I posted this in 2023, and had some folks reach out and say that it would be more helpful for rising seniors. Hope it gives you some food for thought…
Selecting schools, financial info and curricula: Thoughts on how to support our dreamers while still considering the realities of training and future performing arts careers -
I don’t think any parents here on CC propose that these arts hopefuls should abdicate their dreams. Or else we wouldn’t be here! We are all passionate, invested parents of passionate, invested children.
There are 2 issues that I hope families will consider before commiting to a future in this business, and 1 issue that I wish the colleges and universities would address. (Obviously my thoughts on these things are purely my own and I have no expectations that my opinion holds any weight; but, I think the info is valuable, especially to families who are considering this path.)
- Families, please consider the debt that you and/or your child is assuming. Performing arts kids need to be very wary of taking on debt that exceeds their likely earnings during years 1-3, post-graduation. Most research and advice is that the student portion of debt should not exceed $25,000 (or a $225-$250 monthly payment over the course of 10 years). Please note that most of these MT/A kids will be earning less than $18,000/yr as performers. Also, if they have to work excessive hours in survival/hustle jobs, the time to further their career through auditions, networking, rehearsals, creation of their own material, collaborations, etc will be minimized greatly.
Parents, if you need to borrow to help fund college, make sure to check out all options for borrowing (life insurance, equity, private loans, Parent Plus, family loans, etc) to select the best one for your individual situation. Also, before filling out the FAFSA, research how to “spend down” certain assets so that your child might qualify for more aid. Google is your friend!
When looking at your acceptances, you might deem that certain programs are worth the extra debt. And maybe they are. An example could be - if you don’t have less expensive options that are a great fit and
that produce consistent, recent working alum. Is Michigan or CCM or Pace or CMU or NYU (etc) a better choice, even if it’s more expensive? Possibly so, but what are your other choices? Or maybe a more selective college name (in the academic sense) holds value for you/your child, in the sense that any degree - even a BFA - might “look better” to future non-theater employers? I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer to this particular dilemma, just lots to consider.
Good training is available at so many schools, and can often be found at lower cost. (shoutout to Texas State, Montclair, FSU, Missouri State and more) - This process is so intense. Families get sucked in and can start to feel desperate. Kids put their hearts and souls on the lines as they audition, with every move/sound/look/interaction being judged and assessed. As the journey unfolds, it’s easy to get tunnel vision, and that can lead to spending way more in the process and on the eventual college. I’d suggest writing out a budget for the process, and a budget for the program PRIOR to embarking on audition prep. Also include the things that you and your child find important in a school, and discuss options that allow them to train and perform, while still preparing them for future employment. Make these exciting. because they are! Refer back to this list with your kid when you feel sucked into the college audition vortex. List those safeties first, and talk about the alum who are working in the field as well as all of the other career opportunities that evolve from a “safety”.
For schools - I really hope that they find ways to allow kids to train, participate and perform while still providing auxillary education. Much like what was stated in my above post - there are so many ways that this could be accomplished. I would love if my child graduated with training plus a minor in website design. Or 2 minors - 1 in portrait (ie headshot) photography and 1 in marketing. Or as a certified teacher. Etc, etc, etc. I’d like to see more programs incorporating internships and working-mentorships into their pre-pro curricula. If those things don’t fit time-wise, then maybe it’s time to reduce hours in class, because there is great value in resume-building and networking, and why not start that in college?
Just adding more BFA programs to the mix really doesn’t seem like the best use of a university’s resources, unless they are doing something truly different and innovative.
I wish my kid, and all of these amazing CC kids, all the broken legs!! I hope every single one finds fufillment in their career. Parents - you have done a fabulous job supporting your children!
