The Waiting Game

And now, we wait.

While many liberal arts majors decided some months ago where they would go to school. We wait. Yet another area studying the performing arts provides a unique experience. Others are comparing financial aid offers and deciding, or have already decided. We may wait until as late as April 1st, and one said May, which is weird, because most places want you to commit by May 1st.

It won't be the last time this path will be different. In college, while all of the business and History majors were taking 12 credits a semester, the BM and BFA majors were taking between 17 and 19 credits each semester. That's still the case. Many of these programs wrestle with their universities to provide the necessary training to succeed, but have liberal arts requirements to fulfill. Essentially it amounts to a double and sometimes triple major. Not a bad thing, but it does mean extra work. In addition, there are production rehearsals, which in my case didn't count for any college credits. You just do the shows because that's what you do. You pursue the major because some amazing someone introduced you to theatre sometime before college, and you became a theatre addict. You can't imagine your life without it, so you'll do whatever it takes to keep doing it. You just hope that you'll be good enough that someone, someday, will be willing to pay you to do this thing you'd gladly do for free. Get ready for hikes to the practice room at all hours, 8:00am voice lessons, auditions and rehearsals, while so many others head to a party, sleep in, or go home for the weekend. I share that not to discourage, but to remind of the reality. Some of my peers transferred out of the BM program within the first two years. They recovered from their theatre/music addiction and found other passions.

For us, the rejections have faded into the past. The acceptances have been added to a makeshift grid listing how much money has been offered, and what the end annual cost will be. We also have discussed and listed pros and cons for each program, school and its location. Our reality is, much of her fate lies in the hands of the programs.

So, we wait.