Welcome to Dance into College!

We are so excited to officially make Dance into College a division of College in 3-2-1. College in 3-2-1 has been serving high school and college students since 2017. Most of our clients have been interested in the traditional college prep and application process, but working with dancers has become a specialty area for us.

Dancers have many different goals when it comes to college. Some are extremely talented and want to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts from a conservatory-style program in the hopes of dancing professionally one day. Others love dance and want to continue to hone their skills at a high level, but have a passion for another area of academic interest and want to find a way to do both in college. Some are looking for a college dance program where they can take classes and perform, but it's not their primary pursuit in college. We are here to help each dancer find and apply to those colleges that will best suit them and their academic and dance goals.

So let's get started! We recommend each dancer complete our intake and evaluation process in late 8th grade through early 10th grade. Students and a parent will complete a questionnaire and the student will submit dance videos. One of our dance specialists (current or former professional dancers or instructors) will review the materials and provide an evaluation and advise the student on how well their current talent level matches the needed level for their dance goals. Of course, this is just one professional's opinion, but it will help students to decide how aggressive they want to be with their training and their college program aspirations.

Once the student reaches 10th-grade, it's time to put a lot of wheels in motion for the student and the family. We start with providing the "student" with an overview of the college admissions process and the timing, as well as advising on the academic side of the equation. We also advise the "dancer" on all of the requirements that are necessary to submit an outstanding dance application so the necessary steps can be taken in 10th grade. Parents are encouraged to participate in our consultation sessions in the 10th and most of the 11th grade because the process is bigger than just the student.

In 11th-grade, the focus is on refining the student's academic and dance goals. With that information, Dance into College uses our historical data and new, additional research to find approximately 10-15 colleges that will meet the student dancer's needs at varying levels. Some colleges will be a stronger match academically or geographically. Some will be the perfect style dance program, but be highly selective for dance and academics. We help the student create a balanced list with the goal of having several college acceptances to consider! Meanwhile, the student is continuing to develop as a dancer and possibly doing solos, combo videos, or creating choreography which can be used in the application process.

Once the summer before senior year is here, it becomes very much a project to identify every requirement for every college the student intends to apply to and get the materials produced. Not only do dancers need to apply for each college, but they often have a separate application (with different deadlines and materials) for the dance program. If a student is applying to very competitive colleges and or dance programs, they may need as much as twice as many college applications as a non-performing arts student to be sure one or more colleges will work out for them. From audition videos to essays to dance resumes, we'll help students submit their best work. The goal is to get as much done over the summer as possible before senior year starts. During the senior year, we meet with students regularly and help them stay on schedule for applications, auditions, interviews, etc. Once the decisions roll in, we help families look at the college options, opportunities, and the cost for each college to help the student reach a final decision.

We know that this can be more than one young person can handle, and we are here to help. We love nothing more than to see a dancer's dreams become a reality and watch them dance into college!

Please click here to schedule a free 15 introductory meeting to learn more about our packages and individual services.

Dancer: Francesca Parascandolo, Class of 2021

Dancer: Francesca Parascandolo