I just posted this somewhere else (I am new) and can’t find it to copy and paste. Basically, my questions are: is it possible to have a traditional college experience (attending sporting events, joining clubs and possibly sororities, enjoying down time in your dorm with friends) and get a degree I. Musical theater from a top program. If so, where? I understand that it is training, but I also think college itself is training for life and teaches you people skills, besides the obvious fun and education. So that is my big question…thank you!
Yes, there are programs that blend a MT education with a traditional college experience. If that is what you are looking for, the conservatory programs are not for you. My D graduated from Penn State’s MT program and was able to experience the more traditional college campus and activities. She chose not to join a sorority. It is possible but due to the grueling schedule of an MT major I think it would be extremely difficult. As for down time, there really wasn’t much. Between homework in regular academic classes, dance, private voice lessons, rehearsals and shows there is not much time for anything else. That is not to say there is no time for socializing and friends, however a lot of that ends up revolving around the other MT’s. I’m sure others will chime in with info about other similar programs. Of course any of the audition programs are highly competitive so it is sometimes difficult to gain acceptance to a program that has all of the features you are looking for.
My advise is that when you are researching schools, pay as much attention to the college as you do the program. A rule of thumb for our family was “if you don’t think you would like that school without theater- then it shouldn’t be on the list”. We looked at WIDE variety of schools, big/small, urban/rural, and really tried to hone in on what my daughter wanted her experience to be. She is a freshman this year, and loves her BFA program, and her school as a whole
Barbara I will send you a message on this. Bottom line is yes, you can have both.
My daughter attended Northwestern and, if you ask her, one of the best things about the school was her involvement with college football. There are a group of theatre and MT kids who still gather every Sunday during the season to watch and she’s been out for two years now. (If it’s a winning or respectable season they’re at the NU bar, if not, they’re in her apartment.) While at NU she also was very active with Improv and Musical Improv, the Dance Marathon, going to the beach, riding her bike, being with non-theatre friends, etc. It’s mostly learning good time management to allow you to participate in many of the college experiences while still getting all you MT activities done. There are times when you might be too busy to participate in other areas but it’s like that for many majors.
That is wonderful! I feel that college is such an important time to not be “strictly business” and yet I want to make sure she has enough training to give things a go. Hard!!
We visited University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa in the fall with some high school MT kids to see a friend in a show. Loved the show and my daughter was glad to tour a school with a “big college” feel . We hear great things about the program from our friends with students in the program. Check it out @BarbaraD …
Thank you, I will! We live in the South!
I teach at James Madison… students in the program definitely take advantage of campus activities outside of theatre, musical theatre, and dance if they choose. I am happy to put you in touch with students if you would like.
At OCU, many of the kids are in fraternities and sororities. There also are lots of popular non-greek clubs as well. There is a huge homecoming week with lots of activities. There are sports events throughout the year although no football team. Some go to OU close by to get that experience. But it is possible to get a more traditional experience at OCU.
I would say that you should add Coastal Carolina to the list where kids can have a great “college experience”. There are several girls that are in a sorority and participate in lots of campus activities. My D is getting to see Alvin Ailey Company II in a couple of weeks (tickets were only $5.00 for students). They also have a great student center that just opened a new movie theatre for the kids where they can see movies for $5.00 and get free popcorn. Theatre does not end up being their only outlet.
Seconding what amtc said, I think at almost all of the schools posted at the top of the forum, with the possible exceptions of a couple of conservatories located in urban environments, you can have a very traditional college experience, including walks across a campus with carefully-spaced post-modern neo-collegiate brick buildings where, according to the brochure, it is always Fall and someone is always playing Frisbee on the grass in the Commons.
D has friends in MT programs at TCU, Texas State, UT Austin (new MT program), and other schools who belong to sororities, go to football games and parties, volunteer, etc. They all admit, however, that their attendance at non-theatre activities are more limited that their non-theatre friends. However, I experienced similar limits as an Engineering major who sang in college choir and participated in college opera (as a spear carrier).
The Theatre Department Chair at TCU, Harry Parker, told me that he ensures there are never any rehearsals scheduled during home football games, and his students are encouraged to paint their faces purple and go cheer on the Horned Frogs (although he admitted that most of them have no idea why you punt on fourth down).
I agree @Emsdad- you can get a version of “the college experience” at virtually all theater schools- it just depends on what you want a college experience to be. For my D it’s not fisbee on the quad- it’s jam sessions in Washington square 
Our D at Northwestern also really wanted a traditional college experience, complete with a discrete traditional ivy-covered campus, frequent exposure to kids studying other subjects, a sorority, the option of studying non-theate topics, a cappella groups, big sporting events (she’s not a fan but got to sing the Star Spangled Banner for an ESPN-televised game), active alumni groups, etc. Even as she’s had to juggle lots of disparate competing demands she’s been incredibly happy to have found the college experience she wanted on top of solid MT training.
It definitely can be done. Best of luck in your school search!!
I think this is such an important consideration. One of the better reasons for a visit, before acceptance, especially if you need to narrow down selections. The feel of a school, the campus hang outs, clubs, etc could make a difference. I don’t think parents and kids place enough emphasis on this aspect - then regret it later.
I think our D’s ideas about college were formed at least in part by Gilmore Girls, so urban campuses held exactly zero appeal for her, but of course some kids love them. It’s a big world.
My D has been able to do many traditional college activities. She enjoyed dorm life for her first two years and made a ton of friends that way. In fact her dorm friends were sort of a haven from all the theater folks; as much as she loves her classmates when you are in class all day with the same group of folks it’s good to have a separate group outside of the theater world to hang out with. She joined a sorority as a sophomore, and the only issue there is you need to make clear during rush that rehearsals may conflict with sorority activities and make sure the sorority is OK with that. She works as a tour guide on campus, is a reporter for a campus organization, She TAs a theater class every spring, sings in a local church choir every Sunday morning., dinner parties, etc, etc, etc. I was just up at a tailgate last week for Dad’s day with her sorority in fact.
So she has been able to integrate college with a rigorous MT program. Just don’t ask how much sleep she gets, you probably wouldn’t like the answer!
Where is your daughter? @jeffandann
I second Emsdad’s suggestion to look at TCU.
Joyfulmama, she is at Ball State.