<p>Can anyone tell me if University of Miami is a cut program? I see the following on their website:</p>
<p>Each BFA student will be evaluated by the faculty at the end of each semester. This evaluation will determine if the student is invited to continue in the program. Additional evaluations will take place each time a student is involved in a project.</p>
<p>This implies a "cut policy" of some sort, but I don't know how actively this is employed. Anyone have any information?</p>
<p>Many of the schools have similar programs. My biggest concern would always be how much notice is given to students that are not invited back. I would also want to know what the options would be if you were cut from the MT program. Some schools give no warnings and you may be completely caught off guard. I sure would not want to find out in April that I was not going to be invited back in the fall. At that point, it would be too late to audition at another school. What then?</p>
<p>As Sarahsmom42 says, many/most BFA programs have yearly evaluations or juries, during which students are called upon to demonstrate mastery of various material and skills. However, not all programs routinely use these juries to cull students from their programs. If you want to learn more about these kinds of so-called "cut" programs, go to the FAQ thread and look to the left, where you will find links to various lists/discussions, from "cut policies" to "The Big List of Schools." Our very own doctorjohn of Otterbein explains why cut systems began and why many schools have done away with them, even though most do still require some sort of jury at the end of each year.</p>
<p>Most schools have juries if they're nice and they let you know early enough that you are not invited back. Other schools have a drop program where for ex. if you are not doing well in BFA in MT, they'll ask you to drop down to BFA in Acting or if you are not doing well in a BFA in Acting, they'll ask you to drop down to a BS in Acting which is less pretigious but whatever. Only hardcore *****y (if i must) schools like CCM cut you at the end of the year, possibly leaving you without a school for the next semester, forcing you to take a semester off. I don't believe U Miami is like that. They are more along the lines of Syracuse, Ithaca, and UMich with the drop down thing....i guess...unless you're HORRIBLE..lol</p>
<p>I think CCM is doing away with their cut program.</p>
<p>I have heard that about CCM, too. Anyone know if there is any truth to that rumor?</p>
<p>I heard it from a Vocal Performance major who is a junior at CCM.</p>
<p>i hope CCM does do away with it...but i highly doubt that. That's their "thing" if you know what i mean. That's why they are so renowned...i mean they produce great alumni but they are known for their cut-throat system.</p>
<p>My D and I were researching the U of Miami program today and came across this info about their BFA program:</p>
<p>Each BFA student will be evaluated by the faculty at the end of each semester. This evaluation will determine if the student is invited to continue in the program. Additional evaluations will take place each time a student is involved in a project.</p>
<p>It sounds like it's a cut program. I know my D is trying to avoid these. Anyone know of any others besides CCM.</p>
<p>Most BFA programs have evaluations of some sort at the end of various semesters, the freshman year or sophomore year. The evaluations themselves do not a cut system make; it's the purpose of them and what's done with the results. Some schools, the evaluations are progress checks. If the student doesn't seem to be making acceptable progress, then the student is advised and counseled with the intent of getting the student on track. If the student doesn't improve by the next check or 2, the student may be advised that he/she is not really BFA material and urged or compelled to change to a BA program in theatre or to change majors altogether. Syracuse is an example of this approach. At other schools, the evaluation is like taking a "regents" exam; you must pass to continue with the program and if you don't then you are dropped from the MT program and forced to change majors or transfer to another school. Emerson is an example of this. Then there are schools that intentionally admit more students than they really intend to keep and the evaluations are used to cut the numbers down to the desired class size. That's an actual "cut" system. CCM has the reputation of doing this.</p>
<p>It's important to question a school in depth about the purpose and use of evaluations. It's often tough to tell just from the website. Don't be shy about asking this type of question; nothing wrong with being blunt here and most schools will be candid about how they use the evaluations. Also, this is a great subject to raise with current upperclassmen who have been through the process. This is an area where you don't want any surprises a year or 2 into a student's college career</p>
<p>Hey! im a freshman right now at University of Miami and i can tell you that it is not a cut program. At the end of every semester they do have have an evaluation where the entire department will sit down and discuss each student and how they are developing through the program. In general, they are just there to give the student an idea of where they need to focus and what they are doing well etc. Occasionally they will recommend a student to leave or switch programs but the only times that I have ever heard of that happening has been for behavior problems (ie not showing up to classes, showing up high, etc.) I hope this helps, I love the program and if you have any questions about Miami feel free to message me!
