BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

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Felicity
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by Felicity »

rhythmanddreams wrote:
Felicity wrote:
rhythmanddreams wrote:
Ok great thanks. I was previously thinking that my DD's weakest bit was her drama/singing, but she has been having private lessons since Jan in both and loving it. She said this part of the Performers audition went really well, (much better than expected) and it was the ballet class that was uuurgh!! She doesn't do pointe now, as her feet are just not right for it, but did do it up until about two years ago.

Do you know anything about the funding for the BA Hons at PPA? The tuition fees are £10,500 per annum. I am guessing that some of this is top up fees on top of the student loan, but do you have any idea how much the student loan is for the tuition and how much of that figure is top up fees? I can't see this anywhere on the website. This amount could be the deciding factor for us whether to audition or not.
Does your daughter have any/many more auditions left to go?
There is a section about fees in the About Us section of the PPA website. It says:
“3 Year BA (Hons) Performance in Musical Theatre - £9,250 per year, extra activities £1,250 per year.”

and

“Extra Activities – Musical Theatre
£1,250 per year for the following:

Extra professional public productions to those assessed
Industry London Showcase
Industry professional workshops and seminars
College Agency and automatic representation in 3rd year”

So it’s not compulsory but in practice I would think these activities are essential. I think if DD accepted this offer, we would have to find the extra money and it’s more doable than the cost of a Foundation. However re Chichester triple threat, I don’t think there are any extra costs involved. Both courses are eligible for Spotlight (I checked) but I have no idea how the quality of teaching compares at each. Be good to see their shows.
rhythmanddreams
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by rhythmanddreams »

[quote="Felicity"
There is a section about fees in the About Us section of the PPA website. It says:
“3 Year BA (Hons) Performance in Musical Theatre - £9,250 per year, extra activities £1,250 per year.”

and

“Extra Activities – Musical Theatre
£1,250 per year for the following:

Extra professional public productions to those assessed
Industry London Showcase
Industry professional workshops and seminars
College Agency and automatic representation in 3rd year”

So it’s not compulsory but in practice I would think these activities are essential. I think if DD accepted this offer, we would have to find the extra money and it’s more doable than the cost of a Foundation. However re Chichester triple threat, I don’t think there are any extra costs involved. Both courses are eligible for Spotlight (I checked) but I have no idea how the quality of teaching compares at each. Be good to see their shows.[/quote]

Thanks. That's not horrendous. It's still a good sum for me to find, but if we tighten up even more it would be possible. I certainly spend more than that on her lessons at the moment, and once it's paid for the year, it's paid. I must have missed that on their website! Thanks Felicity :D
Felicity
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by Felicity »

For anyone interested in the Chichester triple threat BA, the 3rd year touring company are performing the musical On The Town this week. We are going to see it in Camberley Wednesday evening. It’s on in various theatres in the South this week if anyone is interested. We haven’t seen any of Chichester’s shows so we are going to check it out :)
rhythmanddreams
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by rhythmanddreams »

Felicity wrote:For anyone interested in the Chichester triple threat BA, the 3rd year touring company are performing the musical On The Town this week. We are going to see it in Camberley Wednesday evening. It’s on in various theatres in the South this week if anyone is interested. We haven’t seen any of Chichester’s shows so we are going to check it out :)
Do report back! Will be very interested to know what you think!
kzgirl
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by kzgirl »

Felicity wrote:For anyone interested in the Chichester triple threat BA, the 3rd year touring company are performing the musical On The Town this week. We are going to see it in Camberley Wednesday evening. It’s on in various theatres in the South this week if anyone is interested. We haven’t seen any of Chichester’s shows so we are going to check it out :)

Hi

Let me know what you think, my DD in her 1st year at Chichester, she bought a ticket to see the show at Bognor Regis but didn’t get to go as there was an over sales on the tickets, DD received a refund. My DD has recently had tonsillitis and I had to go up to Bognor Regis to get her. She was in hospital for two days. She spent last week at home. We went into the Uni to talk to them about her not being in Uni last week. This was the first time I had been in the Uni where the classes take place. It has a great feel, great facilities and the lecturers are really approachable. I can see why DD is so happy. DD is back there today.
jennifer1972
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by jennifer1972 »

rhythmanddreams wrote:[quote="Felicity"
There is a section about fees in the About Us section of the PPA website. It says:
“3 Year BA (Hons) Performance in Musical Theatre - £9,250 per year, extra activities £1,250 per year.”

and

“Extra Activities – Musical Theatre
£1,250 per year for the following:

Extra professional public productions to those assessed
Industry London Showcase
Industry professional workshops and seminars
College Agency and automatic representation in 3rd year”

So it’s not compulsory but in practice I would think these activities are essential. I think if DD accepted this offer, we would have to find the extra money and it’s more doable than the cost of a Foundation. However re Chichester triple threat, I don’t think there are any extra costs involved. Both courses are eligible for Spotlight (I checked) but I have no idea how the quality of teaching compares at each. Be good to see their shows.
Thanks. That's not horrendous. It's still a good sum for me to find, but if we tighten up even more it would be possible. I certainly spend more than that on her lessons at the moment, and once it's paid for the year, it's paid. I must have missed that on their website! Thanks Felicity :D[/quote]

Can you get a student loan with PPA? I know that a couple of years back you couldn't. Hopefully it's changed now. If it has it may be an idea to ask if you can get the full £9000 or just £6000 as it is a private college.
Felicity
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by Felicity »

