<p>I echo all of what Michael and onstage have written. </p>
<p>Keepingcalm, graduating early, in my D’s case is not what made her have to do any more or fit in anything more. She went to school all the same as if she were a junior who could have stayed for senior year. Her academics were whatever they were going to be regardless of graduating early. However, she took the most demanding curriculum offered in all five academic core subjects, as well as took classes like Chorus, Jazz Band, Jazz Theory, and Music Technology. </p>
<p>What I want to echo, however, is that a BFA program and schedule is very very intense and demanding and FULL. I have met students who want a BFA who do not have the work ethic by virtue of their academics which says something. I feel that students who are used to demanding academics with a lot of homework and a very full training and production schedule extracurricularly are already used to that sort of life where time management is essential and motivation, drive, and work ethic are critical. Some who enter a BFA program do not realize what they are getting into. It is NOT like regular college with four classes and for a few hours per day whatsoever. </p>
<p>I can only speak for what I observe in my own child’s case and I honestly do not know when she sleeps. Besides all that is required, she takes on many other things. Some thrive on this. It involves the utmost of time management to do it all and to do it well. I think she went off to college prepared to be able to not only survive that situation but to flourish in it. It is such a perfect match for her to be doing what she is doing but it is very demanding. She’s not complaining. Rather, she craves it. Every call includes mention of how fantastic it all is to be doing what she is doing. She loves it. But it is not for all people.</p>
<p>I also did not know how in the world she would fit in applications and audition prep and attend the auditions during her admissions year (for her it was eleventh grade). She had explored the schools in tenth and did her SAT testing in tenth. But she was alway all summer and did not do applications then as others are relating. Her year was very very full with not only school and applications and 8 on campus auditions (she only applied to 8 schools total), but she was also in a musical 50 miles from home that rehearsed at night and on weekends, took six dance classes 25 miles per home and was also in a dance repertory company that rehearsed weekly, took voice and acting lessons for audition prep each 50 miles from home, did the school musical, wrote/produced/directed/choregraphed/performed in a musical cabaret revue at her high school, took piano lessons and guitar lessons, and was in Jazz Band and Chorus and all the regional and state music festivals by audition, state scholarships by audition, NFAA, and what not. She obviously had a demanding academic curriculum and even had to teach herself AP Calculus as the course conflicted with her History/English class for juniors because normally at our HS, only seniors take AP Calculus and so she had to do it as an independent study one period per day and take all the tests, etc. while not actually attending the class itself. I don’t know how she did it but she did. I think when someone is into what they are doing so much, it is not like “work” to them. </p>
<p>Now, IN college…her schedule seems rather insane to me but she thrives on it and chooses to take many things on beyond that which is required which is already a lot. She goes to classes most days from 9-6. I believe she is in NINE classes including private voice which involves travel time but is required and for credit. She ALSO has chosen to take a TENTH class by audit (and is attending every class and writing all the homework which involves writing her own original musicals) because she wanted to take it and cannot fit more in for credit. Then, she has a professional paying job with a huge responsibility attached to it musically directing a new work by a Tony nominated composer/playwright, and that involves rehearsals four times a week, which she runs. There are also the upcoming performances. She also is musical director for a coed a capella group at her school which involves two rehearsals per week and she also writes several of their musical arrangements and also just did two sessions of new casting, plus is working on recording a CD, etc. She also is in Scholars at her school which meets every other week. She also was just cast in a musical theater workshop in NYC by someone who saw her in a show this summer in NYC and recommended her to the composer and I believe this weekend is recording a CD that they are using to show prospective producers. She is also in a band and writes original music for it and rehearses with them and they are trying to get gigs in the city and record music as well. She also teaches piano privately and also is called to accompany, both for pay. She turned down teaching a musical theater class for children in the city for pay as she wasn’t sure she could commit to it with her schedule. She has turned down several musical directing opportunities as well. She also has four auditions this week for shows through school, which all involve very different audition prep materials, and hopes to be in a production and based on experiences so far at college, shows rehearse every night until 10 or 11 and involve weekends. Then she has all the homework, some which is written and reading. Then there is the song and scene prep for classes, some scene prep can involve meeting with your scene partner outside of class. My point is that unless you are very good at time management, have a strong work ethic, and LOVE what you do and are highly motivated and driven to WANT to do all this, you would have a hard time doing a BFA program. I think a prospective student’s academic record sheds light on their work ethic and ability to time manage and juggle training, productions, and academics. There are talented kids who are overrwhelmed when they realize what a BFA program truly entails. </p>
<p>Back to academics…at the more selective schools, academically speaking, they will examine and care about the rigor of your curriculum and your academic achievement in order to assess if you can succeed in a rigorous BFA program, which usually also entails some liberal arts courses as well. It isn’t like they care if you are good at math as much as how you achieve, your motivation, work ethic, time management, ability to handle college classes, and so forth.</p>
She clearly is very strong in the time-management dept, but with a schedule like that, what she needs to manage is to find some time to sleep and just kick back, I would think!