...Now what?

College Majors Musical Theater Major
1

<p>Hello everybody. :) This is my first post on here, but I've been lurking for quite some time. I finally decided to post because...well, I have a bit of a dilemma. I should start by explaining that I just today was told that I didn't get into North Carolina School of the Arts, which was my top choice. I was pretty bummed, but it's not in my personality to dwell...so now I'm looking to the future. </p>

<p>I realize now that the biggest mistake I made was putting so much stock into NCSA. I applied to a few other schools (U Arts, Cornish, AADA) and got into all of them...but their programs aren't for me and I knew it after I visited all of them, which I did after I applied. Now, I'm sort of stuck. If I do attend one of those three schools, it will only be for a year before I audition for a list of almost 20 other BFA programs that I ignored this year out of a combination of stupidity and...well, stupidity. Well, I also didn't apply to a lot of places that placed a lot of emphasis on academics...I have a 3.0, but I've been told that that wasn't enough to get into some of the most prestigious schools (NYU, in particular.)</p>

<p>I swear I have a point...</p>

<p>After much discussion, I am most likely going to be taking a gap year next year...beginning by doing volunteer work in Africa or Asia, with disadvantaged kids. It's always been my second passion in life, after theatre. I will go there for about three months (Sept. - Nov.) and then coming back from December - February, in order to train up and reaudition for other BFA acting programs. Then, I will either intern at a theatre or return to another volunteer program from March - May.</p>

<p>My question is, after all of this, what else can or should I do? I want to be sure I can get into schools academically, so that I can focus my spare energy over the summer and in the winter - when I return home - on my craft/art. How can I give myself an edge? Should I take college courses over the summer? Do gap years look really bad? Do art colleges have opinions on gap years at all? I'd appreciate all the help I can get. </p>

<p>I'm not lost as to what I want to do next year...I'm lost as to what I SHOULD do next year in order to give myself a decent advantage for the academic sides of getting into selective schools.</p>

<p>Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this. :)</p>

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<p>ToBeAnActor-</p>

<p>I think the trip you are going to make is wonderful. You will gain so much as a person and as an actor. During your "gap" year continue to take theater and general education classes. Continue to train any way you can. Read a lot. Watch people. See plays. Work out, (keep fit). These are just a few suggestions. </p>

<p>There are BFA programs out there, and many are listed on these threads, where the majority of your classes are in your major, (CMU for instance, 85% admission is based on your audition and only one class a semester is taken out of your major).</p>

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<p>Search through the forum for "taking a year off" posts - there have been some really insightful ones - but in short, as wct said, your trip will lead to tremendous personal growth, and elite BFA programs will welcome that if you are able to apply it to your audition pieces! (CMU, for one) As wct also said, work out - your performance skills as well as your body! Use the time to learn in realms outside of theatre, and also to grow your audition repertoire. And best of luck!</p>

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<p>tobeanactor,
one thing to do is to take a college course and really ace it, to prove you can do the academic work. That's if you want to apply to schools where that matters (like NYU).</p>

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<p>Use the time to the best of your advantage. Working on your craft is one of the best preparations you can do! Use this time to develop as an artist. Take the time to see plays, art shows, movies, etc and understand the business you want to be in. All this will add up and make you a much more valuable prospect to many top music schools (like OCU).</p>