We haven’t heard from Ball State either! Everytime the phone rings we are hoping, my daughter is going crazy!!!
So glad that we aren’t alone on the Ball State thing. Patience is a virtue, but it is indeed in short supply about now. Thanks for the information, guys. Hang in there!
As we move toward decision making, I wonder whether parents or students with direct experience of the schools can share their thoughts on the accuracy of this remark posted in 2012:
“These different schools have completely different ways of teaching Musical Theatre. University of Michigan mainly focuses on Singing/Dancing, Carnegie Mellon University is mostly Acting/Singing, CCM Singing/Dancing, Webster University Acting/Singing, Baldwin-Wallace Singing, Boston Conservatory Dancing/Singing, and Point Park Dancing. I can go on and on about schools and what they specialize. I am not saying that that is solely what each school focuses on, but it is their strongest disciplines.”
Is it accurate to describe these schools thusly? Is the acting instruction at Michigan, CCM, and BoCo weak?
I think this is a more recent version of the freshman experience thread http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/discussion/comment/17837224#Comment_17837224
Thanks!
@vocal1046, I think one interesting thing to do is to count the number of professors the various schools have for Acting. It is one good indicator. For example, Ithaca has 13 professors teaching Acting. Ithaca places a LOT of emphasis on Acting. I’m not going to go counting other schools’ Acting professors, b/c I know people will jump down my throat. Do the same thing with dance professors (and dance classes), and voice teachers. Look to see if there is a VP program at the school. A music department. Find out whether the Acting department (if there even is one) and the MT department share the same professors and classes. And check the separate school threads. And PM people. 
All of those schools are incredible and any student would be lucky to attend any of them. But they definitely each have their strengths or areas of strongest focus. I think the above assessment of the strongest area for each is pretty spot on. Having said that, please be aware that just because they have one area that is more of a focus or their strength - it doest mean you aren’t going to get excellent training in other areas. These are all pretty well-rounded programs which will give you give good training in all 3 disciplines.
I also think its interesting to ask yourself the question - do I go to the school in the area I am the strongest, or the area in which I need the most improvement? What is going to make you the best triple threat you can be by the time you graduate? Sometimes, you may want to go to a school that is very strong in an area you are not strong in so you can improve the most in that area. Other people like to go where they know they will get high level training in an area for which they already have a high level of skill (i.e. dance) Just something to ponder.
If anyone can get into all of those programs and has the wonderful blessing of having to choose which school to attend…I say skip school and go straight to Broadway 
And to your question about acting, if acting is the main area of emphasis you are seeking, I do believe there are other schools besides Michigan, CCM and Boston Conservatory that may give you stronger acting training than those 3. When I think of “acting first” schools I think of Carnegie Mellon, NYU and Ithaca first and foremost. Syracuse perhaps. But Michigan, CCM and Boston Conservatory all have very successful graduates, so they are doing something right.
Oh, I know how to do research. I had just never seen those characterizations before and they surprised me. I have discussed the very question posed above (Is it better to attend a school that is very strong in your weakest area or very strong in your strongest area?) at our dinner table. It’s a tough one with very individualized answers and choosing schools in that manner also requires you to be confident that generalizations like those above are more on target than off.
Some were asking about Belmont. Friend of D got letter via snail mail with acceptance to MT program on 03/12.
Personally, I think the characterization of B-W from back in 2012 is inaccurate. I had to opportunity to hear a RECENT interview with Vicky Bussert, and the acting curriculum is paramount, and the dance “boot camp” culture is extremely challenging. Even though it is a BM, all three elements are very much emphasized. In fact, because of that, students actually get MORE acting instruction because it is not squeezed into the MT curriculum.This surprised me.
Just a thought I’ll share - the school’s particular area of emphasis does NOT necessarily mean students will graduate and then have a career solely in their schools “specialty areas.” It also doesn’t mean the student can’t grow outside of the program or after graduation in that area I think a great example is CMU - an acting/singing school. When my S went to Pre-College a couple years ago, one of his dance teachers told him about when Patina Miller first came into the program - she struggled with dance and CMU doesn’t emphasize dance as much as its other areas. If you had a chance to see her physical confidence, power, and impressive movement in Pippin, you can see that she obviously was able to soar as a dancer despite the acting/music focus!!! Good perspective to have…
@vocal1046 - I do not have the direct experience you ask for, but I think there are a number of accurate representations in that post.
Nice a nice big envelope came from Belmont on Saturday… academic acceptance only. (grrrr)
We have a literal pile of useless academic acceptances on the kitchen counter.
Cant wait for spring’s first bonfire so we can sacrifice those letters and packets to the night sky…
…right along with their artistic rejections.
Bonfire!! Great idea @pghmusician !
We made it to Nebraska safe and sound today … campus is lovely! Fingers crossed!! ;
Go get 'em KaMaMom!!!
Fingers crossed!
Go get them @KaMaMom ! Everyone is pulling for you!’
Positive thoughts for everyone still auditioning /waiting! I am so looking forward to our bonfire once a commitment letter is signed. It will happen!!!