<p>Another reason that an easy commute is a plus: You can get to see your kid’s productions more often. Not a list topper, but it certainly goes in the “pro” column.</p>
<p>(There’s a nice MT program near our home. Close enough that D could ride her bike there. That close proximity & familiarity make it unattractive to D, who has attended music programs there since she was three & also has taken a few university courses in the evening. It’s taken her a while to realize that with the competitiveness of performing arts programs, she’d consider herself lucky to be admitted. And we’d promise to stay away unless invited to visit.)</p>
<p>StickerShock, my daughter had the same reaction - initially - when applying to schools. Her desire to “spread her wings” and “get away” caused her to discount a school that is 30 minutes from our house and a block away from my office. After visiting schools and auditioning, she realized that the school was the perfect match for her and that those other issues were no longer important. Freshman year she lived in the dorms and this year she lives in an apartment. We make sure to give her plenty of space and not intrude. It’s really the best of both worlds; on one hand she feels that she is living “away” as a college student and at the same time it’s easy to get together for dinner occasionally and to see her shows. For a family that can work out a comfortable balance, close proximity certainly has advantages.</p>
<p>NinnyNoodle, with your GPA (and if you get your SAT up) and desire for a strong liberal arts program, you should leave Northwestern on your list. There’s more info about it in the MT/Northwestern forum. This is just a shot in the dark without knowing much about you, but here’s my two cents:</p>
<p>Elon U
Illinois Wesleyan U
New York U
Northwestern U IL
Oklahoma City U
Penn State U
U Michigan</p>
<p>These choices don’t offer you much close to home, though.</p>
<p>jec7483, NMR has a point…distance and a remote (suburban) location definitely impact college choices. When you’re dealing with a kid being away from home for the first time, and distance and expense mean the kid stays at school through Thanksgiving until winter break, you might start rethinking that choice. And then there’s the matter of being able to get to the college to see your kid perform. My D wound up 6 hours away and she can easily get home by bus, train, or plane.</p>
<p>Ease of travel, to and from school, may not be at the top of your list of priorities, but it should definitely be ON the list, particularly if it is not within driving distance. Flight information, including costs, should be examined, number of flights and time of day, in both directions. How much is it going to cost you, and how easily can it be arranged, if you need to get your child home(or you there) in a hurry? This, unfortunately, happens more often than we’d like to think. Family emergencies happen, in both directions. Is travel likely to be impacted by weather? Are there non-stop flights, or will your child need to make a connecting flight? All are issues that should be considered, in my opinion, much more than items such as a senior showcase or whether or not freshmen are allowed to audition.</p>
<p>My D’s first choice came down to a BFA program clear across the country, with no direct flights. She is THRILLED there, and we are not sorry for one second that this is where she landed. But, airfare IS a consideration…she will come home this Thanksgiving; but probably not in subsequent years. It is just too expensive for such a short visit, and we will probably not go to Parent’s Weekend each year.</p>
<p>So, ease of travel may not be the first priority, but definitely a consideration. That being said, my D could NOT be happier but some sacrifices need to be made.</p>
<p>Hi Ninnynoodle – make sure that you keep a non-audition program where you would be HAPPY and are a true academic match on your list. I would also suggest having a few auditioned schools that may be less competitive than Michagan, NYU, Penn State. With a balanced list you will be more likely to find a school that you will be thrilled to attend.</p>
<p>Agree with anothermom…Chico is much to far off the beaten track. Fullerton puts you close to a lot of Orange County theatre and more opportunities for outside experience…Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm, Orange County Center for performing arts among a few.</p>
<p>CSU Northridge also has a good opera program. Chapman University, also in Orange county might be worth a peek too.</p>
<p>If you have some schools that are rolling or EA, that can eliminate other schools from the list when you get into them. Also, plan some auditions at the unifieds later in the year. You can kill alot of them at one shot there especially if you go to the less crowded location.</p>
<p>Having to change flights is a big pain in the neck. S is at a school that has no direct service to where we live. It means that there is double the chance each time he flies of some snag. He isn’t coming home for Thanksgiving for that reason. Too short of a time span and he can’t take the chance of not getting back on the Monday before.</p>
<p>I would recommend limiting your list down by some other factors that are important to you. Size of the campus; city vs town; activities on campus; scholarships.</p>
<p>Where have you visited? What did you like about the places you visited? If there is a similarity in those locations, then apply to schools with those common factors</p>
<p>I definitely think OCU is an excellent fit for you. Everything that you are looking for, it has. Would you be able to take the ACT? I believe that OCU prefers that to the SAT, and with your grades and an ACT score about 29, you can get a $10k/year scholarship. </p>
<p>MT majors are required to take at least 12 credits of dance, so that is 3 classes/year. You will get great classical voice training, and you can also focus on your belt. </p>
<p>And as someone from CA, it’s not a difficult transition, either. Where in CA are you from? OCU does not go to Unifieds, but as far as a less crowded Unified audition location, when I did it (three years ago!) San Francisco had far less people at it than LA. However, I had to do both, as some schools do not go to SF, and it is hard to fit a lot in one day, anyway. </p>
<p>Best of luck, and if you have any other questions about OCU, please feel free to ask!</p>
but some sacrifices need to be made.</p>