@MAmum1234 Congrats to your daughter on Miami! I am curious, does Miami have MT/Acting transfers start from the beginning or will she be considered a sophomore in the program? I know some schools accept transfers, but ask you to basically start as a freshman for BFA.
I agree… the headline is so dramatic. But, when you read the article it’s just contingency plans. Every organization and business should be making those anyway!
We’re full steam ahead as well. Either everything will have to be all online due to continued “shelter in place” orders (Goodness, I hope not!!!), or she’ll take classes online (as many core as possible and any required freshman performance classes), and I’m going to encourage her to supplement with live private lessons locally (assuming schools will be online due to limited large group gatherings, but local studios, etc will be opened back up where we live). That’s our contingency plan. Neither she nor I want to do this process all over again (especially since she has a school and program she’s excited about); she really doesn’t want to defer (and honestly, it would not be good for her mentally), and too many outside credits would affect freshman scholarship $$.
I think, ultimately, the biggest issue (besides COVID19 causing us to all change our lives drastically) is dorms/housing/board. Most schools have figured out how to do many things online and this summer, I suspect, it will only dial up. Some financial aid covers this and some doesn’t. Some scholarships do (or have stipends) and some don’t. I have already heard of one school out of housing for freshmen, because upperclassmen are concerned (in a city where housing market is $$$) and have uncharacteristically signed up for housing (when typically they live off-campus at this school). It also seems that if school is online, then dorms will be shut down. What happens with that? What if financial aid covers room and board for your student? (or partially) Then what? For that reason, I have heard of several non-theatre majors changing their acceptance for fall to somewhere more local. That is a huge shame, but the reality is they don’t know what will happen in the fall and want to be closer to home instead of trying to find (and pay for) housing near school.
Just a couple of thoughts on COVID-19 and potential impact for the fall semester. First of all I would say that everything depends on location and what has happened, is happening, and will happen in different places across the country.
Generally each state has tried to do what is best and some have had more success than others, more luck than others maybe. But with the positive impact of social distancing taking hold, each state is looking at reopening plans. Those will include what is going to happen with higher education and each institution is likely in the process of developing their plans to include contingencies in the event that there is an outbreak.
When it comes to meal plans and housing plans, from my own experience and from what I have read, those really are contracts that, in the event a school had to close down (e.g. if campus became a COVID hotspot) room and board monies would be refunded on a prorated basis. My D is a second year student at Northeastern and we will receive six weeks of her room fee back. She was not on a meal plan.
Higher ed is in the exact same boat as nearly every other sector of society. How to cope with the “new normal” until we get a vaccine which, as I understand it, is about 12-18 months away. A gap year might be right for some but the reality is, we are going to be contending with this for quite some time no matter where we are.
Last thing… I have found NY Gov. Cuomo’s press conferences to be incredibly informative. Thorough, informed, patient, realistic and hopeful. Highly recommend giving him a listen.
Good health to all!
@CaMom13 Thanks so much for validating what we thought was the case, but we just weren’t positive because of the wording!
@CBSQandA I’m not sure about acting, but my D was told today that she’ll be starting as a freshman for MT. We have found that to be the case with the vast majority of schools. I know MSM and believe NYU Steinhardt allow transfers to start as sophomores if they are admitted AND if the admissions team feels they should be placed in the sophomore class (it’s not an automatic placement).
We have Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C over here. With so much up in the air, it’s going to be important for our family to be fluid. After we laid those plans out, I had to stop looking at all of speculative news and articles about what schools might do, what the economy might do, etc. D and I are the same in the sense that we will fixate and drive ourselves crazy with all of the “what ifs” out there right now.
(Cross-posted in Acting forum too)
Pace acceptances, and alternates / waitlists.
FYI - because of university policy, the Pace school of performing arts cannot offer spots to alternates or waitlisted students after May 1st. (This has been the case for the last several years, so I suspect this is the case now too).
So if you are an accepted student who has decided to release your spot - notify the school the sooner the better. Also, if you are an alternate, stay in touch with Wayne to express continued interest. Spots can open up 24-72hr before the May 1st deadline, and they likely would offer the spot to someone who they know would accept outright given the tight turnaround. BAL.
If that’s the policy at Pace, that is crazy! Most schools cannot go to their waitlist until May 1 when they determine their yield, since that is the National Reply Date for accepted students. It just does not make sense. Why would Pace want to leave spots in the freshmen class unfilled and not utilize their waitlist in May? Colleges care about enrollment and filling their seats. I’m not doubting the information posted if it is directly from the source. But it is highly unusual for a college. I think well of Pace…no ax at all to grind. My kid has even taught in their BFA in MT program in the past.
