@planner03 I’m not sure if you are responding to me but I’m talking about our D21 applying to schools that don’t even offer dance.
If a small liberal arts school is trying to fill its class with kids who bring their talents to campus, they want musicians, writers, athletes, etc. Our son is an artist but won’t pursue a major in studio art. He has figured out ways to use his art across all of his ECs, though, and it will be obvious to AOs how he will contribute on campus. I know dancing could be a little bit of a hook for her at some schools like Richmond or Vassar but it just might count against her at some of the schools we know she likes since they don’t have dance programs. I have to wonder if it will almost count against her at those schools, not because she danced but because she didn’t have time to pursue many other interests.
My daughter’s dance may or may not have helped her in applying this past year. It was the frame/package/story for her application in that dance was the scaffold on which my daughter had built much of her academic achievements. She showed how dance gave her the skills to work, persist, collaborate, and create in a challenging environment and how that made her a better student. She is also interested in continuing to dance, so that might have been a contributing factor as well. It’s hard to know since I have no idea what the admissions committee was thinking.
I think if you send in an arts supplement they want you to at least join a dance ensemble and/or minor. Different schools have different expectations. If they offer a merit scholarship for your art the expectations are greater. I hear you, @homerdog about dancing taking up so much time that it doesn’t leave as much room for other things. I wish I knew the answer to your question about applying to schools with no dance when what you’ve done for much of your time is dance. One of my D’s great passions is trapeze, but I have yet to find a school that needs trapeze people.
@citymama9 I agree with @MadcityParent, a deep, long-term commitment to dance, even if it has waned, says something about your child. It requires a strong worth ethic, ability to collaborate towards a group endeavor, time management, etc. My kid wrote her common app essay about being a dancer even though she had no intention of minoring or majoring in dance. It helped to define her and place her academic performance in context.
If there is no dance-specific scholarship in the works, I don’t see a downside in sending a supplemental video and in listing dance as an EC. Otherwise AOs will wonder how she spent her “down time.” (ha!)
Oberlin supports circus arts, just saying! But no sororities.
@mamaedefamilia Thank you! Haha! You remember that my D is obsessed with sororities. It’s kind of a shame, because there are so many great schools that don’t have them. Hope your D is enjoying Oberlin. I’ve heard it’s terrific.
My daughter’s art and music brought her lots of merit $ (no need). In some schools she would need to major in it (NYU talent music scholarship.) In other schools, she would need to have some participation or minor—choir, acappella group or be cast in a show (American and GW). For Muhlenberg, art and music talent money without any commitment. At Brandeis, her talent and leadership brought her a deans scholarship.
Unless you have tons of extra money, I would not permit my D to totally call the shots and refuse to use her talent as a way to earn admissions or find a way to get merit money. Yes, I understand about committing to a major or minor, and I would never force a child to do that. (I lie, I would for a minor if it brought her a lot of money!) My D’s awards ranged from $11k to $24k a year. Getting that money made some private schools affordable. We were committed to paying for her undergrad tuition without loans.
It isn’t any kind of hook unless she is applying for some kind of theater major or is “famous” for her work. That said, colleges like kids who are engaged, interesting, and interested. That in itself can help give a small admissions boost, or a merit boost at a match or safety school.
I think kids should be unapologetic about what they have a lively interest in and spend a lot of time on. (Okay, if it is burlesque or something, not… but you know what I mean). Colleges don’t expect fully formed people with their life plans laid out and all talents in place. They do like people who aren’t afraid to try stuff and do very well in whatever they’ve chosen to pursue so far.
My stance on talent that a student will not be pursing and it’s importance in admissions… frankly I doubt the actual specific talent makes little difference. Although I suppose colleges like to know they will have actors to perform in their plays, musician to perform in the band and music ensembles, kids to play intramural and club sports, etc. However, I do think the peripheral skills associated with the talent are really important. Did the student learn and demonstrate time management. Was the student able to perform at a demanding level in the talent AND keep up a vigorous academic load? Did the student learn about rejection/losing and how to bounce back? Did the student show how that talent makes a difference in their life? Did they show dedication that will translate into their acadrmic performance and commitment to campus activities?
So does a talent win the day in the application process, probably not, but it does fill out the picture and make a whole applicant tangible.
I think for smaller schools and LACs (especially that aren’t necessarily known for the arts) that it can make a difference. These schools need more than the majors to round out their theater and dance productions and they need to make sure that they get at least a minimum number of potential majors and minors in the classes so that they can continue to be offered. At Bucknell for instance the arts merit scholarships ensure they have enough majors and minors. I understand where OPs D is coming from if she really really doesn’t want to dance anymore in college. But the thing is that the time commitment of dancing at a place like Bucknell s no where close to what she is used to. So much more relaxed. And I think burned out kids sometimes change their minds later and miss something that has been such a big part of their lives. Also she could apply for the arts merit scholarship and later decline it if she doesn’t like the strings that go with it. @city mama my theater major D is absolutely chomping at the bit to learn trapeze/circus!
Participating as an EC at many colleges can be a bit of a letdown. If you are used to a certain caliber dance program/performances, you might not want to participate in what can seem like amateur hour.
@doschicos I am absolutely certain that this will happen to D21 if she joins a dance group in college. I have seen some groups on Youtube videos and they are pretty bad. Doesn’t look like anyone has any training. Honestly, kids at her studio get into some of the best ballet majors in the country (Indiana, Utah, Butler, etc) so dancing anywhere else would be a let down. For better or worse, we’ve got a dance snob on our hands and my guess is that she would rather take class off campus at a ballet studio than join some of these on-campus groups. We’ve got three more years. Time will tell…
I think that the ability to perform and create is a very positive attribute at a lot of schools. Older D is in NYU ‘s full time MBA program. She has a BM degree in vocal performance and worked in casting and talent management before applying. She was not a “traditional” student; did not have the highest GMAT scores—but was accepted with a full tuition scholarship. As it turns out, she has used her talent in many ways this year: she was a teaching fellow and mentor in a business communications class focusing on presentation skills and public speaking, she had a lead role in Stern Follies, an end of year fundraiser for clubs, she will be runnings Stern’s accapella group next year. She is squeaking by in some classes (accounting, finance) and nailing others. Don’t underestimate a background in the arts and what it says to others about your strengths.
@momofzag Look up trapeze school of NY and see if they have any branches near you. It’s great fun.
I just checked, and they have branches in NYC, LA, Wash DC and Chicago.
@homerdog Possiblities for your D would be Dickinson College which is next to CPYB or any of the Boston schools would give her access to Boston Ballet. Of course the NYC schools would give her access to tons of great dance schools. If you want to know LACs with strong dance programs I know of some, but you’re right, Indiana, Butler and Utah are the big names
@citymama9 thanks. It will be at least another year before she will in one of those cities to be able to take advantage of that. I think she has already researched opportunities for silks and trapeze training lol
Well, colleges often state in their Common Data Sets that talent/ability will be “considered” for purposes of admission. Your daughter can certainly test the respective interpretations of these statements through her applications.
