<p>Soozie brings up an excellent point that should not be overlooked. Initially we investigated schools which crossed and were very good in both areas of interest. Our (wrong) assumption was if a school had an excellent BFA MT department that meant that she would have access to superior acting, vocal and dance resources pursuing a BA at that school. This turned out to not be true. Those excellent resources that made the BFA MT superior were reserved only for the BFA students and the BA students were taught by totally different faculty members and were not in the same classes. </p>
<p>That is what led us to IU actually. Anyone can sign up for the same dance classes at Jacobs as the BFA MTs take the first year. There are special MT workshops that the BFA MTs take later but someone with a BA Theatre can audition for - but they are not guaranteed entry. A BA in any discipline can take private voice lessons - not from the BFA MT teachers but again they are at Jacobs and very good resources. The same is true of acting classes although they do have separate acting classes for major and non-major theatre students and the BFA MT students take these same classes. </p>
<p>My D fully expected to sign up for classes in both her areas of interest pursuing a double major. But the reality was you only have so many hours in a day and can only take so many credits. Laying out a 4 or even 5 yr plan it looks extremely difficult to be trained FULLY in both areas. And this is in a 2nd major that is much less demanding than engineering. This is also true despite having college and AP credits that fulfill many of the general graduation requirements. </p>
<p>It’s wonderful when you know what you want to be when you grow up. Although I had multiple careers, I knew my passion since I was about 7 yrs old. I’ve always thought that college for most was for exploring options and really discovering the major. I think I was the exception not the rule - as evidenced by the average number of major changes. Many people enter college unable to conceive of doing anything but MT or theatre but faced with the demands of the curriculum decide to drop it. Or perhaps it’s just the age they are at constantly growing, changing, learning and being exposed to new areas. </p>
<p>In my D’s case the first semester or year she will be pursuing a schedule almost identical to the BFA MT. She will try it on for size because this is her #1 dream and passion - right now. If she changes her mind she is at a college that offers excellent resources in her 2nd area of interest as well as many others. This was her “fit” in a college. I fully expect at one point she will narrow her focus and energy to just one major. </p>
<p>The other direction she could have gone is to pursue the BA in the 2nd area and keep up training in the 3 MT areas drawing on the excellent resources at IU - with any available open class spots. And there lies the rub - fitting it all in. I think it is probably much easier to double major or even minor in similar disciplines that may overlap such as theatre, music and dance then to pursue a double major in a totally different discipline.</p>