Hello. My child is an incoming freshman at SUNY-Purchase. During the two years we were going through the visitation, application, and audition process at Purchase and 8 other schools, I turned to these forums for info, because I didn’t know a lot about arts conservatory programs, especially those outside of our home state. I’m back now to share info with any of you who have high schoolers heading down a similar path, especially looking toward acting/theatre majors. We are at Purchase for orientation now, and it was a good experience, so we’re looking forward to move-in day next month, even though it’s going to be a huge change and a move far from home. I won’t have time to post often, but if you have questions, I’ll do my best to answer.
Hi, SUNYmom! My rising senior is seriously considering Purchase, for a Cinema Studies major/film production minor . One concern she has is that, although she is pretty “artsy” (in all the school plays, dance lesson for 16 years, art classes, choir, film courses/camp) she is friendly with kids who enjoy the arts (band, theater, choir) but who are not the obvious “artistes” – what my daughter thinks of as super-talented and focused, “deep”. I have read that more than half the Purchase students aren’t arts majors, but all the times we’ve visited, we’ve been part of the film tours, so we haven’t seen the bio, history, math majors. Can you attest to the “balance” of many different kinds of students/interests?
Also post/monitor: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/
and http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/suny-college-purchase/
Hello! Right now, I’m afraid I can’t give you much info on that, since - so far - my daughter has encountered mainly other kids who are there for the “conservatory experience” that she is after herself, though I know what you mean, because she was a very strong academic performer who was admitted to several honors programs as well as acting conservatory programs (incl Purchase and CCM). She was torn between going for that balance you mentioned vs the intense conservatory experience, and she chose Purchase as leaning toward the latter, but we really don’t know how it’s going to shake out yet. I will tell you that we got FAR more out of her individual visit to Purchase than we did her initial participation in an open house last October. After she applied, auditioned (at Unifieds), and was accepted, we were able to have her attend 2 full days of classes, and that’s where she really got the scoop on what life at Purchase is like. Until then, it was lower on her list, just because we couldn’t get a feel for it. After the 2 day visit, where she got a lot of attention and got to meet many current students and faculty, it quickly climbed to top position, even over CCM, which had been her top choice until that point (she also had a wonderful 2-day visit there). Hope this helps. I will post more after the semester starts and I start finding out more about her experience as a freshman.
How is your child enjoying SUNY Purchase?