Insight/Advice from MT Grads?

College Majors Musical Theater Major
1

<p>With an MT D who will graduate next year I find myself really craving any insight or advice from MT college graduates and their parents, and it occurs to me it might also be interesting to people in the process of choosing schools.</p>

<p>I know lots of this advice is scattered amidst various cc threads, but it would be nice to have it consolidated a bit. As I have time I'll try to find some that's already here and copy it to this thread.</p>

<p>Here are some specific things I wonder about, but ANY thoughts would be most welcome...</p>

<p>1) In hindsight, are there any things you would have done/ not done in college? Summer work? Double Major? Study abroad? Internships?</p>

<p>2) What are the most important things you learned during your college years? Specific performing skills? Business skills? Skills for survival jobs? Life lessons?</p>

<p>3) What did you still need to learn after you graduated?</p>

<p>4) What differences did/do you notice between grads of your school and grads of other programs?</p>

<p>5) Was college casting predictive of future success? Are the campus stars the professional stars? Did the resume and/or contacts you built in college make a difference in finding paying work?</p>

<p>6) How many of your classmates are performing professionally? What are you or classmates doing for survival jobs? For those who have switched careers, what are they doing? </p>

<p>7) If you had it to do over, would you (or your child) choose the same MT program? Why or why not? Or maybe a different major altogether?</p>

<p>8) Any tips for steps to take after graduating?</p>

<p>9) Anything else you would tell your younger self, or a friend embarking on an MT college hunt?</p>

<p>Second-hand advice is also very welcome. Thanks in advance for any thoughts you or your child are willing to share!</p>

2

<p>Here is a relevant thread about joining Equity.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1598301-recent-grads-join-equity-stay-non-equity-timing-pros-cons-discuss.html?highlight=survival+jobs[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1598301-recent-grads-join-equity-stay-non-equity-timing-pros-cons-discuss.html?highlight=survival+jobs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Here is a thread focused on survival jobs.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1114539-survival-jobs.html?highlight=survival+jobs[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1114539-survival-jobs.html?highlight=survival+jobs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Here is a thread about websites focused on post-college issues.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1515255-graduating-mt-program-now-what.html?highlight=survival+jobs[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1515255-graduating-mt-program-now-what.html?highlight=survival+jobs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Here is a thread about whether people can become pro dancers in 4 years.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1318265-what-future-our-mts-training.html?highlight=survival+jobs[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1318265-what-future-our-mts-training.html?highlight=survival+jobs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Here is a thread about the odds of werking.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1418008-more-freakonomics-life-upon-wicked-stage.html?highlight=survival+jobs[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1418008-more-freakonomics-life-upon-wicked-stage.html?highlight=survival+jobs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Here’s one about college casting.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1475318-do-many-schools-recognize-their-rising-stars.html?highlight=recognize+stars[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1475318-do-many-schools-recognize-their-rising-stars.html?highlight=recognize+stars&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>I need to go back and read this one.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1326263-whats-ahead-after-college-graduation-mt-students.html?highlight=survival+jobs[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1326263-whats-ahead-after-college-graduation-mt-students.html?highlight=survival+jobs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>And here’s another.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1260730-what-do-they-actually-end-up-doing.html?highlight=survival+jobs[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1260730-what-do-they-actually-end-up-doing.html?highlight=survival+jobs&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Here’s one about the impact of college performance training.
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1178243-transformed-fine-tuned-hardly-changed.html?highlight=networking[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1178243-transformed-fine-tuned-hardly-changed.html?highlight=networking&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>When I get time I’ll read through these and maybe copy some posts that seem especially relevant.</p>

3

<p>I’m looking forward to reading responses. My D is a HS sophomore and I think all of those topics will be interesting as we look to the future and talk about college options. I’ll check out the threads you listed in the meantime. Thanks!</p>

4

<p>I’ll try to harvest a few relevant responses (advice from grads of MT programs) from past threads as I go though them, so folks don’t have to repeat themselves.</p>

<hr>

<p>from 7/14/11 - by megpmom </p>

<p>We’ve been watching kids graduate from our performing arts HS for the past six years. In regards to BFA and BA training, (in my opinion) the kids who enter very talented usually graduate very talented. The kids who enter as average performers usually graduate as average performers (among their peers). Some of them improve (belt gets stronger, dance skills improve) but I have not seen HUGE improvements among my kids friends. The ones who have gotten performing jobs right out of college were usually the more talented ones in HS. (But there is always the random “right time, right place” factor for any actor.)</p>

<p>My kids have been “in the business” since they were small. We have seen the ups and downs of professional acting/MT and have been very adamant about our kids getting a college degree. To us, the mere fact that you have a degree (in anything) will be an advantage later in life. A couple of their friends have gone straight to Hollywood or to actor training programs and I always feel a little sad that they won’t have a college degree. Such a small percentage of people are able to make livings purely by acting and a degree will always help you get a job in the real world.</p>

5

<p>7/15/11 - abparent</p>

<p>Our son was a well-rounded performer before college with vocals his strength. He chose a BFA program with a reputation of strength in vocals, acting and dance. In fact, some students can receive a mt bfa with a minor in dance. I think he’d say he grew in all areas but especially acting and dance. He graduated a year ago and has found consistent success throughout this last year and will begin his 4th paying job in August. His callbacks in NY have shown his growth in dance, but I believe he’d admit he has more to learn there. The most pleasant surprise was that his first very fulfilling and professional role was Shakespeare, not MT at all. So, it appears so far his training has mattered. It was within a college setting, structured, challenging, and well paced. I’ll also add that he was the first among all of his high school friends to land a paying job - and as an actor. Go figure! His classmates have also found consistent success since graduation, but I didn’t know any of them prior to college, so I can’t gauge their development.</p>

6

<p>7/16/11 - MichaelNKat</p>

<p>My daughter graduated in May with a BFA from a small private university. Between a load of scholarships and what we had saved for 18 years, she walked out with no debt. Did she graduate a much more developed and accomplished performer than when she started, absolutely but we would have expected the same thing if she had attended our local state university with a very strong and well regarded theatre program for half the cost. What provided the “value” for the higher cost was her school was a much better fit and provided the type of college experience she wanted, not whether the cost of the college had “value” measured against her selected major. If we couldn’t have done it without incurring a load of debt, she would have gone to our local state university. The “value” based decision would have been driven by our means and not measured by the cost vs her selected major.</p>

<p>But to answer the OP’s original question, my daughter entered college as a legit soprano. She exited with a range from alto to soprano who can sing legit and belt well. Her acting has improved immensely and she gets cast in non-musicals as much as musicals. She walked in with multiple years of dance and walked about a much better dancer. Her stage presence is much more polished and her knowledge and understanding of theatre, its history and dramatic literature is far greater than it ever was. She has the tools to analyze characters and scenes that she did not have before. She received training and development in skills that make her competitive. So yes, she got what she was looking for in her major but at the same time received the varied benefits of a college education.</p>

7

<p>I realized it’s not efficient to copy more stuff here, but am really looking forward to answers to any of the above questions or any other advice from beyond college!</p>

8

<p>Momcares, great thread and I’m looking forward to hearing peoples’ thoughts.</p>