duPont Manual High SchoolCollege 101 Night

“Preparing to Enter Visual and Performing Arts Schools”

Your Four Year “TO DO” ListFreshman Year – Everything Counts Toward the

College Process

Grades, academic standing, GPA Academic credits and course selection Honors and awards Outside activities and volunteer work Behavior and attitude as it effects school

status and possible letters of recommendation

Plan a Meaningful Summer

Educational enrichment opportunities Camps and workshops Volunteer work Travel and visit colleges that interest you –

observe differences in rural vs. urban environment and lifestyle of the community and college setting

Begin Building Your Professional Resume

Start an awards and activities list by documenting information on school and community awards, honors, employment, activities, and volunteer work

Begin a repertoire, productions, or portfolio list

Sophomore Year

Get involved in leadership positions in organizations and clubs

Continue to volunteer your time and energy toward the betterment of the environment or to help those less fortunate

Take the ACT PLAN to learn about your academic strengths and weaknesses and to identify areas you want to strengthen through test prep classes

Sophomore Year - continued

Plan a meaningful summer – Governor’s School for the Arts, Interlochen, Aspen, BUTI, Brevard, Meadowmount, Sewanee, NHSMI at Northwestern, Summer Intensives, etc.

Update your resume, repertoire, productions, portfolio lists

Junior Year

Remember that everything counts! Continue to get involved – be a leader Continue community service Take the PSAT/NMSQT for SAT practice and to

qualify for National Merit Scholarships Become more involved and specific in your

exploration of college/conservatory options with your teachers, private instructors, and parents

Select six schools of interest – 2/3/1

Junior YearAnalyze Colleges of Interest

Location – rural vs. urban, north vs. south Size of enrollment – faculty/student ratio Qualification of faculty – prominent artists Facilities – practice rooms, studio space Available majors and minors Reputation and prestige – nation/region Private vs. state funding Admissions policy and timelines Minimum requirements for GPA/ACT Availability of financial aid Cost – application fees, tuition, room, board, fees, books, etc.

Junior Year - continued

Register for the ACT and SAT exams Review your credits and graduation requirements Talk to your counselor about college plans Update your resume Think about who you will be asking to write your letters of

recommendation Make plans to visit colleges of interest over spring break and during

the summer Attend college and career fairs and talk to the admissions

counselors – ask questions Research potential essay questions and have essays partially

complete Begin searching for scholarship opportunities

Senior Year

Everything Counts – colleges will check your grades in the fall, at mid-year, and after graduation – the will also check on your attitude and conduct and will investigate myspace and facebook listings!

Continue to get involved in leadership positions in clubs and organizations

Update your resume including repertoire, productions, and portfolio contents

Research and complete scholarship applications Set up a master calendar for the year with test dates,

application deadlines, college auditions, portfolio preview days, etc.

Senior Year - continued

Attend your senior class meeting in the fall Attend Visual and Performing Arts College Fairs and

meet with college representatives Audition and present your portfolios on College Career

Day Begin working on your audition material with private

teachers and selecting your best artistic works for your portfolio

Attend college essay writing tutorials Attend college application and FAFSA workshops

Senior Year - continued

Retake the ACT/SAT until you are satisfied with your scores

Have photographs taken to submit with your applications and resume

Know if your college choices offer a discount for submitting applications early or on-line

Write thank you notes to anyone who provided a recommendation

Senior Year – continuedThe College Application

Obtain college application materials as early as possible in the fall Make a copy to use as a rough draft Provide college related materials to faculty members who will be writing

your recommendations – include an addressed, stamped envelope Have all materials proofed by a parent, faculty member, or counselor prior

to mailing Make a copy of the final copy before sending Verify that you have requested all official test scores be sent directly to the

schools where you are applying Meet all deadlines Don’t forget to include your application fee Remind your counselor to release your transcripts in the fall, at mid-year,

and at graduation

Senior Year - continued

Carefully read all information sent to you by the schools you are applying to

Record and submit any video/audio tapes for pre-screening Photograph artwork for portfolio slide presentations Arrange for audition dates and times Arrange to complete necessary paperwork to be excused for days

missed due to college auditions or portfolio review Work with your parents on completing the FAFSA and all other

financial aid documents Respond to the college/conservatory about any offer of admission

or scholarship (accept/decline/request to defer)

