<p>My D was away this past weekend with her best friend at the beach…her friend’s grandfather decided he would use the opportunity to tell my D that she was making a mistake, she was going to fail, etc. He also helpfully told her how difficult the MT world was. Really? Like we don’t know it’s hard? My D came home upset, and said she didn’t know how to handle it b/c she did not want to show disrespect, especially since she was a guest. She said it was very uncomfortable. Sigh. We talked about possible respectful responses for next time, but I really wanted to tell her to say something sarcastic if it happens again. (Don’t worry, I didn’t.) I guess she’ll have to get used to it. The other thing that’s been happening lately is this: friends/parents of other kids ask where she is applying to college, and when I respond, even with a shortened list, they say something to the effect of “Why such bad schools? What about Princeton?” (Giving people the benefit of the doubt, many of them have never heard of anyone form the northeast going to schools like Ball State or Texas State or OCU, etc.). But…really??? I feel like carrying little cards with me to hand out that say something like, “Yes, my D really is applying to all of these schools that you may have never heard of. She is going into MT, and trust me, these schools are the best in the world for MT. And yes, we have to apply to so many b/c it is harder to get into a BFA audition MT program than it is to get into Harvard or Stanford. Thanks for your concern, but we have it under control.”</p>
<p>You should definitely print up those cards and send us all a link to buy them!!! (I am not very good at “smiling and nodding”).</p>
<p>I hear the same things, and people seem to be more “concerned” because I have a son who wants to pursue a degree in MT. “How will he earn a living?” comes up a lot, as well as “thats a hard life”. I always tell people I support my son and his decisions, and that he will “Figure it out” when the time comes, but for now I want him to enjoy his life and his high school years.</p>
<p>I recently saw a great show at the performing arts high school my D attended. After the show, I sought out a very talented young man to find out his plans for college. I was just sure he would tell me he was going on to one of the top MT programs. This kid was fabulous. When he told me he would be majoring in physics at one of the top schools in the country, I’m sure my face fell flat. I literally had to stop myself form saying “Oh I’m so sorry to hear that.” I certainly congratulated him but as I turned away, I couldn’t help from saying “please don’t stop singing and acting.” I almost made this kid justify not majoring in MT.</p>
<p>Hahaha Cartera - now there is a nice turning of the tables!! I like it:-)</p>
<p>I always got asked “well what is he going to do after college,” after telling them he is earning his BFA in MT. I always answer “Broadway of course!!!” Well, he graduated from Montclair State in May. He had 6 responses from his senior showcase and HE interviewed and researched them all, before HE chose who he wanted to go with, and he will be performing all summer for the Greater Ocean City Theatre Company OC,NJ. Also known as “Broadway of the Boardwalk” This is perfect for his first job, because it is close to home. I get to keep him alittle longer before he moves to NYC.</p>
<p>oceancitytheatrecompany.com/</p>
<p>^^^ Congrats to your son, IBEElieveINU!!</p>
<p>IBEE, congrats to your son. OCTC is a good summer stock opportunity. What other shows will your son be in this summer other than Broadway on the OC Boardwalk, which is only one night? I think I heard that they’re doing Crazy for You.</p>
<p>Second City had a funny nod to this subject last night. The skit was about a high school reunion, and the guy met a former teacher and told him that he was the first person who believed in him and told him to follow his dreams. The teacher was SO dissappointed when he heard the student had become an architect instead of an actor. ;-)</p>
<p>No career path is certain these days. A few come close: CompSci at CMU or Stanford, perhaps, and STEM in general has good demand these days. Even within that category, though, majors come in and out of favor. Globalization of technical work may impact this area in the not-too-distant future. </p>
<p>An arts degree is almost certainly going to lead to a less lucrative (even if potentially rewarding) career, so graduating without a significant debt load is more important than in some other areas.</p>
<p>One option is to attend a school that gets the student on the path to teaching certification. That’s certainly a good option for music, for example, where few grads will become stars but where becoming a teacher is a far better fallback option than waiting tables.</p>
<p>Smile and nod is the best response. </p>
<p>I don’t know how someone could get certified to teach music AND get a MT degree. The BFA requirements for my son’s programs were remarkably difficult to do in 4 years as it was, and he was sooo done with academics as it was. THere are other opportunities that arise in life as one auditions and looks for work as an artist. I know a number of theater, music majors who are in other fields and doing quite well. MT is not a common degree so I don’t know anyone well with that major who has been out of school for while.</p>
<p>^Generally, Cptn, they can’t. Two different degrees 
In theory, one could study BMUS voice perf and pair with teaching cert, but certainly not MT, unless via dual degree over 5-6 years…which as those of you at schools of music likely know, isn’t usually “allowed” anyway.</p>
