<p>Thank you KatMt I was hoping you comment. You are right this list has to, has to be cut down - though it orginally was 45 schools this time last year. Wow I’m getting depressed just thinking about it. I guesss I should explain that neither me or my son’s mother is destitude however, when I was making 70 k a year (pre economy crash - and now I am making much less) I had a 115k student loan debt and had to sell my house to get from out under it. As such, we are just have to keep it real when applying to schools. However, we can afford sending in the applications and the audition fee - and yes even the financial aid fee for all twenty schools.</p>
<p>I think I need to be very frank here and I hope I don’t upset anyone. i have an MFA in Creative Writing my brother has a BFA in Art neither of us are working in our fields I understand that being an artist is a matter of passion but it is also a matter of putting yourself in a place that gives you the best place to succeed at a cost ratio which does not make living the rest of your life prohibative while you try fine tune and find a job in your particular art form. Let’s face it CalArts is a great school but without a major funding how can 90% of the people pay 55k a year and don’t think they are not going to be in debt most of their life? Hmm it’s Sunday I think I need to stop trying to get an Amen. </p>
<p>I did not know JMU was opening up a performing arts center this fall or that y’all were going to auditions, apperciate the heads up. We will definately be coming to visit the University. And we are definately going to get this list down to 12 - hopefully</p>
<p>Peace</p>