The Finally twenty schools

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>Oh my what our children force us to do. First and foremost I want to send a shout out to everyone who has helped plan and recreat the plans that I have introduced to my son over the last year and a half. Yep that is how long I have been following the forum without saying a word. It has been both informative and funny as heck. But now we're down to the nitty gritty and I would love some insight. First a bit about my son and I am trying to do this without bragging. </p>

<p>He has been working with professional actors since he was 12 mostly with a group called Traveling Player's Ensemble [url=<a href="http://www.travelingplayers.org/%5DTraveling"&gt;http://www.travelingplayers.org/]Traveling&lt;/a> Players Ensemble<a href="TPE">/url</a>, which is a summer group (though they do classes and a performance in the winter) backed by the NEA. But he has been acting since he was 5. He has played led and major supporting rolls and is well versed in plays by Shakespeare and Moliare and is quite comfortable with the language. He has been taught different aspects of stage combat over the past four years but is by no means an expert. He has been earned awards at the Folger's Shakespeare Theater in Washington DC and in his first full year in forensics he was third in the state and first in the state qualifier for the National Forensic League for Dramatic Intrepitation. He went to Boys State this year and was voted the Senator of his group and came in 2nd out of 65 young men in there Toastmaster oratory contest. He has a Black Belt in Ta Kwon Do and along the way became a national and international champion in sparring. He has a 4.2 gpa, a 1760 SAT (doing kaplan this fall) - is African-American and extremely handsome, though short 5'6". He is also sarcatic, humble, respectively (that's what taking Martial Arts most of your life will do to you), loves Japanese Anime and science and is basically the cool nerd. He wants to be a film star and we are trying to put him in the position to do so. We have the books "I got in!" "An Agent Tells All" and "The Monologue Auditon." He is at Governors school right now but will be getting six monologues ready when he gets back. We have visited Suny (Purchase) which he loved, Rutgers - which he didn't love and Vassar, which he loved until he sat in a class. Like I said my son is the cool nerd and fun but he is a perfectionist and hates dealing with people that are not serious about the art or love fest were very little constructive criticism is offered. Hmm also he will be taking a monologues class starting in October.</p>

<p>Okay I know this was long and I apologize but I do want to give you an idea from what point we are standing right now - I promise that none of my responses will be nearly this long. I have a list of colleges that follow, if you have any insight into the school or how to approach them it would be apperciated. Also I still do not understand the whole "Unified" thing - I thought at first that we would be taking a train to New York or flying and freezing in Chicago but it doesn't seem many of the schools he wants to audition for will be there. On last thing, money is the key for us, yes we know the tuition of the schools - but we also know if he doesn't get a scholarship that covers most of tuition whe will not be attending that University. My son saw me sell a home to pay of the debt from getting degrees from two private institutions and he has know desire to become a slave to the student loan process. Let me once again thank everyone on this board - it really has been a game changer for us. Peace
Here are or list of schools we would love any information to help make it smaller(--;</p>

<p>Elites:</p>

<p>Purchase College (Suny)
California Institute of the Arts
University of Southern California
The Juilliard School
Carnegie Mellon University
North Carolina School of the Arts
UCLA (Practically a BFA with single digit acceptance rate)
New York University/Tisch School of the Arts</p>

<p>Fits:</p>

<p>Florida State University
Northwestern University
Arizona State University
Vassar College (maybe)
Brown University
Yale University</p>

<p>Safeties:</p>

<p>University of Virginia
William and Mary
Christopher Newport University
Georgetown University
James Madison University
George Mason University</p>

2

<p>I’m guessing you’re from Virginia? Just a word of warning about UVA… I thought I would most likely get in there (also instate), and I was straight-out rejected, not even waitlisted. UVA is not really a sure bet, and same with William and Mary (though from my friends’ experience they do accept more guys than girls). I’d say the same about Georgetown–the only people I know who have gotten in there have "in"s with the admissions staff, and I know many highly qualified students who haven’t been admitted.</p>

<p>Now I know I’m a spectacular tale of applying to many competitive schools and being rejected, so feel free to take my words with a grain of salt. I thought I was a strong applicant to most of the schools to which I applied, but my one weakness (two poor grades) was most likely enough to keep me from being admitted to three of the four schools on this list to which I applied. </p>

<p>I would also advise against applying to too many schools. I “only” applied to half as many, and just one audition school, but the cost of applying to that many schools is more than mental (and I did a pretty good job of working on my applications throughout July to December)… each school has an application fee, audition fee (only for audition schools, obviously, but don’t forget travel costs as well for those schools), and then it costs money to send SAT and ACT scores to each college. Oh, and it costs money to apply for financial aid (which I just don’t understand). I felt really bad when I realized how quickly it all added up.</p>

