<p>I think you sat in on my rehearsal....on Wednesday? So you must know Lori or Kevin? I am an SM for one of the new musicals...</p>
<p>I'm glad you enjoyed your visit!</p>
<p>kelsee422: we did sit in on the rehearsal. I know Lori. We were at the Lincoln Center Directors Lab together a couple of years ago.</p>
<p>The rehearsal was great. Very well run. A hard piece musically to conquer.</p>
<p>My D is very excited to be coming in the Fall. Thanks for saying hi!</p>
<p>I would not recommend this school. My child is in the theatre program(not acting) and they have had new teachers every year. The students can not learn when they have someone new all the time. This place is very disorganized and do not like students to have jobs. The teachers that they have had have been verbally abusive and do not take the time to really teach the students much. With room and board this school cost about 28,000 per year (it does go up every year) and it is not worth a dime. It is in the most dangerous neighborhood. My child's first year in school the students were held up in their dorm rooms (the doors do not have peek holes and since there are "security doors" you don't think to ask who's there). This school says that 99% of their students have jobs within 6 months of graduating, but it is no thanks to the school. When you go to the career center they say you need to see your department for jobs in your field. When you go to your department for help they say check the web page for you field. They really do not aide you. They also do not have placements for internships during the summer (like Wesleyan does). When you graduate you have only a couple of shows under your belt and you are hardly ready for the cold hard world.
Do not waste your time in Decatur Illinois, find a safer neighborhood for your children.</p>
<p>While I appreciate the fact that you have a child at the school, this post seems to be all over the place. At first it seems your concern is with what would seem to be unbalanced tech training. Then it jumped to safety - I have a professor friend there and she would never allow my daughter to attend if the area was truly as 'dangerous' as you make it out to be. Then your post jumps to post graduation work. And then you hit us with only a couple of shows after four years - is that from a tech stand point?</p>
<p>I will certainly look into the safety issue but this kind of post is not beneficial to prospective students. It is inflammatory and comes off as bitter instead of helpful.</p>
<p>As a student there myself, I'm going to address some of these things...</p>
<p>1) New teachers: Yes, we have gotten several this year. It's not ALL THE TIME...this is the first time we've had such a turnover in faculty in several years. </p>
<p>2) Jobs: I have 4 jobs (2 work study, 2 off campus tutoring/babysitting and restuarant gigs), so I am not sure if I believe that. If you can get your work done, they don't say much.</p>
<p>3) Verbally abusive?: I could see that from some people. </p>
<p>4) Safety and Security: While our Office of Safety and Security is really only successful at giving parking tickets, this statement really is not far from the truth. A girl was almost raped in front of their office once, gunshots around the outskirts of campus are heard often, lots of random vandalism to cars, etc. But it's not any more dangerous or shady than any other town of Decatur's size. If you use common sense, it's fine, like walking with someone at night, etc.</p>
<p>5) Jobs after graduation: I don't know anything about that yet. But if you're a theatre major of any kind, you have to learn to sell yourself anyways.....</p>
<p>6) A couple of shows after four years?: That's CLEARLY not true, there's lots of opportunity, you just have to put in the effort to do something. I'm in my second year here (I'm a junior, I transferred here after my freshman year) and I have worked on multiple aspects of several shows. </p>
<p>Like I've said before, I go here, ask me, I'll tell you straight up.</p>
<p>6)</p>
<p>Mom2incollege-
You are certainly "in the know" as your child goes to Millikin. I, too, can attest to several things that you say. My D is a junior at Millikin. Last year a group of Millikin students living in an apartment two doors from the edge campus had a party. It was crashed by some guys who turned out to be locals and gang members. When asked to leave, the guys pulled guns out. Luckily no one was hurt, and the cops showed up before all of them escaped. They were arrested, but Millikin chose to make the students move out of the apartment at the advice of the police, for fear of gang retaliation. (Several of the gang members were still at large.) Decatur is NOT a safe place.
A professor was held up at gun point leaving a school building last year. I think it was the science center building.
Attacks are not uncommon. D knows of several, personally.
My D will not walk anywhere, not even in broad daylight. Students have been warned by the college not to even walk to the Kroger at the corner. For those who don't have a car, its impossible.
I can attest to the professor situation. My D has had several profs who have been verbally abusive to other students in her classes. I am certainly not impressed and my husband and I feel that in many ways we have wasted our money. At this point we just want her to get a degree.
