<p>Be careful with trying to extend yourself too far beyond the MT major. Even if it's technically possible to fit in "x" number of credits per term, the odds that classes will be offered at times you can actually take them is iffy. Less predictably, my d also found that MT students are expected to be available for rehearsals, changes in class times when faculty have other engagements, extra meetings, etc. at the drop of a hat. Unless the program is VERY stable and predictable, a double major may be a real challenge..</p>
<p>Bestshot is right. My D is in the honors department at Syracuse, in addition to being an MT sophomore. She's also quite interested in taking some business classes, but so far she has only been able to fit 2 honors courses into her schedule. She also has been unable to commit to a part-time job for the same reason. Although technically she has her evenings free, in reality she's tied up with rehearsals most nights until 11 p.m. (I'm told there will be more room in her schedule for electives in the next 2 years.) </p>
<p>So even though on paper it may seem possible to declare a minor, keep in mind that a MT student who is taking 19 credits is probably much busier than a history student taking the same number of credits. I know that most of our kids are highly ambitious and motivated -- but there's only so much you can cram into your schedule!</p>
<p>The above 2 posts reflect an accurate reality at most BFA MT programs. My daughter has 16.5 credits this semester but spends better than 26 hours per week in class, not including rehearsals, using practice studios for out of class preparation and crewing for shows. Plus, in most BFA MT programs, the curriculum is very structured with few electives built into the scheduled credit hours each semester. And, in my daughters case, all of her MT class sections are preassigned by the department so that the number of students in each section remains balanced. That means that both required LA courses and electives must be scheduled around a set MT schedule. Can really tend to limit options. And, at the risk of stepping into Onstages domain, even at a school like Syracuse, with all the resources a full university has to offer, the curriculum permits 8 electives outside of the department. Given the demands of the MT curriculum there (or at comparable schools), I think it would be very tough for an MT student to concentrate even the 8 electives in one particular field, with the demands of upper level course, as opposed to taking lower level less demanding courses in several fields of study.</p>
<p>Which is why I think that someone who wants great LA academics with a great MT program is better off looking at BA programs at schools known for both the quality of their academics and performing arts programs.</p>
<p>Hi - I have been reading this site for almost a year - and finally registered. My son is a HS junior and has wanted to major in music theater for about 3 years. At this point, I'm still doing more searching than he is, but he is busy developing his talent. Any suggestions for the following questions:
BFA vs BM
audition prep
SAT score importance
Thanks,
An MT mom</p>
<p>Maryhelen~
BFA vs. BM - personal preference ( A BM degree without a solid musical background might be difficult)
Audition prep - HUGE ! Probably the key component. If your S isn't already training in all 3 areas, make sure he begins now.
SAT score importance- varies from little to significant, depending on the school.</p>
<p>Hi Maryhelen,
I'll try to address your questions:</p>
<p>BFA v. BM - In general, the difference is going to be the orientation and focus of the program. A BM program is going to require many more music courses and fewer acting/theater courses. Music and music as it applies to voice will be at the core of the program. A BFA is going to focus more on acting/theater courses and be more drama based. Music and voice will be significant parts of the program but the core will be an acting/drama/theater studies focus. These are, of course, generalizations. Both types of programs can prepare a student well for musical theater. At some schools, the music department and drama department work collaboratively in structuring MT concentrations within each department and at others they are very distinct and separate programs. Your best bet is to look at the specific curricula at schools to get an in-depth sense of the differences between the programs.</p>
<p>Audition Prep - The most important thing is to start early. Keep in mind that the period of September through February of your son's senior year will be ridiculously packed with obligations and tasks to complete. Applications, teacher recommendations, school visits, auditions, audition preparation - and all the regular school responsibilities and activities. Applying to any audition based program is much more complicated and time consuming than a "normal" college application. So, the summer before his senior year is when he should be focusing on finding suitable audition material so that September through November is when he can focus on honing the material and building a solid repertoire. About mid-summer, schools come out with their apps for the upcoming year. Check the websites at the schools your son is considering so that you have a full understanding of the audition requirements - they vary from school to school. Many schools require 2 songs and 2 monologues. Anticipate needing to have 4 songs and 3 monologues audition ready, just in case your son at an audition is asked to do a second ballad, up-tempo or a 3rd monologue.</p>
