Hey everyone! I’ve come down to my top two schools… and I am really struggling. I love both programs but have only toured OCU. I know both audition for their senior showcase, but I’m not sure what the training is like at each school. I know each school is for actors who want to focus on different things. Which school do you guys think would prepare one to be the most successful? Thank you!
At PPU, all BFA students now showcase. Not that a showcase should be a determining factor, IMHO. Both are good, quality programs. If you haven’t yet, you should try to visit PPU. It’s very different from OCU in that it’s in the heart of a city. It really depends on which atmosphere you prefer. Ironically, both those schools were on my daughter’s final short list as well. She would up at PPU and is very happy there.
I am not too familiar with OCU but when you reach this point it’s really a matter of which program and school (campus) the student feels is best for them. PPU was one of my son’s acceptances last year and the first of the three we visited when we did our spring break tour. And while he thought he would enjoy the urban campus atmosphere, when he had a chance to compare it to other college campuses, he opted for another choice. Other students would have (and did) go the other way. When you get to that short list, visiting schools is ideal if time and money allow.
If you haven’t already, read through the individual school threads/forums above under MT schools sub-forum. Also, @vvnstar may be able to help you with OCU questions.
OCU is also in the middle of a city. I don’t know much about PPU, but my daughter loved the summer program she did with OCU. Oklahoma City and Pittsburg are very different cities.
We visited both campuses. The OCU campus is very different, as Oklahoma City is very different city from Pittsburgh. It’s much more spread out. My D liked both schools but ultimately decided OCU was too far from home. At least Pittsburgh is a drive, albeit a long one (8 hrs.). I like the suggestion in another thread to compare the curriculum. OCU is a BM degree, PPU is a BFA. The degree requirements will be very different.
I’d be happy to try to answer any questions about OCU that you may have. It was a wonderful place for our D. I agree, the campuses you are considering are very different. OCU is a small, private liberal arts college. Oklahoma City, however, has over one million people, so there is a lot to do in and around OKC. OCU has a Greek system that many kids, MTs included, participate in. They also have very successful sports teams. So it is more of a traditional college and campus. However, it has a much larger percentage of performance majors among its students than some other schools of its size. You will be immersed in singers, dancers and actors. The MT degree is a Bachelor of Music (as is Baldwin Wallace’s MT degree) I will say the vocal faculty is phenomenal. There will be a strong foundation of classical voice but you will also mix, belt and do all styles of singing. You will have a voice teacher as well as a vocal coach. You will work with each privately in addition to meeting with your studio. Additionally, you do take dance at the reknowned Ann Lacey School of Dance and you level each semester so you should be in classes that challenge you. Acting classes are through the School of Theatre which is having good success with its recent grads too. It was a 13-14 hour drive for us, but it really was not bad. We would drive it in one day breaking it up into 4-5 hour segments. You will also have gen eds to take. You can be part of the honors program if you are interested and qualify. They have a great spring break program in NYC called OCUNYC. And also bring professionals to campus to work with students also. Thy do both an LA and a NYC showcase. You can audition for one or both. As far as preparing you for success, you might check out this thread about what OCU grads are doing:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/oklahoma-city-university-mt/1769345-where-are-alumni-working.html#latest
Point park is also a great school. D ultimately decided she preferred the more traditional campus. But she has friends who went there that loved it. One in particular is having a stellar career based in the D.C. Area. Doing some really great work.
So I agree that visiting, if you haven’t already, would probably help you see which type of campus and program best suits you. Again, if you have specific questions about OCU, I’ll do my best to answer them. You’ve got great choices. Wishing you all the best!
That Bass music facility at OCU is AMAZING. The Dean gave a handful of us a private tour and explained how they made all the practice rooms sound and vibration proof. I wished my engineer husband was with us because he would have been fascinated.
As always, @vvnstar is the ultimate keeper of knowledge on all things OCU and has given you a great summary of that program. PPU is a BFA degree, so the focus is a bit different than the BM degree at OCU. Students are required to take music theory in their first semester. Like OCU, dance training at PPU is particularly strong; the dance majors there are simply mind blowing, and the MT dance is very strong. My daughter has really grown leaps and bounds in her acting, and the professors challenge the students but also nurture them. I’ll make the same offer vvstar did; if you have questions about PPU feel freel to reach out and I’ll do my best to answer.
Bottom line: you’re choosing between two great programs that most kids would give their eyeteeth to be a part of. It’s really just which one you feel suits you best. You can’t go wrong here.
Congratulations on making it through the audition process and having such great options!
Do you know how the BA of music compares to the BM for MT? My D did not get into the BM, but she did like the school. We’re just not sure if she will get the same training and opportunities as an MT student.
I know that the BA is not taught by the same instructors as the BM. My definite impression was that it is not the same level of training.
I would look at the curriculum for the BA and see if she would be happy with the course requirements. There will not be a strong focus on performance. And as @CTDramaMom indicates, voice training would be done by a different set of professors. Still good. Just different.
Did your D happen to audition for BFA Acting? or Dance Performance? There are sometimes people who are redirected to Acting from their VP/MT audition. Dance performance would have been a separate audition. Some kids who really want that performance training find either of those two majors an alternative degree path that really fits their needs and has more of the training they are seeking more so than the BA degree. Like the MT degree, both of those degree tracks have had numerous alums performing in musicals both on Broadway and around the country.
my d was accepted at OCU for the BFA Acting and the BA music. Her heart is in MT so we have asked how often a student gets to switch into MT if they are there for acting. The answer has been that there is a lot of crossover and it is totally possible. Any thoughts?
If your D wants to be a performer I would definitely suggest the BFA Acting degree over the BA degree in music if you are choosing one or the other. D had a couple of people from her MT class who actually chose to switch to acting. Some students find they don’t love the rigor of the music degree which is what the MT degree is. Acting majors can and do audition and are cast in many of the productions. And MT majors can and do audition and are cast in straight shows. So there is a lot of crossover. The MTs acting classes are taken with acting majors. The big difference is in voice – how much you get and who the teachers are. And MT gets preference over Acting majors for dance classes if there are limited spots. But since they are leveled hopefully that isn’t an issue. If you double major with the BA in music, just make sure the classes are courses you want to take. I honestly am not sure what the curriculum is for the BA in music, but I’m guessing it is less focused on performance. Additionally, I am aware of Acting majors who re-auditioned for MT who were able to switch to MT in their sophomore year. It by no means is a sure thing, I’ve also seen plenty who re-auditioned who did not get in MT the second time around either, but i have seen it happen. Also, some of our acting majors have had leads in national tours of musicals in recent years, so it is possible to have a career in musical theatre even if you just stick with the acting degree.