<p>4inoregon, yes I totally agree that is a problem with programs which start with a large number and only accept a small number into BFA. At UC Irvine though the difference between the BA and the BFA is really only 2 courses (granted one is the MT 4 course) but students can create a program in the BA that is very similar to the BFA. Your point is well taken, there are many, many paths to a career in MT… BFA is right for some, but certainly not for all and certainly not the only way. I, of course, want my D to pursue her career dreams but honestly I really want her to get a quality college education for her life.</p>
<p>With parents that are willing to help their children to the extent that so many here on this forum are, our kids are in good hands and will likely have a future that will be exciting and fulfilling for them.</p>
<p>4inoregon, that’s true that some of them cap the amount that move into BFA. If I am understanding them correctly, the schools that my D has looked at that do start as a BA and then move into BFA (three that I know of) don’t happen to restrict the numbers but base it only on whether the student has shown hard work and talent. </p>
<p>That is a very good reminder for our kids to make sure that they know which way a program they are considering works, and if the pros and cons of the way a school does it is what they are after. There’s all these THINGS, so many different factors and details to each individual program, that might never have even occurred to someone to ask, and might possibly not have had that information volunteered to them, and they aren’t the kind of things you want to find out afterwards, I don’t think!</p>
<p>It is certainly true that there’s risk with any program that involves either a cut or a selective audition at the end of the first year. In our D’s eyes, though, there’s also a major benefit in that those programs are able to watch people for an entire year rather than for a couple of 4 minute auditions. This enables them to weed out problem personalities and attitudes (and she knows that in theatre there can be significant ego issues) in addition to getting a more thorough vetting of breadth of talent. She also says that if they wouldn’t still chose her after watching her for a year, she might not have much of a carrer ahead of her and should possibly take the hint! We’ll see how she feels about it by this time next year. :-)</p>
<p>MomCares - not to stir up an old hornet’s nest, but be aware of the difference between a program who cuts for cause, vs. a program who cuts to a specific (and substantially smaller) number.</p>
<p>I attended an acting conservatory back in the day that cut the class in half every year. The day-to-day competition was gruelling and in my opinion totally unhealthy, so I am aware of the differences in cut/review policies of various programs. There are tradeoffs in being " all in" on the basis of a brief audition versus having at least an artistic review at some point further in. There are benefits to each type of program, but I have certainly seen kids redirected or drop out of the all-in programs which is it’s own form of cutting.</p>
<p>College is a time to explore who you are, what interests you, what motivates you and what you want to “be” professionally. I am not at all surprised when I hear that a freshman or sophomore student in a college adademic program switches his or her major from, say, English to sociology, so why should it surprise us that a student who <em>thinks</em> she wants to be a musical theater performer or actor changes his or her mind? In fact, I am surprised that more don’t, especially those who did not attend arts high schools, and whose experiences in theater are limited to doing high school and community shows. There is a vast difference between doing shows for “fun” (and they ARE fun!) and suddenly spending 6 to 8 hours a day studying actor training, singing, etc. I don’t honestly think it is even always about “rigor” and those who change their minds not being able to handle it. I think it is just that some kids find that studying MT or acting as a craft is no longer fun or interesting to them, so they change majors or leave.</p>
<p>It’s a good point about the cutting during a program. Even at the “all in” schools, there are juries at the end of each semester, and I know that these are held to give a forum for letting a kid who is just not progressing (or has not put in the effort) that it is time to consider another major.</p>
<p>I honestly think that’s doing all of the kids a service. Let’s face it. College is expensive – even with a full-ride scholarship a student is investing some of the prime years of their life – and MT is an incredibly demanding career choice. They say if you can do anything else, you should, and I’m not convinced anyone is joking when they say it. Better an unmotivated student be redirected than slog through another 3 years in the wrong program!</p>
<p>I personally don’t think I would want my daughter in a program that did cuts based on an arbitrary number - that’s all been discussed before - but from what I can tell, every school we’ve looked at does evaluate in one way or another their progress, and I agree - it’s not fair to let someone continue if they consistently do not seem to show progress, improvement, and overall “chops”, whatever the heck that is. If someone really is not doing that well I don’t think it’s doing them any favors not to address that issue - that’s what it seems to me that the less savory proprietary schools do, just leave people in the program as long as they pay tuition.</p>
<p>I wonder if some kids might have a real passion and drive to teach and are excelling in everything necessary to be a great teacher, but just not a performer, if those kids are judged differently, but I also assume those kids are in a program tailored for education, as every program we have looked at has a choice that is clearly for those who intend to educate. And I assume there would be a totally different evaluation based on at least some differing strengths.</p>
<p>But I totally have no problem with my daughter’s progress being evaluated. Goodness, that’s part of education.</p>