<p>As far as finding materials, first, it always makes sense to talk to those teachers/ coaches who know your son and his performing strengths to get ideas. It is important that the materials be a good fit for your son. For monologues, you can use monologue books with monologues from actual plays to help narrow the field but when you think you have found some good matches, it is imperative that your son read the entire play from which the monologue comes. My daughter and I spent hours sitting on the floor of our local bookstore skimming plays and monologue books to come up with some options for her to focus on. We relied heavily on her voice teacher to assist in picking appropriate songs. It was a summer long process.</p>
<p>SAT's - The importance of SAT scores really depends on the school. There is a broad spectrum of weight attached to the "usual" academic admissions criteria at schools that offer BFA's and BM's (at BA MT schools, generally all of the typical admissions criteria apply for a MT student just as they would for any other major). At some BFA and BM schools, SAT's and academics are given marginal weight. Pure conservatory programs often fall at this end of the spectrum. At others, SAT's and academics are given equal weight with the audition. You will often find this at BFA's and BM's that are part of full universities but even there you will find great variety. Some schools take the academics and audition as part of a blended admissions process and at others, you must be admitted to the school academically in a separate process from being admitted to the program based on the audition. Then there are schools like Carnegie Mellon, a full highly regarded university, where the audition is weighted 80-90% and the academic/SAT criteria are seriously relaxed as compared to other programs there. You really need to focus in on particular schools to know the role that SAT's and academics will play.</p>
<p>Which really ties into coming up with an appropriate range of schools to which your son applies.It is important to keep in mind that there is no such thing as a "safety school" when you are talking about audition based programs. With all BFA/BM programs, the audition is the ultimate determiner of whether you get into the program regardless of academics and the audition process is enigmatically subjective. So come up with a good mix of schools that includes schools that weigh academics that match your son, schools that don't weigh academics. Larger programs, smaller programs, more competitive schools, less competitive schools. And for your safeties, pick 1 or 2 BA programs that are a strong academic match because it is only there that you can objectively quantify the likelihood of acceptance.</p>
<p>Finally, let me also suggest that it is crucial to start this entire process early. Have your son get done as much as he can before September hits. With my daughter, by the end of her junior year she had lined up her teacher recommendations and had contact addresses to which she could send recommendation forms in mid August. She had her applications and essays done by the beginning of September so that all of her applications, essays and teacher recommendations were out by mid September. She met with her guidance counselor the first week of September and gave her school report forms and all the materials the guidance office needed to get its stuff out. She scheduled her auditions by mid October to assure the sequencing and dates that she wanted. This enabled my daughter to focus on audition prep and school visits in the fall and on auditioning from December to March. With all the normal h.s academics and extracurricular activities, she would have been totally overwhelmed if she hadn't started things as early as she did.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Maryhelen -- the above two posters are extremely knowledgable and always give great advice. I would re-emphasize one important point -- your S should be preparing material early, so he doesn't have a frantic search at the last minute. Now is not too soon. He should be reading plays, looking at monologue books, and working on songs with a coach if possible. Requirements don't change that much from year to year; you can look at school websites now to get an idea of what they expect for auditions.</p>
<p>If your S has his heart set on studying Musical Theatre in college -- you may want to also find a non-auditioned BA (or BFA) program where he meets the stats academically. </p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>While I don't visit the MT forum very often anymore (although I do lurk from time to time), this thread caught my eye. I think everyone here is correct to a certain degree.</p>