-bbor8</p>
<p>My son is in Miami's program. He tells me the only kids who have left the program have had academic and/or behavioral issues.....i.e. poor grades; not going to class; etc. Most of these kids remain at the University of Miami and continue to take theatre classes, but they are not in the Conservatory. He has never known someone to be "cut" because of talent. At the end of each semester they do perform before a group of faculty - which is viewed more as an exercise in preparing and performing an audition. They do receive feedback, but it is more in a "constructive" vain.</p>
<p>If a student is in academic trouble......the kid, the faculty and the parents know it well in advance. The MT program is more that willing to work with a student to try to turn things around. It is a small program and faculty gets to know each and every kid very well. The faculty is amazing and they don't want to see a student fail.</p>
<p>I was accepted at Miami a couple years ago and I was under the impression that it was like other schools in that you wouldn't be able to take certain upper level courses if you didn't pass evaluations. Essentially, what is being described above is a cut program regardless of why the students leave. If they're asked to leave the program that's a cut in my eyes. I also heard that CCM did away with their cut system last year.</p>
<p>BrendanN, if a program doesn't promote kids who don't attend class, don't do the work and so on, I wouldn't consider that a classic "cut" program. That's called not promoting kids who don't put effort in. Most people think of a cut program as one which accepts more kids than they can graduate and then the administrators/teachers cull out those who, for various reasons, they don't want to work with anymore.</p>
<p>If a program can cut students, they have a cut program. I'm not exactly sure where the definition of this "classic cut program" you speak of is, but regardless of how students are cut, there has to be a cut program present if students are indeed being asked to leave. Cut programs aren't always as evil as they are made out to be on this board. They can be very educational and helpful for some students in need of a little tough love. There is no negative connotation I wish to convey when saying whether a school has a cut program. That being said, some schools have harsher ones than others, but we cannot deny a school having some sort of cut program if students are asked to leave in the middle of their education.</p>
<p>But BrendanN, <em>any</em> program, be it in English or history or engineering or musical theater or acting or biology, <em>must</em> be able to get rid of students who are not attending class and doing the work. It's the same as when someone has a job and is always absent: they get fired. That is not, to my way of thinking, the same as a "cut" program. To most people's minds, a "cut" program implies a program deliberately accepting more students than it intends to graduate and then culling them as they go along, even if those students are performing at a high level and doing well. And to respectfully disagree with you, most people don't love the idea of a "cut" program so, yes, it does have a negative connotation! :)</p>
<p>I can understand your thinking, BrendanN- but since virtually all MT programs (and music programs, also) have some sort of sophomore year evaluations or juries that must be passed before a student can take upper level performance courses, calling all of those programs "cut programs" may not be helpful to students if they are using this as a criteria to narrow their lists. </p>
<p>As a Bachelor of Music student many years ago, we had sophomore juries that had to be passed- and if they were not passed on the second or third try, students would leave (or change their major) regardless of whether they were formally told to leave or not. None of us considered this a "cut" system. Even in strictly academic majors, if students are not passing academically, they must eventually leave the program.</p>
<p>Brendan, FYI, in the listing of threads, in the first few, you will find one called FAQ link, click on it and you will find things like the BIG LIST and a detailed discussion of Cut programs, juries, amoung many other things usefull in MT studies and program search. I know you are currently in a great program, but there might be some info that would be interesting to you!</p>
<p>I asked this question privately and a regular MT CCer gave me her impression. Does anyone know whether the straight acting program at FSU cuts for reasons other than attendence, grades, and behavior/disposition? Their policies for 'retention' are very detailed, and somewhat scary. The private feedback that I received suggested that a lot of MT students are put on probation, but are not actually cut - the message; do not worry. Anyone know differently, and specifically re: straight acting. Also, if their are cuts, do students have the option of moving into the BA Theater program? Thanks</p>
<p>I discussed the issue of applying for a school with a cut system with my D and her answer was much like how NotMamaRose puts it, well, wouldn't all programs want to have a way to get rid of people who obviously don't put in any effort, cut class, etc.? She does not feel that this is such a big thing, but from reading this board I know that for a lot of people it is. I do pay close attention to posts where a cut system seems to have been applied somewhat randomly and very late in the process (I believe that there was a thread about this at one point regarding Arizona). However, none of the schools D is applying to seem to have a history of people being dismissed unfairly. Ultimately I think it is personal preference and what you are comfortable with.</p>