<p>What can you tell me about this BFA program in MT…Is Clay really as good as he says he is
is the feeling of “family” strong within the department…are the opportunities there for graduates…are the dorms a mess??
whatever you can help me with…sorry but asap…we need to make a decision very fast
do schools offer acceptance on the spot and why…or ami just a cynical old man that thinks everyone has an agenda…thanks</p>
<p>scardeedad - I’m in NJ and my D has has the pleasure of working with Montclair MT and dance students (non professional). I’ve never heard her say that her friends didn’t like it there. To your question about schools accepting people on the spot, the answer is yes, it does happen. It happened to my D! The only reason that happens is that they have a spot open and they see what they like and want you. I wouldn’t think that there would be an agenda. When we met Clay at a college fair, he was very, very dynamic and convincing. He appears to be very passionate about his program. Montclair students have worked on Broadway, regional and on tours. </p>
<p>I’ve heard that the dorms are lonely on the weekend though as Montclair can be thought of as a commuter school. It’s close to NY though! </p>
<p>It’s really about whether your son wants to forgo the opportunity of auditioning and seeing what other schools he can get into. He really has to weigh all the pros and cons. Are other schools higher up on his list or does this offer answer his prayers and make everything fall into place? What possibilities would he be giving up to go to Montclair this year? What is he gaining? Did he like the school?<br>
Good luck with the decision!</p>
<p>thanks for the info</p>
<p>If I remember correctly, there’s a train or subway stop right by the campus and I was told it’s about a 20 minute or so ride to Times Square from the campus. THat’s a huge plus.</p>
<p>Our kids know some in the program, and, although it is a bit of a commuter school, I believe this is much less so for most of the theatre students. They are around a lot more on the weekends - they must be. We’ve heard that the theatre students are happy. I would press hard for housing info, guaranteed with as much confirmation as possible. Perhaps the theatre department can support you in this. Montclair has the unfortunate reputation of guaranteeing housing even for incoming freshman accepted in early spring and they wind up “housing” them for months in hotels miles from campus with limited shuttle service. I would imagine this would be extremely challenging for a theatre student. You also might search these forums for direct input from a current student by private emails, message, etc. Good luck to you!</p>
<p>I am a current student MT student at montclair state University. Last year I got to choose between Montclair and 2 other big name Musical Theatre Schools. And I I deff. made the right choice for me.
I have only been here a semester, but here is my take on everything…
Clay is wonderful. He will scare you, push you, and nurture you all at the same time. He is a fatherly figure here. He genuinely cares about all of his students, and anyone can go to him to talk about anything. Because he takes the time to get to know his kids, he knows how much everyone can handle, and when they are slacking off.
What makes Clay really great though, is that he expects everyone to be working on a professional level. He treats his students they are professionals and holds them to Broadway’s standards. He does not take any crap.
If you really want to be pushed Montclair is a wonderful program. Its proximity to the city also draws in some of the best of the best professors, and gives us a taste of the real world while we are still in school. We have had students take classes in the mornings, and then go perform in Broadway shows in the evenings, or go see all kinds of productions in the city at night.
Being so close to NYC also keeps all the students grounded, and always have in the back of their minds how hard they must work all the time. I have a stunning view of NYC from my dorm window.
The dorms are also quite big even for freshmen.
Montclair is however a suitcase school. Many of the students go into new york on the weekends. and although the musical theatre program draws students from across the country, and canada, a lot of students from other programs are not from quite as far and go home on the weekends.
Also the MT program here is generally very supportive. You are going to have some competition in any program, but Clay does a good job of picking students who are really different types, and who have different strengths, so we really do work like a family to helping each other with our weaknesses and sharing our strengths.
And I dont know too much about graduates, but i’m pretty sure that last year everyone either got signed, called back for something, or landed a job because of their senior showcase.
Let me know if you have anymore questions. Hope this helped. Goodluck with auditions!</p>