<p>My son was accepted to this program and we know nothing about it. It is hard to find a lot of info on schools if they are not the tippy top. To complicate matters, the Theatre Department would like his answer by March 30, we do not live near NJ and are trying to figure out when/how to visit (they recommend Wednesdays) and they are off for spring break the same week my son has spring break (right...would have been too perfect, I know!!!).</p>
<p>So, any info anyone has would be great. I have combed the MT Montclair site (we need one for theatre...) but I am learning more about the MT program and not the theatre one. I have had some very useful PM's (thank you all)...but more information would be fantastic.</p>
<p>Fair question…we live in the South and in an area where the flights are pretty expensive so we were basing our search around Unifieds. This was the most cost effective way for us to get my son to auditions. Montclair was at Unfieds and our college counselor recommended applying.</p>
<p>Photo, I know you posted before about your son reviewing school and program websites, so it is not that you and he do not know anything about the program. You know the curriculum at least as it looks on paper fits your son’s educational and actor training goals and learning style.</p>
<p>What one cannot tell from websites are all the little nuances of a program and the day to day life at a school. I’m sure that is what you would hope someone on this board could share with you. </p>
<p>I am hoping to report back to you after their Arts Day in March.</p>
<p>I don’t have any personal experience to offer, but I did want to remind you that while they ask that you reply by march 30, they cannot expect you to reply until may 1, right? I think there have been several posts regarding national day of commitment (or something like that) and schools really trying to push families into deciding before that. Pretty sure soozievt has a few posts on that subject. Good luck with the process!</p>
<p>shacherry…thank you!!! That is absolutely what I was hoping to find out more about…</p>
<p>Dramamamaof4 - I am hoping to talk to them about this issue. I hear that they only accept the number they want in the class so that is why they have such an early date…</p>
<p>Some schools ask for a verbal commitment before this date… some ask for a tuition deposit before this date. However, most schools (hopefully) will refund deposits made before the May 1 deadline… all schools should understand the concept of “summer melt” where students who have made a deposit get off the waitlist at another school and decide to attend the other school. In the end no school can require you to attend, but hey may not return deposits after the deadline.</p>
<p>Photomom, I think your son has made great use of Unifieds. We also did not make it to any colleges before auditions other than Montclair. Just too expensive to tour all these schools and take the time from their theatre and other commitments particularly where the public high schools have a maximum number of days the seniors can miss in order to graduate.</p>
<p>Actually we attended the theatre arts program in November where they take the parents aside and answer questions and fill in with details while the kids are hanging with the students in master classes. They said that they accept to fill the needs of the program and they do not over accept in the hopes of obtaining rejections that will net a specific number. They are looking for students that choose their program as their first choice. Hopefully the other programs will render their decisions in time to make this decision or you’ll have to ask for more time.</p>
<p>I have to confess, I would be asking different questions now in Feb then in November when all the parents were concerned with what will actually happen in the auditions, what the kids should wear and whether to go to Unifieds or the campus.</p>
<p>Unless your S hears from the rest of the schools he applied to before March 30th, and definitely knows he’ll commit to Montclair, then you should politely inform them he’ll need until the May 1st national deadline to declare (but will inform them if he reaches a decision before then). You might want to at least place a housing deposit by March 30th to ensure your S a spot in a dorm. I don’t believe on-campus housing is guaranteed for all just yet. Construction of on-campus housing continues. Spots in the BFA programs are offered on a rolling basis, with spots dwindling for later audition dates, but they will have a small waitlist to fill spots after receiving declinations from students offered a spot.</p>
<p>I live not far from Montclair, and my S has a close friend (sophomore) in their BFA Acting program.</p>
<p>Thank you all…I am going to contact them on Monday, we are making ourselves crazy trying to get schedule a trip… between spring breaks and Passover, there is very little time in March.</p>