Applied Mathematics and Dance? Can she double major?

mamabear232
Wed, 10 Feb 2016 00:04:38 +0000

I would suggest that she think about a major in math and a second major or a minor in dance, for some of the reasons already stated above.

I can’t speak on applied math, but on the dance front, if you are looking for places that have merit money, here goes:

If she wants to try for a BFA and likes NY, first option that came to mind was Fordham - there is merit money available and an established institutional relationships with Alvin Ailey and a somewhat less formal link to one of the other main NY ballet companies, can’t remember if it’s NYCB or ABT, probably the former.

If she is interested in LACs, Dickinson in Carlisle, PA, is affiliated with CPYB and has a strong dance program. Muhlenberg, Allentown PA, is very strong in health sciences (math?) and musical theater and dance is decent. Oberlin, St. Olaf (scholarships for dance majors), and Macalester have ballet and modern up to level 3/4. Kenyon and College of Wooster have some dance, less at Wooster but for some reason Wooster offers significant dance merit scholarships that can be stacked with other merit awards.

Universities: Wash U St Louis has everything you’d want in a university - very competitive - she’d need good test scores - and merit aid is available but similarly tough. USC has invested in a new theater/dance facility and has some merit scholarships, again competitive. SUNY Purchase has strong dance, don’t know what the financials would be for OOS. U of Washington - Seattle - has some small merit awards for OOS students but not much, but great dance program and outstanding school overall. U of Arizona and U of New Mexico also have good dance programs. She’d probably qualify for WUE tuition at UNM (or maybe even better than that, there are good merit awards for minimum GPA/test scores). U of A’s program is probably better for ballet; UNM is more modern-based but innovative and good.

WUE, BTW is western states undergraduate exchange - reduced tuition for OOS students within the consortium. The schools tend to be non-flagship with rare exceptions, and in CA are CSU rather than UC. But maybe worth a look. Can’t remember if Utah is a member but their BFA in dance is top notch.

I would also take a serious look at the UC system to see what it offers. I know she’d like to spread her wings but if I had such a resource available to me, I’d at least try for one or two of them.

FWIW, if it were my kid, I’d prefer her to pursue dance on campus rather than off. Knowing my daughter, if she were to get involved in a dance company, that would probably get sucked in and that would become her social circle and she’d miss out a lot on campus life. Your daughter may be different.

Good luck!