soozievt

Flossy, one reason it may seem that the emphasis on auditioned BFA programs is excessive on this forum is because that is a very specialized admissions process that most BAs (the non-auditioned ones) don't include. And of course it is HIGHLY competitive. Now, some BAs, like the ones you mention....Yale, USC, Northwestern are very competitive in their own right too, but don't involve the whole audition layer of the process. The application process is similar to applying for any major. There are also lots and lots of BA programs and a much more finite number of BFA programs. So, the processes are different and also many guidance counselors are ill equipped to assist in the BFA selection and admissions process. Just a thought.

MOMMY5

Soozievt, is right. Schools and guidance counselors know NOTHING about this process. They think if you have a 2400 on your SAT'S, of course you are getting into Ithaca! Wrong! And if you have a B average, no way are you getting into CMU. Wrong again.

This is an entirely different process. And of course, BA's like Northwestern, Muhelenberg, etc. are great... but it is all about your grades and scores to get into the school, so you can get advice elsewhere.

And honestly I feel like there is plenty of info here on those great BA schools too.

actor12

This process seems a little crazy. Pay for application and audition fees at 20 programs, audition and see what happens. Then pick a college. Yes, my counselor would be baffled.

monkey13

I am one of the lucky ones! My D's guidance counselor had a D who went through the process (but for Music/performance) so she gets it. Not quite the same, but the auditioning is similar.

Intervals

This is such a crazy journey; my only help has been reading CC and a book I picked up on the subject. My D's college counselor was very well aware of how difficult it is to compete for places in audition-based programs and started off with fairly discouraging comments about the process to my D. However, this counselor simply didn't understand specifically how BFA MT programs are different from dance BFA programs, music programs, or even BA acting programs. And now, after 16 auditions, D has several acceptances, all but one from schools OTHER than the 7 or so we visited for on-campus auditions (one twice!). So now we are totally scrambling to visit the programs she has been accepted to (in between band concerts, choir concerts, acappella group concerts, senior day and prom) and to figure out what is the "best fit," with limited time on each campus. And how do you even begin to think about a wait list school? Can someone tell me, besides UMich, CCM, CMU, NYU, what are the other programs now considered to be the "top" providers of "triple threat" training? I thought once she was into a program, this would be easy, but there is absolutely NOTHING easy about this process!

narroway

Intervals,

We are in the same situation! I thought we'd be all done with travel at this point but D has been admitted to three schools we have not visited yet and one we have so my husband is taking her to CO next week during Spring Break and I take the next week and hit a few more schools up the east coast. Hang in there! In a few weeks, this should be behind us. I think on some weird note, I'm going to miss it when it's all over!

soozievt

Agreed. I think some who visit the MT forum on CC are not aware that CC has a LOT of other forums on it to do with college admissions, and then there are entire forums on this site for each BA school such as Northwestern or Yale, etc. There is so much information on CC if you look beyond just this one MT Forum. The MT Forum is particularly helpful in discussing BFA programs or BA in MT programs not discussed within forums about each college overall. Also, many BFA programs exist within colleges that don't get much traction on CC outside the MT Forum.....such as Pace, Roosevelt, Texas State, Oklahoma City U, Coastal Carolina, U of Cincinnati, Baldwin-Wallace, Point Park, Otterbein, etc, whereas there is lots on CC (outside of this MT Forum) on better known colleges such as NYU, Carnegie Mellon, U of Michigan, Penn State, Syracuse, U of Miami, UCLA, etc. that are widely known beyond their MT programs.

KatMT

"Can someone tell me, besides UMich, CCM, CMU, NYU, what are the other programs now considered to be the "top" providers of "triple threat" training?"

There are many programs that have for years provided triple threat training... Syracuse, Ithaca, Florida State, Shenandoah, BOCO off the top of my head are strong BFA programs with wonderful dance training that have been around sing I was auditioning for BFA musical theatre in the late 1980s.

"Newer" programs... meaning I am pretty sure they did not exist back when I was auditioning for programs and MT programs were hard to find... include, off the top of my head... Coastal Carolina, Pace, Point Park, and Elon. I teach at James Madison, an auditioned BA program, and recent alumni are working as actors/ singers/ dancers on BWAY, National and International tours, Regional Theatre, TV/Film, etc... There are MANY programs that are training triple threats.

