The Art of Applying® +
Center Theatre Group
We loved being a part of the Center Theatre Group’s career fairs this year! Review the helpful information shared by our consultants and apply it to create an amazing college application for you.
Which event did you attend?
If you want some help from experienced consultants like your speakers, who can help you with creating a stellar college application essay, an in-depth look into your resume, and so much more, we’re here for you!
Going Pro
Career Fair
Get to know your Going Pro Career Fair speaker, and our consultant, Carrie, by clicking on her bio.
CARRIE | MBA | BIO
NYU STERN
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
If you want some help from experienced consultants like your speakers, who can help you with creating a stellar college application essay, an in-depth look into your resume, and so much more, we’re here for you!
Here below is a summary article to recap the important points
Carrie has shared during her session.
Tip #1: Be Particular about Your (MFA) Program.
- Many MFA programs exist across the United States and abroad, but it is important to research the curriculum when choosing a program:
- There are MFAs in Acting, Choreography, Costume Design, Dance, Design, Design and Technology, Directing, Lighting Design, Playwriting, Scene Design, Sound Design, Stage Management, Technical Production, and Theatre
- You can find more information on US News and World Report, Playbill.com, and Broadwayworld.com.
- MFA Programs are not all the same. Research Curriculum!
Tip #2: Know Your Degree Options and Opportunities.
- Consider MA vs. MFA Programs as well for a more academic or managerial approach to the arts
- There are also specialized MA programs in theatre, with specializations such as Arts Management, Dance, Design, Directing, Musical Theatre, Theatre, Theatre Education. You can find more information on US News and World Report, Playbill.com, and Broadwayworld.com.
Tip #3: Bet on a Business Degree.
- Consider an MBA for a leg up in a career in the arts and entertainment
- Adding an MBA program to supplement a MFA program or specialized degree, will help provide basic business foundations that can help to enhance one’s learning and widen one’s potential opportunities
- While an MFA will prepare you for a career in creative production or development, an MBA will allow you to pursue a variety of options. An MBA helps artistically minded students develop critical entrepreneurial and management skills along with a thorough analysis of advertising, marketing, and financial models. It gives students a deeper understanding of how creative work is conceived, produced and distributed.
- MBA Programs also have specializations in Entertainment and Media, where students have the opportunity to specialize their course load to best suit their needs
- The MBA degree will help to provide an overall business foundation that will be helpful for any managerial or strategic pursuit including the following:
- Content Acquisition
- Corporate Development / Strategy & Business Development
- Corporate Finance
- Distribution
- Marketing
- Partnerships
- Product Management
- Research & Analytics
- Strategy Planning & Operations
Tip #4: Get clear on your goals.
- Consider your short term and long term goals when considering graduate school
- Think about your short term and long term goals, and how you’d like to build your network – this can help to narrow down location, curriculum and program length
- For your short term goal, think more immediate. What do you want your summer internship to look like, and where would you want to work after graduation? For long term, think about 10 years out. Where do you see yourself, and where do you want to be?
- An example of a short term goal is: Work in Content Acquisitions at a streaming media service through a summer internship and full time job offer. Long term could be lead Global Strategy for Netflix or Hulu.
- Also consider the alumni network and their career paths – would you want to emulate these positions / opportunities down the line? You can utilize LinkedIn, IMDB and IBDB for this research.
If you want some help from experienced consultants like your speakers, who can help you with creating a stellar college application essay, an in-depth look into your resume, and so much more, we’re here for you!
Writing a Stellar College Application Essay
Watch the video on How to Write A Stellar College Application Essay
Tip #1: Pique their interest with your passions.
Think about a unique life experience, passion or talent you have that is special to you – what can you say to the admissions committee about yourself that is uniquely your own? Have you performed in a play, participated in a community service activity, or traveled somewhere that opened your eyes to new things? Be specific!
Remember! Steer clear of generic stores or things that happened in larger groups
Tip #2: Be the “STAR” of your own story.
Think about the “STAR” method of storytelling: Situation, Task, Action and Result. Your essay should read as a story with a beginning, middle and end.
In my college essay, I wrote about my experience creating my school’s first co-ed acapella group:
Situation: There was interest in my high school to create a co-ed acappella group, as a part of my choir. This would be a completely student led initiative, and it was never done before. Though I loved performing in musicals and shows, I had never led a group in that way or arranged songs.
Task: Needed to organize and develop a lasting organization of singers, and create a legacy of a singing group that would outlast me and its original members
Action: I needed to audition students, come up with arrangements to perform, produce our first concert, and manage a group of 23 of my peers as founder of the group and music director
Result: Chock Full of Notes is still a thriving acapella group today! (After over 15 years!!). Through this experience I learned how to be collaborative, creative, and resourceful.
Tip #3: Your values are valuable.
The admissions committee wants to know what your values are. What matters to you and why? If you aren’t sure about words to use to describe your values, you can search “list of values” online and find a long list of values from which you can choose to explore.
Some personal qualities that the admissions committee is looking for are maturity, integrity, curiosity and a growth mindset
How have you grown from your experiences, and where can you continue to grow and improve? Make sure that you reflect on your experiences: what did you learn along the way, that you weren’t aware of before the experience? Do you see things in a different light now?
College and Career Fair
Feel free to read more about our consultants who took part in the event and their experiences by clicking on their bios below.
AYDA | MBA | BIO
NYU STERN
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
CARRIE | MBA | BIO
NYU STERN
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
CARRIE | MBA, MEM | BIO
YALE UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
If you want some help from experienced consultants like your speakers, who can help you with creating a stellar college application essay, an in-depth look into your resume, and so much more, we’re here for you!
Book a Free 15-min Quick Call with us, and we’ll make sure you get the help you need.
Writing a Stellar College Application Essay
Watch the video on How to Write A Stellar College Application Essay
Tip 1: Be Clear & Consistent
Your resume’s formatting should be clear and consistent. Use a font that is no smaller than 11 pts, keep consistent spacing between the various bullets, and make sure that each line ends with either a period (or not)
Tip #2: Be the “STAR” of your own story.
Be sure to include any jobs, community service activities and clubs you have been involved in. Part-time jobs and retail work count as well! For example, the founder of The Art of Applying, Kaneisha Grayson, worked at the movie theater and grocery store while in high school!
Tip 3: Include Awards and Scholarships
If you have received any awards or scholarships, be sure to include that information as well. Include the name of the award, why you received it, and any scholarship money associated with it as well.
Tip 4: Organize using Different Sections
Depending on your experience, it will be helpful to organize your resume into different sections. Examples of sections include: Work Experience, Community Service/Volunteer Experience, Research, Hobbies, Skills
Tip 5: List Everything
Certain performance arts majors and/or programs require two resumes: an artistic/performance resume and a professional resume
- Make sure to follow instructions on the admissions website to make sure that you are providing them with the right information and formatting
- If you need to put together an artistic resume, be sure to list all performance and/or production credits, in addition to any special skills.
Now that you’ve learned a few tips on writing a great college resume, it’s your turn to try making your own! Click on the button below to see a sample resume template as a guide to help you start.
If you want some help from experienced consultants like your speakers, who can help you with creating a stellar college application essay, an in-depth look into your resume, and so much more, we’re here for you!
Book a Free 15-min Quick Call with us, and we’ll make sure you get the help you need.
