<p>My student was home for Christmas break and we discussed the number of students not returning to the MT program at their school. Some just had a change of heart about pursuing MT whether due to the impracticality of it or lack of passion after pursuing it for a semester. Some didn’t do well in their first semester performance core classes (theory, voice, dance, etc). Some didn’t do well in their academic classes, causing their parents to pull them out. Can any other parents or students comment on whether they see the same rate of attrition at their schools. Just curious if this phenomenon is common or not.</p>
<p>Welcome, Juliagoolia - Where does your student attend college?</p>
<p>juliagooglia, welcome! I sure cannot answer whether it is common for students to decide not to pursue MT as a major after one semester, but I recently read that something like one out of five college freshmen either change majors after a semester or actually leave the school at which they matriculated. According to the article (I will see if I can find it and post a link later), much of the difficulty seems to be kids who find out, once they are at college, that they just are not ready for the intensity of college life academically, socially and just in terms of being away from home. Homesickness and culture shock, apparently, are both rampant. Back when I was a newspaper reporter, I interviewed an educational psychologist who said that there was a growing epidemic of kids who she called “beautifully educated” academically, but who were lacking in the kinds of independence skills they need to live away from home at college. I remember her saying that we would be surprised at the number of kids who don’t know how to do their own laundry, make a grilled cheese sandwich, figure out their own schedules, etc. She claimed that parents are often so focused on test scores and academics (report cards, GPA, AP classes) that they neglect to let their kids have life experiences and give their kids the knowledge and experience they need in daily living skills. Thus, these beautifully educated kids find themselves overwhelmed when mom and dad are not there to tell them what to do next. Not sure if that played into the situation with the kids your child knows or not, but apparently it is a problem for some.</p>
<p>If one can afford it, attending pre-college summer progams really helps with all of the above mentioned. (Passion, independence etc.)</p>
<p>I couldn’t find the link I was looking for, but I did find a Boston Globe story that quoted Wendy Mogel, the educational psychologist I interviewed a few years ago and who told me the story about kids not being prepared for the big changes college brings. (She wrote a bestseller called "The Blessing of a Skinned Knee.) Here is an excerpt from a Boston Globe article on parenting, in which she is quoted:</p>
<p><<mogel contends=“” that=“” the=“” adolescent=“” road=“” to=“” college=“” has=“” become=“” an=“” incredibly=“” distorted=“” stretch=“” of=“” life.=“” parents=“” are=“” so=“” concerned=“” their=“” children=“” be=“” positioned=“” for=“” success=“” in=“” this=“” competitive,=“” uncertain=“” world=“” many=“” strike=“” a=“” faustian=“” bargain.=“” as=“” long=“” teenagers=“” keep=“” grades=“” up=“” and=“” produce=“” academic=“” record=“” robust=“” enough=“” get=“” them=“” into=“” selective=“” college,=“” willing=“” look=“” other=“” way=“” kids=“” swear=“” at=“” them,=“” spend=“” lots=“” money=“” while=“” avoiding=“” any=“” kind=“” chores,=“” “let=”" off=“” steam"=“” getting=“” drunk=“” with=“” friends.=“” meanwhile,=“” high=“” school,=“” take=“” on=“” role=“” kid’s=“” agent,=“” micromanaging=“” his=“” or=“” her=“” every=“” move=“” --=“” family=“” dinner=“” discussions=“” turn=“” brainstorming=“” sessions=“” focused=“” which=“” research-paper=“” topic=“” might=“” “play”=“” best=“” interceding=“” teachers=“” prevent=“” damning=“” from=“” making=“” it=“” onto=“” permanent=“” transcript.=“” generation=“” ago,=“” most=“” who=“” scored=“” 59=“” test=“” would=“” ask=“” child:=“” “how=”" could=“” you=“” do=“” this?“=”" today,=“” asking=“” same=“” question,=“” but=“” they=“” direct=“” teacher.=“”>></mogel></p>
<p>Interesting topic of discussion.
