How to Double Major in Dance and Business (While on the Pre-Law Track): A BFA, BBA, and Future JD's Perspective
by Lauren Pedersen
Photo credit: Jason Hayes
When people hear that I'm pursuing a BFA in Dance, a BBA in Finance, and the Pre-Law track, I usually get one of two reactions.
"How do you have time for all of that?"
Or:
"Why would you do that to yourself?"
The truth is, I don't think of these three paths as competing with each other. Instead, they've become different ways of preparing for the same future. Getting here, however, wasn't as straightforward as I imagined.
Letting Go of the "Dream School"
When I started applying to colleges during my senior year of high school, I quickly realized something that no one had really prepared me for:
It's incredibly difficult to double major in most collegiate dance programs.
I grew up in an incredibly supportive family and dance community that inspired me to continue dancing beyond high school. My training was intensive—I attended a performing arts high school, danced competitively, spent summers at intensives, and toured with a convention company. Dance had always been the center of my life.
But somewhere along the way, I realized I wanted more than one path.
My mom is a lawyer, and my dad studied marketing before building a career in technology sales. Because of them, conversations about business and law were always a normal part of my life. I found myself drawn to leadership opportunities, organization, advocacy, and the business side of the arts just as much as performing.
I knew I wanted a career that combined those interests instead of forcing me to choose between them.
There was one dance program that had been my dream school for years. I applied, was accepted, and thought everything was falling into place.
Then I learned the reality.
The program strongly discouraged double majors—especially outside of the arts. Business simply wasn't a realistic option.
At first, I was devastated.
Looking back, it was one of the best things that could have happened.
That school carried an enormous price tag while offering very little financial aid. Even if I had attended, the return on investment would have been difficult to justify, particularly if I graduated with only a dance degree. Instead of forcing myself into a program that didn't align with my long-term goals, I took another look at my options.
That's when Southern Methodist University completely changed my perspective.
I was admitted into the Meadows School of the Arts for Dance, the Cox School of Business, the University Honors Program, and the Pre-Law Scholars Program. On top of that, I received multiple merit scholarships that could be stacked, making SMU not only academically exciting but financially realistic.
For the first time, I found a school that encouraged me to explore multiple passions instead of asking me to give one up.
I also realized I could experience everything else I wanted from college—football games, Greek life, campus traditions, and friendships outside of the dance world—while still receiving conservatory-level dance training.
Learning to Balance Three Different Worlds
Coming into college, I thought my busy high school schedule had prepared me for anything.
It helped—but college was still a completely different challenge.
At SMU, dance technique classes are woven throughout the academic day. My schedule often looked like an early morning business class, followed by ballet, then a sprint across campus to business communications before heading back for rehearsals.
The days were busy, but they became manageable once I stopped thinking about my schedule in large chunks and started maximizing the small moments.
Instead of walking back to my dorm between classes, I'd stay in the library to study, meet with professors during office hours, or work ahead on assignments. Those seemingly insignificant breaks became some of the most productive hours of my week.
Evenings depended on rehearsal schedules. During performance season, it wasn't unusual to spend 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. in the dance building rehearsing or helping with productions—a schedule that's completely normal for collegiate dance majors.
If you're considering this path, don't let that intimidate you.
Despite my coursework, rehearsals, homework, and extracurricular commitments, I still found time for friends, Greek life, campus organizations, and the social side of college. Time management became less about working every minute of the day and more about being intentional with the time I had.
This is an example of a week in the life of my freshman year at SMU.
Do You Ever Feel Like You're Doing Too Much?
Recently, I admitted something to one of my mentors. For most of my life, I had all my eggs in one basket: dance. Now those eggs are spread across dance, business, and law.
I asked, "Will I ever be able to reach the level of success I want in dance if my attention is divided?"
Their response has stayed with me ever since.
"Go toward whatever you feel like you need more of."
That advice completely shifted my perspective.
After freshman year, I realized I needed to reconnect with my artistic side. This summer, I filled my schedule with dance training, traveled, and worked with new teachers and choreographers.
Next summer, I hope to focus more heavily on business by participating in a study abroad program. Eventually, I'd like to intern with a law firm during college to gain legal experience before law school.
I've realized balance doesn't mean giving every area of your life equal attention every day. It means recognizing what needs your energy during each season of life.
Why I'm Choosing All Three
The question I hear most often is:
"What are you actually going to do with all of that?"
For me, the answer has always been surprisingly simple— I want to help people in the arts.
More specifically, I hope to build a career in nonprofit arts law, where my experiences as both an artist and a business student can work together.
I want to advocate for artists' rights, expand access to arts education, help nonprofit arts organizations thrive, organize programs that strengthen local arts communities, and help solve the funding challenges many artists and organizations face today.
Dance taught me discipline, resilience, and creativity. Business is teaching me strategy, finance, and leadership. Law will give me the tools to advocate for the people and organizations I care about most.
None of these paths takes away from the others—they strengthen them.
My Advice for Students Considering an Unconventional Double Major
If you're thinking about double majoring in dance and something completely different, here's what I wish someone had told me:
Don't choose a school based only on its reputation. Choose the school that supports your goals.
Think about return on investment, not just prestige.
Find advisors who encourage your curiosity instead of limiting it.
Use the gaps in your schedule wisely—those small pockets of time matter.
Accept that your priorities will shift from season to season.
Most importantly, don't let anyone convince you that you have to fit into one box.
Being a dancer doesn't mean you can't also be analytical. Being a business student doesn't mean you have to leave your artistic identity behind. Being interested in law doesn't mean you've given up on performing.
Your interests don't have to compete—they can complement one another.
If there's one thing my first year of college has taught me, it's that your career doesn't have to fit a traditional mold. Sometimes the most meaningful opportunities exist at the intersection of your passions, and having the courage to pursue all of them may be exactly what sets you apart.