DebutArtists, an educational organization that develops innovative services, programs, and information for high school- and college-aged student artists and collegiate institutions, announced a new web-based service designed to help students in the arts, and their parents, connect with the colleges, universities, conservatories, and specialized institutions that serve them. The new service — DebutArtists.com — also provides a one-of-a-kind online resource that enables college recruiters and admissions officers to find and solicit talented students.
“DebutArtists.com has the potential to revolutionize the way students and universities interact,” said Dr. Joel Kabakov, a composer, educator, consultant, and former director of institutional relations for Yamaha Corp. of America who leads DebutArtists' outreach effort to the collegiate and professional arts communities. “Until now, no resource has existed to help students and universities connect. As a result, tremendous opportunities have gone undiscovered, untapped, and unfilled. DebutArtists promises to change all that by providing universal access to this information and more, all in a single location. There is nothing else like it.”
Competition Heats Up
Competition for college admissions is intense. Many high school students interested in pursuing a degree in music, dance, theater, or visual and media arts begin planning their educational futures as early as their freshman year, hoping to gain an advantage that will help them secure admission to a desirable institution.
DebutArtists.com plays a pivotal role in this effort by offering students a forum where they can display their talents and qualifications to attract institutions of higher learning that are looking to fill their arts-related programs.
Student Profiles
Student members of DebutArtists.com create comprehensive personal profiles that highlight their artistic and academic achievements, including relevant experiences outside the classroom. These profiles, maintained by the students themselves, can be created as early as freshman year in high school and updated as needed to ensure accuracy. College and university admissions officers, recruiters, and faculty members can search the DebutArtists.com student database and review profiles that meet their search criteria. If interested, representatives can leave messages with students to initiate a discussion about opportunities at their institution.
Virtual Auditions
To enhance their profiles, performing arts students may elect to include streaming video clips that showcase their unique talents. These clips, digitally recorded by DebutArtists professionals, allow musicians, singers, and actors to “audition” online for prospective institutions, increasing their visibility and improving their chances for acceptance. Visual and media arts students — including painters, sculptors, designers, architects, animators, and filmmakers — can also present digital galleries of their work.
“Finding and recruiting talented students is one of the most challenging tasks facing colleges and universities,” said Jeffrey N. Babcock, an entrepreneurial arts executive, educator, and consultant who is the founder and managing director of DebutArtists. “Previously, there was no way to assess a student's talent without a personal audition, which is financially out of reach for many institutions.
DebutArtists levels the playing field by providing equal access to a large student population so college recruiters and arts faculty can evaluate interesting students without ever leaving their desk.”
Finding a Good Match
DebutArtists.com also offers a college search feature to help students find compatible institutions they might never have considered or didn't know existed. To find a school, student members simply enter the attributes they are looking for in a college or university — everything from degree programs, location, size, and cost to grade-point averages, standardized test scores, and even religious affiliation. DebutArtists.com scours its database of more than 2,000 institutions throughout North America and, within seconds, produces a list of schools that meet the student's criteria. Information is constantly updated and colleges are encouraged to review their profiles to ensure the most accurate search results.
All Schools Welcome
DebutArtists welcomes participation by all educational institutions. Colleges are encouraged to share upcoming event, program, scholarship, and other information with the DebutArtists community through free postings on the DebutArtists.com web site.
High schools are also invited to submit information about their arts programs and their students' achievements. High schools can also host DebutArtists audition taping sessions in their area. For more information, contact DebutArtists.
This article courtesy of DebutArtists.com.