<p>I have so much respect for everyone who decides to seriously pursue a career in the arts, and I wish your son the best of luck. I’m not trying to dissuade you or him, but I’m just trying to give my perspective as someone who just came out of this whole complicated and slightly terrifying process.</p>

<p>(for what it’s worth, I couldn’t be more excited to be attending USC in the fall! Fight on!)</p>

3

<p>Welcome! </p>

<p>If money is an issue, check with the schools on his list to get a sense of which have significant scholarships available. Of the schools you listed in the elite category, I am not sure that any of them have scholarships that would come close to covering the cost of attendance. In the fit category I believe that Yale and Brown only have need based scholarships for families making below a certain amount per year. The state schools also may not have a significant amount of money for scholarships for OOS students, but (of course) check with each school individually. </p>

<p>I think you may have placed schools in inaccurate categories in terms of admissions. I would put Yale, Northwestern, and Brown in the “elite” category, since they turn away many qualified students. UVA and William & Mary should probably be in a match or low reach category, not a safety, since they also end up turning away strong candidates, even from in-state.</p>

<p>I teach at JMU, and the website is currently being updated with audition information for this coming year. An audition will be required for admission to the Theatre program starting with students applying to begin JMU in 2011 (and any current students this year who have not already declared the major). With the new performing arts center opening at JMU this fall we found ourselves with a significantly larger freshman class than anticipated, and will now require all prospective students to audition. Assuming a rigorous HS course load your son appears to be within GPA range for JMU, although his SATs are a bit low (has he considered trying the ACT as well).</p>

<p>The general wisdom is that no school with an audition can be considered a safety, because the audition is a subjective process. As a result I would consider all of the programs on the list that have auditions to be in a reach or match category. The only true safeties are schools where a students stats are on the top of the admitted students range, does require an audition, that the family can afford, and where the student would be happy to attend. </p>

<p>20 schools is a lot – application fees, audition fees (at schools who charge these), travel to auditions. </p>

<p>You mentioned that most of the schools on his list do not attend Unifieds, do any of them have regional auditions in DC? All of the schools on you “elite” list require an audition, as do JMU and FSU. I am not sure about ASU. JMU is just down the road, but all of the others are a significant trip unless they conduct a regional audition in DC, attend Unifieds (a trip, but you can see a lot of schools over one weekend), or have regional auditions at the same time in a specific city (also allowing you to see a few schools in one trip). </p>

<p>I think narrowing the list down to 10 - 12 schools, with a combination of reaches, matches, and at least one non-auditioned safety would be more doable from a financial and time standpoint.</p>

<p>Good Luck! :)</p>

4

<p>Thank you for your insight and honesty wisdomsomehow - yeah I am looking how the cost adds up also. I understand why people charge you for applying for financial aid but if your thinking about it, it does make you put your finger to your head and go Hmm. I put UVA in because they have been getting in contact with him rather than the other way around. I used to work with the people at G-town, love them. the school, the student body and certain alumni have been recruiting him to come there since he was 13, I would be proud of my son attending such a fine university, if politics, foriegn affairs even history was his thing. We apperciate your honesty and I haven’t been able to dissuade my son from anything that he was passionate about since he was 10. What made you choose SC?</p>

5

<p>I think that you need to be careful as reading “certain alumni have been recruiting him since he was 13” as a sign that he will get into Georgetown! I’m sure they are just trying to be friendly people who like your kid and on a personal basis would enjoy seeing him attend the school. I find it hard to believe that “the school” has been recruiting him since he was 13! Unless there’s something you’re not telling us, and you’re a very famous person in your own right, with a household name.</p>

<p>What is your son’s GPA in the context of his class? It’s a nice number, but if it’s not in the top 10%, then it’s not particularly impressive for many of the schools you’ve listed, and combined with his SATs, would put him out of range. His outstanding ECs will come into play only if he’s in the ballpark academically.</p>

6

<p>Thank you KatMt I was hoping you comment. You are right this list has to, has to be cut down - though it orginally was 45 schools this time last year. Wow I’m getting depressed just thinking about it. I guesss I should explain that neither me or my son’s mother is destitude however, when I was making 70 k a year (pre economy crash - and now I am making much less) I had a 115k student loan debt and had to sell my house to get from out under it. As such, we are just have to keep it real when applying to schools. However, we can afford sending in the applications and the audition fee - and yes even the financial aid fee for all twenty schools.</p>