D has professors who have showed up to class stoned and/or drunk, one prof who "doesn't hold Friday classes because he doesn't want to" (this was a MWF class). One language professor speaks the language she teaches so poorly that the classes are basically a waste. (A native speaker told my D that she could NOT understand this teacher and that my D should stop wasting her time with this prof.)
Yes, the faculty changes constantly. My D basically chose this program because of their strong dance. The ballet teacher that attracted her is now gone. Luckily Sean is still there. Look for yourself on ratemyprofessor.com. You can't find many that have taught for many years, and the reviews that I saw are terrible.
Recently it was announced that the dean of students was fired. Look on youtube and you can watch it AND believe it, the kids were protesting. I don't know what the circumstances are, but all the students seemed to really like this guy.
Several of my D's professors talk about each other to students constantly, recounting personal stories, then appear to be best friends in class situations-very unprofessional.
Millikin DOES cut. One boy was cut, this year, in his senior year of the BFA program. The reason? They didn't like the "choices" he made as an actor in the show. WHAT? Yes, it's the truth, told to several students right from his mouth as he left the meeting where he was told.
The MT class of 09 began with over 30 MT's. After the first year it was much less. There are now 5 or 6 but one is very unhappy. These kids were not "slackers" etc. Some of those cut have been hired professionally, several times, at various very well paying summer jobs.
D made it through hurdles freshman year although one teacher tried to get her cut. Several other faculty members totally disagreed with this teacher, one saying D was her strongest student. Sophmore year, this same person called her in and told her that they would be re-examining her. By this time she knew the situation as she had seen many of her classmates go thru it. She decided she didn't need to deal with this person anymore and changed majors.
Several of the profs could at one time be seen on facebook partying with underage students. I have personally been shown these pictures by my D's roommate.
I think I have an idea why mom2incollege's post jumps around. There is so much to be unhappy about that you dont know what to bring up first.</p>
<p>Yes, you make a lot of good points as well...</p>
<p>And I think I may know your daughter....because I have heard these stories told very similarly before. I'm sending you a PM.</p>
<p>I was trying to decide if I should say this, and I have to admit the anonimity of the forum gives me an excuse...</p>
<p>At a different school, my D was VERY publically scolded for a (ignorant, yet unhurtful) mistake she made. She had already been scolded privately and had apoligized. It was referred to again (publically) at another time. The prof had berated her constantly before and after that, actually from the time she got there. He had been a student at Millikin. Perhaps that is where he learned his teaching style... from poor modelling. He certainly treated others poorly as well. He did treat some very well, too.</p>
<p>In some ways, reading the above threads kind of make me go... ah ha! </p>
<p>Thanks for some room to vent a little!!!
Snoggie</p>
<p>This is VERY upsetting. Why is this kind of information coming out now - AFTER the May 1st deadline. If this was known why wasn't it said before? I am beside myself now and have NO IDEA what to think or how to advise my daughter. NOT a good day!</p>
<p>Ugh. Well I sure wish this would have come out earlier as well, especially the part about security in the area. In our visits to campus it appeared to be an unsafe environment but I didn't want to jump to stereotypical conclusions. The posts on this board never indicated it was a problem and so when the financial aid packet came through we committed.</p>
<p>The good news is we hail from Los Angeles CA so D is not naive about gang neighborhoods and being 'alert' at all times, but we left LA because of it so her 'skills' there have been lax for several years now. We'll just have to have a refresher talk on the subject, it seems.</p>
<p>My D also knows there is no such thing as a long-term commitment to any university and she's used to diversity and the struggles which come with being a minority. We'll give it a shot for the year. If she wants to stay she can, if she doesn't then we'll do the audition dance again next Spring to find a place to transfer into. Besides, she's looking for the opportunity to focus on dance, singing, acting enough to do better at the auditions anyway. She'll make the most of Millikin in those areas her freshman year and we'll reassess the situation.</p>
<p>Still, I do appreciate the honesty here, even though it's late in the coming.</p>
<p>DKMom: I agree. I am actually in the process today of doing extensive research on the claims made here. My wife reminded me that, even at Northwestern where we both went, there was crime on campus - rapes, etc. Ths is a dangerous society we live in and there is no campus that is completely safe. It's about awareness.</p>
<p>I will keep you posted as to my findings.</p>
<p>I actually think the response of both DD and DKMOM is great. You cannot be sure of anything; there are no givens. What you have been given is an opportunity to be more aware of possibilities in your kids' situations, which is in its own way a blessing! I wish I had known more about my Ds first school... we may still have chosen it but made different choices while there!</p>
<p>S</p>
<p>There is no such thing as a completely safe environment, and while one can choose to invest in living in 'safe' communities to minimize the exposure to such things like we did in order to raise our kids, once we set them free they will not avoid the exposure. Such is life.</p>
