Cmu Summer Program Questions

debelli · 03-14-2005, 06:32 PM

D thought there was a CMU SP chat for tonight via AOL - have sat here already for a half hour and it doesn't seem to be happening. She's off for rehearsals, and I'm not able to sit here for another hour and a half to see if this happens, so was hoping that someone who's gone to the CMU SUMMER PROGRAM could possibly answer some of her questions...

Is it a good program for prospective students that are interested in CM to attend?

When will they know if they're accepted?

How many students are accepted into the musical theater program?

Will college credits be received?

Does the pre-college program reflect what the real curriculum is all about?

CMU is my first choice school. If one is accepted into another summer program before CM contacts you, is there a way to find out your acceptance before the paper work for the other program is due?

When attending CMU pre-college, what shall students bring with them for both classes and end of the program audition?

Will tap be a part of the curriculum?

How much are private voice lessons?

Is there a gym on campus for pre-college students to use?

Are there practice rooms for pre-college students?

What is there to do in the PA area?

Thank you!!

BroadwayWannabe · 03-14-2005, 06:35 PM

it is on-going right now....send an instant message to CarnegieMellonPC

lynnm · 03-14-2005, 08:07 PM

Is it a good program for prospective students that are interested in CM to attend? Definitely. It teaches audition techniques, etc.

When will they know if they're accepted? I believe pre-college notified mid-May?

How many students are accepted into the musical theater program? Over 100 Theatre/MT students attended

Will college credits be received? No. Only AP students receive credit

Does the pre-college program reflect what the real curriculum is all about? It was very full and intense. Some teachers are not CMU teachers – one was from Point Park and she was excellent

CMU is my first choice school. If one is accepted into another summer program before CM contacts you, is there a way to find out your acceptance before the paper work for the other program is due? I don’t recall anyone being turned down from the summer program. Maybe someone else knows differently on CC?

When attending CMU pre-college, what shall students bring with them for both classes and end of the program audition? Comfortable clothes, dancewear, a nice outfit to audition in, dressy outfit for Clipper ship night. Bring music you’d like to work on…You’ll get a list with everyting you need.

Will tap be a part of the curriculum? Tap was optional in the second half.

How much are private voice lessons? $250 for ½ hour lesson each week – Go for the hour if you can swing it.

Is there a gym on campus for pre-college students to use? I know there’s a pool, probably a gym, too.

Are there practice rooms for pre-college students? Yes

What is there to do in the PA area? SHOP, eat, buses are free to pre-college students…they shop on the Waterfront and EVERYWHERE

nytheatermom · 03-15-2005, 07:56 AM

My daugter and I were in on the live chat last night,w hich dealt with all cmu summer programs, not just theater.
Among the points made:
1. if all you materials are in right now, you should hear in 2-3 weeks.
2. food is varied
3. roomates assigned by no particular system
4. dorms are co-ed by wing or floor
5. a theater person CAN "minor" so t speak with chorus and therefore be in a chorus
6. there is no official play at the end, but various clubs put on small shows
7. While music applicants are invited to submit audition tape, they have decided not to have MT people to do so because they don 't want to limit people's interests at this point Therefore, the arts resume shows the interest in the subject.
8. as has been mentioned frequently on CC. being in the summer program does not mean you are more likely to get into the college.

monydad · 03-15-2005, 10:56 AM

My daughter is applying to this program, and apparently has to construct some kind of resume applicable to her theater, etc, activities.

Are there any examples of a theatrical resume around, on the web or elsewhere, that she might use as a guideline for the style and content of such a document?

marissal · 03-15-2005, 11:41 AM

Monydad, I applied last-minute in May 2004 (admissions are rolling and continue past the deadline, space permitting) and my resume was nothing professional. I did get in. Even if you don't have a perfect guideline, I think they are looking to see that you are comitted and have participated in such activities. I believe if you have MS Word there are some resume guidelines though, you can work from those perhaps?

nytheatermom · 03-15-2005, 12:06 PM

I agree, you do not have to have something elaborate. Just list all the theater, music, singing activities, Give a bit of a description of what she did or does with it so they see genuine interest. That is my impression what they are looking for. This is very different then, say, a theaterical resume which has a particular style and is attached with headshots when one auditions professionally.

noccadad · 03-15-2005, 12:06 PM

monydad,
Had the same question last year and someone kindly sent me a template so I will be happy to forward to you as well by e-mail.

In general, this program was worth every penny for our daughter, although she came home a very different person (for the better) and we needed to modify some parenting styles to accommodate her growth. We highly recommend it!

peggy · 03-15-2005, 09:46 PM

I would like to second what nocadad said. Expensive, but worth every penny. And my daughter also came back changed. They have the independence of a college freshman. And the curriculum. They are in class for six to eight hours a day, plus some evenings. They work harder than they've ever worked before. And love every minute of it! I tell people that we had to tie my daughter to the roof of the car to get her home.

