<p>This is my first post, although I have been reading and researching on this site for about a year. I am a junior in high school now, and next year I will be auditioning for schools with the hopes of getting a degree in musical theater and moving to New York to pursue a career after graduation.</p>
<p>I've been working for a while to put together a good list of schools, and I'd love any input that any of you might have on my list. Here's some stats about me:</p>
<ul>
<li>4.4 weighted GPA (I'm not sure about unweighted, but I get straight A's in pretty tough classes.)</li>
<li>singing since I was 5, serious voice lessons from about age 10 or 11.</li>
<li>3 years of acting classes with a professional teacher.</li>
<li>intermediate level ballet, jazz and tap (dance is the weakest of my skills, but I'm working really hard this year to bring it up).</li>
<li>9 years of piano lessons, good music theory.</li>
<li>leads in the musicals/plays at my school for the past two years.</li>
<li>some community theatre.</li>
</ul>
<p>I'll also be auditioning this year for the Broadway Theatre Project and Northwestern summer programs. </p>
<p>Here are my schools so far:</p>
<p>AUDITION
Boston Conservatory
Ithaca College
CCM
University of Michigan
Penn State University
University of Hartford, Hartt School
University of Miami
Marymount Manhattan College
Millikin University
Elon University</p>
<p>NON-AUDITION
California State University, Fullerton
Northwestern University
Muhlenberg College</p>
<p>BOCO is my dream school, but I know how selective it is. I tried to get a mix of competitive/less competitive schools.</p>
<p>I'm sorry for the long post, but I'm already starting to stress about college auditions. Any advice about my schools (or anything, really!) would be greatly appreciated. :)</p>
<p>jaimeheartsmt, you have very impressive credentials for a high school junior and sound like an excellent student. It's fantastic that you are already thinking about your college list and the audition process.</p>
<p>I have a question, the answer to which may help others here help you with your college list:</p>
<p>What about Boston Conservatory makes it your dream school? (No question it's a fantastic program!) </p>
<p>I am trying to ascertain whether your ideal school has very little in the way of academics (which is the case at BoCo, but is not the case at two other schools on the audition list: Michigan and Penn State.)</p>
<p>I looks like you have a good early start on your list! Are you in CA? You have Fullerton on your list and we are in CA and my daughter is still trying to decide if she will apply there.</p>
<p>My D is also a junior this year and is working on her list too. So far she has the following on her list:</p>
<p>Audition:
University of Hartford - Hartt
UARTS
Marymount Manhattan
NYU
JMU
Elon
University of Michigan</p>
<p>Non-Audition
Muhlenberg
Still deciding on one more.</p>
<p>She has a 4.5 weighted GPA and will gradutate next year with 7-8 APs, college calculus and the remainder honors classes.</p>
<p>I think we are going to try and visit JMU and Elon during spring break of next year and we may also visit Coastal Carolina. There are some schools that may come off of her list during the next year as she is doing her research and just may change her mind.</p>
<p>It's great that you are getting an early start!</p>
<p>I have the same question about BOCO - do you want a conservatory program? Or is that still an open question. I also wonder if you care about geography, size program, size of school, etc. I wonder these things because you list some great programs - but, as group, they have very diverse program parameters.</p>
<p>NotMamaRose - Thanks! Boston Conservatory is at the top of my list because it seems like it offers really wonderful training in a positive atmosphere and a very artsy, cool city. I think I would prefer the conservatory approach, because I really want to be able to focus on doing what I love. However, because I'm also pretty solid academically, I don't want to cross schools like Michigan and Penn State off the list.</p>
<p>Showmom858 - I'm not in California (I live in Chicago, actually!), but out of the non-audition schools that I looked at, CSU Fullerton seemed to be a pretty intense program, which is what I want. I haven't visited any of the schools on my list yet, so I'm only going by what I've read about all of them.</p>
<p>Mtdog71 - I have a lot of diversity in my school choices, because I feel open to a variety of college atmospheres, as long as the schools offer great, hardcore training. I feel that if I'm doing MT, the size of the school and the location won't matter as much. I guess I would prefer East Coast and eastern-ish schools because they're closest to New York, but right now I'm pretty much open to anything!</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the input so far! My parents, while wonderful and very supportive, don't know anything about MT or the college audition process, and pretty much leave it up to me. Outside opinions from people who understand what I want to do are really helpful! </p>
<p>I'm home sick today (sinus infections are icky :( ), so I'll probably be checking back a lot!</p>
<p>Honestly, I think you should pick a school that is strong overall, not just on the area that you are focusing on. </p>
<p>With your grades:
Michigan
Penn State University Park
NYU
Northwestern
University of Miami</p>
<p>I think you may want to give consideration to the school's academics. You may very well stick with this, but I know many people, myself included, that changed their minds on what they wanted to do once they got to college. I just think, with your grades, that you might be selling yourself short academically with some of the schools on your list. Best of luck.</p>
