As college deadlines approach, senior classes are buzzing with conversations about future academic plans. However, not all students take traditional schooling routes after high school. As a school studded with a plethora of arts opportunities, Berkeley High School sends many seniors to conservatories and art schools every year. Conservatories and art schools are distinguished from traditional universities, as students may dedicate up to 80 percent of their coursework to hands-on, intensive studio training, rather than traditional lectures or coursework.
Ernst Wang, a BHS senior in Arts and Humanities Academy, is currently in the process of applying to conservatories and art schools, with 18 pending applications. “My first deadline was September 14 for the pre-screens, and I’ve heard back from Pace University, Emerson College, and Carnegie Mellon University,” Wang said. For students who want to receive a Bachelors in Fine Arts (B.F.A.) at an art school or conservatory, they must submit their application by the school’s deadline, ranging anywhere from Sept. 14 to Dec. 1. The application includes standard academic writing supplementals, pre-screening videos (essentially audition tapes), music background information, and an art portfolio.
However, some application factors may be considered more heavily than others. “When it comes to B.F.A.s, academic writing (supplementals) just really doesn’t matter as much because they’re really looking for the talent that you have and your (artistic) skill level,” Wang said.
These values aren’t just unspoken, but also supported by data. New York University’s average GPA across all schools is 3.8-3.9, but in the Tisch School of the Arts, the average student’s GPA falls within the 3.3-3.5 range. Rather than strictly valuing academic merit, many schools have a heavy emphasis on artistic talent for students applying for arts-related majors.
Moreover, a student’s interest in the arts can also influence their admissions decision. “(At some schools) the theater department can overrule (the academic department) and say ‘we want this person,’” Wang said.
However, this isn’t the case for all schools. Some prestigious schools still significantly consider academic factors. “(Those schools) want to know that you’re a good writer and a good academic student, so they ask you to copy and paste your personal statement into the artistic portal,” Lucy Fisch, a BHS senior in Berkeley International High School, said. For example, students in the School of Music, Theater, and Dance (SMTD) at the University of Michigan, ranked the #3 public university in America, have an average incoming gpa of 3.8. The average for the entire university is 3.9 only differing by 0.1.
Fisch is applying for a B.F.A. in Musical Theater, but is also looking to continue her rigorous academic studies. As she applies, Fisch keeps in mind the balance she wants to sustain with this and theater. “If I’m doing a conservatory style program, I want it to be at a school that has really good academics outside of that, so I could pursue a minor … (And I’d) have a degree from a good school,” Fisch said.
When applying to conservatories and art schools, students may be concerned with future career options. For musical theater majors, the median income of Actors in America sits at $36,150, while the average across all majors post-grad is nearly double at 68 thousand dollars. “I’m not sure if I want to pursue theater, and it is a very unstable career choice,” Fisch said.
Some students keep these concerns in mind, but take a different approach. “Art has become part of my life, and it’s something that I know I enjoy doing. But I also want to make money, so I chose a more strict profession,” said Ruza Martinac-Isaacson, a BHS senior in Communications Arts and Sciences. Martinac-Isaacson is applying to numerous art schools as an architectural design major, and has shaped her choices for her undergraduate studies around both her artistic talent and also her future career.
Ultimately, for some students, these downsides are outweighed by the satisfaction that comes with pursuing their artistic passions. “The stigma in an arts degree (is that it’s) much harder to make money, and it’s a less stable industry … I think if it’s something that you just really love and find fulfillment in, it’s absolutely worth a shot,” Wang said.