<p>I think I need to be very frank here and I hope I don’t upset anyone. i have an MFA in Creative Writing my brother has a BFA in Art neither of us are working in our fields I understand that being an artist is a matter of passion but it is also a matter of putting yourself in a place that gives you the best place to succeed at a cost ratio which does not make living the rest of your life prohibative while you try fine tune and find a job in your particular art form. Let’s face it CalArts is a great school but without a major funding how can 90% of the people pay 55k a year and don’t think they are not going to be in debt most of their life? Hmm it’s Sunday I think I need to stop trying to get an Amen. </p>

<p>I did not know JMU was opening up a performing arts center this fall or that y’all were going to auditions, apperciate the heads up. We will definately be coming to visit the University. And we are definately going to get this list down to 12 - hopefully</p>

<p>Peace</p>

7

<p>I had plenty of schools contacting me, but that doesn’t mean they would have admitted me. I think that many schools send out info packets to students who score above such-and-such a number on the PSAT or things like that. I got plenty of correspondence from schools like Stanford, Yale, and UPenn, but I never thought for a moment I’d be a safety at any of them, even the one where I’m a legacy.</p>

<p>I know NYU did have regional auditions in DC, though I opted to audition in New York anyways, as I was going up anyways and wanted to take advantage of the almost two weeks of extra preparation time (Jan 17 in DC vs Jan 31 I think in NY).</p>

<p>Also, looking over my previous post, I realized that the reason I probably wasn’t admitted to NYU is that my audition just wasn’t good enough. I thought I did my best, but in retrospect, I recognize the errors I made in the preparation process. However, like I said, I am really truly quite excited to be attending USC.</p>

<p>To be honest, when I visited USC last summer, I was just kind of like, eh, it’s a nice school, I guess I’ll apply there. But this winter, I fell in love with it. (I know, the 72 inches of snow probably helped, but it’s not just that, I promise!) By the time I visited campus again in April (when there were actually students there), my mom couldn’t get me to shut up about it. I’m afraid I’ve become a little obnoxious. USC is a great university with a lot of really outstanding opportunities. I applied right out for the BA, I did not audition or apply for the BFA because I knew at the very least that I wanted to study musical theatre (and now I’ve added film as well, and with one of, if not THE top film school in the country, there’s really no better place to do so). When I was at orientation, I met a lot of people who had decided between NYU and USC who had diverse interests, from studio art to film to even theatre. I think there are a few reasons why most of them chose USC
-It’s the anti-NYU, almost–we have amazing school spirit and a beautiful campus, with actual campus life
-the alumni. The Trojan Family is incredible. I haven’t even started there, but I’ve already met Trojans out in the real world, working and doing what they want to do. Stark Sands (BFA class of '01) was nominated for a Tony and is currently on Broadway in American Idiot. When I told him I was going to USC in the fall, he said he was so jealous. Or I recently worked as a PA on an independent film shooting locally, and the second assistant director was a USC film grad who was amazing, and, according to my boss, one of the only reasons the film stayed as on track as it did. She was also really willing to chat with me during the (rare) lulls on set about her work and her life, giving me an idea of what it’s really like to work in the film industry.</p>

<p>USC also has a lot of amazing opportunities. After I was admitted, I received a folder in the mail detailing many of them, but I’ll just describe the two that stood out the most to me. USC has a database of headshots and resumes that the film school students can use when casting their films. So the first place many of them may look when casting their films could easily be your son. USC film students truly do turn out top notch work, and I think it would be a great learning experience for all involved parties to work on some of their films. Also, USC has a partnership with the Center Theater Group for internships, including performing internships. I remember reading that four USC students were cast in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson as a part of their internship, and that show was just announced to be making a Broadway transfer, albeit not necessarily with the USC grads. However, that was the world premiere of that show, if I’m not mistaken, so those students had an incredible opportunity. Also, one thing I noticed about USC that they don’t necessarily advertise is that Jason Robert Brown (composer of 13, The Last Five Years, Parade, Songs for a New World) teaches there. </p>

<p>So I’m beyond excited about the next four years (which sounds like another Jason Robert Brown musical), and I wish your son the best of luck! I hope he chooses whatever school is best for him.</p>

8

<p>In my post above I deleted an important word in my sentence about safety schools. It should read, “… schools where a students stats are at the top of the admitted students range, does NOT require and audition…” </p>

