<p>So I just received acceptance letters into both of Circle In The Square's summer mt program and their 2 year mt program...only problem is I am graduating in a month with my bfa and a lot of debt. According to their website, you are not eligible for financial aid if you have already attend post secondary education. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do to find the money? I've been wanting to attend this program for years, and I'd be devastated to give up the opportunity now. Unfortunately my parents do not have the money nor the credit available to sacrifice. If all else fails I figured I'd at least try and attend this summers program. Any advice greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>Your education doesn’t have to be lived in serial order. In many professions including theatre, you finish college, work for a bit and then may or may not return to school for additional training. You may discover that you can grab more out of the Circle In The Square’s opportunity once you’ve been out, working (even if working means a survival job). Many people including me go back to grad school on their own nickel after a few years out of college. When I did it I was hungry to fill in the gaps and more focused on what I needed to get out of the experience. Distance and perspective were actually my friends. I know that is not what you’re asking but it sounds like it might be where you are at so that’s the advice I’d give.</p>
<p>I might reach out to someone within your department - a professor, adviser, counselor, etc - on how you could possibly attain outside funding for a post-degree program. There are many foundations out there to help students with exactly that type of thing, though I am not entirely sure which ones fund for the arts (I’m sure they exist though!). At this stage in the year, it might be too late, but it is worth inquiring about! And as halflokum says, you don’t necessarily have to do it right away. Perhaps there is funding out there for you that you could work on getting for next year, if you were able to defer admission or re-apply.</p>