Funny you should mention laundry…I just recently taught my Sophomore daughter how to do laundry (we are blessed to have a maid usually do it for us…I am allowed to say maid? Or is it domestic helper? Anyway, we love her and she is the BEST!) </p>
<p>I told my D “What are you going to do when you go to college and you don’t know how to do this? There are no maids in college, nor in the “real world” usually either” </p>
<p>So, every weekend, she’s been doing her own laundry in “preparation” for college, LOL.</p>
<p>What’s wrong with “maid?” I wish I had one. Sigh. Maybe someday. :)</p>
<p>Good for you for teaching your kid to do laundry. Doesn’t matter when they learn, so long as they learn before they head out.</p>
<p>My oldest S refused to learn to do laundry before heading off to college last year. I asked how he expected to get his clothes clean and he explained that he was going to give his laundry to the girls to do. Ha! I told him I’d love to be a fly on the wall the first time he tried it (and also suggested he’d better get new underwear). As expected, he’s doing his own and I think the upper classmen showed him how. Welcome to the real world son!!</p>
<p>Elliotsmom, Ha! I gave my son a detailed “lecture” in front of our washer and wished him good luck. He has called me with a few questions, like he took his clothes out of the dryer damp, in a heap, then took them to his room, he called me to ask how to get the wrinkles out! I of course sent him back to the dryer!</p>
<p>ElliottsMom, your son saying he was going to get the girls to do his laundry reminded me when I was in college! One of the guys we ran around with asked one of my friends (a girl) to do his laundry. She agreed, but then we sewed the leg openings of his underwear shut! We only did one leg, hoping that he would step into the open leg first, then lose his balance when his foot would not go through the second opening! All in good fun. And I don’t think he ever asked any of us girls to do his laundry again!</p>
<p>I met my husband while doing the laundry my freshman year. I have to say that was one of the last times I have ever seen him do it! :D</p>
<p>guys at school PAY ME to do their laundry.</p>
<p>i’ve been doing my laundry since i can remember…i can’t imagine not knowing how!</p>
<p>Great idea, sporti! If the guys ask you girls to do their laundry, say yes, but tell them it will cost 'em! And if they try to get away without paying, take a lesson from our friend musicmom’s friend.</p>
<p>After this christmas…i think that with my old clothes and the new clothes that i got i will be able to be able to wear something different each day.(mom bought me a lot of new underwear and socks too lol)…so i think i am planning on just throwing my dirty clothes in trashbags and loading them in my trunk of my car and bring them back home for my mom to wash at the end of the semester lol…;)</p>
<p>The first few weeks of D’s college life, I knew I would hear from her Friday early afternoon…laundry time! Sadly, she has gotten better at it, and I do not get the phone calls…at least not at that time. I also got a kick when she realized how much it costs to do a load of laundry!! Quarters are a prized possession…I will tuck a roll of quarters in a care package and she loves it!
TheatreJock-you MUST let us know how this plan finalizes!! 
You guys crack me up!!</p>
<p>At least TheatreJock did not tell us that he plans to just wear his clothes until they can stand up by themselves! I have heard of male college students that just wear and wear the same things, every day, regardless of how dirty they are. Not a great strategy. :)</p>
<p>My D is still home, and will eturn to a laundry bag full of dirty stuff. I can’t imagine what her room will smell like after having dirty clothes sitting there for a month. She had great intentions of washing them before she came home, but ran out of time. Oh well, I figure she will learn how to be an adult one of these days.</p>
<p>Theatrejock, I want to know where you store SO MANY clothes in a college dorm room?</p>
<p>thats funny because my roommates doubted me when i brought all of my stuff in last night…but i fit it all plus a keyboard on top of it…i figured i would practice for when i move into my apartment cell in nyc. lol</p>
<p>Hey guys we really want to hear more about your college experiences. What do you think of the musical theater programs you in? Anything you would do differently? Any feelings about including academic courses? Please fill us in, how do you like being musical theater majors? Is it just what you thought it would be?</p>