<p>I'd also like to mention that graduates from BFA programs go on to more than performance. I've known of CMU BFA Actors that graduate and go on to law school, business school, etc... Drama school can really provide a lot of critical thinking skills and the like that are necessary for the real world.</p>
<p>Monydad, my H , like you is more pragmatic about the kids' choices for fields of study. And it is always good to have one like this keeping an eye on these things. However, I can tell you that in our case, we were all pretty much brought down to our knees with my son who graduated last year to the point of just praying he got out of college in 4 years and who cared what his major was. I would have given a lot if he just enjoyed his course of study and did not belly ache about how unhappy he was at school. Theatre, voice, instrument, English, psychology, history, basketweaving--he was just majoring in getting out on time at $45K for an extra year. He and 3 roommates graduated--he did barely and as an English major(barely) whereas 2 out of the 3 other guys were honor student and all 3 were computer and engineering types. Only one is gainfully employed out of that lot-the others doing contract type of work, and my son, the goof off got several excellent job offers and is working at a firm in a tech job--technical writing dept, self sufficient and he had the "useless" major. I know a number of kids here who have graduated from great colleges, top LACs and ivies who are doing contract work, working for dad, family or friend of family or have jobs that have to be subsidized by family. Some of them were great students in fields that should have ensured them some sort of regular job. The bottom line is that you really can't tell what is going to happen after college, and the best way to prepare for it is to enjoy and learn your skills well. A theatre major provides a great base for nearly any discipline. I know several theatre majors who are doctors! They had great gpas, great things to discuss, great on the interviews, took their premed courses one at a time as they auditioned and matured after college and are now very popular, very skilled physicians who support the theatre arts. Both my daughter and her fiancee are artists who are in medicine. The one regret that is an open sore about her is picking that college she did that is so limited in the arts for her. she would have been so much happier and more fulfilled had she had more art offerings at hand. she took the pragmatic route and went for a surer shot at med school--and was denied this year, but will have an excellent chance next year. In the mean time, it would have just a more beautiful world for her had she been able to enjoy what she loves to do the most--art. But she truly wants to be a doctor as well, and her fiancee was an art history major--did an internship and semester at the Museum School in Boston, all sorts of artsy things, hands on and history wise, went on to Med school and is now finished with his residency. An artistic doctor. So there is often this balance that is good to keep in life. Those who are keeping their nose to the grindstone and studying what is "good for them" and they don't care for it do not show the enthusiasm of someone who has enjoyed his life and studies. I took a number of accounting courses, education courses, business courses, on the side and after school with no trouble at all and on the cheap. Easy to get an employer to pay for those. Harder to get in a good estoteric course and develop one's interest and personality that way when pounding salt.</p>
<p>Danielle:</p>
<p>Good idea checking with the departments. </p>
<p>It's not so much that I want to make sure she has a secure future. It's more that I want her to have a reasonable idea of the extent to which her plan is insecure. Like is it one out of four graduates can get work, or more like your chances are better of getting hit by a meteor. I think she should know that.</p>
<p>And if she really wants to do this, and the chances actually are not that bad coming out of a leading BFA program, then maybe that's preferable. To me it seems safer to do a "regular" BA though, and then do an MFA afterwards if you want to pursue this.</p>
<p>I started another post about Cornell's program. Let me/us know what you find out.</p>
<p>I'm new to this forum, but have recently been very interested in the musical theater forum. After my daughter was rejected from the BFA program she wanted so badly (and, btw, the only one for which she auditioned), I've been doubting her talent, desires, etc. From reading everybody's comments, it just seems that if you don't get a BFA, it tells the casting director that the talent and passion just aren't there. I think my attitude comes from reading about too many successes on the other forum. The truth is, if somebody wants a career in musical theater there are ways to achieve it, including coming out of high school and going right to NYC to wait tables and go to open auditions. It's only been recently that so much emphasis has been placed on the college degree. Many successful Broadway and Hollywood actors have "made it" without a degree.</p>
<p>Not going to college wasn't even an option for my daughter. She's always enjoyed school and looked forward to majoring in theater, while minoring in other areas. It wasn't until reading about all the successes on the other forum that she began to doubt her real goals for her life. Not being accepted into the BFA program was difficult for her because so many people felt it was the "true measure of musical theater success". When the letter came denying her the program she wanted, she (and I) went through a difficult time. But the truth is that, in reality, she probably wouldn't have been happy in a BFA program anyway. She chose not to go to the performing arts high school here and went to a traditional college prep magnet, because she wanted more than to "just sing and dance". She always wanted the BA vs. the BFA, but because of some attitudes, now feel she's made a gigantic mistake in not pursuing other areas.</p>
<p>The bottom line is that she'll be happy, be educated in more than just musical theater, and be able to have a more marketable degree in the end.</p>