Choosing a college dance program is very personal—what makes a program a strong choice for one dancer may be completely irrelevant to another. In fact, some dance departments deliberately maintain the flexibility to mold themselves to the needs of current students. There are many who believe that to rank college dance programs according to a specific set of standards would be a disservice to college bound dancers.

Instead, spend some time defining your own criteria with this questionnaire then search here to locate relevant schools based on: location, degrees granted, emphasis of study, school and department size, tuition, financial aid available, and audition requirements. The more you narrow your search definitions, the better targeted your results will be.

Once you’re identified dance programs that meet your needs, there is no replacement for personal contact. Visit the school, talk with current students, find out who the alumni are. Take a representative class if possible. Are the faculty members people you would consider role models? Can you see yourself following the career path of previous grads?

Check out this video from Kids Café Goes to College in which representatives from several colleges discuss what is most important in their dance programs.