<p>soozievt - I am not happy to hear that everyone else has the same degree of “this sucks” as me, but, I am happy to at least know we aren’t having to deal with it on account of if I’d only known this or that, we’d have better options.</p>
<p>What I mean is, apparently this is the way it is everywhere which at least makes me feel less dumb for having ended up in Texas.</p>
<p>Thanks for the perspective - it is helpful. (I am still going to kvetch and mutter about it under my breath though. lol)</p>
<p>Snapdragonfly - I wish I had some way to make it better - I do not, and yes, it sucks. I was pleased though to read you are in Texas. This might be an option you were not aware of because it is new. I was recently at a conference that was hosted by UT/Austin. They are planning a MT degree. They have not yet accepted their first class - but they are building the courses and taking students into them. It might sound scary to be at a place where this is all just forming - but I spoke with the head of MT, Lyn Koenning, at length and it seems as though she has a very clear, very good vision for what the MT degree will entail. Austin, by the way, seems to have a lot resources to put toward this endeavor. I think this might be viable solution to get in on the ground level at what I am sure will build into a very good program.</p>
<p>I think we can probably thank the Glee effect for what I predict will be a bumpercrop of new MT programs in every state in the next couple years.</p>
<p>(my brother went to law school during the peak of LA Law’s popularity and witnessed the same thing as far as numbers of students trying to enroll)</p>
<p>UT is the flagship Texas state school and if it does an MT program it will be fantastic. What you have to deal with at UT is that it managed to get itself an exemption from the 10% rule (in TX, state schools have to guarantee admission to any student in the top ten percent of his class) down to just 8%. They are selective. There are too many kids trying to get in and they won’t admit a huge number of kids that other state schools (and even private schools) would be happy to have. Also, it costs twice as much to go to, literally, as the two other state schools on my D’s list.</p>
<p>So you had better have good academics if you want into UT. And, while it’s not private school expensive, it’s not cheap.</p>
<p>BUT, hey, it’s more slots, and that is great news for future MT hopefuls. It’s still cheaper than an private school.</p>
<p>Of course there will also be double or triple the applicants for them. lol.</p>
<p>Personally we did not put UT on our list because they do compete with grad students and they WILL be in many core classes of 1200 kids being taught by a TA who speaks English as a second language. That doesn’t make it a bad fit for everyone but it was for my daughter. But it will be a good fit for a lot of kids. </p>
<p>~I got some positive information about one of her options this morning so there’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel - nothing for certain though hopefully nothing will jinx it (such as fafsa revisions).</p>
<p>mtdog71, I was actually thinking of school budget cuts last night and wondering how that would effect state schools - one state in particular - Michigan. It might change a lot of what can be done in the way of shows and scholarships.</p>
<p>kksmom5 et al - If we are talking UM budget cuts might come - but the MT program there is one of the flagship programs and, as such, will benefit from school admin trying to shelter it from the ax. Having said that, while faculty positions might be spared, cuts in programing, or less money available for scholarships could conceivably occur. For the rest of the programs in Michigan, New York, Florida, etc. I do, please, implore everyone who reads these pages to get active in your communities. Sounds hokey - but I do believe the children are our future! One effective way to help education funds from being cut is to contact your state representatives and let them know that you do not think cuts to schools are a good idea. I was basically privately educated - but this does not preclude me from understanding the importance of keeping our public education institutions viable. Money spent on education is an investment in America. Where ever you sit on the political fence, if your eyes are open, it should be clear that a reasonably funded diversified and accessible education along many academic disciplines can only be a good thing for our children’s future.</p>
<p>I live in Austin and was very surprised and pleased to hear that UT-Austin is starting an MT program. My kids are already out of college so it won’t help us personally, but I have long wondered why UT didn’t have a program. My neighbor and fellow church choir member heads the MFA acting program at UT and had once told me it would never happen because of the issues with which department would be in charge and the coordination of departments to make it happen. I’m so glad they have gotten through that! Lyn Koening is a wonderful musician and music director. My kids have worked with her on shows in the past. Since she is heading the program does that mean that it is more musically focused? Will the program be housed in the music department? I look forward to seeing their progress and attending their shows. Whew…it’s been a long time in coming!</p>
<p>Politically natured posts are generally the stuff of Parent’s Cafe but I think anyone who doesn’t agree with that ^^^ would probably be spending their time watching Youtube videos instead of chewing their nails down to their knuckles, driving their kids all over tarnation to auditions, and spending time in between on this board trying to figure out where and how to get their kid the best education they possibly can. It’s looking as if my daughter will be in a private school but she’s going to live in a country where a lot of people get their education from a public school and if I were ever blessed with wads of money I couldn’t figure out how to use, (hah) I’d put it towards seeing that every kid got a shot at a good education.</p>
<p>2DsnMT, St Ed’s is also adding a concentration in MT. So - Austin will have gone from no MT options to two. That’s great news for Texas kids. Well, and anyone else too, though UT makes it notoriously hard for OOS kids to get in. (glee effect, anyone?) The ironic part is that even though my D didn’t apply to UT, I think if she had, that it would have been harder for her to get in than it was for her to get into SEU and also incidentally Southwestern, in Georgetown. (which does have a good MT program also.) And the offer she has already gotten from SEU (still waiting on FAFSA and talent info from SWU) puts our price at right around or maybe even less than the sticker price would be at UT which is kind of a mind blower. (though keep in mind, the first time I looked at sticker price of UT, I cried all weekend, hah, but after all it’s the flagship) That’s assuming UT wouldn’t give her much money, (and that our updated FAFSA which changed just slightly doesn’t mess it up, oh I hope not) and I think in her case, they wouldn’t have. But they do give some kids some money, so, I think this is great, and maybe they will give ol’ Texas State down the road, a run for their money. lol!!!</p>
<p>This is why I say, again, don’t neglect the academics. As there are so few public school MT slots open, you have to cast your net to private and OOS schools, and even one ACT point can make a few thousand dollars difference. I hate to add that stress to every thing else these kids have going on, and a kid can only do what they can do, but again my point is, don’t blow off the academics thinking they DON’T matter. Decent stats can make a private school much more affordable and what we found was that there are a lot of private schools offering either BFA’s or BA’s that are comparable to BFA’s as far as the professional preparation, and if the academics are good enough, it can bring them much more in reach, financially.</p>
It’s still cheaper than an private school.</p>
but I think anyone who doesn’t agree with that ^^^ would probably be spending their time watching Youtube videos instead of chewing their nails down to their knuckles, driving their kids all over tarnation to auditions, and spending time in between on this board trying to figure out where and how to get their kid the best education they possibly can. It’s looking as if my daughter will be in a private school but she’s going to live in a country where a lot of people get their education from a public school and if I were ever blessed with wads of money I couldn’t figure out how to use, (hah) I’d put it towards seeing that every kid got a shot at a good education.</p>