<p>megpmom ~ “After all, the football team gets excused absences to traveling to games, state playoffs, etc.”</p>
<p>HAHAHAHA!!!</p>
<p>wait…you WERE kidding regarding giving anyone else the same slack as they give football, right? (double checks) yeah you’re in Texas so you must have been! 
ha! ha! lol. Oh if only d were born either an athlete or a math genious, or in a state that valued anything even half as much as football. Oh well.</p>
<p>Definitely talk with your school’s GC. My D didn’t attend a performing arts high school, but our GC was extremely helpful. We gave him a calendar of our scheduled audition dates including the names of the colleges and the cities we had to travel to. He gave the schedule to all her teachers and explained why she needed to be absent to attend those auditions. D still had to turn in some assignments via email, but at least we were able to go where she needed to go.</p>
<p>Wow, this is a great topic. I hadn’t even thought about unexcused absences. Our theatre director is very supportive but the school administration has the typical red tape. I will suggest the “field trip” idea to our theatre director. Thanks</p>
<p>Hey, so here we go with the Common App.</p>
<p>I know my D will write a “why I love theater” essay for specific supplements. I’m wondering how people handle the rest of the essays. An “I’m passionate about theater” essay for the non-audition/non-supplement schools (since that’s truly what she’s most passionate about)? An “I’m passionate about something else” for the schools that will get a “why I love theater” essay…?</p>
<p>How do you show that you are intensely passionate about theater AND a well-rounded person who is interested in other things? Any advice on a successful theater essay in general?</p>
<p>My D wrote her general essay about something that was totally out of character for her - a 4 day wilderness dog sled trip in Canada - and used it to show how she persevered and “grew” even though she typically is a Barbie ballerina type from Texas. It was quite funny. Nothing about theatre. She did write in a supplement about being president of her school’s thespian troupe - learning how to work with other students and faculty, doing fundraisers, managing the business end of theatre. I guess she figured her resume would speak for itself regarding her passion for theatre. She was really trying to reveal a complete picture instead of just a one-dimensional “theatre is my life” type kid (which she kinda is).</p>
<p>Hey, I’m going to be a senior and I’m in the midst of doing the common app while trying to figure out plans for my auditions. I’m from Long Island, New York, and I live 15-20 minutes by train away from New York City. I love big cities and am only applying to schools in urban areas on the East Coast. As of now, I’m applying to 8 or 9 schools. In NY, I’m auditioning at Pace, Marymount Manhattan, NYU, and Queens College is my safety (non audition BA program). Then I’m planning to go to Philadelphia to audition for UArts…loved the school when I visited so it’s in my top 3 right now. & I’m auditioning for Emerson, Boston Conservatory, and Point Park at Unifieds. If anyone has any other suggestions for good MT programs in East Coast cities, let me know.</p>
<p>I just got back from visiting BoCo & Emerson and I really liked both schools, but they each had their downsides…BoCo is expensive and doesn’t offer many scholarships, and Emerson requires really high SAT/ACT scores for their main scholarships…1450 combined for math & critical reading, which is near impossible.</p>
<p>Also, like you all said about auditions conflicting with school, my problem is that my school has driver’s ed Saturday mornings from September-January. This won’t really affect the unified auditions since they’re in February but I have 2 auditions I want to do in December and my school won’t let us miss any sessions of driver’s ed or make them up at another time. I’m also going to be missing sessions to retake both the ACT & SAT so I’m kinda screwed.</p>
<p>Can you take driver’s ed privately outside of school? That might help.</p>
<p>Temple University is also in Philly and has a MT program. In DC Catholic University and American have MT programs.</p>
<p>I’m looking into taking driver’s ed at another school on weekdays…it’s gonna be hard since I have a job and I want to be in my HS show in the fall, but it probably would be a better option. </p>
<p>When I was in Philly visiting UArts, I mentioned wanting to visit Temple but my dad’s friend, who lives in the area and was with us, told my parents it was in a bad part of town so now they don’t want me applying there =[</p>
<p>Temple’s main campus is located a mile or two north of center city Philadelphia, straight up Broad St from the center of the city. My wife went to Temple undergrad and we both went to Temple Law as does my son (which is also located on Temple’s main campus) and we have several friends whose kids (both male and female) attend or recently graduated Temple undergrad. None of us or they have ever experienced a problem on campus or in the environs of the campus housing. While the neighborhoods adjacent to the campus are economically depressed, Temple’s campus has expanded significantly resulting in pushing back the blighted areas. Common sense should be used in deciding what adjacent neighborhoods are appropriate to be in and which are not, and certainly common sense and street smarts should be used when walking at night, but there are thousands of students commuting and living on and off campus in the immediate area who do not encounter any problems. In addition, public transportation to Temple is abundant and there are loads of students who obtain housing in center city Philadelphia (which is a great area for students and theatre students in particular to live) and commute to Temple. If the program holds an interest for you, I would not per se rule it out because of the neighborhood. It is a very solid program as is the general undergrad education which is available. </p>
