<p>I'm currently beginning my freshman year as a BFA Musical Theatre major at the University of Miami. However, over the summer and since this year has started I've realized that I don't think I want to pursue musical theatre and would much rather be majoring in BA Theatre or Education. This is rather unfortunate since I turned down BA acceptances from Boston College, University of Southern California, etc. because I thought that the program at Miami would be ideal. Now I'm planning on applying for transfer; however, I don't know how colleges will look at my transcript from my year in a BFA considering it's entirely made up of classes like Dance, Movement, Acting, Freshman Studio, Singing for the Stage, etc. with only one gen. ed. (English) class. So basically, my question is: will I still be a strong applicant for BA programs with a transcript of conservatory-style theatre classes? I'm interested in schools such as Tufts, Northwestern, Barnard, NYU, and Boston College. I'm planning to work hard and hopefully get straight A's, or close to it, in my classes this year. I got straight A's in my last year of high school and one C (I had a serious concussion and was out for weeks, the teacher gave me F's on all the work I missed without giving me a chance to make it up). My SAT score is a 2330. Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!!!!</p>
<p>Can you transfer within Miami?</p>
<p>Technically speaking yes, I could; but at the same time, seeing as I came here specifically for the program, I’m not very interested in the BA Theatre program or any of the other BA programs here since they’re not of the strength I’m looking for. Also, I have already spent a lot of money on materials/clothing/shoes specifically for my musical theatre classes, so it seems like it would be a big waste to transfer out of the program seeing as that is the only positive of the university for me at the moment. I chose Miami over the excellent BA programs beforehand because I thought the strong BFA was what I wanted, but now that it’s not I still think I have to stay within the BFA so that I won’t have completely wasted my opportunities, if that makes any sense. </p>
<p>As a parent of a future MT student, can you tell me why you’ve had a change of heart? No judgment, I’m just curious. and I would think that any other theatre program would completely “get” why your transfer transcript would have those classes on it. If you have decent first year grades, and with your SAT scores what they are, I would think any program would be interested in you. (But I’m not in the college world, although I do have a degree in Music Ed and have taught public school for 30 years.) </p>
@mspamela It really depends on the student in particular, I went to a very academic high school that had a great well-rounded combination of science/maths, the humanities, and theatre classes. When I entered the BFA program I immediately knew that it wasn’t what I wanted; I have a wide variety of interests and I felt very pigeonholed by the completely premeditated and rigorous curriculum, and I knew that although I enjoyed acting/musical theatre, I wanted a more well-rounded college experience. I’ll always have the chance to get more specialized training later in my life, but as someone who really values academics and who wants to get as much as possible out of my college education, I thought that transferring to a BA would be the best for me. I’m transferring to Columbia University to get my BA in Theatre and Women’s and Gender Studies, so I’m really happy with how everything worked out in the end either way 
@caicon Thanks for the reply/info. Glad you found something that is much more suited to you! Any tips for future students on finding the right fit?
@caicon Happy that everything worked out for you!
Would you mind saying how your first year was knowing that you were focused on transferring to another school.
My D will be starting her freshman year (BFA) at one school with the goal of reapplying to another(BFA) in hopes of a better financial package the second time. (If the finances didn’t matter she would be going to the other school to start with.) We just can’t make the finances work to send her this year. It has been causing me stress. Every time we visit the school she has committed to we just know it is not the best place for her.
@diglass To be completely honest, if those are the feelings that you and your daughter have going into it, I would recommend taking a year off and then reapplying for freshman admission. The main issue is that almost all schools do NOT give good aid for transfer students. I was very lucky to be accepted to Columbia and to receive very generous aid, but Columbia is a big school and it gets a LOT of funding and donations, etc. For example, I was accepted to NYU CAS for transfer and received next to nothing in terms of financial aid. If what she’s looking for is more financial aid, then, and she really doesn’t like the school she’s set to go to, I would look into a gap year, because freshman aid is MUCH better than transfer aid. Also, a lot of BFA’s will make you start over as a freshman, even if you’re transferring in from another BFA, which means that you would lose all the money you put towards her first year. I’m sorry if this isn’t the advice you were looking for, but really it’s just my honest opinion given the way you portrayed your opinions/feelings about the school she’s going to. Also, it can be very difficult to put all of your eggs in one basket like that–even though she was accepted this year, you never know what they’ll be looking for next year, and if in the worst case scenario she was not accepted again, then she would wind up having to stay at a school that’s just wrong for her. I’m also kind of against the BFA after having spent a year doing it, because I find it to be very limiting and I think that college is the time to explore your options rather than pigeonhole yourself into one very specific craft, but that’s my personal opinion based on my own experiences.
@caicon You are correct about fin aid in many situations. Been there done that with my older child. I have explained that some programs will no longer be an option because she will not qualify for fin aid as a transfer student. She says she has ruled them out anyway. We have greatly considered a gap year. However my D feels like she needs to be in a structured program where she can gain some experience and there is no option for her to train in her hometown. So taking a gap year would be moving to NYC to train. We are all more comfortable with her being in a dorm (in NYC) and involved in a structured program. We have met with the transfer school of choice and they say that she will be eligible for all scholarship money even as a transfer. And yes she will be up against whoever shows up to audition that year. Of course not all classes will transfer but they did not say that she would have to complete a full 4 years with them. I will call and speak with them to reconfirm this information. Our child feels that a BFA is the right choice for her and we are willing to support that option at the moment. If she changes her mind then she can stay where she starts out. In my dreams some other options would present themselves to make her dream school more affordable. But as of now it is just too steep for us to manage.
Back to my original question…
Were you able to make the best of your first year and enjoy it at all?
I was a college transfer and know how difficult the transition can be.
Wishing you all the best at Columbia! This is an amazing opportunity for you!