If you can swing it financially, it is well worth it. Among other things, your child will figure out if this is what they really want to do. Daughter was really amazed at the number of people that went home after three weeks. Or the people that were counting down the days until it was over.

To answer a few of your questions, the most important thing to take is fans! It gets hot in Pittsburgh. You do not receive any college credit, and there is no guarantee that you will be accepted to CMU. In fact, several of our kids ended out auditioning there when they probably shouldn't have, but there were so attached to the school. However, it seems that many of the kids accepted there had attended the pre-college program.

Initially they were told they didn't need to bring their tap shoes, but part way through, D called & asked me to send them. There are several/many optional evening classes, and tap was one of them. (Tell you kid to take as many of these as they possibly can.)

As for what to do in Pittsburgh, one of the "perks" of all CMU students, including the pre-college students, is a free bus pass. I know that at least once, my daughter just got on the bus and rode. (We're from a rural area, and she had never been on a city bus before. Especially by herself.) The college also planned activities for them every weekend. They went to a Pirates game, to an amusement park, to a play, and a couple of other activities. Plus, the kids get very close, and do a lot of activities together.

If I remember right, about section 17 of this thread has a lot of discussion regarding this program. It's an awesome program. I would highly recommend it.

Peg

debelli · 03-15-2005, 11:03 PM

Is there any financial aid given?

-Debelli's daughter

MotherMoo · 02-09-2006, 01:51 PM

I am so glad I was referred to this thread! Here is the dilemma...

Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Drama Program Vs Stagedoor Manor

I just found the Carnegie Mellon Pre-college Drama program. Do you know someone who attended there last summer (2005)? Great information from Peggy above, but since programs change from year to year I wonder if things are still the same or better.. How difficult is to be admitted? We would love to hear about the experience there, it sounds like a great program.
Here is our dilemma. We have paid a deposit at Stagedoor Manor (NY) and have until Feb 15 before making the major $$ commitment. We realized that they are very different programs. Our concern is that we would have to request our refund from Stagedoor before my D knows if she is going to be admitted to Carnegie Mellon. I think she is a strong candidate for CM, but don't know how competitive the admission to this program is.
My D loves acting. She has been performing in plays since elementary school and sings in the Jazz Select Choir at her high school. She doesn’t have much training in dancing, but she has the natural rhythm and movement. Would it be better for her to apply for the Acting program? If she applies for the MT program would that give her the dance and additional singing experience that she may like to have? or would this stretch her to the point that the program would not be fun?
Your input would be greatly appreciated.

soozievt · 02-09-2006, 02:04 PM

I think I replied to your daughter today on another forum (not CC) because the circumstances sound very much the same as the girl's post :-), so ask her about that and I'm not going to repeat what I told her here.

But about the deposit issue....(let me add that my kid went to Stagedoor for 8 years, 16 sessions)....but my niece went to SDM for the first time last summer and loved it. She has a deposit down for this summer as well. However, she is applying to CMU for Acting and they have a similar dilemma on the deposit at SDM because CMU informs applicants on the late side (for a summer program) and that is too late to sign up for a program like SDM. I don't know just what to suggest but I'd keep the deposit in. My hope for you (and them) would be that if your children get into CMU and choose to attend, that perhaps SDM might refund the deposit because they ALWAYS have a waiting list of kids who want to go and it fills up early in the year. You could inquire about what would happen past the refund date if you had to back out and if they could replace your child with someone on the waiting list.

If your D wants to do MT, at SDM she has the option of picking and choosing her own program as far as training (8 classes) and as far as being in either a Drama or a Musical production. However, the two programs are different in many respects (which I outlined to the girl on the other forum who likely is your D) and it comes down to which program suits her interests, desires, needs, etc. better.

Susan

wool4all · 02-09-2006, 03:23 PM

You will find lots of info about last year's acting and MT sessions here

has anyone heard from CMU pre-college yet?

Carole

kaysmom · 02-09-2006, 07:07 PM

My d sent in her application on January 5th. Got a postcard in the mail yesterday saying they are missing her transcript and counselor recommendation. Called the office and they said, no...we have it all! Not sure why we got a postcard then. The postcard was dated 2/2 so it's not like they just got that info from January 5th. So whether they do have it or not, I'm not sure. Will be checking back with them on Monday just to be doubly sure! I asked her while on the phone how it may take to hear and she said they are in the middle of undergrad auditions and won't be letting people know until after that.

MotherMoo · 02-11-2006, 06:59 PM

wool4all, thank you very much for sharing the link and the experience at CMU pre-college program year. What an awesome program!
My daughter is very excited!. She is in play performances this weekend, but as soon as she comes home on Sunday she will be starting the essay for the application. We contacted the school counselor on Friday for the reference. Good thing she already has her Theater/Activities resumes done.