Student Blog: Committing to a College

So you’ve finished the college audition process. You have received your rejections and your offers. So now what? How do you decide where you are going to commit? If you’re anything like me, you were probably so focused on the audition process that you didn’t even think about how to decide to commit to a college. To help the next generation of theater majors or anyone still deciding, here are the top criteria I considered when making my final college decision!

The first and most important category I considered was finances. College tuition can be expensive and going into a field where you are not guaranteed to make a stable income right out of college having loads of student debt is crippling. Having as little college debt as possible gives you more flexibility after graduation. You can focus more on auditions and attending classes instead of finding other jobs to pay off your debt. I recommend anyone going into this process has a clear idea of how they plan to pay for college and know exactly what they can afford. 

The next thing I considered was class sizes. When getting a degree in the performing arts, you want opportunities to perform. Smaller class sizes will give you more performance opportunities and more personalized instruction. A college should be focused on your success as a performer, not just getting you money. I was most interested in colleges with class sizes from 15 to 25 students. 

Another criterion high on my list was the college’s senior showcase arrangement. Most colleges hold a senior showcase that allows graduating seniors to perform for talent agents and casting directors. This helps give students a jump start in the industry. I knew that I wanted to attend a college with a senior showcase that allowed me to perform live and send digital auditions to agencies. When speaking with the theater department heads, I would always ask how their school set students up for success when entering the industry. 

Different aspects will hold a different value to each student. When picking between colleges, come up with a list of criteria that you find most important for your secondary education and training. This will help you differentiate between your options in an organized and precise way. This decision is a big one but it can be conquered. As with the entire college audition process, do what is right for you, not anyone else. I wish all high school seniors the best of luck with the commitment season!