Her audition was for theater-Acting and she sent a portfolio theater-Design (costuming). She had a hard time with the prairie. She’d mentioned it before when comparing it to Beloit, which is at the same latitude as home. I totally dismissed it, we’re from the midwest, not the mountains, and she hates hiking.
Small town + prairie felt desolate to her (it’s January). Although the town has some cool newer restaurants, she noticed many vacant storefronts and vape shops. When we visited, two and a half years ago, I wandered into town to grab a coffee and felt perfectly safe. It’s not a bad area.
The visit/non-visit was just bad circumstances: gray day, campus closed, twice cancelled meeting with department, and the town was quiet due to Monday/MLK day.
Oof Monday and a holiday is like the kiss of death for these small towns, visit wise. Add the weather, and the closed campus, and I can totally see how the visit would land flat. Knox actually had a “live” virtual tour on Monday, which we participated in just to get a feel for campus in winter, and it definitely seemed very quiet and empty on campus and in town (they even did an “in town” part of the tour). We’ve somehow managed to hit towns like this on Sunday/Monday combos more than once and it’s always a ghost town situation, which is a tough impression to shake off. Sometimes the stars are just misaligned. I definitely think the pandemic has left it’s mark on these small towns. When we visited in Oct, I don’t recall the vape shops, but I do recall seeing some closed storefronts.
Though it feels wrong to say, break a leg to your daughter as she moves through the audition process! Sounds like a busy time ahead for her!
Ahh, is she going for a BFA? I think UNC-G has both BFAs and BAs for theater? I haven’t looked at it that closely myself. Sorry she didn’t get a call back. I like UNC-G although I think it is a sleeper school for a lot of folks. Sounds like she has lots of possibilities lined up. I hope she finds the one that loves her and she loves it back and your wallet loves it too!
Hi, 2019 parent parachuting in (quickly!) to suggest Bowling Green, Cleveland State, Slippery Rock, Stockton and UNM - my kid was theater tech and I was in the 3.0-3.4 thread for her year. Those schools had decent merit and programs that seemed worthy. She ended up at WVU, which has a decent program and where she was lucky enough to get a unique full-tuition scholarship. I’m not sure merit is high enough otherwise (though the school does offer some - their merit chart is easy to find).
Apologies if they’ve been considered and discarded; I haven’t read the whole thread.
Good luck!
I love that you’ve all created a mini theater thread in the spirit of 3.0-3.4! I hope future theater kids venture off the high stress MT threads to find these great suggestions.
@Gatormama of the schools you listed, she explored Slippery Rock and would also recommend it. Awesome scholarship! Graduating debt free will open up more opportunities post graduation.
My daughter applied to a variety of programs: flexible BFAs, auditioned BAs at strong theater schools, and BAs at liberal arts colleges that offer a full theater curriculum. We’re limiting cost to the COA of her in-state option, so the midwest merit money is important. That also ruled out New York, Chicago, and Boston. After receiving a couple early admissions, she was ready to stop applying to schools and start meeting faculty. It’s hard not to second guess her strategy. Should she have aimed higher? Would urban schools like her type more? Did she make a mistake by not applying to Michigan (they announced early that Acting auditions would be virtual only, so doing it for the experience lost it’s shine)? Why, oh why, didn’t she submit to Ithaca? It’s her journey, I just book the hotels and remind her to reply to the emails.
We are visiting TLU in Seguin next week… I suspect that is going to be the Texas version of the Knox prairie. At least there’s no snow and the live oaks still have their leaves? But I’m curious to see S’s reaction because we live in a very beautiful part of the state, he may be surprised.
Yes indeed, live oaks drop their leaves in the spring. Then come the pecan tassels… All the big trees are beautiful but it’s endless work to clean up after them!
I’m quite sure S could have aimed a lot higher than he did with music. But he’s not 100% sure on a music major, so applied to a variety of schools. All of them would allow an easy pivot to another major and would be someplace he’d be happy at without music, but yet still provide good music instruction and opportunities (some more than others in this regard.)
