<p>My son is beginning to try to narrow down his options, and fortunately, has Northwestern on his list of acceptances. He will be choosing between the NU Theater program (with an eye toward the MT certificate) and a conservatory-style BFA MT. We’re trying to figure out a) how much actual theater training he will get at NU and b) what gets added if one qualifies for the MT certificate.</p>
<p>Of course, we will be asking these questions of the school administrators, but any input from students familiar with the program would be GREATLY appreciated.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance!!</p>
<p>I can only answer from the perspective of a parent who has a theater major freshman D. She will be applying for the MT certificate. I'm sure you are aware that NU is on the quarter system. This is particularly great for theater majors because it allows them to take theater classes as well as other classes. So far, my D has taken an intro course first quarter and a tech class (required of all majors freshman year) and a jazz class second quarter. This quarter she is taking a "speech" class and "Theater in the Courtroom". Additionally, she is taking weekly voice lessons and an vocal performance type class. The last two are by audition and are "extras". There is a studio in town where many kids take dance classes and she is dancing there as well. She is probably taking slightly less theater classes than a kid in a BFA program but she likes the balance with these classes in addition to academic classes. NU believes that actors should be well rounded and the curriculum encourages them to take other classes. Many kids even double major.</p>
<p>One other plus is that since there are so many theater/dance/voice majors there are millions of productions on campus each quarter. In addition to mainstage shows, there are many student run productions which are excellent. There are also several fantastic a cappella groups, dance groups and improv troupes. When we visited her on Parents Weekend, we saw two shows (one mainstage and one not -- both great) and an a cappella concert.</p>
<p>My D was just accepted into BA Theatre and has the same choice as perischack's son. She knows NU is a fabulous theatre school, but one of her concerns is whether she can get voice and dance as a freshman. Alliesmom, can you explain how that works? What do you mean by "extras" (hopefully not extra $$??!)</p>
<p>My son is a theatre major soph, in the MT Certificate. If you have specific questions, please PM me. Last year he auditioned for Voice and Performance Seminar and those were a slight additional "extra." Once into the MT Certificate, voice is included, plus there is MT Techniques.
He also seeks out additional dance classes at the studio right in Evanston. Last year he took ballet every quarter and modern 1 quarter. This year same situation...ballet all year, with a modern class this quarter.</p>
<p>Performance opportunities are plentiful each quarter. I think one quarter last year my son said there were 18 shows offered between STUCO (student) and mainstages. He has had wonderful varied experiences thus far...a student run show, the freshman musical, a mainstage, Danceworks and now he's working on the annual Waa Mu show. He produced a show this past quarter, which really gave him an inside view of the process and was very enriching. Last year he was in the same a cappella group as edmondsg's son and loved that experience as well.</p>
<p>Thanks much, Alliesmom and CA. I'm a little concerned about hearing voice and dance as "extras" and not incorporated into the program, also the fact that serious dance kids feel the need to supplement with outside classes. I love that there are many performance opportunities but still don't have a good handle on the amount and intensity of actual theater training. My son, while academically inclined, is a hard core theater kid who wants voice, acting and dance to be heavy duty components of his day to day life.</p>
<p>Lots of homework still to do. Tough decision for sure!</p>
<p>perischack, as CAGriffin mentioned, the voice and MT classes are included in regular tuition once accepted into the MT program. Also, students don't HAVE to take dance off campus -- that's just if they want certain classes that don't happen to be offered and/or open in a specific quarter.</p>
<p>Also, just an observation... I don't think any MT program focuses 100% equally on singing, acting and dance. Every school is going to be stronger in one or the other. NU, from what I've seen, places the most emphasis on acting and singing, since those are critical to every musical production. I'm not saying they don't do a fine job with dance, just that the schedule is tighter with regard to getting into classes. I believe the situation improves as the student progresses in the program and has more registration priority.</p>
<p>Regarding the amount of theatre and MT training they get... my son is a junior and couldn't possibly fit any more voice or acting into his day without eliminating the one or two non-theatre classes normally in his schedule. (Last quarter, he had ALL theatre-related classes.) On top of that, between shows, acappella groups and "special" after-hours classes that you won't see on the schedule, MT students are usually busy every night in some sort of class or rehearsal, either in a performance capacity, directing or producing. You can compare the Theatre curriculum on the various school websites, but that really doesn't give an accurate representation of what goes on at NU, in my opinion. So much is driven by motivated students and the very accommodating faculty.</p>
<p>Congrats on the great options! PM me if I can help.</p>
<p>One other thing I should clarify. When there are extra costs (usually freshman year, prior to getting into MT), they are minimal compared to tuition. I don't think we ever incurred more than $500 extra in a quarter, and again, that was only the first 2-3 quarters if I'm remembering correctly. Although it does seem nitpicky at first, it's such a small amount, and it's stated up front that voice lessons aren't part of the standard Theatre curriculum if they're not in MT.</p>
<p>Thank you to edmondsg, CA Griffin, Alliesmom and everyone who responded privately. The picture is getting a little clearer for us, and I very much appreciate your first hand input. We'll be visiting NU for a Wildcat Welcome day at the end of the month, and trust that after that and our visits to the other schools in contention, we will have enough information to make this very important decision. We recognize that we are most fortunate to have great options.</p>
<p>I hope I didn't mislead anyone with my term "extras"! The voice lessons are right on campus and there is a day when freshman can audition for the various vocal teachers. The fee is nominal but the instruction is incredible. The vocal performance class, as well, is wonderful and the teacher -- my D's voice instructor -- is fantastic.</p>
