I’m a sophomore in high school and I recently mentioned to my parents that I
- Want to go to college in New York (NYU, specifically)
and
- Want to double major, one of them being in Musical Theatre
My parents are very supportive people, especially when it comes down to me wanting to be an actor (they pay for acting classes, singing lessons, take me to auditions, etc.)
However, when I mentioned this, they didn’t take it very seriously because of how much money it would cost. They basically chuckled a little and said “Where are we gonna get the money for that?”
They are completely right, and now I’m asking anyone who can help. I know double majoring in Musical Theatre at NYU is going to be very expensive, so how can I get scholarships or financial aid to do it? I know NYU isn’t very generous with these things, but it’s my dream school.
Honestly, my grades are fairly average but I have yet to take my ACT or SATs and I’ve been preparing very hard for them!
What else can I do?
Sorry that was so long, but thank you for reading, and hopefully answering!
You can’t just major in musical theater. You need to audition and it is very difficult to get accepted. Not saying that you wouldn’t but most people wanting to major in MT will be thrilled with admission into the MT program at anywhere they audition.There are threads on CC that will be very useful to you if you choose to audition for a MT program. But you can’t just apply to a school and choose it as your major.
Yes, I’m aware of that, I’ve done a lot of research and I have been performing for many years now. I know about the audition process and all that 
This probably isn’t what you want to hear, but this is what I should’ve taken into account when I applied to college a few years ago. If a school doesn’t give you the money you need to attend and you have to take out tons of loans, the school doesn’t value you. There are more affordable options that would probably give you a ton of money. Still, you should apply to NYU so you don’t have any regrets. Just don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
If you really want scholarships for NYU, with the knowledge that your grades are average and even considering high SAT/ACT scores, you’d have to apply for outside scholarships. From what I’ve seen on CC, it’s best to apply to local outside scholarships. Still, these scholarships tend to have small amounts ($1k). Let’s say you win an outside scholarship that’s $20k or more. You’d have to check NYU’s policy on outside scholarships because they may just reduce any institutional aid they give you before they actually start reducing your bill.
These are some things to keep in mind. If you want me to elaborate on anything, don’t hesitate to ask. I wish you all the best!
Most MT applicants are thrilled to be admitted to even one program. Don’t focus on just NYU - explore all possibilities.
It’s also extremely difficult to major in MT and something else since most MT programs are in the college of arts or at a conservatory, not in Arts & Sciences.
While MT depends mostly on audition, at colleges with the best financial aid your grades and scores are likely to factor in, so take rigorous classes and try to be in A-B range, then prep for tests.
Finally, the best financial aid comes from the colleges themselves. Run the NPC on NYU, Cincinnati, Muhlenberg,
The one bright spot about NYU admission process is that they are test optional. Any of their programs which require in audition/interview give you the option of not submitting your SAT or ACT. If they are really good scores and you want them to consider them you can submit them but you are not required to. Sounds like getting a good score on your test could help offset your GPA situation though.