<p>Ok, so I've narrowed down my list of college's Ill be applying to, and this is what I have come up with:</p>
<p>UCLA
UC Irvine
UC San Diego (this and UCSC are being applied to after a compromise reached with my parents)
UC Santa Cruz
USC
U Michigan
Penn State
Elon
Northwestern
Syracuse
Tulane (on a whim I was sent a personal app offer so it wont hurt to apply)</p>
<p>Im from SoCal, so thats why half of my schools are in CA. Is this is a good list of schools? UCI and UCSC are my back-ups academically. I have 4.0/4.1-ish with a handful of AP and honors level classes my first semester of junior year went pretty badly academic-wise, hence the not so impressive GPA, but I made up for it second semester with only one B. I think schools will hopefully look at it as a good sign that I have begun to take school more seriously. And my best SAT sitting was 2040. As far as activities, most of them revolve around performing or arts: MT, piano, figure skating, visual arts, and journalism (cappie awards critic and yearbook). </p>
<p>Im having a bit of trouble figuring out my final list because my parents are giving me a limit of 10 schools overall (excluding Tulane b/c it doesnt cost anything to apply), so I dont know if I should possibly take off Northwestern(even if it is my dream/reach) and replace it with a less selective school such as Manhattan Marymount or Wagner College or Pace University. Also, I want to attend a good liberal arts college/university with a good theatre program, the reason why no conservatories are on my list.</p>
<p>Based on this information, is the above list a reasonable list of schools? Is it diverse enough to maximize my chances of gaining acceptance into a couple of schools? Do I need to take any off and choose to apply/audition for some less selective schools? </p>
<p>If you have any advice about this list, please comment.</p>
<p>Well, I'm more interested in straight theatre in the future if I pursue a graduate degree, but I've only ever done MT and I feel like I'd be more versatile and well-rounded if I studied MT. So I plan to start off as a MT major (except in the cases of UCSC, UCSD, and UCI--if I attend UCI, I'll try to pursue the MT BFA)...if after 1 year or 2, I feel like straight acting is more my thing, then I'll try to change to just acting if it is at all possible.</p>
<p>But no, right now, these schools are for MT (except in the case of UCSC and UCSD, where I believe MT does not play a big role in the theatre program)</p>
<p>UCLA
UC Irvine
UC San Diego (this and UCSC are being applied to after a compromise reached with my parents)
UC Santa Cruz
USC
U Michigan
Penn State
Elon
Northwestern
Syracuse
Tulane (on a whim…I was sent a personal app offer so it won’t hurt to apply)</p>
<p>Vivi-my S is also from California and you are certainly competitive for spots at Santa Cruz and Irvine on academics-these should serve nicely as safety schools. Other than Tulane-which is competitve academically but I know nothing about their arts programs-the other schools are very tough to get into. If you read the thread on audtion numbers all of the programs you mention are in the 4-8% acceptance rate. Pace is also that selective.</p>
<p>I am your classmate's (the one who told you about this site) mother. You are a delightful young lady and I wish you much success.</p>
<p>Your safetlies are both straight acting and not MT. Your other choices are very very selective. Would you be happy with an acting major? You have never taken any of the acting classes at your performing arts high school so I am fearful of you having a major that you have not explored. The study of drama is very very different that the small bit of acting they have given you in your MT classes.</p>
<p>In addition to the very selectivness of the colleges, your look is a very definite type. I think the schools on your list that accept a larger number (UCLA and Syracuse accept 60), even though they may get a large audition base, would be helpful in this regard. In other words, if a school takes only 10 the chance they would need and accept a very specific type are less....stick with those school accepting 60.</p>
<p>For safety reasons, I might recommend you ask your father if you could add another and look at adding Muhlenberg. It is a theater program with strong MT opportunities. My d received a letter from them today and it says "Our theatre majors are free to double-major in a second field." I know this is important to your father and if you agree to double-major he might be willing to let you add another college to your list plus it would make him very happy for you to have that double major. I have read really great things about Muhlenberg on this site. Plus it is a non-audition and you have the stats needed.</p>
<p>Also have you signed up for your Syracuse audition yet? My d has and I noticed that 2 of the 4 sessions in our local area have already filled up.</p>
<p>Good Luck.......you are very talented and will do fabulous</p>
<p>enjoytheadventure-thanks for responding. your daughter is been so helpful already to me and i am thankful for the wealth of advice you two have provided me.</p>
<p>I realize that UCSC, i will just be doing a majority of straight theatre, and that at UCI, I will enter as a drama major for a year before I have a chance of auditioning for the MT bfa. Yes, our PA school does not give MT majors many opportunities to explore acting, but I was able to explore acting a little more this past summer. I have always liked acting the most out of the three disciplines in MT--music is only second to acting to me, even thought i do love it.</p>
