Expert: Kenneth D. Plonkey - 10/15/2009

Question
Dear Professor Plonkey,

First of all, a huge thank you for sharing your experience, talents and time to give advice to students and parents. I am so thankful that I stumbled across your blog.

Here's my question and I would appreciate any advice you have time to give.

My daughter is a high school senior, 3 year Iowa All State Vocal, has had leads in many community theatre musicals, and excellent training through her high school music program.  She has been in private voice lessons for 5 years. She's a leader in high school, church, etc. and top in 8 percent of her class academically. She's a "Triple threat", though she had to drop out of dance when she was in 7th grade due to time constraints and has a natural talent there but little training. I don't want to sound bragging at all, she'll be auditioning against equally and more talented peers, I  just to tell you where her talents are at (voice and acting).

She wants to go to NYU or Pace for MT. She's been to NYC twice and says it feels like home! Her high school music teacher is excellent, and he feels she could get in at NYU or Pace.  However,   We (her parents) are just not sold on the idea (for a couple reasons, one is that she's very Midwestern small town innocent and religiously conservative, and just don't know how well she'll fit in those schools though she accepts people how they are,  and  gets along with everyone, she is very well liked by peers and teachers). The other reason is cost of NYC schools,  so we are discouraging that and telling her that she could do one of those two for graduate school.

She wants the school to be in a large city. (Oklahoma City she said was too small, but she's still going to apply)

So, she's applying/auditioning for the following MT programs:

Northwestern University, Evanston
BOCO
CCM
OCU
Webster

My questions are:
1) Is there a big advantage to going to  Pace and NYU? (provided one is accepted)
2) Do you have any thoughts you'd like to share on the five schools she's applying to or can you recommend others?
3) Any advantages of conservatory (BOCO, CCM) vs. universities?  She's been hearing the stereotype of 'snobby' kids at the conservatories and that's a turn off for her.  We have visited NW, Webster, and OCU, and are going to visit the conservatories next month to see first hand.

Again, thank you very much.  

Answer
Dear Ellen,  Thank you for your kind words. I am always pleased to be of service. I will try to answer your questions.  1. I don't really think so over other similar schools.  2. Outside of Boston Conservatory, a highly reputed school, and Northwestern, living on past glories, I cannot decode the schools as there are multiple ones with the same Acronyms.  She is going to run into the stereotype of 'snobby' kids everywhere she goes, especially in NYC.  I think if you are prepared to spend $30,000 to $45,000 a year for her musical theatre training, that AMDA would be the better choice.  Closer to home the University of Northern Colorado has a musical theatre major with some successful grads. OCU sounds very good. Flashy web site. Going back to question one, there is a certain aura given to some of the New York schools and Boston Conservatory. But it is talent and know how that is going to pay off in the long run, not a school name. If she graduates with a degree in Musical Theatre performance, she will not need grad. school to try the professional theatre. She certainly will not want to be any older than 22 or 23 to start.

I am pleased to hear you have been reading my blog. I am afraid that most of my answers here are just more things for you to consider, and I would be happy to continue our discussion at kencosp@aol.com where I do most of my advising.  God bless, Doc