<p>JMU has a list of fall prospective student visit days on the Theatre & Dance website. Most Friday mornings in the fall. Send me and email when you decide to visit.</p>

9

<p>Thank you for your insight SdonCC - this is why I love this board folks come at you from all different directions. Fear not I am not a household name, neither me nor my son or tall enough or good enough to play ball for G-town - and I have seen several football games and you do not have to be able to play football to be on the team. Okay that was a cheap shot, I know the alumni love that team. Hmm I wonder if I can my son interested in Lacross or baseball I know there are scholarships for baseball. Truthfully the only sports Dude is interested in is only Takwondo and soccer - yep I had the DNA tested he’s mine.
Yes I do know Coach Thompson, really nice guy but that is neither here or there. So yes my son is in the top 10% of his class, yes he needs to take the SAT (Kaplan) again, maybe the ACT per KatMT suggestion, he takes IB classes and no he will not be getting an IB Diploma - doesn’t have the time. I do realize Ivies and folks like Georgetown have been recruiting and trying to retain qualified minority students for the past 20 years - though my direct knowledge of this is from pre-economic downfall. But yes my son is a very nice young man and people like him.</p>

<p>Peace</p>

10

<p>Okay I guess should admitt that I am a native Southern Californian and been a Bruin fan since I was old enough to remember. Actually since my friends and a couple former SC professors found out we were considering USC my computer has virtually exploded with folks dogging me out. In fact, my business partners dad was the left tackle for SC back in the day and played for the Broncos so they are dogging me out on almost a daily basis also. Like I said before: “What we do for our Children.”</p>

<p>I love your post though it gives me a great deal of insight into SC’s program. I know their film school is top notch - we will be visiting his grandparents when it get cold here so we will be visiting the campus in November. SC vs. NYU is it the school spirit that you find the difference? </p>

<p>I have spoken to a couple of folks who have been mentioning that the BA in Film and Theater is a great route to take.</p>

<p>Thank you again.</p>

11

<p>Thank you we will.</p>

12

<p>I think it’s the combination of spirit and a campus. My impression of NYU is that you’re in New York and are taking classes at NYU, whereas with USC, you’re at USC and LA is right there. USC definitely seems to have much more of a community feeling, and more of a college feeling (though not a community college). If I’m remembering this correctly, when I toured NYU, they sounded kind of proud that they don’t have a football team, but at USC, football is one thing that sort of brings everybody together. I don’t even particularly like football, but the fact that everyone is willing to come together and support the school indicates a kind of atmosphere that I think I will enjoy. Plus you can’t beat the weather. :smiley: In terms of the cities themselves, I much prefer New York to LA, but they’re both great places, and full of opportunities for young actors. They’re both tough, but it sounds like your son has a great deal of persistence and passion, two qualities I can only hope will help me in this difficult business.</p>

13

<p>Wineguy – I’ll chime in re: USC’s BFA program! Both of my kids are there – my daughter a junior and my son will be starting his freshman year in August.</p>

<p>As an acting coach, I had both of my kids auditioned for a lot (14) of schools – because there are no safeties when it is auditioned based. Between them (they didn’t apply to and audition for the exact same list of schools) they were accepted to UCLA, UNCSA, Carnegie Mellon, CalArts, BU, DePaul, UMichigan, UMinnesota/Guthrie, MGSA, SMU, Fordham, Chapman, UCIrivne and LMU. Son was priority waitlisted at Purchase (daughter didn’t apply) and both kids made first round callbacks at Juilliard and son was one of ten placed on the waitlist for the second round callbacks in NYC.</p>

<p>Here’s why they both chose USC over all those other amazing programs… and believe me it was agonizing making the decision both times.</p>

<p>The academic standards of USC are impressive and on the rise. The medium stats of the kids accepted 2009-2010 were 3.8UW GPA, SAT 1990-2210, ACT 30-33. Both kids wanted a BFA over the BA because they wanted to focus more on their acting training and did not want to take language or math classes. They both wanted the “college experience” football games, school spirit, etc. Both decided they wanted to go to school in the city they plan to reside in (and hopefully work!). Both kids are in the unions and already have representation – my daughter goes out weekly for auditions and is learning the grind of what that means in LA. Other factors: ability to do a semester in London, Senior Showcase for Casting Directors, Producers, Directors, etc, participating in films produced/directed with USC film students and – :slight_smile: – weather!</p>

<p>And finally I will second what wisdomsomehow posted – The amazing Trojan Family. The alums truly help each other. There is an incredibly strong network in hiring recent grads – it sounds corny but it is a huge family.</p>