I lurk here cause my niece is going through this next year and I’m Aunty Coach 
I have a son who’s an instrumental performance major and just went through a crazy audition schedule this year but it’s NOTHING like what you MT folks have go through. Hats Off to all of you. Enjoy reading your stories and have learned so much ! If there’s a “normal” next year, my niece will be READY. Thanks for sharing.
Anyhoo, I saw this tonight and it made me think of all of you worried about virtual dance classes. It’s pretty cool and fun to watch to get your mind of all this quarantine business. So, enjoy …
Chorus Line In Quarantine
ENJOY !!
@bfayay and @GeddyMcNutty - I agree with many of the comments here, in terms of my child wanting to move ahead and not consider a gap year or deferment, even with the uncertainty. One thing I have heard mentioned a good bit however, is that the pandemic is influencing choice of school, both from a financial and proximity perspective. Many people are choosing a more cost-effective school, given that finances have/might be impacted by current economic conditions, and if there is a chance classes could be online, they would prefer a lower price tag obviously; and also many people who hadn’t been that concerned about their child “going away” to college are now wanting to make sure their child is reasonably close to home and easy to get to, vs being a several hour flight away. Of course all of these are very personal decisions and will vary based on unique circumstances, but these are some of the considerations I have heard mentioned.
@soozievt - the hard stop May 1st date is the University admissions determination - not Pace School of Performing Arts (PPA). Despite that challenge - PPA is strategically successful in their offers and their alternate/waitlist choices because they end up with a full class and good yield across the 5 majors.
@coronado I understand that it is a Pace University policy, not the PPA. Still, it is a highly unusual policy for a college.
The PPA program must have to check in with admitted students prior to May 1 to ascertain if they intend to enroll if the program has to admit off the waitlist by May 1, and honestly admitted students have every right to wait until May 1 to make a decision.
In any case, my remarks are not aimed at the PPA program but at the university as a whole…for any intended major.
To reiterate, I support Pace MT, recommend it to students I advise, have met the director, and my D has taught in this program.
Wanting thoughts on the following - D received her only MT offer from Univ of Memphis. We have never been on campus so trying to learn everything we can in a short timeframe.
Some red flags - The university website does not have any information for Fall 2020 semester. No tuition, no fees, timing of deadlines/due dates. I asked the admissions counselor and she didn’t know. I asked the business office and they said not available yet and to use Summer 2020 as a guideline.
I have not encountered this at any other school. Has anyone else experienced this?
How can tuition not be set yet…before students must commit to enroll by May 1? Who buys or signs up for anything without knowing the price? Doesn’t make sense!
@LinnyLou i don’t know a lot about the program other then it is supposedly a good one. I have been to the area though. The campus itself is very nice. It’s pretty active w great sports teams so u would get a full college campus experience. The surrounding area is nice and there is so much to do! I also know their kids are frequently cast at the professional theatres in the area as well while in college.
Anyone have any information about the BFA Acting program at Brenau University?
@soozievt @HAHCx4 Agree and thanks for the info. We do not know about the school at all. This was a late application and acceptance after many declines.
Research I have done said Memphis is one of the most dangerous cities in the US. Wikipedia has a list that can be sorted by crime type. The campus is in the city and reviews refer to it as a commuter school. D says it is a close knit Fine Arts group so that is good.
The lack if information about Fall 2020 makes me highly suspicious. I haven’t seen that before and D has a twin starting at another University so I have a direct compare on how schools are handling this changing environment.
@LinnyLou is this what you are looking for?
https://www.memphis.edu/usbs/fees/fees_feecharts_fall2019_spring2020.php
I do see that this fee structure is for 19/20, but might be close, they also now lock their tuition in for 8 consecutive semesters which is nice!
We lived right outside of Memphis in the suburbs for years and know lots of U of M grads, seem to have a solid educational foundation! GL to you
@Collegegame2018 Thanks. It is reassuring to hear from someone who has lived there. Reading stats is difficult to get a feel for the area. Yes I did see the fee information through Summer 2020. We are ready to sign on the dotted line and I was hoping for the hard facts for the semester D was entering especially since it is only a few months away and we are committing now. I have 2 kids entering college at the same time and we are putting the fine tuning on our finances.
@LinnyLou We were in Memphis recently (in Feb), though in the downtown area near Playhouse on the Square/Beale Street. I will say the downtown area is…rough. It was visible and palpable. We had 3 different uber drivers tell my daughter and myself how their city was one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. (top 3 I think) and not to walk around the area alone, especially at night. The University is farther out so that is a plus. But you are smart in researching about the safety of the area. My D also has a male bestie that has been working at Playhouse for the past year. He does not go anywhere alone.