<p>As to UArts, my daughter will be a senior in its MT program and could not be more delighted with the education and training she has received. The two schools provide very different educational experiences however. UArts is a conservatory based BFA program at an arts university and while liberal arts is required and available (and can provide stimulating and challenging content), the emphasis at the school is on the BFA curriculum. Temple is a full blown liberal arts university and students in the BA theatre program must meet the same core and distribution liberal arts requirements as any other major. If you want the focus and intensity of a BFA program, UArts is an excellent choice. If you are looking for a broader liberal arts education, Temple is well worth looking at. Both schools offer center city Philadelphia as your backyard with an abundance of theatre, music, art, cultural institutions, and restaurants. UArts is located in the center of Philadelphia’s theatre district and nightlife, Temple you need to travel by car or public transportation for 15 minutes or so to get there.</p>
<p>tainted - as horrible as this sounds right now you could not take drivers ed and just get a regular junior license. This is what my daughter chose to do because she could not fit it in and it was mostly fine. She could not have more than 2 non-related under-21 year old friends in the car nor could she drive after 9PM except going to and from work I think. It was a bit of a pain but we all survived. She also has a November birthday so she wasn’t even 18 until she began college - if your 18th birthday is earlier it would be even less of a burden. Just a thought!</p>
<p>Just posted on another thread that we’re now looking for an acting/theatre arts safety in the Boston/NY maybe Philly area. We’ve done a lot of research already, but we’re going to stretch a bit. D thought her favorite non-audition match was a surer bet, but I don’t think it’s “safe.”</p>
<p>Anyone want to help? Her academic stats: 3.7 UW GPA, 27 ACT, good rigor in classes, although academic GPA is lower without arts classes (sound familiar?). Lots of ECs, a few awards. Good writer. In general an artsy kind of kid. </p>
<p>I won’t list again all of the auditioned schools she’s interested in. We have a good list of 6 - 3 very selective and 3 less so. Here’s her current non-audition list:</p>
<p>Bard is her favorite - the one she thought was a surer bet than it probably is
Lawrence U - a good bet, but in WI
UMinn BA and UW-Milwaukee - safeties, also obviously in Midwest</p>
<p>Here are some east coast schools she’s visited(V) or researched and does not like. Please no one take these descriptions literally or personally - it’s just a subjective reaction on her part, but it shows what has turned her on or off:</p>
<p>Goucher - met at CTCL Fair and liked a lot, but hasn’t visited
Clark - also met at CTCL Fair but isn’t sure if it’s artsy enough
Hampshire(V) - too over the top quirky
Sarah Lawrence(V) - too intensely academic
Drew(V) - too preppy
Hofstra(V) - has a cousin starting there this fall, also a theater major, too uncomfortable
Muhlenberg - doesn’t strike her fancy
Skidmore - ditto
Wheaton - too small and preppy</p>
<p>I’ll have her read about Temple and look for a few more like that, and keep scouring these threads.</p>
<p>I turn 18 in July 2011 but it wouldn’t make much sense for me to wait until then for my full license, especially since my parents are sick of driving me everywhere. My mom talked it over with the school this morning and they said it would be feasible for me to make up any classes I miss, as long as I’m missing them for school-related conflicts. </p>
<p>I’m definitely going to look into Temple. UArts is my second choice right now, I really loved the school when I visited. I’m looking into Boston University & Boston College but they’re both so expensive…same deal with Fordham. Anyone know anything about Fordham’s theater program?</p>
<p>EmmyBet- CUNY Queens College has a non-audition BA in Theatre…it’s located about 10 minutes from NYC. I visited the school and liked it, it’s in an urban type setting but the campus is actually beautiful. It’s pretty cheap also, it’s around $13,000 a year. It’s my only safety, it’s not hard at all to get into academically. </p>
<p>Starting my monologue search today. I went to a professional voice coach in NYC in July and got my contrasting material picked out so now I just need to figure out which monologues I’m using.</p>
<p>Thank you! Good luck to you!</p>
<p>@taintedxlove</p>
<p>We looked into a lot of the schools on your list because my S had the same urban northeast parameter…we are also from LI. He applied to several of the schools on your list, ruled out others for one reason or another, and ultimately chose Fordham for performance. He leaves next week. </p>
<p>Here is some info you can review from Fordham’s website to get you started.
