<p>Anyone auditioning this weekend?</p>
<p>So much good SMU info on other threads right now. Any way the moderator can merge or whould I just cut and paste?</p>
<p>Smu </p>
<hr>
<p>This was told me by SMU recruitment.</p>
<p>SMU auditioned 850 students last year. </p>
<p>Their first round this year ((last week) had the following:</p>
<p>50 auditioned
5 letters of acceptance ; 2 girls/3 boys
3 wait listed
42 letters of rejection</p>
<p>They always accept a larger percentage (in this case 10%) from this first round because they tend to be the stronger candidates and most have SMU as their first choice.</p>
<p>They take a much smaller percentage from Chicago UNIFIEDS. However, I was told they always get extremely strong candidates there.</p>
<p>The rest of this small select group of freshmen trickle in from vaious other auditions on and off campus</p>
<p>xxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>Kellster
the 30 includes both Theatre Studies and Acting. It is usually split about half in half. For acting they usually take about 13 total boys and girls.</p>
<p>I assume you know the difference in the two tracks, if not, I will explain.</p>
<p>Their wait list is small because it's a real list they go to and they make that very clear. </p>
<p>Good luck,
xxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>P.S> I love what you said about the 'red state". We have been in the minority here for so long, I have forgotten what's it's like in the rest of the blue world!</p>
<p>Mary Anna, Thanks for that info about SMU! Gah ... I was going to audition for them at the NY Unifieds but I think I am going to have to talk to mom to see if we can reschedule for one of their January dates to increase my chances. Don't they accept about 30 for BFA Acting? How big is the final waitlist? Also, don't they tend to lose a lot of acceptees to other top drama schools in "less red" locations? There were two girls on the Theatre thread that were accepted to the BFA last year as well as a boy for Theatre Studies that didn't go and another that got in for Theatre Studies off the waitlist. Hopefully I will be able to cancel anyway after the Brown ED decisions come out. haha</p>
<p>I am jumping for joy!</p>
<p>One of the two girls accepted in the first round at SMU is one of my students.</p>
<p>I am beside myself and so very proud. I feel like these are my own precious children. Every acceptance is important but especially the ones that are as significant as this one.</p>
<p>The last few days we have been on a roll. I know it won't last forever but it sure feels good at this moment.</p>
<p>xxxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>Important point - SMU does NOT offer musical theatre. Since this board is specific to musical theatre majors, I just felt the need to confirm it. I don't want people to read this thread about SMU and believe that they can get MT there. </p>
<p>SMU has wonderful acting, music, and dance, but I understand that students do not combine these into a musical theatre major and that the theatre program seldom does musical productions.</p>
<p>Thank you for stating that. I think most people on here know that and there are students who have posted that they intend to apply to SMU. But it's good that you reminded us .Although this thread topic is titled musical theatre there are a lot of straight acting options discussed and many who are interested in both.</p>
<p>SMU does have the excellent areas of study you mentioned but they rarely produce musicals. That is good to point out, since other excellent theatre BFAs like USC, do offer a musical in their season. Because of that, I find it especially interesting that there currently are musical theatre kids and even an opera singer among the undergrads at SMU.</p>
<p>Why would musical students choose to pursue a BFA in acting? My opinion is that acting is at the heart of all performing genres and certainly MT. Learning the craft of acting from top faculty in a superior drama institution is just another way to form your artistry, whatever it may ultimately be.</p>
<p>Of course, at SMU you can study dance with their nationally recognized dance faculty and voice with the vocal performance faculty while continuing studies in Meadows renowned acting track.</p>
<p>many ways to skin a cat</p>
<p>xxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>Mary Anna, I thought it was 30 for both tracks! Wow Since they dont have a BA or a Design/Tech major, that is less than 120 students in their whole undergraduate theatre program. Is it about the same number in the grad school? I talked to Mom and she wont make a separate trip for them so I will have to depend on my miniscule chance in NY. Congrats to your student that already got in! Gah ... Evansville is also a tiny department and they admit some kids before winter break so my chances are looking pretty slim at my BFA schools. I'm glad I found some good safeties that will get me ready to try again next year.</p>
