Boston Ballet's SDP or Walnut Hill

[Guest *my toes skim the stage*]

I was accepted into Walnut Hill for the summer with a $500 scholarship. The main reason why I want to go there for the summer is that I would potentially like to get in year round. We sent in the $300 deposit and I was planning to go. Then, last week I got my acceptance letter from Boston Ballet's SDP (I got it late because I sent in a video). I'm so excited that I got into such a prestigous program. Here's my problem, I want to get into Walnut Hill year round but I can't go if they don't give me a good amount of scholarship. I won't know this until sometime probably the week after the next and I need to tell Boston Ballet whether I'll be attending or not next week. That would be the whole reason I would go for the summer. But I really want to go to boston for the summer except then it's kind of giving up Walnut Hill. I guess I could still go for the year but the summer is kind of to decide whether I like it or not.

 

What do you think? Should I just be safe and go to Walnut Hill? Should I go to SDP and just go year round to Walnut Hill if I get in? I'm really confused right now. I keep going back and forth. Will I really improve that much more if I go to Walnut Hill year round? Or should I just stay in my home state. I was also thinking that I could go to SDP another year because I just turned 15 and still have a couple years of summer intensives to go. But what if I'm not taken again? Hmph decisions, decisions.

[Mel Johnson]

Given all the variables you propose, I just flipped a coin. It said "go to Walnut Hill". You can try the same thing.

[Victoria Leigh]

If you want to attend WH, and you NEED a scholarship, I would strongly suggest going there this summer. You have future summers for Boston and other programs.

[ABTgirl14]

Hello toes skim the stage! There are a couple things to be considered here, but first congratulations on your acceptance into the two SI's! Now, the question about whether you would really improve that much at Walnut Hill or if you should just stay home depends if you are getting good training at home. If you are, then you could probably stay there and give Boston SDP a try for the summer. However, I have heard wonderful things about Walnut Hill, it is important to talk with your parents to make sure that you absolutely want to go to Walnut Hill the following year. Going to a boarding school is a big decision that has to be made between you and your parents as there are lots of things to consider. Also, correct me if I'm wrong but if you already made your deposit, at most SI's there are non refudable. Therefore, if you pull out and decide to go to Boston, most likely you will lose money and have Walnut Hill have to go through their records to take you out of the program. Finally, I would really try to sit down with your parents and talk to them about the future. If you plan to go to a boarding school next year, then Walnut Hill seems like the best choice. However, if you decide against that, then go for Boston. I hope some of that helps you make your decision! Let us know what you decide to do!

[Guest *my toes skim the stage*]

Thanks for all of your opinions! We would lose the $300 deposit but my wonderful mother said that would be okay. I have already talked to my parents earlier this year about boarding at WH year round and they're fine with it. They don't want me to go, but they do because they want what's best for my training. I definitely want to do this for my career. I suppose yes I could get good training here indeed. Is it a common misconception that you really need to attend a boarding program or a very well known program to "make it"? If you would like to check out the website of the place I would be taking ballet year round in the state I currently live in....

www.balletartsminnesota.org

the site isn't too thorough but I think that they have good training.

 

I thought of a good plan for the summer. In the back of my mind I'm thinking "well, if I go to Walnut Hill, it's a good way to check out the atmosphere and see how I would really like living there", but my heart is telling me Boston. So I was thinking, what if I went to Boston sdp and then when my mom picked me up at the end (she said she would because she wants to see the performance) we could go check out Walnut Hill. It's only a half hour from the city. The last day of the Boston program is the 2nd to last day at WH so it would be a good opportunity.

 

I feel like I'm really overthinking this but one minute I know my decision and a couple minutes later I completely have changed my mind. I'm in 9th grade and just turned 15 so I do have a few summers left. Also, about needing scholarship, well I'll find out late this week or sometime the week after whether I get in or not so the summer won't really affect things all that much.

[Guest JRSDANCER87]

I had the same exact problem (well okay, not exactly the same, but close to the same problem) this year, between Walnut Hill and another school. The other school I attended last year and really loved. It became my comfort zone for this year, and I was planning on going back. Truth be told, I had planned to audition for Walnut HIll last summer, but I got sick and I just never did it, and I was planning on auditioning this summer too. My goal was to get into Walnut Hill for the year round program with some scholarship money for my senior year which would be two years from now as I am a sophmore currently. Things sort of changed when I got in this year. I'm starting to think about whether I want to attend for the year next year or not, and it was one of a few factors that pushed me to decide to go there this summer, or to try something different. I plan to return to what I enjoyed in the past, but if I can get in there for the year round program, that would be kind of nice. As you said, I thought of the same things, you could always audition for the year round program (I'm not sure how they do that, but I'm pretty sure there is an audition) but then you'd be jumping ship without really knowing if you'd like it, and then it would be hard to go back. I'm attending WH this summer. I'm a little confused about your needing the scholarship, scholarship to which place? My friend who attended my summer program last year with me knows a girl who currently goes to WH year round, she is 15 I think, and a sophmore, and I was talkign with her (asking questions etc) and she said there were currently 12 spots open for the year round program. She said possibly 13 because she might be leaving. So I'm not really expecting much, but if you go and check it out and talk to them about how many spots they have left open at the 4end of the intensive (she said lots of times the newer students are from the summer) you probably have a good chance...just like you said. Good luck :-)

[Guest *my toes skim the stage*]

JRSDANCER87, by scholarship I meant to WHS's year round program. No way does our family have $30,000 to shell out for a year of dance education. Now I'm kind of thinking about staying home. Oh gosh I'm confused. Anyways, thank-you everyone who replied for your help, I really appreciate it.