Yes you can get a full student loan with the PPA BA from Sept 2018.
The optional extra of £1250 is paid directly to the college.
rhythmanddreams
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by rhythmanddreams »

kzgirl wrote: Hi

Let me know what you think, my DD in her 1st year at Chichester, she bought a ticket to see the show at Bognor Regis but didn’t get to go as there was an over sales on the tickets, DD received a refund. My DD has recently had tonsillitis and I had to go up to Bognor Regis to get her. She was in hospital for two days. She spent last week at home. We went into the Uni to talk to them about her not being in Uni last week. This was the first time I had been in the Uni where the classes take place. It has a great feel, great facilities and the lecturers are really approachable. I can see why DD is so happy. DD is back there today.
Thanks KZ, that's really helpful. We really enjoyed the Open Day in Oct and my DD is looking forward to her rescheduled audition there on 14th April. Hope your DD is feeling better, and on the mend xx
Felicity
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by Felicity »

rhythmanddreams wrote:
Felicity wrote:For anyone interested in the Chichester triple threat BA, the 3rd year touring company are performing the musical On The Town this week. We are going to see it in Camberley Wednesday evening. It’s on in various theatres in the South this week if anyone is interested. We haven’t seen any of Chichester’s shows so we are going to check it out :)
Do report back! Will be very interested to know what you think!
It was a really excellent show rhythmanddreams and kzgirl. Super staging and choreography too. We were very impressed but I think my DD is leaning towards the Arts Ed Foundation or BA at PPA (plus the distant longed for hope of an offer off the Trinity reserve list). She is really wrestling with coming to a decision! However reading the PPA T&Cs I discovered that we have to accept the PPA offer within 28 days and then if DD goes elsewhere for whatever reason (eg if the Trinity offer came through), we would be liable for the a full terms fees (£3,500) which we just can’t afford to lose. So it might be that she ends up doing the Foundation at Arts Ed after all. She is not happy about having to live at home for that year but we can’t afford both the Foundation fees and accommodation. DD will have to decide one way or the other very soon. Feeling exhausted with it all and the looming expense of everything. 8-[
rhythmanddreams
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by rhythmanddreams »

Felicity wrote:
rhythmanddreams wrote:
Felicity wrote: It was a really excellent show rhythmanddreams and kzgirl. Super staging and choreography too. We were very impressed but I think my DD is leaning towards the Arts Ed Foundation or BA at PPA (plus the distant longed for hope of an offer off the Trinity reserve list). She is really wrestling with coming to a decision! However reading the PPA T&Cs I discovered that we have to accept the PPA offer within 28 days and then if DD goes elsewhere for whatever reason (eg if the Trinity offer came through), we would be liable for the a full terms fees (£3,500) which we just can’t afford to lose. So it might be that she ends up doing the Foundation at Arts Ed after all. She is not happy about having to live at home for that year but we can’t afford both the Foundation fees and accommodation. DD will have to decide one way or the other very soon. Feeling exhausted with it all and the looming expense of everything. 8-[
Thanks Felicity!! That has reassured me a lot. We did see the demonstration at the Open Day before Xmas, but it was quite stripped back - just a handful of students (as most had gone home for half term). We thought the singing was good, but the dance was quite basic, which concerned me that if that was the going standard, that the dance side wouldn't be challenging enough on that particular course. It's good to know that their showcase was really good.

She is really looking forward to the Chichester audition, and still hasn't made her mind up about whether to apply to PPA as well. If she doesn't get in, we are still considering what Plan B will be for next year. Her dad is trying to convince her to apply to do something entirely different (along more academic lines) so it's causing friction a the moment. He doesn't see the Performing Arts as a viable career choice unfortunately, she has ignored his phone calls for the last week, and I am trying to stay out of it altogether!
I hope it all works out for your DD one way or another, it's such a fraught time for everyone, and they have A Levels to focus on too.
Felicity
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by Felicity »

rhythmanddreams wrote:
She is really looking forward to the Chichester audition, and still hasn't made her mind up about whether to apply to PPA as well. If she doesn't get in, we are still considering what Plan B will be for next year. Her dad is trying to convince her to apply to do something entirely different (along more academic lines) so it's causing friction a the moment. He doesn't see the Performing Arts as a viable career choice unfortunately, she has ignored his phone calls for the last week, and I am trying to stay out of it altogether!
I hope it all works out for your DD one way or another, it's such a fraught time for everyone, and they have A Levels to focus on too.
Gosh that’s very tricky for you to deal with rhythmanddreams. My DD is first in our family of STEM subject career types to pursue the performing arts. Quite exciting to have someone different in the family, and if it doesn’t all work out, at least she has tried. These days people have more of a portfolio career and there are transferable skills if a change in direction is needed later. The only time I would step in and try and steer in a different direction is if they didn’t have the necessary fundamental skills.

Best of luck to your DD for Chichester!
Pandora II
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by Pandora II »

Just wanted to comment on academic v non academic...

I have a degree from Art College and nowadays I work in politics. Over 80% of my collegues and wider group of people I work with have degrees from Oxbridge. Nobody has asked me what I studied or where for a very long time and when they find out they're generally very positive about it and very intrigued by the years I spent as a designer.

Portfolio careers and transferable skills are what are important today.

Do something at university that has loads of contact hours and that you enjoy. I started on an academic degree at a top RG university and dropped out as I was so bored and frustrated... art college was way more work.
lawn
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Re: BA / Foundation MT courses Sept 18

Post by lawn »

Yes, agree with Pandora. A former boss of mine who got involved in am-dram later on in life and adored it, once said to me if he ever saw a CV that included performing arts/drama he would guarantee them an interview (it was a transport firm) because of the amount of transferable skills within it, such as team work, confidence, public speaking, thinking on your feet.
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