Hi there…new to CC. Just starting the college process with my daughter who is a junior. She is struggling on whether or not to double major in something academic and musical theater; major in something academic and minor in musical theater; major in something academic and double minor in dance and vocal performance…and play softball. Looking for a strong liberal arts college…any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
The first thing is to sort out the musical theatre piece: how much of a priority is that? Don’t think so much in terms of majors/minors -the nomenclature is distracting. Think in terms of where her time goes, remembering that you can do things in college without majoring/minoring in them.
Musical theatre programs are a world unto themselves, and I suggest both of you spend a little time on the musical theatre forum here on CC.
My bet is that majoring in musical theatre and competing on a softball team beyond the intramural level is going to be very very challenging.
And then there is the question of an academic major! Does she have an academic interest, or is professional music theatre her goal?
Very helpful…thank you…she is a math/ science girl…was thinking forensics/criminal science/ justice…she has been so used to “doing it all”…think that’s why she is struggling right now…she’s also apprehensive about the future of MT given the pandemic
There will always be musical theatre 
but if that is a career goal she is at a major crossroads. She really needs to make that call.
Forensics/criminal science/criminal justice majors are typically found at larger state universities, not LACs (though I am not an expert- there may be LACs that offer it, but it’s pretty specialized).
You have spent her whole childhood opening doors and windows for her- and now she has to start choosing which are doors and which are windows, which is hard. Luckily this can evolve gently. For example, my full-on theatre kid went to an academic school with a strong theatre program. She didn’t major in it- in fact I think only took 1 class- but was part of productions, which was enough for her. Similarly, the sport-mad kid who was recruited, but not at the level she had hoped, reluctantly ended up choosing her college for other things, and knowing that she would only be able to do inter-mural level sport. She is entirely happy with that- now!
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Why a Liberal Arts College? A larger school tends to have more options, esp based upon what you say her preferences are.
I’m not anti LAC’s - two of my three went to them and liked them - but the one who wanted more variety chose a larger school.
I don’t know if they have what you want, but the school he chose (University of Rochester) has a lot of music loving students doing other things along with their love of music. My guy did dance there (for fun in a club) while working his way up to medical school in an academic major he loved. It’s not a huge school, but it’s not an LAC either. Rochester has Eastman for those dedicated to music, but they have plenty for those who like music for fun too.
It could be worth it to compare some larger schools to LACs to see which type of school fits the student best.
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Is she looking to be recruited for softball, or hope to join the team as a walk-on? Either way she will need to speak with coaches at the schools she is interested in.
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This is so well said.
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Christopher Newport University.
Currently #6 in softball
Offers majors in Criminology, Cyber Security, Theatrer
Offers minors in Dance, Music, Military Science, Theater
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There aren’t many forensic programs out there. I have a close friend whose daughter attended Syracuse for forensics. Due to the limited nature of this degree, it limited the number of schools.
Have you done a search for schools with forensic/CJ and theater? Bet there aren’t that many.
“She is concerned about the future of MT.”
What is MT?
Forensic pathologists are normally medical doctors. Is this what she has in mind? Other forensic scientists also need graduate training, at least at the master’s level. So, if you’re talking about some level of graduate school beyond just the BS, cost becomes a factor. How does that work for you?
Typically undergrads interested in this field would be looking to study biology, anatomy, and chemistry to prep for grad school. Would this work for her?
If she’s interested in forensic science or crime scene investigation, her best bet is to study chemistry, biology, maybe physics.
However, if she’s interested in a strict criminal justice major, she’s a lot less likely to find it at a liberal arts college.
If she’s interested in criminology or deviance, many liberal arts colleges (and non-LACs) will include a concentration or classes on those topics in their sociology department or other departments like peace and conflict studies.
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I think that “MT” is “musical theater.”
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Check out the website for Colleges That Change Lives; that may give you some ideas generally about liberal arts colleges.
There are also some public “liberal arts universities”; one that comes to mind is UNC-Asheville, which is the public liberal arts school in the UNC system.
Another thought is the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. It has the Forensic Anthropology Center (a/k/a “The Body Farm”) and you can study biological anthropology in the College of Arts and Sciences. And, the Lady Vols have a great softball team!
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Wesleyan U is the one that jumps to mind. Think Lin-Manuel Miranda 
NESCAC school with great athletics. They also have open curriculum so pursuing a double major is not emphasized (they allow it, but make a case against it if you search their website) A wonderful school with creative students, strong academics and tight alumni network in the entertainment community.
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Look at Ithaca College. Our high school has an amazing musical theater production choreographed by Broadway performers and every year some very talented kids go there. I know one of our high school grads is a freshman on the softball team. My friend’s son is a chemistry major there and seems to like it (except of course for the pandemic-related restrictions).
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Thanks. 
I was also thinking about Ithaca.
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Butler has criminology and music and dance and theater and softball.
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Thank you so much…very insightful.