<p>As for Syracuse, I was told when I visited they only accept around 25 to 30 students per freshman. Maybe 60 including acting students.</p>
<p>No I have not scheduled my audition, but I will be doing so this coming week since I'm busy with our school's show right now. I have thought about Muhlenberg, but my parents were adamant about keeping my list short. </p>
<p>As far as double majoring, I will be double majoring no matter what or else my parents will refuse to pay for college, and it's understandable. I know they'll feel safer knowing that I have other skills to fall back on if I suddenly on a whim decide to not pursue MT.</p>
<p>Once again thanks for the advice. I can't wait till march and april when your daughter and i will be discussing our college admits and what schools we will attend. This is such a stressful yet exciting time. You and your daughter have been nothing but help while I have been doing my college research.</p>
<p>Regarding Syracuse, I just pulled the numbers from the audition/class size thread on this site. It says
Syracuse (BFA MT)800/30 (accept 60)
Which I interpet as out 800 students who audition, they accept 60 students of which 30 decide to attend.</p>
<p>Over the years, the colleges have a good indication of how many to accept in order to get the class size they desire.</p>
<p>"As far as double majoring, I will be double majoring no matter what"</p>
<p>If that is the case, I would urge you to think through very carefully whether a BA program is more appropriate for you than a BFA. There have been a couple of threads in which the issue of double majoring has been discussed in depth. If you do a search for "double major" or "dual major" you should find them pretty easily.</p>
<p>In a nutshell, BA programs are much better designed and structured to provide the flexibility for a double major than a BFA. BFA's are intended to have a more singular focus and usually the curriculum is much more structured with far less room to take classes outside of the department. While some posters argue that a double major can be done with a BFA, not only is that highly dependent on what the second major is but, in addition, will invariably require at the very least that students take classes during the summer (while other BFA students are pursuing performing opportunities) and usually requires a 5th year of college. In contrast, at a BA theater program, you can usually structure a second major to fit within the normal 4 year curriculum and also without giving up other summer endeavors.</p>
<p>There are many very fine BA theater performance programs out there in which there are also wonderful opportunities for musical theatre training and performing. Muhlenberg is a great example of such a program. Very strong academic program, very well regarded acting, dance and vocal programs, excellent productions in modern well maintained facilities and a professional MT summer stock theatre company attached to the school. It is well worth looking at, given your stated priorities, even if you have to end up dropping a BFA program from your list.</p>
<p>VivianNgo,
Based on your comment: "I've only ever done MT and I feel like I'd be more versatile and well-rounded if I studied MT. So I plan to start off as a MT major..."
I would encourage you to really do your research since your parents are limiting you to 10 schools. My concern is your later comment:
"As far as double majoring, I will be double majoring no matter what or else my parents will refuse to pay for college"
because , as discussed on other threads here, a double major with MT is very difficult at best. Good luck with your college search.</p>
<p>I went to Syracuse for Musical Theatre and it would have been very difficult to double major with another discipline. Perhaps not impossible.... but nearly impossible to complete within four years. I was a graduate student at Penn State... and it appeared that the MT students would have had a difficult time double majoring and graduating within four years there as well. </p>
<p>If your parents are limiting you to a certain number of school, and double majoring is something that you will also be required to do (assuming you have to graduate within four years) you may want to have more BA schools on your list, or be certain that the BFA schools will allow you to double major AND that you will be able to graduate on time. Some schools will allow you to double major, but it will be difficult to graduate within four years (if this is a concern).</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>PS. After reading your original post -- Syarcuse and Penn State are conservatory style programs on the campus of a major university.... Although student at each do take more liberal arts than at some other BFA programs... about 30 credits at SU and 40 or so at PSU. </p>
<p>All that being said, I would say that the list is diverse in terms of gaining acceptance! The schools are all very different. Are you sure you would want to attend any and all of those schools if accepted? You want to make sure that you think you could be happy at any of of the schools on your list. </p>
<p>GOOD LUCK! It sounds like you are talented, bright, and weighing your options wisely! :)</p>
