What is the Best Ranking List for BFA MT Programs- Editted (Sorry)

College Majors Musical Theater Major
1

My son is fortunate enough to have choices for next fall. Otterbein, Pace, and Rider. I am trying to rank them and help him make the best decision. I know every kid is different and there are other factors, city, superb, etc. but I was just thinking if anyone had opinions if would be nice. BoCo, Syracuse, Point Park are his other possibilities should he get accepted.

I was thinking our list would be BoCo, Syracuse, Otterbein, Pace, PP, Rider in that order, but I think my son is drawn to Pace because it is NY.

What is the best ranking site?

Good luck to all, this is gut-wrenching.

2

Those are all great choices and it is highly likely that every person you ask, on this forum, or anywhere else, would have a different answer for their top choice. School choice/preference is up to the individual - depending on what a student wants from a school - larger or smaller program, city or not, cost, “feel” of the school, etc. If you can do it, visit! Have your son talk to current students. Congratulations on having a number of great programs to choose from!

3

Thanks!

4

As @MTmom2017 said, all of your S’s choices are well regarded on this forum. The decision is totally personal at this point - what is good fit for your S and your family’s circumstances? Here is a thread listing CCers who are willing to talk about specific schools. You might try asking some of these people their take on each of your programs. You do not have enough post to PM someone yet (need 10??), but they MIGHT be able to PM you. I’m not sure how that works. Your S can probably hook up with current students through FB, or other social media.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1808884-mt-school-forums.html#latest

5

You need to go to, or back to as many of these schools as you can. See if your son can take a class and really try to see a show. Rider had a great accepted students day last year, ending up as my son’s number two choice. Being in NYC is a great for him (although not at Pace). He gets to see many ahows; both on and off Broadway. Congrats on the great choices!

6

Where did your son end up? Are you not a fan of Pace? I am not either.

7

Also think about class size. My D chose IL Wesleyan last year because of the small class size. There are 8 MT’s and she loves that. Otterbein has the same size class, I believe.

8

Your suggested list is very interesting . My son is a sophomore at another BFA MT program,not listed above,but he applied to some of those above and did not apply to others. Had you asked him before he applied and certainly after being in a program now for almost two years, his list of priority schools, even with those of alleged well thought of MT programs, would differ markedly from yours. It really does not matter what others think. It matters what fits for your son. I recommend you and son visit all his choices, consider yourselves fortunate for your choices, and then make your decision. Sit in upper classmen classes if you can and then decide. It’s up to your son what is important to him.

9

Your son’s three choices where accepted are all great schools by many standards. But they are quite different. Taking in the larger scope where he has not heard yet, the schools are even more diverse. Perhaps you can hear from your son what his top priority is. If that is location (NYC), that’s a significant variable. Lots of kids are intrigued by NYC, but must also consider the cost to live and socialize there. For our kids, environment was important, but they weren’t so concerned with NYC since they knew they’d eventually be there after school. I will also say that we’re only 2 hours from the city, so it’s within reach from their hometown anyway. Their final choice school actually has a final semester internship in NYC where they wind up as a class in the city, living and working. Finances were critical for us. We explored previous years’ cost and projected increases, cost of off campus living options, etc. Finally, class size was also important with the option to specify extra training in dance, etc. Rider has developed a strong dance program to my understanding, Pace has specific dance programs as well, and Otterbein has a Dance concentration within an already strong dance MT curriculum. Of those top three, two share proximity to NYC. Class sizes are, Pace classes being much larger than Otterbein and I would think Rider is in the middle. Finally cost is significantly different. My understanding from a nephew who attended Pace is that costs after year one can be quite different and housing options shift significantly as well. What I can tell you is we have seen summer stock and tours including students/grads from almost all of the schools mentioned. They obviously produce strong performers who find paying work at their craft! As others have mentioned, I would suggest looking through the individual school forums to connect with folks who have knowledge about the schools and ask them to share their experiences as best they can. Your son can also talk online with some current students for some candid opinions Wishing you all well as you decide!

10

I would encourage you to visit campus, meet students, sit in on classes, meet professors – they are very different options. Above and beyond any finances involved and how that works for your family (and I echo the sentiment above about costs increasing in years 2,3,4 with housing at Pace), your son will have to find the program where he feels most at home and where he feels he will be nurtured as an artist. What a gift to have such great options!

11

Coming back to clarify, since I’m reading thread comments more clearly. I have one S at Rider and one S at Pace, both about to graduate, so I can speak to those programs. We also have had friends with kids at Otterbein who are having terrific experiences.

@NJDadBFAMT, your kid has three great options.

In noting comments from @Tapperdad above about being in NYC being great for him, “although not at Pace,” I think he is saying that his son is at another college in NYC, not at Pace. I don’t think he’s being critical of Pace.

In any case, I’ll chime in that my Pace son has had a tremendous experience in the program, academically, as a performer, and in terms of professional opportunities. (I can say same for my Rider son, too, honestly.)

Pace son also knew that downtown NYC environment and Pace program would be the right place for him. He jibed with the professors right away, and I’ve said here before that once finances were factored in, both my boys’ final decisions really came down to feeling connections with key people.

As always, I’m happy to answer questions via PM or in the school forums. I’m not on CC as much as I used to be, but I do try to check in regularly.

With regard to housing costs, the Pace website lists current price of freshman dorm as well as listing price of upperclassman housing. You can see the differences and it is something to consider. However, cost savings can be realized in soph, jr, sr. year by living in a triple or by moving “off campus,” and many students do that successfully. All part of “city living” and something the kids get savvy about quickly.

12

@NJDadBFAMT My son is at NYU, but I really wasn’t being critical of Pace. Pace is a bit further south of NYU and the Village, but still a great place to be. Good luck with your son’s choice.

13

Great stuff, thanks. Best of luck to your son too.