Parent Responsibilities

Monitor academic and artistic progress Review grades and faculty comments each six weeks of every year Set realistic and attainable academic goals Seek out information from faculty if you are concerned about your

child’s progress Make sure your child understands that everything counts! Review and help your child select appropriate classes each year at

scheduling time Help your child plan for meaningful summer activities Start and continue a college savings plan Encourage your child to become involved in leadership positions in

clubs and activities Encourage your child to engage in volunteer and community service

Parent Responsibilities - continued

Help your child explore test prep options to improve their scores in weak areas identified by the ACT PLAN

Help in the exploration of college/conservatory options Encourage your child to meet with and talk to your counselor on a

regular basis Monitor the To Do list and encourage your child to follow through Act as a travel coordinator for college visitations Help in the scholarship search process Provide financial support for the college application process Complete the FAFSA and other financial aid information in a timely

manner Be involved in the decision making process

Taking Responsibility For Your Own Development

Each student has their own set of talents, aspirations, and abilities Begin to take responsibilities for developing your own particular abilities toward

specific goals For musicians, you must study privately from an accomplished artist specialist

for your voice or instrument Know the solo and etude repertoire for your voice or instrument, the

choreography, the monologues, the classic set designs, or the major art works for your area of expertise

Learn about the greatest performers and artists, past and present, for your particular art form – study their work

Engage in stimulating and enriching summer camps, workshops, and intensives

Obtain admissions requirements of schools you may wish to attend – the earlier the better

Ultimately, you are responsible for your own choices about how you use YOUR TIME to prepare for your future!

Draw or Practice Until You Drop!!!

Take every opportunity to train your eye, your ear, or your body – practice, practice, practice!

Developing your art form is a lifetime job – the earlier work is started the better.

Practice as much as possible – include practicing not only your studio area or art form, but also other types of work such as engaging in teaching experiences, as well as writing and speaking critically about your art form

See As Many Performances And As Much Art As You Can

Examine as many performances and art examples from as many historical periods and cultural sources as possible

Make sure you have seen/heard the major works in your field of interest

Seek more to learn the breadth and depth of the performance/artistic world than to enjoy what is already familiar

Whenever possible, see live performances and view original works Observe the artistic nature of the world around you – serious artistic

sources as well as commercial Spend lots of time reading about and observing your art form from

sources such as books, magazines, film, video, dvd, cd, the

internet, etc.

Become a Fluent and Effective English Speaker and Writer

As an artist, you will communicate in your particular talent area, but you will also rely heavily on your ability to communicate in words.

Everything from teaching, to writing grant proposals, to negotiating, to promoting your interests, to working on teams relies on fluency in English skills

Get A Comprehensive High School Education

The performing and visual arts influence and are influenced by other fields of study – the humanities, mathematics, the sciences, social studies, and the other arts – the visual arts, architecture, dance, film, literature, music, design, and theater

Gain a basic overview of ancient and modern history, the basic thought processes and procedures of math and science, and familiarity with works in an many of the other art disciplines as possible

Develop a particular sensibility about connections with history and arts Understanding of the basics in math and science supports future work in

many performance areas Social studies are related to understanding the context for various artistic

endeavors, including historical events, philosophical thought, religious beliefs, and social trends that have influenced the arts throughout time

Think of everything you study as helping you become a better performing and visual artist

National EventsThat Can Help You

National Portfolio Days – held in 35 cities across the nation – visit www.npda.org

Arts Recognition and Talent Search Program – national competition for scholarships – visit http://NFAA.ARTSawards.org

Performing Arts College Fairs – visit www.nacac.com

ACT College Readiness Benchmark Scores

A benchmark score is the minimum score needed on an ACT subject area test to indicate a 50% chance of obtaining a B or higher, or a 75% chance of obtaining a C or higher in the corresponding credit bearing college course

College English Composition 18 on ACT English Test College Algebra 22 on ACT Mathematics Test College Social Sciences 21 on ACT Reading Test College Biology 24 on ACT Science Test

The Three Domains of Education

Cognitive Learning – facts, rules, laws, vocabulary, mental skills

Psychomotor – physical skills, use of and coordination of the body

Affective Awareness – understanding of what it means to be human – being in touch with feelings, emotions, the perception of beauty, love, anger, lust, compassion, etc.