<p>My D's list and yours had a lot of overlap. She went to an academically competitive high school and got good grades. She is now at BoCo, having the time of her life and LOVING the intense concentration on the arts. The organizational and study skills that helped her earn good academic grades will give her a leg up on some of the other students. She is disciplined in ways that some of them are not.</p>
<p>As a parent, I couldn't be happier about her being in a concentrated conservatory program. She doesn't need another math class, for crying out loud! After working so hard on her academics all those years, she deserves to focus on what she loves best and is best at. </p>
<p>Your grades show that you are a disciplined hard worker, and that's going to impress any school. The piano is handy, too.</p>
<p>jaime - I hope your sinus infections heals quickly :)! </p>
<p>In the meantime, let me tell you I think you have a fabulous list! My D's list last year also was an eclectic (love that word) mix of schools that she applied to for different reasons. All had in common in her mind that they offered great MT training, and she could see herself attending the school. </p>
<p>At the end of the day, it is a little bit of everything, you pick the schools, and then the "school picks you". Once you have acceptances in hand, you can go over pro's and con's and see what ultimately makes things click (merit, talent scholarships, location, whatever). Sure academically you can absolutely apply to academically inclined schools only, but what if for some weird reason, you would not make it into their MT program. Of course we are all cheering for you to get accepted everywhere, but still. What makes you happy?</p>
<p>And so, yes, I think you have a great list! Just in case you are wondering, my D applied to 12 schools last year, auditioned at 7, was accepted at a bunch, and she wound up canceling her 5 remaining auditions since she got into her ED school. </p>
<p>I also think you have a nice variety of schools listed. If you are like my D, your list will change once you visit some of the schools. On paper certain programs may sound great, but you will not get a true picture of the program until you visit the school. After all, this is your first time going to college, so how are you supposed to know, sight unseen, what is your perfect fit? Your ideal program will certainly evolve throughout the visitation and audition process. Once my D visited and auditioned at the school she is currently attending, it jumped to the top of her list (and it hadn't even been on her list Jr. year).</p>
<p>Good luck and have fun! This is a very exciting time!</p>
<p>For those new to this process, I urge you to read carefully through back postings and the "big list" and do other research on your own to come up with additional schools for your lists.</p>
<p>You CANNOT UNDERESTIMATE how competitive these programs are. We are talking about hundreds of kids auditioning for 4, 6, 8 spots. Five times as many girls audition as boys for every single program. You could be Kristen Chenoweth and not get into many of these programs!</p>
<p>I speak from the experience of having my older daughter get into most of the schools, but NONE of the programs her first time around. She did audition the following year as a transfer, actually to only two places, having learned a great deal the hard way. She tweaked her audition material and applied what she'd learned and was accepted at both programs the second time, cancelled her third scheduled audition. She is very happy now. </p>
<p>Please, please make sure to include schools that are not necessarily on the "big list" as the "top" programs. Include some more out-of-the-way schools that have interesting things to offer you as well. Go into this process educated, informed, and smart about your list, your audition material, and yourself. And best of luck to you!</p>
<p>You both would probably get substantial academic scholarships from Marymount, they are very generous with aid! </p>
<p>Even a school like Marymount is very competitive to get in to. Out of my audition group of 16 or 17 I only know of 3 people who got in; including myself! I remember when Marymount was more under the radar but now with our more successful graduates its becoming more popular and is still the cheapest private school option in NYC!</p>
<p>My D is a new freshman at Marymount-she really loves it.
We are very thankful that they are generous with merit aid- made it possible for her to go to school in NYC.</p>
<p>Do Your Homework!!
1. Try to visit as many of the schools as possible
2. Try to figure out if you are interested in a B.A. or a B.F.A. With BOCO as your first choice, it looks like you have already done that. The conservatory approach is more focused than B.A. programs.
3. Be ready for auditions. I think the auditions trump everything in your application. that is, if a school wants you based on your talent, they will make it happen for you. Essays, 4 year academic record, SAT's all take a back seat to your audition - so make good choices, be relaxed and prepared, and break a leg.
4. Know the acceptance rates of the schools. Schools like CCM, U Mich and CMU have acceptance rates like 3- 6% of MT students. Other schools arer slightly higher, but as others have mentioned MT is a incredibly competitive field.
5. Even though you have a favorite or #1 choice, make sure you would be happy at 2 or 3 others in the event you are not accepted at #1. Visits to the schools should help you here.
6. Try to audition early. I believe more scholarship $$ is available then and also if you are sick, you might have the availabiltity to reschedule. My daughter was sick for at least 3 of her 8 auditions and that has to hurt your chances since it is so competitive.
7. Have a coach for your auditions. I know some schools frown on this, but many of those competing against you will have the benefit of having others help then select their monologues and songs and help them deliver them.</p>