Marbleheader

Anyone having any luck finding grants and scholarships for actors that are not attached to a specific school or region? Google gives lots of options, but they seem specific to an area, or to kids who have been a part of a festival or something.

Any global ones, like the Princess Grace grants (which are only applicable to senior college students, not hs seniors)?

Please share!

glassharmonica

Well, there is NFAA YoungArts.

Marbleheader

Isn't that something that you have to go to for a week, and then get nominated, etc?

I guess I am looking for the type of scholarship that you apply via an application, maybe write an essay. I know my daughter did a few, with no results, unfortunately. I realize there are thousands of kids going for scholarships and we are the "great unwashed" of the middle class - make a decent income, still married, and child hasn't lived through a great tragedy, although has worked hard and done the best he can do academically.

I know I sound cynical, and I apologize. Please don't respond with lots of stories of unfortunate kids who really need the scholarships - I know they need them. But in our town, all the scholarships go to kids who have endured a hardship - very deserving in most cases, but not all - and it is tough to be left out because our family is typical.

Thanks for letting me vent, even though I'm sure this will upset some folks. Sorry in advance!

glassharmonica

Marbleheader, NFAA YoungArts is a competition open to high school students (they actually expanded the age range this year) and college students who make the age cut-off. You submit an application (this year you upload a video, rather than mailing a DVD.) There are divisions in both spoken theater and musical theater (as well as other arts.) The deadline is approaching so you should look into it.

And you have it backwards-- if your application is picked for the finalists, you are invited to the finals in Miami. Honorable mentions who are not invited to the finals still receive a small cash reward.

As for your comment about looking for a competition in which you receive an award based on an essay-- I suppose there are not many (are there any?) of these for drama majors because adjudication for such an award would more likely be based on a performance than an essay. Just a guess.

supportive

Marbleheader- My family is in the same boat as you. Still married, no tragic thing that my kids had to go through, no hardships, plus, we are Jewish and people have this notion that we are all rich and we are in the majority for college applications. My daughter even asked why we couldn't be Sephardic Jews because she could at least hit the hispanic box (just joking of course). The only thing that helped us was the fact that both of my kids worked their tales off to make really good grades and were well-rounded. They also were recipients of an interest free loan by the Jewish community and were able to get some good financial aid. My daughter applied for a lot of local scholarships and was able to get $4150. (one of them was really surprising because it was from Kappa Alpha Psi- an African American fraternity that did not discriminate that my daughter is not a boy and we are not African American- my point- apply for as many local scholarships as you can) My son got some excellent Tisch scholarships but were are still in debt. I've written this before but this year, my son got over $20,000 in free room and board by being an RA. That is a HUGE and I mean HUGE help. At this point, my freshman daughter who loves acting and has spent the last 7 years in school studying acting is seriously considering changing from a BFA Acting to a minor in acting and a major in communications. There are several reasons for this which I fully support. I totally get where you're coming from because it's not our kids' fault that our families are stable and hard working. Vent all you want!

shacherry

Marblenheader

I would never have thought that a chapter of a German Club in our area gives out scholarships for college but they do. Perhaps your son takes a language and can approach a local branch.

Marbleheader

I guess that does make sense about the essay-type scholarship. It wouldn't make sense for a drama student to write, rather than act!

I'll keep looking around - seems like you folks found a few off-the-beaten-path scholarships. On another thread, it was mentioned that there are not too many talent scholarships because the schools attract so many talented kids, they don't need that for a bargaining chip.

I don't know what I was thinking anyway. I can barely get S to write the essays for his apps and supplements - no way I can get him to write additional scholarship essays.

Sorry for starting this whole thread!

EmmyBet

There are many great BFAs imbedded in schools with not as high academic expectations, so theatre kids with good stats can get some really terrific scholarships, regardless of need. Several kids from this thread have gotten significant merit awards at the "slightly less" selective programs.

skewlcounselor

I've found that most independent scholarships are based on leadership and community service--not performing arts.

I know a student who patched together $7,000 though independent scholarships that he researched online. Some were as small as $250, but one was for $3,500 renewable for four years. He literally spent all winter researching opportunities, writing essays and interviewing, but the payback over four years was nearly $18,000--not bad for an 18-year old.

I agree, though, that the biggest bang for your buck is through second- and third-tier universities. A high-stats kid at Temple can get free tuition plus $12,000 in grants to fund study abroad, summer programs, etc. Marry that with an RA position starting sophomore year and you have a free ride.