<p>This discussion (internal auditions, 15% students offered a chance to get an agent, etc.) led me to believe that Tish admits more BFA students than it can take care of - is this true? If so, it seems very different from Julliard, Northwestern, and MFA programs such as Yale, all of which seem to cultivate cooperation rather than competition among students. Am I wrong?</p>
<p>I don’t know what you are referring to. Tisch does not admit more students than it can take care of. Every student gets four years of training. Nobody is cut from the program. There is no competition among students. </p>
<p>Showcase is only one aspect of a college experience. Some colleges have every senior in the showcase and some colleges require seniors to audition to be in the showcase. For instance, Otterbein is a much smaller program than Tisch and you have to audition to be in their showcase. Then, there are schools that have cuts like CCM before they ever get to senior year showcase. At Tisch, there is a school wide Acting showcase and a school-wide Musical Theater showcase and so not every student gets into that. By the way, the showcase is no guarantee of an agent. Then, some of the individual studios also have their own showcase just for their students. CAP21 has had its own showcase just the past four years for just its students and each student who had stayed in that studio for three years could do it in senior year if they wished (but not students who had switched into another studio for advanced studio and many do that). </p>
<p>Showcase is not related to “more BFA students than it can take care of” but rather a single aspect of a program and Tisch opts to do their showcase by selection. Some schools do that. Some schools have cuts before senior year and only present their best talent at showcase. Other schools let every senior do showcase. You can weigh the issue about showcase in your selection of colleges but showcase is a very small aspect of the four year program. </p>
<p>I can tell you that the atmosphere at Tisch is cooperative and not competitive. It is not a cut program. </p>
<p>In terms of full disclosure, my daughter just graduated from Tisch. She was selected for the Tisch wide MT Industry Nights (showcase) and she did get agent offers and signed with one. She was in CAP21 studio for five semesters and ETW studio for three semesters. She chose to leave CAP and do another studio (though loved CAP) and thus GAVE UP a guaranteed showcase in CAP that she could have done for the uncertainty of getting into the Tisch MT showcase. That was fine with her because the training was more important to her than the showcase. It turns out she got into the Tisch showcase anyway, but would not have known that she would have.</p>
<p>PS…this is not the best thread to discuss this as this thread is about two year conservatories and Tisch is NOT a two year conservatory.</p>
<p>I would like to give Chicago a plug again. 55% of the graduates from our conservatory program have gotten agents. A higher percentage are working in theatre (In Chicago you don’t need an agent to audition for theatre). one of our graduates had a major role on the mainstage at the Goodman Theatre her first year out of the program. Another has been called in to audition for “American Buffalo” at Steppenwolf with Francis Guinan and Tracy Letts. </p>
<p>Chicago is a place where actors work. It’s not a place they go in hopes of being a star.</p>
<p>Good luck in your search.</p>
<p>S. Merle
Director
The Conservatory at Act One Studios
[Act</a> One Studios - The most recommended acting school in Chicago.](<a href=“http://www.actone.com%5DAct”>http://www.actone.com)</p>
<p>The Barrow Group in NYC has a fantastic 1.5 year conservatory</p>
<p>I’ve noticed most of the conservatories listed are in NYC. I’m currently looking to move to LA, and was looking at William Alderson, Elizabeth Mestnik, and Stella Adler LA. Does anyone know anything about these places, and if they’re any good?</p>