<p>The point, Roger, is that in the music world, for example, you generally determine whether you want to be a performer, which requires single-tracked focus, or to teach, which requires both a different level of proficiency and a different curriculum. The school of thought in performing arts is that you should only teach if you WANT to be a teacher, and you should only PERFORM if there’s NOTHING else you want to do ;)</p>
<p>That said, in terms of value of undergrad degrees, do not forget that the world favors those with poise, who can communicate/present well and who are deadline-sensitive. I’ll put a MT-trained kid up against just about any other liberal arts degree in terms of hire-ability for work not related to major! So while all of them should avoid debt, the value of the degree is in NO way less than the value of any other undergrad degree at the end of the day, IMHO.</p>
<p>I personally have and would recommend using sarcastic responses…along with outright telling them how rude they ARE BEING for giving unsolicited advice when it wasn’t the time or their place to do so. While it won’t make you popular…it does shut them up pretty quickly and sometimes…you may even garner greater respect from them later on for showing you can stand up and argue for yourself. </p>
<p>Had this experience in spades with older relatives who questioned why I was majoring in history rather than pre-med or engineering/CS. </p>
<p>Regarding pre-med…told one aunt I’d do it if she’d not only pay for all my undergrad and med school expenses…but also all the inevitable medical malpractice suits that would result. </p>
<p>Regarding engineering/CS…told them a large part of it was my desire to not be as anti-intellectual and narrow-minded as they/most of the engineering/CS majors I knew/worked with were acting whenever they tried having such conversations with me…along with referencing the fact some older Engineer uncles with degrees from places like Columbia had long periods of unemployment when their respective fields went through a downcycle.</p>
<p>What made it more galling in my case was that neither they nor my parents were supporting my college expenses. Just my near-full ride scholarship, whatever I earned from part-time/summer jobs, and a 3 figured loan which I paid back within 6 months of graduation.</p>
<p>He will be in 5 shows with OCTC this summer including Crazy for You!</p>
<p>My D has her BM in Music Theater (different from musical theater at her school). She switched focus from vocal performance after her sophomore year. I guess I’m just lucky that not a single friend or family member has ever questioned her choices. They actually seemed much more interested in what she was doing than in her relatives or friends who majored in other areas. Because of that, I’m always amazed that there are people who do this.</p>
<p>Family and friends have never questioned the idea of my D pursuing MT since she has been part of the theatre world since age 3 and both her parents work in the arts. In fact, the only person who ever questioned her desire to major in MT was the Chair of a Theatre Department at a Theatre Conference. She was talking to him about his program and he was looking over her academic resume. He saw her GPA and SAT scores and he said, “Are you sure you don’t want to become a doctor or lawyer?”</p>
<p>One other funny thought - my D went to a very small high school (if you looked at the youtube of the young woman who is a member of a Texas drill team - there are more young women on that drill team than in my D’s entire high school!) </p>
<p>Her class was made up of some academic heavy hitters (3 or 4 will be majoring in Engineering and several are planning on becoming doctors). However my D is the only one in her class who is receiving a full ride based on her academics. This may be the only time in her life when she is in a better financial position than anyone else in her class!</p>
<p>MT degrees are very appealing to McDonald’s employers, so it obviously has value to it.</p>
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<p>^^^I know lots of people who are graduates of musical theater college programs and NONE are working at McDonald’s. Most are working in the arts.</p>
<p>In any case, thanks for sharing your perspective as a sophomore in high school without real world experience, who is not in performing arts, and appears to be very focused on standardized tests. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>I have a degree in econ. Without a grad degree, it means nothing. Same for many other majors, including biology. And with a degree in MT, she can still go to grad school in many other areas. And anyone can get an MBA.</p>
<p>^My daughter’s degree is in theater (BA, with an emphasis on set design); she works as a freelance photographer and is excelling in her master’s degree program in clinical counseling. Many of her college friends ARE working in theater, and still others are doing master’s or doctoral degrees in a range of subjects (forensic psychology, museum studies, history, English…and also MFA programs in directing and playwriting). I still feel pangs of regret that she isn’t working in theater, but she loves what she’s doing…so I’m holding out hope for my youngest son, who’ll apply for acting programs next year! My other story is about my middle kid, who did a lot of theater in h.s. but not in college, and who recently switched his major from history to religious studies. His former theater teacher (and my teaching colleague) asked, indignantly, “What’s he going to do with THAT?” I tried to ignore the irony and just said “He’s going to be an educated person!” :D</p>