<p>Re: financial aid – USC is very, very generous with financial aid and they will work with you if you feel you need more than you were awarded. They are also very generous with merit awards, Trustee, Presidential, Regents, etc. The School of Theatre has just implanted a new scholarship fund as well – The Robert Redford Engaged Artist Award – and now has more funding to help with talent scholarships as well.</p>

<p>Your son sounds very talented and motivated – I am sure he will do extremely well with college quest next year! Best of luck!</p>

14

<p>Thank you actingmom - Let me say Aaahhh! This SC thing is killing me. Of course you do realize that I will have to lie to his grandfather for at least two years if he actually went to SC. My friends, those SC folks, would be sending all type on that crimson and gold stuff to my house! Aaahhh - however, going to a top notch University in his field might actually make up for the fact that me and his grandfather couldn’t go to the babershop down the street without laughter being echoed throughout South Central.</p>

<p>I really do apperciate the insight actingmom, truthfully for Robert it will come down to one money, and two fit - actually I made sure we didn’t visit any school in SoCal or Florida in the summer because his two might be entirely different than my two. I am also very happy to hear about your daughter and son - may I ask what was their preception of UNCSA, CalArts, SMU and DePaul? Also if they hadn’t gone to SC what would have been there second and third choose? I also apperciate your insights into SC financial aid packet at SC - and yes my son loves science but has been avoiding taking Math by taking computer classes every since he got a B in Algebra II - and just finished his last year trying not to sleep in IB Latin class.</p>

<p>Thank you once again - I am going to try to ge this list down to 12 but 14 sounds like a more realistic number - and try to see if we can group this auditions down to a particular time period and geographic area.</p>

<p>Peace</p>

15

<p>Wineguy - sent you a PM!</p>

16

<p>Thank you just sent you an email.</p>

17

<p>UCLA gal here…
My D is going into her second year at UCLA and here’s why she didn’t even apply to USC…(and USC people, understand this comes from a SoCal family)… She did not want to spend another four years with the same kids she went to h.s. with. The other big h.s. in our neighborhood was the number one feeder h.s. to U.S.C. While on campus, the kids there and the tour guides, they all seemed just like the kids she had grown up with (not that this was a bad thing, necessarily, just a “dull” thing.)</p>

<p>My D wanted something “different” than her current life, and that won out over U.S.C.'s reputation.</p>

<p>So, in the end, she applied to, got in and picked UCLA. And she has not regretted it (other than during the frantic end of quarters.) She made 8 student films her first year and was in one school production. She is eager for the new year.</p>

<p>I guess my point is, aside from the “prestige” of a program (and USC and UCLA are both very prestigious) there is the “fit” factor. No matter how good a program is, if the school does not feel right for the kid, the kid should not go there. You need to tour schools and see how the schools feel and get your list down to size… based on “feel”, not just “name”. </p>

<p>Think about Emerson and CCM, though. Great schools.
I was kinda surprised not to see Emerson on your list…</p>

18

<p>Welcome Wineguy! I’m on this roller coaster ride with my D this year. I have both USC and UCLA family members and its very funny to see them “feuding”. Good luck with that. ;-)</p>

19

<p>yeah, chrissyblu makes a very good point. I felt a very good fit on campus at USC (which I actually didn’t feel at UCLA, and thus didn’t apply there), even before I applied, and the times I’ve visited after my acceptance have only made me feel like I fit in even more. I’m from the Washington, DC area, so I only know two people from my “old” life who are going to this school, an art history spring admit from last year with whom I went to summer camp and another girl from my school (music major).</p>

<p>Oddly enough, one of my friends got into Emerson for vocal performance, but is going to GMU.</p>

20

<p>Thank you for the insight chrissyblu I really apperciate it. I am from SoCal and I have been on both SC and UCLA’s campus and sorrounding community - now it is time to get Robert on them along with several other - what is the verse, “Miles to go before I sleep.” And let me send a little Bruin love! - to you and your family, I hoped I was going to get out there for fall practice, I mean to take my son’s to the perspective University, but it is not to be. I wish your daughter the very best and she might see my son next yesr we will see how it all plays out. Again, (for school for my son) in the words of Grandmaster Flash, “It’s all about money aint a **** thing Funny. You gotta make cash in this land of milk and honey.” I owe it to my son to put him in the best position to get the best training for what he is passionate about and can have a chance of making the type of money he wishes to make - without being a slave to the student loan God.</p>

<p>Thank you Again</p>