I spend time researching programs, and as the artistic director of a summer theatre see hundreds of college students and recent alums audition. Many are from Schools that pull from a more regional applicant pool, and many are just as strong triple threats, and many just as marketable as the students from schools whom everyone has heard about.

Maybe PM members who go to or who have kids at schools your D was admitted to. They can give you the scoop on the triple threat training.

Congrats to your D on acceptances!

ParadiseMT

I totally agree that most school and college guidance counselors are not aware of the MT application and admission process. The only advice my D had from her college guidance counselor was to apply to at least one non-audition BFA MT school as a safety school, which is valid, but that's all.

In my D's school, she's the only student who had undergone this rigorous process. And it annoys me whenever asked of the status of her applications and I would respond that she has been rejected in 3 schools and see the surprise, if not oblivious, reaction from people as to why she was not accepted – and I have to explain the whole audition process and the number of students who applied, the acceptance rate, etc.

I seldom meet parents here who could relate to the whole experience and I really am very grateful to CC for all the insights, experiences and advises from parents and counselors. With our distance to US mainland, my D also does not have the opportunity of visiting the school she was accepted to so far and it is only through CC that we get to know more about that school. And it is only through CC that I now realized that there could have been other options out there aside from BFA MT to still pursue my D’s interest on MT and also other BFA MT schools aside from the 7 she applied and auditioned to. I have been recommending CC to some parents whose kids are interested in MT and hopefully I will be able to contribute in the future once I gone through this whole admission process.

alibabba808

Paradise - I was in a similar situation being from Hawaii - not as far as you - but plenty far just the same. She did a summer theater camp to the mainland and then some coaching - the cost of which put traveling to a bunch of campus auditions out of reach (we did unifieds). She did a lot of research and was in contact with students from each of the schools she was accepted to. In the end - her coach recommended a school that she was not initially enthralled with. We skyped with the assistant MT director and then booked a few days to go to this school (not in the budget - but well worth the time and expense). She felt that she could go to any of the other schools sight unseen except for the one that she was told would be the best fit for her strengths. In the end she fell in love with this particular school and it has been a match made in heaven. If you do your research from afar and use technology resources you will be able to get a decent idea as to whether the school is right or not. It is very easy for someone from the mainland to go on a quick school visit - this is just not the case for you - use Skype, facebook, email, college confidential and figure out the best bets. If you are able to narrow down the school and a visit is still necessary - then go for it - but I have a feeling that your daughter will be very happy pursuing her passion no matter where it is. I feel your pain!! Honestly - next year you will have settled into her final choice and all will be right with the world! I am, of course, not saying that a school visit is a bad idea - I just realize the difficulty that you are experiencing. Best of luck - Aloha:-)

amtc

If anyone cares to see how many colleges offer a BA or BFA in Theatre or MT you should pick up this weeks (or last weeks) issue of Backstage. It lists all the colleges in the country by state. There are hundreds on that list if you're interested.

Drama4me

So where do you all find these numbers. I am a junior and looking at schools that I will be applying at next year. I am looking at alot of smaller schools that aren't mentioned as much on CC. I still would love to find out the numbers of applied vrs admitted. I would love to know how to dig up this information!!

and5678

The Hartt School has a phenomenal dance program as well as top notch acting and vocal training.

KatMT

drama4me -- you can always ask the programs directly. Most will give you estimates.

ParadiseMT

@alibabba808 - Thanks for empathizing with my situation. Greatly appreciated. Now, we are going through the difficult but pleasant process of deciding among 3 great schools. Going through all the pros and cons, combing through the various threads in CC on these 3 schools. Surely, will not be able to visit any of the schools - just glad that of the 3, D has visited one (NYU) and had intensive summer program at the other (BoCo) - and I am getting great feedback from CC parents on SU. Couldn't complain at this point.

In another thread, will definitely share the application and decision process and hopefully this will be helpful to other "international" (though technically, D is not an international student but "eligible non-citizen or green card holder") students in the future.