<p>Echoing CAGriffin, my D did take a jazz class last quarter. This quarter she is taking other things and will dance in town. There are SO many opportunities and so much creative stimulation on campus, that my D did not feel like she was missing ANYTHING freshman year.</p>
<p>Also, she really enjoyed balancing her theater classes with the other offerings at NU. She really loves the intellectual environment on campus. That was something she did not find at many of the BFA programs she looked at.</p>
<p>Thanks NU parents for all the great info! The more my D explores the program the more excited she is getting. My husband and I have always felt it was the ideal environment for her and all we are hearing confirms that. She is going to one of the Wildcat Days so should really get the full picture then. Hope to see you all on campus next year!</p>
<p>weluvtheatre.... I hope your D has a wonderful Wildcat Day experience!!! We loved being there my son's year. The absolute highlight was the break out sessions during the School of Communication presentation. Theater Dept Chair, Rives Collins, gave the most incredible talk...my son was so inspired and enthusiastic about NU, he immediately went back to the hotel and emailed his decision.</p>
<p>We visited NU and while the program seems very good, it is not anything like a conservatory-type BFA, and our tour guide emphasized that repeatedly. When asked how many of the MT and BA theater (performance, non MT) kids who graduate go on to the stage for a living, he said that quite a few, perhaps 80%, stay in theater but not necessarily in acting. He didn't know how many go on to acting careers, but said most are "involved" with theater. </p>
<p>The campus is lovely and the education is top-notch, but for those looking for a conservatory experience this is not it.</p>
<p>That is one of the true treasures of the large number of BA Theatre students at NU..... students who have a passion for choreography, directing, producing, composing, play writing all find wonderful training and opportunities. So many of the students my son is networking with will be out in the theatre community in the years to come as theatre professional in those areas.</p>
<p>And with the BA requirements students are taking other stimulating courses along the way. This quarter my son's schedule is very much similar to a conservatory, which I'm sure will continue now that he has completed many, if not all, of his distribution requirements.</p>
<p>CA Griffin...you bring up a good point about the networking with fellow students. My D has found that similar thing at her school too where many friends are studying directing and some produce or compose or write shows and once they graduate, opportunities arise because of their fellow students from college who are doing things in the field. While my kid has not yet graduated, this already goes on for her in the city.....friends who have started theater companies or are directing shows or who have written new musical or are recording cast albums and such and ask her to be a part of it. And so going to college with kids who may "make it" in other aspects of theater are GREAT contacts to have.</p>
<p>skipsmom - Personally, and this is just my opinion, most of the students I've encountered who (a) are the type to be interested enough in NU to apply and (b) have the credentials to be considered for admission are usually the type to WANT a broader education than what the conservatories offer. Several schools do an excellent job of combining a solid academic program with MT, and to me that's important. Just my opinion.</p>
<p>I agree with edmondsg.....most of the people I know who have chosen NU for theater or MT have WANTED a BA degree program and not a BFA conservatory. So, while you are right, skipsmom, that NU Is not like a BFA or conservatory, it does not try to be and those who go there are not there due to not getting into a BFA....NU was NOT a back up school....but rather they preferred a BA degree program with very strong theater and MT. NU fits that bill very well.</p>
<p>Edmondsg and skipsmom, I appreciate both of your perspectives. Since it was I who initially expressed the concern about how much hands-on theater training was in the mix, it's clear that it's an issue for us -- high level of academics and broad range of experience notwithstanding. I will say that, so far, we are more comfortable with what we are hearing from students and their parents actually at the school. I think our visit and talks with the faculty at the end of this month should answer our remaining questions.</p>
<p>So far, it is pretty clear that NU is not a conservatory-style program (nor does it profess to be), but it is not a typical BA theatre program, either, especially if one is involved in the MT Cert program. Everyone needs to answer for themselves which environment works best. And it's interesting how what you once always thought you wanted may start to shift when new options are presented. My son is keeping an open mind and gathering as much information as he can, which is why I very much appreciate everyone's input here.</p>
<p>One thing that can't be argued is Northwestern's resullts, so if the process works for a student as well as the product, it's a great fit.</p>
<p>One other thing that can't be emphasized enough is the talent level of the kids at NU and the various opportunities. My D got in ED but she was going to apply to a variety of conservatory and BA programs and we looked at a many BFAs before she made the decision to go ED. She is finding the talent level of the kids at NU to be equal to what she saw at the BFA programs. And face it, that's what's going to push your kid and drive the productions. One of her best friends at NU got into all the top BFA programs and chose to go to NU. We just came back from NYC where she watched the top NU Acting and MT kids in a showcase for NY agents. The talent level was incredible. Many of the kids performing got multiple offers from agents. There is also a strong "NU mafia" connection in NYC. We saw Hair and Shrek while we were there. We saw Shrek because the lead and the director were both NU grads. Last year, when we were in NYC, we saw August Osage County where the director was a NU professor.</p>
<p>As stated, many kids in my D's theater class and the comm studies major want to go into theater-related fields (directing, producing, casting). That means, my D will be "networking" with some of these kids for the next 4 years!</p>
<p>I just ran into this older thread while looking for something else. It was useful to me when D was making her decision to apply ED so I thought it might interest others as well.</p>
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<p>I just heard that this year’s Northwestern NYC Showcase (last week) apparently produced record results. While the interest level of course varies, one student got 20 meetings and is in the process of choosing between agents and most got many meetings and offers. So exciting! </p>
<p>Also - a friend who is an NYC music director echoes the comment about the NU mafia being among the strongest in the city, which can’t hurt.</p>