[Prospective</a> Students | Fordham University Theatre Program](<a href=“http://www.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/theatre_department/prospective_students/index.asp]Prospective”>http://www.fordham.edu/academics/programs_at_fordham_/theatre_department/prospective_students/index.asp)</p>
<p>If you can, I recommend that you go to the Open House event on October 16th or November 19th because the entire theatre faculty and many of the students will be there. You can feel free to PM me with any questions you have and obviously once the semester gets under way, my S will have more inside info about the program other than his impressions of it and why he picked it over the others.</p>
<p>A few things I do want to point out to you about Fordham…it is a BA degree NOT a BFA and they do have a large core curriculum. Also, Fordham does not have a MT program but you could put together your own if you are interested in that by taking dance at Alvin Ailey and taking voice lessons. My S is also interested in MT and in fact, was placed in the New Studio on Broadway for MT at NYU but ultimately he felt Fordham was a better fit for him. Oh, and Fordham does give merit money so don’t let the pricetag stop you from auditioning if you like the program! Good luck! :)</p>
<p>@EmmyBet</p>
<p>SUNY New Paltz? Adelphi? LI University…C.W. Post? Not sure if any will meet your D’s criteria but something to look into perhaps.</p>
<p>Ha - sandk, she’s already planning to audition at New Paltz and Adelphi, really, really likes them a lot. They’re part of the list I left out (the others are Montclair State, Syracuse, CMU and BU). I’ll check on the other 2 you mentioned.</p>
<p>Right now she’s going to read up on Temple, and also on UNH. Looks like a really exciting program there, and it’s close enough to Boston (plus some cities/towns nearby) that she can feel happy, actually pretty similar to New Paltz for college town/big city access. </p>
<p>Also we talked about working really hard on that Bard application, going EA (can’t justify the cost for their “instant admission,” unfortunately, not since her REAL first choice is a BFA), how nice it would be to get in early and have it in her pocket. Very different from a BFA of course, but solid theater, and she’d be very proud to have a BA from there.</p>
<p>tainted, CUNY Queens does look like a great school and a fine program. The downside from someone out of state is the lack of residential life. I didn’t expect a lot of housing, but it’s incredibly minimal. My D doesn’t feel comfortable with that, with almost all commuters, even if a lot of them are in apartments nearby. She wants a residential experience, a “regular” college life. Too bad!!</p>
<p>EmmyBet…Long Island University is one school with several campuses, C.W. Post being one of them. Your D’s stats should make it a safety school for her and I know someone who went on a full ride for Theatre so I thought you might want to look at it. It’s always nice to investigate schools that give $$$! :)</p>
<p>Best of luck to you and your D this exciting year!</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>I was just on the LIU/CW Post website … unfortunately at least as of now, both their BFA and BA are auditioned programs!!! We love auditioned programs by definition, and hopefully my D can get into one - it’s nice to think she’d be with a selected, focused group of people - but it’s making it really hard to find non-auditioned programs we can feel confident about!</p>
<p>Darn! But maybe she’ll look into it anyway, and audition. We’ll probably be in the area again for an on-site audition at Adelphi, so who knows?</p>
<p>^^^Sorry I didn’t realize it was an auditioned program. I knew you had to audition to get $$$ but not to get into the program!</p>