<p>Granted, when it comes to colleges, yes, one can try to minimize security risks in the selection process, and overall, campuses are safer than the communities in which they reside, but still, campuses are just smaller versions of all the communities represented by the student body. If the bulk of the students hail from inner cities then that will be reflected on campus, but we select colleges for their programs, not their student body makeup, and we pray - a lot!</p>
<p>What I like about college campuses is it is a transitional step to reality for the kids. On a smaller scale the students get exposed to all that gunk parents shielded them from all those years, and they learn to adapt, so that when they graduate and have to consider job prospects for their lives, they are a bit wiser about how to live in the community where the job is located.</p>
<p>As for the professors and their rudeness, drunken-ness, well, I hate to be stereotypical yet again, but isn't that the nature of the subculture of the arts anyway? Since campuses are mini-realities I'd be surprised if the mind-set of the subculture wasn't present. Some directors and producers in real life are flat out rude and obnoxious, but if you manage to earn a spot in a production, you'd best know how not to take his/her comments/attitude personally and make the guy/gal happy if you want to keep the job. Would I rather all the teachers were Disney-esque and Christian-centered? If the real-world environment of that profession is, then yes, but if the real-world environment is cut-throat and brutal, then I want my D to learn what it takes to survive in that environment. At the very least, it may steer her away from the profession into another one. That's what the college experience is about.</p>
<p>Well, it took a while to get my blood pressure back to normal but I've spent the day researching and talking and finally have a more realistic picture of what I feel about all of this.</p>
<p>First of all, let me say that NO ONE should take any post on any website as gospel. It is imperative for you to consider all viewpoints and do your own research to come to your own conclusion. </p>
<p>Regarding the safety of the school - or any school for that matter - the world is a dangerous place. There is crime anywhere you care to look for it. There are statistics online for every college in the country and the crime rates that apply to those campuses. Crime is everywhere! My wife reminded me of rape on campus at NU - a beautiful, seemingly safe campus - and that was 25 years ago! There is no way that we can keep our children completely safe. All we can do is prepare them as best as we can to face whatever might come their way and then hope for the best. On this note, I plan to enroll my daughter in a self-defense course over the summer so as to give her another tool - besides common sense - to deal with issues that may arise.</p>
<p>Colleges have faculty turnover. Happens every year on almost every campus. A new professor does not necessarily equate to a bad professor. I checked with current students on the Millikin campus as to the impressions of the new faculty and received very honest answers - most being positive.</p>
<p>'Abusive' professors are on every campus. Abusive directors, choreographers, lighting designers, scenic designers, stage managers, etc. exist in the world of the arts - even at Disney. (Jerome Robbins - depsite his brilliance - was an ass). Our children need to learn how to deal with all personalities if they are going to survive in the business. When my wife and I were at Northwestern we had a director who was abusive, who was drunk most of the time and who slept during rehearsals. BUT, we both learned a great deal from him. Number one was to be punctual. He had zero tolerance for being late and would throw you out of the show on your very first infraction - whether you were a lead or in the ensemble. In our careers, directors, etc. have always commented on how punctual my wife and I are and how great our work ethic is. This is due in part to this abusive man. I also learned from this man what kind of director I DID NOT want to be. And I am not that kind of director. He taught me something - even if it was hard to learn.</p>
<p>As far as getting work after college or during summers - the faculty was very upfront that they do not do the leg work for the kids. They provide them with all of the information as to what is out there to explore and give them the tools to explore it but they don't do it for them. That's good training in self-reliance as far as I'm concerned.</p>
<p>What I don't understand is that, if things are as terrible as they are being made out to be, why are the kids still there? I would pull mine in a second if I thought they were in imminent danger or my money was being wasted. we all have choices. If the school is not a right fit, move on. Kids transfer every year.</p>
<p>Finally, to get another side of the arguement, my wife and I contacted two former Millikin students who now work for Disney (class of 2001 and 2004). They are both VERY talented young ladies. We told them about the posts and asked for their honest opinions. They both said that they did not have the kind of experience that has been referred to here. In fact, one of the girls became physically sick to think that the school was being generalized in that way. She said that Millikin was the best thing that happened to her. That her parents did not support her going there and that professors even helped her find more financial aid so that she could stay at the school when her father would no longer contribute.</p>
<p>I don't doubt that kids have had bad experiences at Millikin. There are kids that have bad experiences at any school. PLEASE do your own research and do not react, as I did this morning, to a few comments (bad or good). That is a severe injustice to not only the school, but to you and your kids as well.</p>
<p>I am now done. I wish everyone the best in your future endeavors.</p>
<p>Thanks, DD. Good advice all around.</p>
<p>I did not post this before because I was unaware of post like this. Before going to any school go to this web page to see the criminals that live around the schools:National</a> Sex Offender Registry.