<p>Thank you all for replying. Yes, I've checked that most of the schools will let me double major (UCLA never answered me back). I'm planning this next summer to take a few community college courses for some transferable credits. Plus, I've taken a look at the amount of credits I have to take electives, which are very close to the number of credits of the required courses for my possible secondary majors. Also, the other majors I'm interested in are related, in a way, to a theatre major so that they will be easier to complete (i.e. psych, communications, or political science).</p>
<p>And yes, I've made sure I'll be happy anywhere, well not so sure about UCSD or UCSC, but it was my parent's choice to add those. I'm pretty sure I will be accepted into UCI academically. If I am not accepted to any of the BFA programs or we cannot afford any of them since they are all private, I will most likely end up attending UCI. If I feel like the school is not for me, I'll complete as many transferrable credits for my secondary major within that year, and go through this whole audition process again to enter as a transfer student.</p>
<p>Once again, thanks for all the help. It's very hard getting advice from anyone around here other than enjoytheadventur and her daughter since most that I talk to only know the general info on applying to college--nothing that has to do with MT programs.</p>
<p>"If you end up deciding UCI is the school for you, I know a few people who went there for MT are really loved it"
Yes. One of the teacher's assistants at my school attended UCI for MT, and I know she valued her time there. My mom also spoke to a student last year, and the girl according to her was doing nothing but raving about the program and her month(i believe the satellite program is a month?) in NY with the school.</p>
<p>I have thought about CSFullerton, but since you don't audition for the MT program until the end of your senior year, I would rather attend a community college and transfer.</p>
<p>Also, all my friends, save for one, who have attended CSF to pursue the MT BFA hated it, and ended up transferring. The faculty they said were great, and I know from personal experience as I worked with one of the voice teachers in a summer program this past summer. She was fantastic. Despite this, the atmosphere was not at all nurturing they said. The students entering as a "MT wannabe" as they are called are intensely competitive with each other, and a close friend of mine has even said that some of the students are hostile to each other..many of the underclassmen feel that this is the only way they may get ahead. I've also read about something like, "everyday is an audition". I don't think CSF will be a good school for me since it's my personal opinion that all the students in a MT program should be a close knit family since they will be spending so much time working and collaborating with each other. I would not want to go to a school for two years, wondering and hoping if I'd even get out with the BFA training I had set my sights on upon entering.</p>
<p>I realize that UCI is similar in its setup for MT(enter as a drama major and audition for the MT program once a student), but it's only a year before I have to audition and I'd much rather be going to a UC than Cal State...I'm not saying that Cal State Schools are bad, but UCI I'm sure will be more academically challenging than CSF. While UCI is ranked more on the bottom of my list, I feel I ultimately will be hundreds times happier there than at CSF.</p>
<p>For info on UCI you can talk to the MT asst. choreographer at your PA h/s. She graduated from there a couple of years back.</p>
<p>Also, have you started asking for your teacher recs? Many of my d's teachers (at your old h/s) have announced that they have their limit and can not do any for additional requesting students. "Sweet Charity"'s mother told me that your MT teacher wrote a beautiful letter last year for her daughter. I know he thinks highly of you so he might be some one to ask. </p>
<p>Also check the website for your pa h/s. They get college reps from collleges with MT and acting. Speaking with them might be useful.</p>
<p>Also, if there is anything I can do to help, just give me a call. Also keep asking questions and reading posts on this site. THe information is fabulous. The people responding are extremely knowledgable. I know it is frustrating that the counselors at your school can't even remember that last musical they went to see let alone give any sort of advice on MT college.</p>
<p>Keep on going and filling out all of those apps. YOU WILL DO FABULOUS (cuz you are fabulous)</p>
<p>Enjoytheadventur
Yes, I've talked to said teacher and he has agreed to. I will most likely be bringing him the recommendation forms and whatnot within the next week or two. I have also talked to my school counselor and attained a form to fill out for him already. I have also spoken to my jr year english teacher and she has agreed to write some as well. I have yet to talk to my math and history teachers form last year as well. I am planning to bring them all the recommendation forms and requests to them by the next two weeks so that they have awhile to complete them.
I haven't spoken about UCI much with our teacher's assistant but I will be asking her questions soon.
Haha. Filling those apps. Last I heard when talking to your daughter, she was finished.</p>