My question is in regards to BFA/conservatory type programs. Is there a need to take additional voice (private) or dance classes on top what is included in schools curriculum? My understanding is that the training is very intense – would there even be time to do any ECs on top of it? I can imagine every school (and every student) is different and will be grateful for feedback on all different scenarios that fellow CCers are familiar with 
Oh no, there is my ‘wile’ spelling mistake for all the posterity to see :(. Please, please moderators kindly change it ‘while’ :). Thanks!
My worst was when autocorrect made “bfa” into “bra”… That was a moment!!
I think it’s probably optional most places. I know that at my son’s school, MTs sometimes take an additional Saturday dance class at an outside studio, but if they have free electives it is at no additional cost. There are also voice teachers available for weekly or occasional lessons at a very reasonable rate. (My son, who is an acting student, has a lesson sometimes before an audition where he has to sing.) None of this is required, but it is available. They are pretty busy and it’s tough to fit outside activities into the schedule. (@toowonderful, I remember the “bra” slip, hee hee!)
Thank you @Jkellynh17! @toowonderful - my best was ‘thing’ changed to ‘thong’ (email to my boss, of course:))
My opinion…
Besides the VERY full schedule in most BFA in MT programs (and just knowing the one my own D had) that wouldn’t allow for much time to take outside classes, I really can’t imagine the need to go to the expense of additional vocal, dance, or acting training outside the college itself. Also, most BFA in MT programs offer private voice already. I know my kid’s program (Tisch) did. (I can possibly see an ACTING student who wants some voice or dance and can’t get it at their school). But if a BFA in MT program isn’t offering enough in acting, voice, or dance, I’d question the great expense of such a program.
Thank you @soozievt - that’s what I’m really hoping for - ‘no need’. It would make college tuition a very good deal for us.
I imagine (like everything else) it depends on the school. Aren’t there some MT programs where you can add on a dance or vp minor as “additions” to the bfa? Those schools would seem to be leaving room for specialized/advanced training in those areas
Good point @toowonderful - would they be additional cost though, or included in the ‘advertised’ tuition for a program?
It is important to check the tuition and fees policies for all schools, and to ask questions if it is unclear. At some schools there are additional fees for private voice lessons (even for majors where they are required). Also, some schools charge for a student to take over the minimum credits to be a full time students, so if a student wanted to take more than 12 - 15 credits a semester (by adding additional dance, voice, and acting classes, etc…) there may be a per credit surcharge over the full time tuition.
The dance minor is always a great option at most schools for people seeking more dance classes and sometimes it’s convienently built around an MT curriculum for the students that want to partake in extra classes (unco, PPU) are places I visited that encourage the dance minor. Some schools require basic technique auditions into it, others do not. As for taking more voice credits, I think it’s possible to add extra lessons but it will be pricy outside of the curriculum. But it would be worth it if the student has a particular goal they feel like the extra lessons outside of their mt training would help them reach. (For example I’ll probably have a few classical lessons a semster outside of the curriculum) other than that, most BFA programs are perfectly designed to fulfill enough training in all 3 aspects. Which is what makes them great. It really comes down to what the student wants and needs as a performer, if they feel adding more classes would help, more power to them. Or, the program of their choice might already be great enough to meet their standards of training making that unnecessary.
Great thread, @AlphaScorpii
Thank you @puma69!
D would occasionally take additional coaching lessons. Since she does not play the piano to accompany herself, she would sometimes hire someone to play piano for her in order to rehearse songs that she might audition with, etc. Sometimes it would just be the accompanist that she uses for voice lessons for extra practice time. Other times it would be someone who was more of an actual coach and would work more on the presentation of the song. She would also sometimes take dance classes in NYC to stay in shape and hone certain skills.
Thanks @uskoolfish - havn’t thought about the accompanist 
- my D would need that as well.
The accompanist may be a required additional expense at voice lessons–depending on the school and voice teacher. D had one voice teacher for 4 years and had to pay for an accompanist each lesson–about $20/ lesson for 1/2 hour (second half of hour lesson). NYU Steinhart did not provide them–some voice teachers would play piano, others not.
Adding “extras” can really get tricky when it comes to scheduling. S is in a conservatory-like BFA program. He is very interested in dance and had fairly serious dance training before college. The freshman MT schedule is pretty rigid, and because it was difficult to schedule some academic classes (he placed out of some of the “basic” academics and higher level ones have proven to have conflicts in both semesters), he was able to get in an extra dance class. On the other hand, he has also been very interested in adding piano lessons, but has found that his class/rehearsal schedule has made it just about impossible for him to add that in. And while the “theater” voice lessons and dance classes are in the theater/dance department, the piano lessons/keyboarding classes would be in the school of music which adds a little hiccup to the communications/scheduling. I’m not sure, but the same may be true for classical voice lessons - not impossible to overcome, just an extra hurdle to jump. When it comes to private lessons, the faculty must also be available and willing to take you on if it is “above and beyond” the average - easier with some schools/teachers than others. With good planning and communication these things can usually be worked out, if not in freshman year, then later. S does find that having extra dance class twice a week makes it a bit more difficult to keep up with reading/writing/studying for academic classes as they take up space in what would otherwise be large open blocks. Add in evening rehearsals and most of the academic work gets shoved to the weekend, along with sleep and dirty clothes.
@mom4bwayboy, if you don’t mind me asking, how many hours of dance would he have a week without the additional class?
My D’d voice teacher at NYU plays, but recommended hiring an accompanist for their lessons so that he could concentrate solely on D’s singing. It’s a fairly nominal fee (at least when compared to all the other expenses of college!)
From what I can tell from the schedule, Ballet for MTs meets 3 days/week for 1.5 hours (8:30 a.m!) (dance for actors is shorter). S takes advanced jazz/modern/MT 3 days/week for 1 hr 50 minutes/ea. Ballet and jazz/modern are required for freshman - I believe a less experienced freshman dancer would take same 3 days of ballet, but only 2 days of jazz/modern/MT for 1 hr 30 min/ea. He added tap (usually not on schedule until sophomore year) 2d/wk @ 1 hr 50 min. So about 10 hours of dance/week w/o the extra tap (plus learning show choreography/rehearsals when happening). Next year he hopes to take dance major ballet which meets 5 d/wk. - if he can finagle the rest of the schedule. . .