Well, as for knowing more then most, I currently have a child at Millikin. But don't take my word for anything, what would I know.
I left her at Millikin because it is supposedly the best school, she moved into the secured apartments. She has campus security drive her to the campus and back so she is not hurt. They offered her a good scholarship and she was learning a lot in the beginning. When the staff's enthusiasm went down so did the education. Make your own decisions but be aware of the fact that this school does not offer the best like they claim to do.
I have TWO children in college and my other child is on a campus with "0" crime, look it up Elmhurst college. His school is so much better, he is currently a junior and his working on a business music degree. Since I have seen a good school, I can tell you that Millikin is not as good as you might think.</p>
<p>Mom2incollege: My point is that no one should accept any one (or even two) reports on a college. A person must research fully to understand a truer picture and make their own decision. Posts can be incorrect and, even though the person posting may think their information is accurate, as you can see below, it isn't always.</p>
<p>From the latest published documents available on both colleges (from their own websites):</p>
<p>Elmhurst College – crime stats 2006
Murder 0
Sex offenses 0
Burglary 22
Car Theft 2
Liquor Law Violations 156
Drug Abuse Violations 16
Weapons Violations 6</p>
<p>Millikin University – crime stats 2005
Murder 0
Sex offense 3
Burglary 21
Car Theft 0
Liquor Law Violations 109
Drug Abuse Violations 14
Weapons Violations 1
Aggravated Assault 2
Arson 1
Robbery 3</p>
<p>As you can see, neither is crime free. That's, unfortunately, the way of the world. We need to be smart and make decisions with our heads not our hearts.</p>
<p>And, as for the National Registry, if you check any neighborhood in your own home town you will be surprised to find many such offenders closer to home than you'd like. Again, not exclusive to any one town (or college). This is the reality of our world today.</p>
<p><a href="http://media.elmhurst.edu/documents/SecurityReport.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://media.elmhurst.edu/documents/SecurityReport.pdf</a>
this is elmhurst page.</p>
<p>I believe the whole point of these kinds of post is to let others become aware of different situations, so that now one goes in blindly. If I had had more information on this school then just previous referrals I would of thought twice about sending her, or at least been more prepared for the unfortunate mishaps that have occurred.
Let us try not to get too petty amongst ourselves. Everything is suppose to be about the students not the parents.</p>
<p>Best of luck to everyone.</p>
<p>I have decided to make one final post.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it became obvious that my responses to the recent posts were being regarded as personal attacks. If you go back and read my posts you will see that that was never the case. No child should ever have a bad college experience and I would not wish that on anyone. My reaction to the posts was just that - a reaction. After months of going through a very stressful process it was very disheartening to see such radically different viewpoints being displayed after all the decisions had been made. It was difficult to see that possibly we had made a mistake. So, I did what I said I would do - and what this forum is ultimately about - I researched the subject myself so that I could make a determination as to whether I needed to pull my daughter from the school. The posts contained the kind of content that actually deemed that sort of consideration. I was relieved to find that, while these are very real experiences and I do not mistrust for an instance that they are based in truth, they are not the only experiences that Millikin students are having. I researched the subject to the point that I felt satisified that I could still send my daughter to the school with personal confidence. That is not to say that if she ultimately has bad experiences that we would not consider transferring. But, to be fair, I would do that at any college she attended because no one knows for sure what kind of experience an individual will have until they have it.</p>
<p>Now, quite possibly, I should have just kept my findings to myself but, as Mom2incollege stated above, this forum is about sharing so that others become aware of different experiences. My posts were intended to give the other side of the Millikin experience. If I had not done the research and posted my findings then there would only be recent negative experiences posted and that would not allow future prospectives to have a complete view of the school.</p>
<p>My daughter is attending Millikin in the Fall. I hope strongly that her experiences will be positive. She actually knows nothing of these recent posts and my comments do not reflect her in any way. </p>
<p>We all want our kids to have the best and I truly hope that, ultimately, they all will.</p>