Aesthetic Education and the Arts

The arts are the only classes that teach in all three educational domains

Think of aesthetics as the study of life and feelings – understanding and being aware of what is beautiful in the world we live in

The opposite of aesthetic is anesthetic – feeling numb and lifeless Use your awareness of emotion and feeling to experience an

enriched sense of what it is to be alive and experiencing the world in color instead of black and white

Enjoy your life as an artist – fulfill your dreams and live everyday engaged in something you are truly passionate about!

Top Schools – Visual Arts

Art Academy of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio) Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago, Ill.) Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, Pa.) Cleveland Institute of Art (Cleveland, Ohio) Kansas City Art Institute (Kansas City, Mo.) Maryland Institute College of Art (Baltimore, Md.) Memphis College of Art (Memphis, Tenn.) Minneapolis College of Art and Design (Minneapolis, Minn.) Montserrat College of Art (Beverly, Mass.) Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, N.Y.) Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, R.I.) Savannah College of Art and Design (Savannah, Ga.)

Top Schools - Dance

Butler University California Institute of the Arts Florida State University Indiana University Juilliard Conservatory North Carolina School of the Arts Ohio State University Point Park University Rutgers University Southern Methodist University Stephens College University of University of Southern Mississippi

University of Illinois University of Michigan University of Utal The Ailley School Ballet Austin Summer Program Boston Ballet/Boston University Duke University Gustavus Adolphus College Marin Dance Theater New York University Gallatin

School of Individual Study Stanford University University of Florida

Top Schools – Theatrical Design and Production

Ball State University DePaul University Indiana University Ohio State University Millikin University North Carolina School of the

Arts Northern Kentucky University Western Kentucky University

Point Park University Southern Methodist University University of Cincinnati University of Evansville University of Louisville University of Kentucky University of Texas/Austin University of

Wisconsin/Madison

Top Schools - Music

Arizona State University Cleveland Institute of Music Curtis Institute of Music Eastman School of Music Florida State University Indiana University Juilliard School of Music Manhattan School of Music Mannes College of Music Northwestern University New England Conservatory of

Music Yale University

Oberlin Conservatory Peabody Conservatory of

Music University of Cincinnati

College Conservatory of Music University of Colorado University of Illinois University of Michigan University of North Texas University of Southern

California University of Texas University of Wisconsin

Top Schools – Music Industry/Business

Anderson University Belmont University Berklee School of Music Drexel University Jacksonville University Indiana State University Loyola University McNally Smith College Middle Tenn. State

University New York University

Oklahoma State Univ. Radford University San Francisco State

Univ. Southern Illinois Univ. Southern Oregon Univ. University of Cincinnati University of Colorado University of Miami University of Tampa Western Illinois Univ.

Top Schools – Church Music

Asbury College Baylor University Belmont University Brevard College Campbellsville Univ. Cedarville University Concordia University Cumberland College East Carolina Univ. Furman University Georgetown University

Lee University Lipscomb University Oral Roberts University St. Olaf College Samford University Shenandoah Univ. Shorter College Texas Christian Univ. University of Kansas Univ. of Tennessee Valparaiso Univ. Wittenberg University

Top Schools – Musical Theater

Ball State University Boston Conservatory Carnegie-Mellon

University Florida State University Millikin University Notre Dame University Otterbein University Point Park University

Roosevelt University Stephens College University of the Arts University of Evansville University of Cincinnati University of Oklahoma Wright State University

Top Schools - Theatre

Boston University Carnegie Mellon University Duke University Elon University Emerson University Florida State University Fordham University Indiana University Juilliard Conservatory

New York University Northwestern University Pepperdine University Rutgers University Mason

Gross School of the Arts Southern Methodist University Syracuse University University of Minnesota

Guthrie BFA Acting Program Virginia Commonwealth

University