<p>P.S. I live in a moderate red state but Texas seems pretty hardcore based on the latest election. It has to make gay prospies think twice about wanting to go there. Not that they didn't already have enough trouble getting them to overlook the whole drunk frat boy image the school has ...</p>
<p>i think it would be wise to keep politics off this board. there are actually some pretty blue people on here who might not enjoy the implication that that is a bad thing. we all have very different belief systems and perspectives and i feel that is best left out of an mt discussion.</p>
<p>I really don't have the stats on SMU's grad school, but I am sure you can call and find out.</p>
<p>As far as frats and drinking,I don't know about the reputation of SMU but there is certainly alot of that going on a most U.S. colleges. Although at Meadows, you are pretty much living in the art world 24/7 and only occasionally coming up for air. Probably not a lot of time for extra parties.</p>
<p>If prospective student is in any sense liberal, he/she will not be happy there. It is not just the world of Meadows, it is the core discipline classes, the roommates, the ambiance of SMU. It is a beautiful campus with much to offer, fine facilities and faculty, but it represents a different world and set of values. Be sure you are comfortable with that.</p>
<p>mary anna could best answer this. but, i heavily suspect that although texas is very definitely a conservative state, that smu and the world of liberal arts is very liberal minded. i believe that in the confines of that campus and that "theatre world," you will find it to be very liberal. and i don't have a problem with discussing whether a college is more or less liberal. i just object a bit to the implication that being conservative is something to be avoided or something negative.</p>
<p>The core curriculum courses, interdisciplinary by nature and structure, include students from all campus disciplines. Discussions reflect the attitudes of the student body members, and they are predominantly representative of social and political attitudes of the region. Nothing perjorative is being said or implied, but rather it is strongly urged that applicants consider their own personal comfort zone and requirements. </p>
<p>One would hope that applicants to schools everywhere have considered what they themselves need and want to learn and grow in their chosen disciplines. The issues might be climate, population density, cultural comfort, academic standards, etc. It is important that applicants not make their decisions solely on the degree offered and their own success in gaining admission, but rather on the "fit". It is a miserable experience to be somewhere uncomfortable, though perhaps more is learned about oneself when being consistently challenged and/or offended. Scholarships aid can be very generous, and it may serve to tie students to a situation. Enough said.</p>
<p>lorelie,
Be careful about deciding for others where they will or won't be happy. Slippery slope</p>
<p>xxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>Razorback, It isn't negative for some kids but you HAVE to think about whether or not you are comfortable with the sociopolitical climate in choosing a college. It doesn't matter so much to me because I am a moderate, but if you were gay or extremely liberal and had a choice between SMU and Boston University or Emerson and didn't have an attachment to a particular teacher at any of them, where would you go? That is A LOT of drama kids. To each his own ... </p>
<p>Every college guide I have read describes SMU as very politically conservative with a fraternity oriented atmosphere. Princeton Review quotes a student describing his peers as ""White, upper middle class, wears Greek T-shirts and flip-flops to class, drives an old SUV." Nearly everyone is Southern, "friendly, [and] very conservative," which explains why "you can meet people [easily and quickly]."As for atypical students, they can be "found in the art and drama departments."" Where else are they? The student blogs I have read bear this out. A girl on the Drama thread who was accepted last year explained why she decided to go elsewhere by saying, "The SMU drama kids and the Meadows arts students in general are awesome, very supportive, and close-knit, but I felt like they were sort of an island in the midst of Texas Republicans deep in the heart of Dubya Land and sensed a sort of us-against-them mentality."</p>
