Overwhelmed with Choices

<p>Anyone else overwhelmed? Everyone on this great board seems so together! Between homework, school musicals, voice, leadership clubs at school, and her part time job...(she's doing fine!) I am overwhelmed at the prospect of going to visit schools and narrowing the list. I've got the huge calendar but trying to fit this in with all their different schedules (and hers) seems impossible. (I just may not be very good at this.) I am lucky to live in New England with some great schools in driving distance. My daughter wants to major in MT(her first love), but has also been broadcasting news at school and may want to minor in it. Could anyone point me in the right direction? She is also high Academic...if that is any help.</p>

<p>Emerson, in Boston, has a great Broadcast Journalism program as well as a well regarded MT program, but I don't think you can do both, even as a minor. It's Broadcast Journalism facilities are state of the art.</p>

<p>Your Daughter seems like a very busy girl! She should start making priorities with her time.... therefore, I suggest she stop doing homework.</p>

<p>lol... that was just a joke. But only half a joke. She has to start making priorities. The same as everyone does. </p>

<p>First of all... don't panic. Get organized. Sit down and pick the schools you want to visit... or at least the ones you want to audition at. You can always combine the audition and the visit at the same time. </p>

<p>Choose the schools that meet your criteria.... location, budget, program, etc.....<br>
Start early. You ARE lucky if you live near so many good schools. Often location is a major factor is choosing schools. Sometimes it's money.</p>

<p>You are going to have to make decisions and do some elimination. There are lots of great schools all over the country and in many price ranges. Take one step at a time and it will work out. </p>

<p>Keep looking on this board. It will be a big help for you. There are lots of smart people here (much smarter than me!).</p>

<p>Good Luck</p>

<p>I have advisees in the Musical Theatre Concentration at James Madison University in VA (about two hours south of DC, six hours from NYC) who have double majored in MT and School of Media Arts and Design.... usually digital video.</p>

<p>That cracked me up about homework! Thank you for your replies. As far priorities, I totally agree. Her top priorities are her school theatre program (it's very good) and voice training. School work...she is honors and AP, can't do much about the hw. Last year she had a 4.3 and hasn't taken SAT's yet. This summer she did 3 weeks at a summer program and she soaked it up like a sponge. Even with all she is doing...many of these kids seemed to be doing more. She has danced for 4 years, but stopped recently, to lighten her load because the commute to a really good studio was 40 min each way on a weeknight! After being at the summer program, she really feels like she needs to pick it back up...but there is no time left in her schedule. She would also like to spend time with an acting coach to fine tune. As of right now, she is enjoying all of it...and is a fun girl to be around! : )</p>

<p>So when preparing for MT college, what should be her main focus right now? I thought we were right on track, but after seeing the incredibly wonderful talented kids out there, she fewls like she needs to step it up.</p>

<p>I was just at an info session at Emerson last month and I am pretty certain that you can double major in MT and broadcast journalism or minor. There was a student there who was interested in doing both and she was told that it was do-able.</p>

<p>are you sure HSN?
when I visited in July, the lady in the admissions office said BFA students, Film, and Television students are NOT allowed to major, even minor. All three are extremely intense; I heard film students often spending time in the studio 24/7 working on projects.
I really liked the school until they were firm about not letting MT students double major. I've yet to find any school that will let me double major in MT and Film; MT and communications maybe, but not film!
Aside from that, their film and television facilities are AMAZING! they have special cameras that are controlled by a joystick in a seperate room!
And their theatre is equally AMAZING! It's the largest college theatre I've seen...i think it 1000+ seats! It reminded me of the LA Pantages theatre a bit too, and if anyone has been in it, they'll know how beautiful emerson's theater is.</p>

<p>Hmmm, maybe it's my middle aged memory, but I distinctly remember a student who was interested in both and was told she could pursue both interests, although I am foggy on the particulars. As usual, I guess I would advise to check with the school!</p>

<p>We were told that Emerson MT BFAs can take on a minor. Don't know if film would be a reasonable minor, though. Kind of like that "dead horse" argument about MT + engineering combos --- Regardless of the energy & talent & intelligence of the student, the sheer number of hours & overlapping courses could make it impossible. I would ask the MT & film departments for specifics. </p>

<p>I am not sure about the possibility of a double major.</p>

<p>SR </p>

<p>Your post reminds me of something I probably posted over a year ago. My D also loved MT and Broadcasting/Journalism. Northwestern (who has a MT certificate program) and Syracuse were at that time near the top of her list.</p>

<p>She entered college totally believing she could double major getting training in MT areas and Journalism. The reality has been giving her nothing but heartburn. First off, here is her typical schedule: </p>

<p>Theatre (whether Intro to, Production, History) 3 units
Acting - 3 units
Voice - 2 units
Dance - 2 units</p>

<p>Right there is 10 units. Add ONE academic requirement and you have 13 units. In a 16 unit schedule that leaves ONE class to attack the long list of required courses to get the Journalism degree. And in reality she wanted to take more dance plus piano plus plus to perfect MT skills. In looking forward to future years, I don't see this situation changing. </p>

<p>I admire anyone that can manage a double degree or even a single and a minor - especially if they also are in productions with rehearsals, hold down a job and graduate in 4 yrs. There are probably some crossover degrees where this is easier like MT and Voice but she hasn't come up with any magic solution in this case unless she can make days last 36 hours. I am happy that she selected a college where she liked the 2nd dept and should she change her major she won't have to transfer.</p>

<p>Hoosier, I think it would take 36 hour in a day for some of the double majors mentioned. Journalism majors have to conduct interviews for their stories. Those are conducted at the convenience of the person being interviewed. I minored in journalism and would have to meet government officials, contractors, and a wide variety of people who I could not expect to work around *my *schedule. Imagine how few hours a MT kid has to work with, after classes, rehearsals, etc. are accounted for. My head is spinning.</p>

<p>I know beans about film studies, but I can imagine it is extremely time consuming to gather equipment, arrange for a shoot that is dependant on weather cooperating, coordinate schedules with actors & crew, do editing, work with musicians for a score or record narration.....just can't see this fitting into a MT kid's life.</p>

<p>If she wants to be accepted to MT programs, the audition is paramount. She should be preparing for it. Get a coach if you can, and practice, practice, practice. That really is most of it for to have the option of an MT program.</p>

<p>SRluvsMT - your D sounds like a happy busy girl, like most of our MT minded kids on this forum. The only advice, and this would be assuming you have a senior and your D has decided that she wants to go down an admissions by audition only MT path in college, I have for you at this point is to simply "get going" :D. Have your D prepare audition material (read all the many posts for recommendations and tips), come up with a final short list of schools, based on your D's specific parameters (a keen interest for a double major may nix conservatories for example), fill out applications (request & submit all the related recs and forms etc.), and schedule auditions. Pfffffft. :D. </p>

<p>If she is going down a BA path and looking to double major at some of the schools mentioned above (at Northwestern this would imply a certificate in MT if you are admitted into MT after freshman year), you may have some more time.</p>

<p>It may not be critical to physically visit all the schools prior to receiving a letter of acceptance, you can always to that then, or see the campus, if your D if she chooses to audition on site. For us traveling everywhere from the West Coast was cost prohibitive, in your case on the other hand, there may be more somewhat of a time constraint. Not sure. All depends on "that list of schools". In any event, there is a lot of information about the schools and their curriculum on their respective websites, and of course you can always contact a school also directly if you have specific questions about the double major feasibility.</p>

<p>Good luck, and "breathe"!</p>