Looking for the opinion of current students about campus life for MT students. My daughter feels Montclair is more of a “suitcase” school, with many students commuting or going home on weekends. We just attended the MT information session at the open house and we were very impressed with the MT program. My daughter wants a more traditional college experience, but loves the conservatory program and proximity to NYC. Any current students/families have any advice about life as a MT student on campus? Thank you!!
@mtmom1967 My D is a junior MT at Montclair State. Your D is correct that many of the students at MSU commute. Of the 16,000+ undergrads, I believe close to 70% are commuters. That said, there are still ~5,000 undergrads who live on campus and my D does not lack for things to do, even on the weekends. The day after we dropped our D off as a freshman, she was in NYC with friends. The great thing about being an MT is that you come in as a freshman and you spend the majority of the time with the same 20 people, so you bond almost immediately and the overwhelming majority of BFA MT and Acting students are from out of state, so they are right there with you on the weekends. If you have any other specific questions, feel free to ask.
Thank you for your reply! How has her experience been as a MT major at Montclair?
@mtmom1967 She loves it. Like you will hear from most parents when talking about their child’s program, it was the right fit for her. She loves the proximity to the city while still being able to have a more traditional campus. We love the in-state tuition. She feels the training is everything she could ask for. Fair warning though, the audition process may not give you the warm fuzzy experience other programs provide. They have not implemented a prescreen, so they live audition everyone. And while I know other programs do this as well and still manage to provide a nurturing environment, Montclair tends to be all business. This is especially true as the number of auditioners continues to rise each year. This is not meant to be derogatory, just something I think people should be prepared for. Break legs and enjoy the process!
I think mtdadager covered the important points about Montclair “life”. My daughter is a senior and has lived on campus the whole time. This year, she is on campus apartments with 3 MT friends (only an option for juniors and seniors).
I just want to add, that while Montclair is a commuter school, the BFA programs are filled with students from out of state - so the people your child sees in BFA classes from day 1 are the people she would socialize with the most. There is almost always something social happening on the weekends.
If your daughter does choose Montclair, I recommend she connect with the people in her class via facebook, and choose her on campus housing in sync with her classmates! Being in a dorm/building with classmates is a big plus in developing friendships. Good luck to you both.
thank you for the information! I will pass this along to my daughter!