Strong Chemistry and Physics Program with a Strong Ballet focused program?

College Majors Dance Major
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<p>As the title suggests, I am looking for a strong science program, namely chemistry and physics as well as a strong ballet program. Since I am a competitive student, I am looking for more of the top tier universities. For example, I know I will be applying to Harvard because they do have a resident ballet company there as well as Duke for their dance program. However, I am finding some difficulty finding other schools that have a reputable chemistry and ballet program. </p>

<p>I would like the option of staying in shape for company auditions both during and after college. I am completely classically trained and do not have much experience with modern or jazz. In addition, I hate to boast about my technique, but I do know I am at a high level, but I am not completely sure if I am company ready yet, but I have received offers from various full-time ballet schools. The problem is, since I am a total chemistry and physics nerd, I can't bear the thought of not going to college to pursue academics. </p>

<p>I have looked an Indiana University, but I am not sure that I would be able to double major in chemistry and dance, since if you are not a major, it is to my understanding that you are not allowed to sign up for the same ballet classes as the majors. In addition, I have looked at Vassar and John Hopkins (since they have Hopkins Ballet, although after watching some videos of their performances, they seem to be more of recreational ballet dancers)</p>

<p>I have a 3.9 unweighted, 4.76 weighted, Top 10% of a nationally ranked public school. SAT 2110 (yes, it is low. I am retaking it)
Subject- Chemistry- 790, biology-750. I believe I am required to take Math II for some schools, and I don't think I can send both Chemistry and Biology. I have done science research and won first place at a regional competition. Also, I am captain of the Ocean Sciences Bowl and Science Bowl team. I have done community service at the library, but the majority comes from performing ballet for schools and various organizations. I also have been taking piano for about 9 years. Mainly, extracurricular are focused on science and ballet. </p>

<p>Thank you very much in advanced.</p>

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<p>It’s going to be hard to find both the high level of academics you are looking for combined with the high level of dance training. Also, many college dance programs, other than conservatories, are more geared toward modern. Get a copy of Dance Magazine’s College Guide to give you an idea of what the different colleges emphasize. The only ones I can think of that might meet your criteria, with some compromising, are Swarthmore and Barnard.</p>

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<p>I do not recall there being any huge dance program, with focus on ballet, at Swarthmore. But we were looking a long time ago now.</p>

<p>This was my prior research:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/dance-major/291713-academics-dance-ballet.html?[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/dance-major/291713-academics-dance-ballet.html?&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>We are also looking for somewhere for a combination of chemistry and ballet. So far University of South Carolina is on top of the list. It looks like the challenge will be balancing chemistry labs with ballet rehersals. My assumption going in is it will take an extra year to complete both.</p>

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<p>How about Barnard? Barnard students can take any courses they like at Columbia. Also, for an academic safety: University of Utah Department of Ballet. Check it out–you may be pleasantly surprised at the level of the dancers there.</p>

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<p>My daughter is in the Harvard Ballet Company and it really has been perfect for allowing her to dance at a high level (she just was cast in a Balanchine piece) while studying physics in a top program. The fact that dance is not an academic program is actually better for someone interested in the hard sciences since there would be little to no overlap in trying to double major. </p>

<p>For those schools where it is an academic major the quality can vary considerably for non BFA programs. So as much as we could, we arranged for her to take a class (highest level of ballet available) when we visited the schools. I strongly recommend this. </p>

<p>Other schools that my daughter applied to were Duke, Stanford, Columbia (dance program is across the street at Barnard), Emory, Washington UStL, Brandeis, and Tulane. She never visited Tulane, so I can’t comment on their dance program. Of the schools where she go to take a class she liked Duke and Harvard the best (didn’t get to take classes at Stanford or Columbia).</p>

<p>Princeton was not on her list because we limited her to 2 ivies, but it looks like a very good program too.</p>

<p>Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions about H or HBC. Good luck!</p>

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<p>cltdad - Just curious, why limit her to two Ivies? What is the rationale?</p>

<p>Anyway, I was a chem major at Tulane (no dance, but I was an instrumentalist in (usually) three groups in any given semester), and I found the education quite excellent and was well prepared for the top 10 grad school I attended. Especially if you can stay on the Honors Chem track, it is (was, anyway) quite advanced and unique. Additionally, Newcomb College, now part of Tulane, has a long history in the area of the arts, dance included, and the offering appears quite strong. Classes would be small, also.</p>

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<p>You might want to check out Bard. It’s very artsy and has new science facilities and just recruited professors and great science scholarships. My son considered it for chemistry. We met with a prof and looked at the labs and were really impressed. There is a great chance for research from freshman year and very very small classes in chemistry. My son preferred a school with fewer distrib requirements.</p>

<p>Dance [Dance</a> Program | FAQs](<a href=“http://dance.bard.edu/faqs/]Dance”>http://dance.bard.edu/faqs/) </p>

<p>“What kinds of careers do Bard dance majors pursue after college?
Many dance majors pursue careers as professional performers or choreographers after graduation.”</p>

<p>Distinguished Scientist Scholars Program (DSS)[Financial</a> Aid | Bard](<a href=“http://www.bard.edu/admission/finances/scholarships.shtml]Financial”>http://www.bard.edu/admission/finances/scholarships.shtml)
Each year full-tuition scholarships for four continuous years of study are available for academically outstanding high school seniors who are committed to majoring in biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, or mathematics in their undergraduate studies. Additional financial aid to assist in covering remaining costs, such as room and board, may be applied for and will be awarded on the basis of need. Scholarship recipients are also eligible for a $2,000 stipend for summer research projects following the sophomore and junior years. Renewal of a DSS scholarship is contingent upon the student’s maintaining a 3.3 grade point average and continuing to major in one of the above-named programs. Applicants must complete the DSS supplemental application form in order to be considered for this award.</p>