<p>My D's high school drama teacher felt very strongly about getting a liberal arts undergrad degree (he did his in theatre and secondary education), then getting an MFA. He did this (as did his wife), and they both worked in professional theatre after graduating from DePaul. However, they both chose different career paths later on... he was very successful as a finance broker until he decided he wanted to teach at the high school level. His wife is now a very, very successful VP at one of the top tier investment companies in the world. They have both stated they feel their undergrad liberal arts backgrounds gave them a broader education to allow them the flexibility they've had in their careers; yet, their MFAs gave them the professional skills they needed to succeed in theatre in their younger years. </p>
<p>I also question the claims of so many kids taking 5-6 years to graduate. With the AP classes that both my kids have taken into their colleges, they could have graduated earlier than four full years, but neither one changed (or has changed) their minds about their majors. If kids take 5-6 years to graduate, it's up to the parents to set some boundaries as far as what they're willing to cover as far as expenses. Ever heard the term 'professional student'?</p>
<p>My husband and I both have post-graduate degrees, so both of our kids understand that master's degrees (or professional degrees) are admirable and can be helpful for their careers (at least in their areas of study). I kind of expect at least one of them to eventually pursue graduate school.</p>
<p>KATmt - From what I've seen at Northwestern, I agree with your observation that a lot of BA MT's are determined to finish in 4 years so they can get out and start auditioning. APs definitely help if they're going for a double major, but even without them the 4-year plan works, in part because of NU's quarter system. My son is on track to finish the BA in Theatre with MT certificate in 4 years or less, along with a minor (very possibly a major) in Cognitive Science.</p>
<p>I don't want to start this argument all over again, and maybe I'm too much of a pragmatist, but I keep hearing over and over again that "if you can't see yourself doing anything other than MT then go for the BFA". Don't most MT kids feel this way going into college? The ones who answer 110% yes might be the ones who need to be grounded to the possibility that MT might not work out for them, and that a little effort up front might make their lives easier later on. Not all students have the desire or ability to pursue a BA or two fields of study, but those who do should be encouraged without being made to feel like they're making a bad choice. This board leans heavily towards the BFA, but do you really think a few extra MT classes are going to make or break someone who's talented and driven? And if they're not, they probably won't make it anyway. Sorry to be so blunt.</p>
<p>Personally (just my opinion), I don't think the "If you can't you see yourself..." question is relevant at age 16 or 17 when they're making these decisions. The majority of them will go with the emotional answer, without having a clue as to what the future holds. To me, the question should be, "Are you willing to put in a little extra work in order to follow your passion and also pursue a backup plan?" </p>
<p>I'm not surprised at Tarhunt's observation that many HR departments scoff at a BFA just a little more than a BA. It just boils down to whether that matters to you or not.</p>
<p>One other thing... there seems to be this belief that students in BA Theatre/MT programs have more time for other things. If the student is fully engaged in his major and pursues all aspects of it, it's just not true -- at least not from what I've seen. MT students at Northwestern are busy non-stop with theatre and music-related classes, rehearsals, directing, private voice, student-guided seminars, etc., etc. The only time they get a break is between shows, and even then, they arrange music for acappella groups, write lyrics and music for upcoming shows, etc. I'm not saying they're any more busy than BFAs, just that the time commitment is comparable for students who are truly involved in their craft.</p>
<p>As usual, whether to choose a BA or BFA, and whether to attempt a double major, depends on the person... there's no right or wrong answer. I feel, however, that the BA is highly underrated on this board (not this thread)... some of the best MT programs aren't even mentioned in certain "which schools" threads because they're BAs and not BFAs. That is so ridiculous to me. I think it's very misleading, especially to new parents and high schoolers who are just learning about their options.</p>
<p>im at syracuse and it is possible to do whatever you want-</p>
<p>that is some of my friends came in technically as sophomores bc of all thier ap credit. also we have the option of the tepper semester in NYC and semester in London at the globe stage, so we are only at syracuse (if you chose to do both) for 3 years, if you do both it is harder/impossible to do another major/minor.</p>
<p>its really what you make of it, you could take summer classes, petition for extra credits and do it yeah, but then you are spreading yourself thin and not taking advantage of all that syracuse drama has to offer. it seems that the people that take on double majors/ minors seem to not pass evaluations and are asked to move into the BS program (That is just an observation and a HUGE generalization.)</p>
<p>if you are so set on a double major or minor- thats what a BA is for, i feel like a BFA is too concentrated.</p>
<p>thats just me, </p>
<p>PM me if you have questions about syracuse...i LOVE it here...</p>