<p>NJTheatreMOM - You are so right about the “taffy pull”. I love it. All options have advantages and disadvantages. At least for us, none are “perfect”. Then it comes down to weighing which aspects are more or less important. And this will vary for every student. For some, money will be paramount. For others, location (close to home? far from home? where you want to ultimately land and try to build a career?). Does it or does it not include any liberal arts/non-theatre academics? Travel abroad (hard or easy?) Ability to double major? minor? ANY flexibility in curriculum? Do you want a somewhat “normal” college experience or does that not matter? And then there is that illusive “gut feel” that some students experience as soon as they step on a campus. I could go on and on. My D is doing some real soul searching about which of these is most important – because that will ultimately help drive a very tough decision.</p>
<p>I agree ImHopeful, but what does “taffy pull” even mean. I did not understand that part at all, lol.</p>
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<p>I’ll try to comment…but I can’t answer the why part of why they have another advisor exactly. A student gets a Tisch advisor and that person is who has to sign off on their course registration and so forth. You have that advisor all four years. </p>
<p>But ALSO you have an advisor in your own studio. When my D was in CAP21, her advisor for CAP21 was actually the head of that studio. That person is not so much advising on course selection…I suppose they could though…and actually the courses WITHIN studio are all SET…no choices. The choices are the classes outside of studio anyway…thus the Tisch advisor. The studio advisor would be someone you talk to more about studio stuff or direction you may go in, etc.etc. </p>
<p>At ETW, my D also has a studio advisor…I think she is the head of ETW in fact. ETW happens to be a studio not like some others in that once you get into the upper level tracks of it (which she is in), you actually get to pick your studio classes within ETW and so I would imagine THAT advisor also helps with that. Still the Tisch advisor signs off on your overall registration. </p>
<p>My D has a THIRD advisor at ETW this semester because she is doing what ETW calls an “Independent Project”…writing and producing your own play or musical that ETW will allow you to stage. She wrote a musical. ETW has now assigned her an advisor from the faculty just for that one thing. </p>
<p>Again, my D has forged relationships with many faculty in studios and at Tisch. She has even been employed by couple of them professionally. Having attended two studios, as well as the non-studio Tisch Theater Studies classes, she knows many theater faculty very well. She also has a private voice teacher through Tisch/CAP21. She also worked closely in another capacity with Tisch Scholars and knew and traveled with Deans and others from that program. </p>
<p>Tisch may be large but I can say she has had a great deal of personalized attention and has had the good fortune to get to work with many faculty and not just a few as would be the case in a small program.</p>
<p>Taffy pull essentially means being pulled or stretched from one side to another. It derives from the way in which taffy candy is made – today with a machine that stretches or pulls it over and over. Back in the olden days – that stretching used to be done by hand – and was almost a social event – the taffy pull.</p>
<p>How am I pulling taffy, don’t understand?</p>
<p>IMHopeful…you now have my mouth watering for some salt water taffy from either the Jersey shore or Cape Cod. :D</p>
<p>early_college…it is an analogy…the accepted student is pulled in many directions with several acceptances and each school pulls them in a different direction…since each school is unique and has some things the student likes about it.</p>
<p>If you have ever seen taffy pulled, you would understand the image.</p>
<p>I guess I haven’t, lol.</p>
<p>Sorry about the old-fashioned simile. I have never pulled taffy myself, lol, but it is something that people used to do in the past and it used to get referenced a lot. I’m 62 and feel fortunate that the younger parents on here know about pulling taffy!</p>
<p>Funny…when I was a little girl, the white fur ot the ermine (a short-tailed weasel or stoat) was apparently much in vogue. My parents received the gift of a tiny ermine cape for me as a baby present, and as a child I would look at the cape and pet it.</p>