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<p>Thanks every one for the replies! I have read the “Academics + Ballet” form before, and that’s where I was getting most of my college list from, but thank you for putting the link up! It is indeed a very helpful thread. </p>

<p>As for Columbia and Barnard, I did visit and I don’t know what it is, but the school was just not for me. Although I absolutely adored NYC when I was there for a ballet program, I just could not see myself as a student at Columbia. </p>

<p>As for USC, the same applies. I live in LA, so USC is very close and I have gone there often, but once again, no dice. I hate to sound picky, but I do want to go to a school where I can see myself being happy for four years.</p>

<p>And I am very interested in Harvard, because after I visited and talked to some of the chemistry and engineering students, for some reason, something just clicked, and trust me, I was not expecting that. I wasn’t even going to visit Harvard because I thought I wouldn’t like it there, but out of the five schools I visited that week on the East coast, it was the only one I fell in love with academically, and when I found out there was a residential ballet company, I was hooked! Though getting into the college is another story. =) </p>

<p>I have not visited Duke, but from what I hear from alumni, I could very well enjoy it there. However, I definitely have to visit if I get accepted before attending. </p>

<p>Thank you everyone for the great lists, and this is EXTREMELY helpful, because while my guidance counselor is very well versed about the academics at colleges, she is not so knowledgeable about the dance programs. </p>

<p>Oh and I am huge on research, so any colleges offering all of that AND great research opportunities would be GREAT! But once again, I may be asking for too much… oh well =)</p>

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<p>You will probably be able to do research at most of the schools you are likely to consider. However, it may be up to you to take the initiative to seek it out. My daughter was able to start working in one of the physics lab in the spring semester of her freshman year by contacting the prof over winter break.</p>

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<p>Oh my, I just realized that I misread University of South Carolina as University of Southern California. My bad! But yes, I will definitely look into the University of South Carolina.</p>

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<p>And yes, I understand that I must take the first move when wanting to do research. All in all, I think I can handle that because that is how I got my research position. I am just hoping the teachers are accessible enough for that to be available, which I believe it will be.</p>

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<p>"I have read the “Academics + Ballet” form before, and that’s where I was getting most of my college list from, but thank you for putting the link up! It is indeed a very helpful thread. "</p>

<p>Ya what most “normal” people don’t realize (why would they?) is that it is really hard to find this combination. It took some effort to research and put together D2’s list, that’s why I knew it was worthwhile to post it.</p>

<p>Lots of academic schools have dance of some sort, but they are mostly modern dance or some other stuff, very few of them have a substantial emphasis on ballet . Ballet specifically, not some vague “dance”, is the limiting factor. Two levels, stocked with rank beginners, will not cut it for this type of student.</p>

<p>BTW, keep in mind priorities may change. Dance was a significant part of D2s life for a long time, but she drastically curtailed after she got to college, and then stopped doing ballet altogether I believe. She is still dancing, was in a performance last year in her new college. But she is not doing ballet. That was a huge change for her, but college is a time of change in many cases.</p>

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<p>It must be very hard to maintain a serious ballet study with a rigorous academic schedule. Ballet is such a way of life. My D1 was also all about ballet before she started college. Except for a couple of technique classes, she’s now embraced modern, or rather what is now being called experimental or contemporary dance. There was an excellent article in the NY Times Sept. 5th on this.</p>

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<p>I’ve seen the Harvard ballet. They are good but you won’t have the option of auditioning for companies after four years there. It is not rigorous enough. But if you just love to dance, you will love it!</p>

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<p>I don’t understand Jordcin’s post. This past spring dancers from Harvard Ballet auditioned and landed contracts to dance with American Ballet Theater, Boston Ballet, and Ballet Austin. A year ago another took a year off from Harvard to dance with the Zurich Ballet.</p>

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<p>How does Harvard Ballet work? Is it part of the curriculim for credit, or is it something the students do on their own time?</p>

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<p>HBC is an extracurricular activity. Membership is by audition. Casting of roles in the shows is by audition. In addition to rehearsals for the shows, HBC has weekly classes conducted by a former principal dancer of the Boston Ballet. There are additional dance classes available to all students at the Harvard Dance Center that members of the HBC take too. Harvard does not have majors or minors in dance. But they do have some academic classes that are focused on dance.</p>

<p>Here is their website: [Harvard</a> Ballet Company](<a href=“http://harvardballetcompany.org/]Harvard”>http://harvardballetcompany.org/)</p>

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<p>A Harvard dancer and physics concentrator (Harvard speak for major) was named one of Glamour’s Top 10 College Women…</p>

<p>[Meet</a> the Top 10 College Women of 2010: Amazing Women You Haven’t Heard of…Yet!: Sex, Love & Life: glamour.com](<a href=“Meet the Top 10 College Women of 2010: Amazing Women You Haven't Heard of...Yet! | Glamour”>Meet the Top 10 College Women of 2010: Amazing Women You Haven't Heard of...Yet! | Glamour)</p>

<p>btw, this is not my daughter, so this is not such an outrageous combination…</p>

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<p>Nevertheless, you are to be congratulated for have such a high achieving daughter. A dancer and Havard is an amazing combination.</p>