<p>Is it just me, or does anyone else get tired of trying to justify/explain why you are "letting" your child go into MT? I'm sure it happens with all the arts, but it seems particularly harsh in MT. If one more friend or relative asks me why my D is "wasting" her brains by going into MT, or suggests that she will be a waitress for life, I will scream. I know all the things MT grads can do, and I know what skills they develop, but I am looking for a great, pithy comeback that shuts them up. Suggestions?</p>
<p>Tell them you’ll buy them a front row seat for your D’s show in the future and then they can see why.</p>
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<p>Ask them how much they love their work. If they love it you can say THAT’S why, and if they don’t then THAT’S why. ;-D</p>
<p>Of course, there is a past thread on this…</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1065495-i-get-so-tired-explaining.html?highlight=i+get+so+tired[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1065495-i-get-so-tired-explaining.html?highlight=i+get+so+tired</a></p>
<p>LOL, EmsDad, I even posted on that thread a year and a half ago! That gives you some indication of how stressed out I am…sorry for starting a new thread on a topic that already exists.</p>
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<p>MomCares, I’m long past the time for justifying my D’s path. Everyone knows how successful she is. I do, however, love your answer! It’s perfect.</p>
<p>@monkey13, absolutely nothing wrong with starting a new thread! I just like to cross post related information because when I started reading CC it took me a long time to figure out how to find older information.</p>
<p>At 18 you hardly have any ability to “let” them do anything. They are adults at that age and can do what they want. You are helping your daughter pursue her dreams and if they don’t work out, she will find something else to do just like every single high school football star who goes to college thinking that they will play in the NFL and then end up selling cars. However, for an MT there is a lot better chance they will actually play in our equivalent of the big leagues.</p>
<p>VT</p>
<p>MomCares’ suggested response is perfect. :D</p>
<p>Ya know, it may seem odd, but I never got this question with regard to my daughter when she was applying to college. Not sure why. I have to say that anyone who knew her, just knew this was naturally what field she’d go into as she had been immersed in it her whole life. Nobody ever questioned us in our community. As far as relatives go, everyone supported whatever the kids were interested in on my side of the family and on my husband’s side too. Coincidentally, out of six grandkids on my side of the family, one went for a BFA in MT, one for a BFA in Acting and one is in college for recording arts / studio production. None of the parents or grandparents are in the arts. As parents, we never questioned our kid’s choice either. We never even discussed what field she wanted to pursue in college. We just knew for years! While it is nice that nobody has ever questioned this about my kid and I have never had to justify it to anyone, I would not have a problem “justifying” it! :)</p>
<p>In the interest of full disclosure, we are “those parents” who have drilled into our kids for years how difficult the lives of artists often are, so honestly if anyone questioned whether it was wise for D to pursue a degree in MT it was probably me. ;-D</p>
<p>I LOVE MomCares’ answer!! I usually tell people that I don’t want my kid to grow up and feel that I kept her from her dream job. If it doesn’t happen, then at least she’ll know she tried, and won’t wonder “what if?”… I’m sure that all the hard work and discipline that she needs for MT will serve her well no matter what she does down the road if the MT doesn’t work out. How many people are in the same field as their undergraduate major in college? I’m not!</p>
<p>My D is in the early stages of the longest run she’s ever been in, by far. Not NYC long, but as long as they typically come in our city. Anyway, looking for a hint that maybe she’s decided this is, perhaps, a silly career, I asked her after a five show weekend what she thought of doing all these shows and she said, “It’s great!! At the end of my workday, everyone stands up and cheers!” So I thought to myself, “Self, you just can’t argue with that.”</p>
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<p>Perfect.</p>
<p>I actually think it’s easier to ‘justify’ it in this economy. I myself have just been laid off, for the second time now in 6 years. I’m a teacher, a career which used to be considered practical, and not too long ago - when I went back to school to get my high school teaching certification - all the ‘experts’ were saying that teaching was one of those professions that would offer guaranteed growth. Now it’s brutal, and 1000s of young people can’t even find their first teaching job because they’re competing against someone like me, and I can’t even find a job…</p>
<p>What I’m trying to say is that nothing is guaranteed anymore. Not that it ever was. But there used to be good bets. Now there aren’t. I dont’ see how anyone can say anymore that <em>any</em> undergraduate major will guarantee anything. Even if you major in something ‘practical’ like engineering, you’re competing against folks who are brought in by H1B visas and who are compensated far less. </p>
<p>So in this economy, at least a theatre major is a hands on craft-training degree that prepares you for a specific working job–as opposed to many other majors that prepare you for nothing at all. </p>
<p>And that ignores the fact that you’re doing something you’re passionate about, of course, or that an undergrad major in theatre can easily segue into a law degree, or a PhD, or medicine, or whatever. And that a theatre major gives you lifelong skills, such as a strong work ethic, ability to work as a team player, being responsible no matter what, learning self discipline, etc etc etc. There are just so many paths, and no sure one anymore. Why not a theatre major?</p>
<p>The issue with all “degrees of passion” these days is the cost and debt students are taking on to obtain them. MT is great but is it worth graduating with $100K in debt? If the student’s getting a free-ride, has wealthy parents or is at a low-cost state school - then great- have at it. They can always go to grad school later if it doesn’t work out. </p>
<p>However, we’re all seeing way too many students taking on debts for degrees that won’t offer job opportunites that let them pay back their debts. Then what?</p>
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<p>No, I doubt many people here would advise taking on much debt for an MT degree. There is a huge difference between pursuing your passion and enslaving your future self.</p>
<p>But keep in mind that there are very few careers that can guarantee employment these days. Example: my company has a slew of lawyers working for us - for free! - b/c they cannot find jobs that actually pay. These students are graduating with not only a college debt, but a law school debt as well. And I have people contacting me on weekly basis with degrees in a number of non-artsy degrees asking if I know of any jobs. The days when a Bachelor’s degree could pretty much guarantee you a decent job are long gone.</p>
<p>There is no undergraduate degree worth $100k+. I don’t care what the major is.</p>
<p>The question is the debt - not the cost. If parents and students have saved $100,000 for their child’s education that is different from a parent and/or student going into $100,000 in pure debt. $25,000/year for college tuition, room and board is (unfortunately) not an outrageous amount of money in this day and age.</p>
<p>In the parents’ forum, there used to be one of my favorite threads (don’t know if it is still there). It was called “JUST SMILE AND NOD”…about when people ask the most rude questions that are none of their concern, like “why are you letting her/him waste their brains in a major like that?”…just smile and nod. Sadly, chances are you will never convince those kind of people to change their minds on anything. Save your funny responses for this forum where we all “get” you. When their PhD can’t find a job either, you can return the favor!</p>