College

So I'm currently a senior and I've applied to four colleges for MT. I've only done one audition so far and unfortionetly got my first rejection letter. My SAT scores are also in the lower range. I'm starting to get a little nervous...

So I'm highly considering applying to a few conservatories such as AADA and NYCDA because honestly it doesn't even matter to me how or where I get my training, JUST LET ME FUFILL MY PASSION FROM TRAINING!! hahaha but the only thing I'm scared about is being looked over. I completely understand that it's all about what you put in and take out, but I don't want to spend money on somewhere that no casting agents, directors or people look at.

I just want to get myself out in New York and get serious training. I went there for my first audition and its honestly where I want to do my theatre work. I would not mind going to a conservatory if it means getting any training at all.

So... Is it worth applying to any of them?

broadway guy2
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The thing is my sat scores dont meet the standards of big schools like Carnegie. i called a couple places i already applied (SUNY, PACE) and no matter how good an audition is if i dont qualify academically i cant be admitted i really screwed up with not taking my sats seriously. and its too late to retake it since a lot of college apps are due in about a week :,( I'm so mad at myself. Any school with a good theatre program will be a good for for me..

This topic has come up before, so this thread may be helpful :)

Applying is difficult but part of the process. You need to evaluate what is best for you-- do you want training that focuses in one area? Are you interested in traditional theater, musicals, or something that immerses you in dance as well? What are your financial limits? What can you realistically achieve right now, before you begin more training?

A piece of advice: if your SAT was low, retake it. I work with middle and high school students and as they move into college, this is something I'm always telling them. If you want to go to a big ticket school like U of M or CMU, your grades have to be up to par as well.

ETA: real monster gave an EXCELLENT piece of advice to consider.

Updated On: 12/17/13 at 08:37 PM

Oncemorewithfeeling2
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This is going to make me sound very naive and like I'm not thinking realistically but as much as its probably best if I wait till I get my GE I want to start now. While I'm young and eager. I don't want to loose direction of my dream and staying where I live I'm afraid ill loose sight or hope

I'm also very financially unstable. Both my parents are unemployed. But I work part time at chilis. I know I should be considered but I have faith in myself that ill make it happen.


I'm just a terrible mess right now I think

I know someone who went to the Hart School at University of Hartford (which is right outside NYC) and she is currently in an Off Broadway show. Emerson College in Boston has a great theatre program.

Grades are a big ticket item for school but, if they really like you, they may let it slide. However, an educated performer is someone directors always want to work with. Apply to as many as you want to and don't worry so much about grades at the moment. Apply to a range of schools. If you have other college questions or questions about a particular school, there is a Facebook group called "The Unified" that has kids from all different schools who can answer questions. I attached the link below. Hope everything goes well!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/138935212969603/

Ooh Goodluck, bwayboy22. What schools are you applying to? If you don't mind me asking.

Great Choices! I have some MT friends at Pace and Ithica and they seem to love their experience. No Juilliard? They rarely take Highschool Seniors but it never hurts to try.

Ah I see. Well Good Luck !

Apply, apply, apply. This is getting a late start, but check out Western Michigan, Oakland University(Michigan) and Eastern Michigan and Ball State. They seem to have reasonable programs with lower entrance requirements than the big names.

2 other schools that have good programs:
Coastal Carolina University:
3. What is the freshman class profile for fall 2012?
Middle 50% GPA range: 3.0 - 3.7
Middle 50% SAT range (critical reading and math only): 910 - 1060
Middle 50% ACT range: 19 - 23

Texas State:
SAT: 920

Updated On: 12/18/13 at 10:40 AM

How about the ACT? I don't test well at all-ever! I did take the ACTs as an alternative to the SAT and did much better. (They are based on different criteria and many people I know who took both did better on the ACT.)

I get the feeling from the OP's post that she might not have grade issues, and that it could well be an issue of the test. (Also-check out if any schools have the opt-out option-where you don't need to submit an SAT score for admission. There are a lot of schools that have leaned in that direction.) Also, if you can, INTERVIEW. It can really help if you interview well (and if you're going to be in theater you should) and might help tip the scale in your favor.

Good luck and don't give up!

The Distinctive Baritone is right. If college is not right for you, move to a big city (it doesn't have to NYC) where there are good teachers and theater companies. Take voice, dance and acting lessons when you can afford it. Get experience! There are plenty of community theaters with high enough quality to be worth your time. A college degree is no ticket to success in the MT world and there are certainly many that do it without. You could be the next Sutton Foster!

I wanted to share my college experience with you. I spent two and a half years at two schools with a variety of non theater majors thinking I should get a fallback degree. However, I didn't take any of this seriously because I wasn't passionate about them. I took a year off worked at a bank and finally put myself into a program at the University of Southern Indiana thinking I'd be a big fish at a little bond. I've been pleasantly surprised. The department here is staffed by people who know what they are talking about and have strong resumes. We've had well respected guest professors who have come for a seminar or a semester.
I performed "Corner of the Sky" in class on Friday, my teacher flew to a benefit in Boston on Saturday and ran into John Rubinstein and shared my "triumphant performance of his song", and told me all this on Monday. This is not the type of experience I EVER thought I would be getting out of a smallish school in Indiana but I am so thankful to the dedicated educators who sacrifice so much to give their students an education far beyond the quality the place they were born should be able to give them.
I'm a student with a disability (bipolar disorder) and they go out of their way daily to accommodate me and instruct me to build with that unfortunate part of my reality into my process. I should mention we also have the University of Evansville but they have out-priced themselves within the past decade. I hope you are as lucky as I have been to find somewhere to make you feel like you fit in and are getting a top notch education for a price you can manage.