details really help narrow down choices. So important to feel sone love and a warm welcome from the university. Isnt Western Carolina close to town of Asheville…Its a pretty artsy town? Were you able to audition for both Elon and Western Carolina at same weekend? What are you excited most about Elon?
Congratulations! Elon is a top program, a beautiful campus, and a really great student community.
Thanks @Holden2016! We just got back from the admitted BFA Acting event this weekend and it was great! Really confirms that S made the right choice 
@thespis1 Western Carolina is about an hour away from Asheville. Asheville is a great town. There just wasn’t much in Cullowhee, NC - stores, restaurants, etc. I worked with someone who was born in that area and she said that, when it snowed, it was hard to get out so travel was limited.
My S actually did audition at both the same weekend. His first Western Carolina audition was cancelled because of bad weather so it was rescheduled. His Elon audition was all day on Friday, we drove about 4 hours to Cullowhee, and then the WC audition was Saturday morning. It was a long weekend!
My S was looking for a great BFA acting program that also was good academically in case he wanted to get his masters in the future. Elon is a great academic university. The BFA audition was all day, which my S preferred because he felt like that gave Elon a chance to know him and for him to get to know them. Everyone was so warm and welcoming that day. About the actual program, he likes that the faculty have lots of experience, continue to actively work professionally, encourage the students to work professionally during the summer, and help them find work. My S is an actor who sings and dances a little. With Elon, he can still take voice and dance. He can minor in design and production and dance if he wants. The small class size is also appealling. My S will get individualized attention and the opportunity to perform often. The BFA Acting program also has a London semester during the junior year where they take acting, stage combat, etc. from professionals in London and experience the London theatre scene. There are just so many positives about Elon. We just got back from the admitted BFA acting weekend and it just confirmed for my S that this was the best program for him. They brought in an Elon grad from NYC, who has been on Chicago, P.D, Law and Order, Marshall, and more and he was very excited about his experience at Elon and how he still uses that training everyday.
@Griffilus - That sounds like he’s perfectly placed. Congratulations to your S!
Thanks @CaMom13!!
Thanks, Griffilus! Your story is very encouraging as we do not have a coach either. Elon sounds perfect. We are hoping to apply to both musical theater and acting program at several universities. Narrowing the choice is challenging though. Since you live in South Carolina, do you have the scoop on Coastal Carolina. It seems more affordable and caught our eye?
@thespies1- my advice (since you are applying to both MT and acting) is to apply to prescreens schools very early. The response for us (my S wasn’t sure whether to apply to MT with weak dance or to Acting with strong singing). The prescreen were unanimous that he should pursue the acting path. That saved us a lot of MT auditions.
@MomofJ5 My ds is a strong singer/actor but working hard on dance. But ultimatety he wants to be able to do film and television as well as stage. He is also a gifted writer so hoping to do a minor in screenwriting. He knows what he wants but it’s so hard to find a flexible program. So ultimately he would be fine with a BFA in acting or even a BA in theater as long as he can audition for musicals and can access training for dancing and singing. My confusion is do we have to apply to both programs separately? I heard some kids audition for MT and the programs ask if they want to be consider for acting? Should you wait to apply to BA or apply to all 3 programs (BFA Acting, MT, BA Theater) at the same time?
@thespis1 Have you looked at Chapman? Their Screen Acting BFA requires you to take production classes within Dodge and you can also minor in something at Dodge too. My son is also interested in writing and wanted a flexible program. He plans to minor in Television at Dodge, which includes several writing classes. I don’t know about the dance and vocal though. They do not have an MT program so I don’t know how easy it would be to find that training. As for which program to apply for, it depends on the school. This is the Final Decisions thread. Looks like there’s a new thread for 2023 where you could post his list and get specific application/prescreen info as to each program.
@thespis1 I will have my S talk with his Coastal friends to get the scoop. About applying to both MT and acting, Elon actually discourages that. It is on the FAQ section of their website and they reiterated that during the performing arts session. They said that they want the students to apply to where they would truly be happy artistically and not use another option as a backup in case they don’t get into the BFA program they want. They said that, only if the student would truly be happy with either MT or Acting, is when they would encourage it. They did also say that you always have the option to take acting, voice, dance, and design/production classes regardless of major. My S is an actor first, singer second, and dancer a distant third. He does musicals but acting is his forte. He does plan on taking voice and dance classes at Elon so he can keep those skills up. Also, all BFA Acting majors can audition for musicals and dance performances.
@thespis1, my D auditioned for both MT and Acting programs. At some schools, they are completely separate programs and you have to apply to each program, submit separate prescreens and do separate auditions. University of Michigan and University of Oklahoma are examples. At some schools (like CMU, Penn State and Ithaca), you just indicate when you are applying that you want to be considered for both programs.
@VASkydog , I’m curious about VCU. I thought their BFA in acting program was audition after sophomore year? Also, does anyone have any info. on this acting program? It looks great. Especially for someone who wants the opportunity to participate in MT performances.
Are many of you rejecting the tisch waitlist?
@actingmommy88 My S did not apply to Tisch.