<p>I am researching dance BFA programs for my daughter and I wondered which of these is more difficult to get into- Mason Gross School of the Arts Dance at Rutgers or George Mason University Dance? Does anyone know anything about either of these programs? Could anyone tell me about their strengths and weaknesses as dance programs, where more professional dancers come out of?</p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>George Mason generally has a freshman class of about 20 dancers, while Mason Gross has a class of around 40 dancers. This would make George Mason harder to get into if you assume that both schools have around the same number of applicants, but I’m not sure about that. Another factor is that the audition at Mason Gross is half ballet, half modern, while George Mason’s audition is almost entirely modern. So a dancer with a strong ballet background would probably have a better chance at Mason Gross.</p>
<p>My daughter was accepted at both programs but decided to attend Mason Gross. So far, she is very happy with her decision. She is hoping to complete the school’s five-year B.F.A./M.Ed. Program, something that George Mason doesn’t offer.</p>
<p>Thanks. I was beginning to wonder if I was going to get an answer. Are you willing to share anything about the Mason Gross BFA program? Why is your daughter happy with her choice? How are the teachers? What is the caliber of the other students in your daughter’s perspective? Are they competition dancers, ballerinas, what is their background? Any particular strengths or weaknesses that you can think of? Also, how academically strong was your daughter in high school. My daughter has a high GPA but her PSATs were on the low side. She is taking an SAT course but we are still worried.
Thanks!</p>
<p>I’m assuming that your daughter is a high school junior. If so, I’d strongly advise you to have her visit both schools this spring and have her sit in on dance classes. That’s really the best way for her to see the skill level of the dancers who are in each program. All you have to do is call the dance department at each school and ask to schedule a visit. As I recall, the staff at both George Mason and Mason Gross were very friendly and helpful.</p>
<p>My daughter has been extremely pleased with all of her instructors at Mason Gross. The students have a wide variety of dance backgrounds, so I really can’t generalize. Again, if your daughter has a chance to visit, she should ask to speak with some current students to get their perspective.</p>
<p>I don’t know what the average SAT score for Mason Gross dancers is. You might want to put in a call to Mandy Feiler, the admissions person there. I’m pretty sure she could tell you everything you want to know. You can get her contact information from the Mason Gross website.</p>
<p>If you’re looking for other nearby universities that may be a little easier to get into academically, you might want to look at Montclair State in NJ and Adelphi in NY (Long Island). I don’t know much about their dance programs, but I know that they both have B.F.A. programs.</p>
<p>Hi, MomDiana. I tried to respond to your friend request with a yes but I’m not sure I did it right. Let me know! I’d love to discuss some of your experiences looking at dance colleges.</p>