<p>Lorelei, I think that is excellent advice pertaining to any college selection process. Each student must develop criteria for what they are looking for in a college. We all know the sorts of things like size, location, type of MT program, level of academic challenge and MANY other factors to consider in determining fit. For some students, certain criteria matter more than for others. For instance, some want a frat scene on campus, some don't, some don't care at all. Some want a big football university, some don't some don't care at all. In examining the school "climate", some care about diversity. Some care about whether there is a liberal or conservative atmosphere on campus. Some don't care at all about that but many do in terms of comfort zone, as you say. Some don't mind not fitting the majority on campus. But for a student who does care about that particular college criteria (liberal/conservative), then it matters to look into it and visit and see. I'm not saying all kids will care about this but many do. Some feel out of place in different regions of the country and some like that idea. What you are saying is very wise....do not pick a BFA program SOLELY by the BFA program without examining other college criteria that matters to you. IF the climate on campus matters to you, then look into the "fit". Some kids won't be comfortable if they are "different" than the majority and some don't mind that idea at all. But it is best to find out. I think that is what you are saying and you are also pointing out the climate that is prevalent at this school, in your view, so that others can decide for themselves when equipped with the information. Even college guidebooks/directories often explain the prevailing climate on campus....liberal vs. conservative, because some prospective students DO want that information. This is not unusual and in fact, is wise to find out if that sort of thing matters to you. I think you are stating the importance of looking into that but surely not telling others to not apply. I think there is a big difference between going to SMU or to Hampshire College for instance and certain environments appeal to certain kids. Geographical location often has an effect as well. Cultural comfort might really matter to many kids. I think this notion you bring up is an important one.</p>
<p>All each of you have said is true, it all adds to the mix.</p>
<p>But I still maintain to be careful we not decide for others, as Lorelia wrote definitively the student would not be happy. It is presumptious of her or us to make that forecast based on political leanings or any other one factor.</p>
<p>There are many variables involved in each students evaluation and some we may know nothing about. Hopefully each student will weigh all these facts. Campus environment is certainly a factor not to be overlooked, and should be figured in with all other factors.</p>
<p>I am glad this is being discussed because often students forget about a campus' political climate.</p>
<p>xxx,Mary Anna</p>
<p>Political climate was a definite factor in my D's choices (of where to audition/apply) last year. You get a sense of this from the tone of the discussions in campus newspapers, hanging out in the neighborhood (not on campus necessarily), and keeping your eyes and ears open. I was a little sad to have the list of schools narrowed even further, but I had to respect her feelings for where she would "fit in".</p>
<p>Somehow I am not being clear enough about all of this, and I hope not to offend or to be thought presumptuous. Our student applicants get caught up in the name, the glamour, the program, and they forget to examine the details of everyday life. As parents we need to remind them to be attentive to the details. The social/political attitude at SMU is fairly strong. If the applicant is comfortable with it, fine; if the applicant tends to tune out that kind of thing, fine; but if the applicant has more liberal leanings, he/she should be aware of what SMU is. I am NOT making a recommendation about anything but AWARENESS! </p>
<p>The core curriculum causes an association with the total campus population and the students of the arts are not isolated academically. Lots of arts students want more intellectual stimulus from students in other majors, and they enjoy that part of college life. If it is hard to find friends outside the major area, it is limiting. However, it can good to have frequent challenges to ones own attitudes.....it can solidify ones thinking, change ones mind, or hopefully broaden ones perspective. It is not for me to say what is best for any student. [One of the main things I learned in college was through living with others who lived and behaved differently than I had been taught, and it was quite liberating to me to realize that people could be different and still be doing just fine....the world did not come to an end if kids did things I had been taught not to do. It is not that I went crazy and did unwise things, but rather that I did not have to worry so much about what other people did and what the consequences might be. As a result I became much less judgemental, and I am very grateful for that lesson in life.] </p>
<p>Mary Anna, I hope your student who was accepted to SMU will be very happy there. I hope she will develop into a mature artist, and her time at SMU (if that is where she choses to go) will always hold fond memories. I know you are very proud of her. SMU has wonderful facilities and it is richly endowed. I strongly recommended it to a friend of my teen last year, who was going into voice, but he wanted a school in the northeast. I believe he would have done very well and "fit" very comfortably. Good luck to you and your students, wherever they they land.</p>