@MThopeful2022 “Fit” might be a weird term 
Maybe “selective” would be a better word. Then the categories (per level of artistic admission difficulty) would be - Lottery, Extreme Reach, Reach, Selective (2 levels, I guess?) and Non Audition Safety. Again though, personal fit is key, and that goes beyond selectivity.
My guy is a freshman, too. Can you believe they are almost 1/4th done?!?
@NoMTinMD my youngest picked schools with the program that she wanted or could make it work. Then she played for sale to the highest bidder. One school was knocked out when their rep met with her and another one from her school. Both kept asking about the music program and the rep kept responding about the soccer team that he coached. It came down to two schools and she couldn’t decide between them. What broke the tie was my suggestion that she look at what they served in the cafe. One served a lot of ethnic food which she couldn’t or wouldn’t eat, the other served general food, pasta, pizza, burgers etc. It turned out to be a good fit and she would choose it again.
@MomofJ5 while some school have hurdles, they also only take as many students as they have room for. Others take more than they have room for and then play cull the herd.
@GloriaVaughn I love it! Tie breaker who has the better food?
Also consider things like location! I was recently chatting with a mom whose daughter had been thrilled to be accepted to a school that seemed like the perfect fit. She attended as a freshman, and the program itself WAS great…but she ended up being miserable there, because she was from sunny California and the school was on the East Coast, and she found that she hated the cold weather and snow and gray days, and was also very homesick being so far from home. So she transferred to a California school and is much happier.
Usually if location is mentioned here, it’s just “Do you need to be near NYC?” But weather is something to factor in, too!
@32barMom They are incredible- and highly selective. The talent there is staggering- we live in the area. I just think the word hasn’t gotten out because Price and Westenberg are new there, and they select 20 students maximum and are a great bargain- so they fill the spots with ease.
@NoMTinMD I know folks will tell you that’s a great problem to have, but it’s still a big issue. We are currently deciding where we can feasibly visit.
@soozievt Great points. My D right now is feeling “less than” with 7 offers from the “fit” school group, because she has none from the @reach school”. A kid with offers to any of these programs should never feel less.
My S loved Texas Tech, hoping to hear something soon! Can a page be created for them so they show up on the list of MT schools???
I think in some previous posts or lists, the word “fit” wasn’t used in the usual way when it comes to college admissions. I think “fit” was being used more so for Match/Target/Ballpark schools (on the spectrum of Reach/Match/Safety). “Fit” is more typically used to express if a school fits well with what the student is seeking, and is not related to the “odds” of being accepted. Also, even if using “fit” did mean Match/Target/Ballpark schools, I would not call ANY college accepting 10 to 20% a match/ballpark/target school. As I wrote previously, most college counselors, like myself, consider colleges (or programs) accepting less than 20% as “reach odds,” even if the student matches the qualifications necessary to be admitted, simply because the statistical odds of admission are low.
Congrats on all of the acceptances so far! Positive thoughts are with everyone still waiting on results! It is THE most agonizing process and people who have not gone through it would NEVER understand! I feel your pain! This was us this time last year. Hang in there! Can’t wait to hear who will be attending PPU next year!
@NoMTinMD We are right there with you, literally (also in Maryland with no MT options). Driving 4+ hours each way to one this weekend and then flying her out to another in the Midwest on her own because a) cost is high for even one traveler and b) if she can’t figure out how to do it she won’t be going there. Waiting on responses from quite a few others, including 5 she hasn’t visited yet - thankfully tech week for her show starts April 29 and rehearsals are only twice a week until then.
@GloriaVaughn 180° opposite with my D - if there isn’t access to ethnic food and sushi it won’t make the list.
@actorparent1 Also 180° opposite with my D - only considering cold weather schools. No Florida, no Texas, no California, no Arizona… can’t stand the heat and loves the snow.
BIG day today. Good luck to everyone!
@beachymom That is all great advice. I’m trying to help her sort through everything. She decided early on she wasn’t going to pick any favorites as all audition schools are so competitive. I think the problem for us is, the school itself is a secondary consideration. Its all about the program and the only way to really know what it is going to be like is sitting in on some classes and talking to students. As for the financials, do people go to multiple schools and ask for more money or pick your favorite and then try to get more money?
@afterp89 Unfortunately we have only Fridays and Sundays off right up through the middle of April
@NoMTinMD - we only asked for more money from schools that he had genuinely high interest in - which started as 4 then reduced to 2. And his personal primary considerations that led to the 4 (then 2) final contenders were: training, masterclasses/networking/showcase, and alumni success.
@4angels Are the kids in the program from throughout the US or mostly from Missouri?
“I also think part of building a MT college list needs to involve an assessment of one’s artistic skill set to understand if certain schools are at least ones where they stand a chance to compete, even though nobody could predict if they will be accepted.”
I agree with @soozievt wholeheartedly! In my opinion, one of the best things you can do for your student is have them assessed objectively (by that I mean, not by mom and dad or by their HS music director - who may be perfectly qualified but may NOT be objective). A neutral assessment can help a student work on weaknesses before the audition season and can help build a balanced list when it comes time to audition.
Wait so does anyone know when point park decisions come out/ has anyone heard already??
@32barMom - My D is a sophomore MT at Missouri State - her class is from all over the US.