Please let me know what your thoughts are. My son has struggled with anxiety & organization. He enjoys school & participates in ECs & classroom discussions. We worked with his physician & found the correct medication dosage during COVID.
He has the capabilities but has had trouble self motivating during COVID. His overall GPA is a 2.7 UW. He took both the SAT & ACT & has scored a 1390 & a 29. Strong ECs. He has been his section leader for marching band & is only interested in schools with a marching band.
He was rejected from JMU. His other applications are with VCU, CNU & UVA-Wise. JMU did not consider test scores so I feel this put him at a disadvantage. I have trouble swallowing the idea of private college tuition for someone who has an issue self-motivating. We have the funds in his 529 to pay for instate tuition & room & board.
I would like him to have a choice but I’m not sure what his chances are at any of the above three? He’s a history major–if that helps.
I am not in-state in VA. We live in NC, but early on we looked at VCU. I think he might have a good chance there. I really liked it. Loved Richmond.
Any interest in Radford? Do they have a marching band?
You might also consider Western Carolina. They have a special tuition deal which brings it down a lot for OOS (and in-state) students. Cost of Attendance for a full year would be roughly $21k for OOS. (In state it would be around $17k). They do have a very good marching band, too, “The Pride of the Mountains” (the mascot is the catamount so “pride” works as “proud” and as “pride of lions”). They have performed in the Macy’s Christmas parade twice in recent years. https://www.wcu.edu/learn/departments-schools-colleges/fpa/music/prideofthemountains/mountains-to-macys/index.aspx
A smaller college might help him with the organization and motivation part just because the professors really get to know you and it’s harder to fall through the cracks, but if he wants that big marching band experience that might be harder to come by at a smaller school, too.
Has your son considered any of the Pennsylvania state schools? I know Shippensburg, IUP, and West Chester have marching bands. West Chester’s is top-notch, but admission to the school would be a reach. Shippensburg’s is very good. My son is on the football team, so I’ve seen their band shows many times. Since Shippensburg doesn’t offer a music major, all of the band members are students who just love music and are willing to devote significant time to this extracurricular.
Thank you. My son isn’t going to major in music. He loves marching band & it would be where he would meet his tribe.
Western Carolina appears to be more competitive than JMU. I’ll take a look at Shippensburg. We’ve been looking in-state BUT our choices are starting to become limited.
I’m not opposed to the CC route–COVID has been so difficult, I wanted him to have the opportunity to succeed. I’m worried spending another year at home will completely demoralize him.
Initially, I wanted him to consider in state. I’m a bit more open but would like to keep the costs around $30k per year (which was why instate was a consideration).
With your son’s strong SAT score, if he applies to private schools where that would be a definite boost for their average SAT scores, it might be enough to get the financial picture affordable. Below are some schools that, based on their SAT scores and net prices, I think would be worth considering. The university, state, and 25-75 SAT range is indicated below:
Emory & Henry (VA, 960-1170, which is also a Colleges That Change Lives school)
Geneva College (PA, 1020-1240)
Westminster College (PA, 970-1180)
McDaniel College (MD, no SAT range but 19-25 ACT range)
Saint Vincent College (PA, 1030-1240)
Slippery Rock U. (PA, 1000-1170, this is public but OOS tuition is $11,500)
Lycoming College (PA, 1040-1220)
Ashland University (OH, 1000-1190)
Walsh University (OH, 960-1210)
Bridgewater College (VA, 960-1180)
Also, is VMI of any interest? It might help with the self-motivating part, but that is definitely a place where it would need to be the right fit.
Thank you. VMI wouldn’t suit his personality. I’ll definitely take a look at the others on the list. I’ve been in Human Resources my entire career so I’m a bit biased against student loan debt. Hence, the hesitancy towards private colleges.
Good idea to try some private colleges. Two more PA state (PASSHE) schools with marching bands are Slippery Rock (mentioned above) and Bloomsburg. By the way, Slippery Rock’s tuition and fees for an out of state student is $14,615 if GPA is 3.0 or higher, $18,473 if under 3.0. I don’t know if that is weighted or unweighted. COA is still under $30,000 for tuition, fees, room, and board.