<p>The relevance of this is that plays set in a certain era reference ermine. One that my son was in was “Stage Door” (amateur production). I used to grind my teeth because apparently the kids and even the director didn’t know how to pronounce “ermine” and the actors said it wrong every time. It’s “UR-min” not “UR-mine,” lol. </p>
<p>Another mispronunciation that I heard was the name Bernard Baruch in “Annie.” It’s “Bar-OOK” not “Bar-oosh.”</p>
<p>I’m probably way too picky!! I’m sure these things don’t happen in professional productions!</p>
<p>I have to ask my grandmother about this, she is 62 too! She is from NY, so I assume she would know too.</p>
<p>I don’t think taffy or ermine have much to do with New York, earlycollege, but say hi to your grandmother for me. I compliment her on her determined grandson!! She was smart to have kids earlier than I did, maybe. I get awfully tired sometimes. :-)</p>
<p>Yeah, true. She has 7 grand kids, but we live 10 hours away. My parents are 38 and 41 and I think it can go either way. My dad likes the fact that his kids will be out of the house by 50. Some people like to save money before they have kids. As long as your happy, that’s all that matters. </p>
<p>I think maybe an MFA will do better for me, since I will be going the early college route.</p>
<p>Have you decided where you’re going, early?</p>
<p>NJTHEatermom, I am 52 but I had a Chatty Cathy doll who wore a red velvet coat with a (fake) ermine collar, so it was in vogue for years :)</p>
<p>skipsmom, early_college is a freshman in high school.</p>
<p>I actually am applying to Bard College at Simon’s Rock this fall. I may just be a freshman, but boy can’t I wait to start college. I may just do an MFA in acting when I’m older. I would be 20 when I graduate, so I think I’ll do fine. I may also go to Sarah Lawrence College and just skip my senior year. I don’t know which college is better for me. Sarah Lawrence does have an acting program in London though. If this doesn’t go my way, I think NYU would be a good option. I would like to be a print journalist and an actor.</p>
<p>I wish my Daughter could talk to your son. She wants to stay at Adler all four years. First semester they did a Language Project then a Shakespear play, This semester she did a movement project, she is now working on a contemporary play. For the movement project and the contemporary play she worked with guest directors with very impressive resumes! Her classes never have more than 14 people in them and she gets a ton of attention. The play she is in now has 6 people. In Adler you can try out for a semester at RADA and this summer she is doing a six week course in film acting in LA through Adler. For her this was the studio she wanted from the beginning and she really loves it but some of her friends have transfered to other studios and are very happy (ETW). I think that is what is so wonderful about NYU that you can audition for other studios. She has become very close with the faculty and feels comfortable asking their advice about everything to do with the profession of acting. She has never felt like her fellow classmates are anything but supportive of each other. I hope this helps a little bit. It is always better if your son could talk to my daughter personally.</p>
<p>Yes, what you said helps, actressmom. Thanks. My son is rather confused. Today he said that somebody (a singing teacher who has acted professionally) had told him that Adler is great because “they cast you in their productions and you don’t have to audition.” </p>
<p>I, who have been haunting CC relentlessly and feel that I have learned a thing or two, responded thus: “Um, I think it’s that way at most every one of these BFA acting programs. They cast you in the role they think would help you most…even cast you against type. I’m sure it’s the same at BU. We will find out.”</p>
<p>According to my son, the teacher seemed to think that Adler differed from Strasberg and maybe other studios with regard to this “casting” thing. ??? Weird.</p>
<p>My son would be absolutely thrilled to talk to your daughter, actressmom, if she were willing. Say the word and I will give you his contact info via PM or email to pass along to her.</p>
<p>I just got off the phone with my daughter and she said she would love to talk or Email him. She also said he should go to Adler (Ha, Ha).</p>
<p>I was going to say, actressmom, why can’t your daughter talk to her son?
I haven’t waited for the schools to woo my daughter (though some have taken the initiative). I have found contacts for her at all schools but one through CC and she has been talking to kids from these schools.</p>
<p>Actressmom and I are working it out by PM, Chrissy. Soozie knows another Adler student who might be willing to talk to my son too. She’s checking. We appreciate all this help so much.</p>