Would she look at Case Western Reserve? Social work and theater programs???
Jonri- great advice. OP- you have no idea how many performing arts kids assume that if Brown is the Reach than Wesleyan is the match.
Totally agree. Someone suggested to us that we look at it “from the other end” and apply to strong LACs that aren’t necessarily known for their artsy/theatre vibe so that D would stand out more. Or you can go down to some LACS that are less highly ranked (i.e. not top 20) where he academic stats will be a big pull. There are lots of strong LACs where a lot of theatre is getting done with lots of opportunities for performing. My D (with stats similar to your Ds although not a science person did not get into Middlebury, Wesleyan or Williams (a legacy).
She might like Northwestern - certainly a great theatre school with a great overall academic reputation as well.
Doubt she will look at CWRU if she wants out of Ohio…
Note about Vassar - The “Easy access to NY” is a 2 hour train ride. It’s doable as a daytrip (and very pretty ride along the Hudson River), but it’s not close.
If she’s strong enough that Brown is a possibility, she might also look at Princeton. A few years back they were very interested in increasing the “artsy” numbers in their student body, and may still be. I believe their theater department is first rate, and she certainly would have a range of choices in stem or humanities. Also fairly close to NYC- less than an hour by train.
But not for the same students. Carnegie Mellon has a superb conservatory program for a BFA in theater, but students who are not in that exceedingly competitive program can’t take advantage of it.
I really appreciate all the thoughts. This is very helpful.
Yes, CWRU, like Oberlin, got struck off the list as “too close”.
I think she would like Northwestern, and I think I am going to recommend a trip to hit ND, U Chicago and Northwestern over a week or so this summer. She certainly likes Chicago.
It is very hard to tell what schools are legit targets for her because she hasn’t taken the SAT or ACT yet. Based on past performance, and given how her brother did, I assume she will be a legit candidate for most schools. But since she will not have a strong hook, it really seems like admissions is a lottery at “those” schools.
I haven’t given any real thought to her theatre resume. She is doing three/four productions a year now. That plus marching band, piano and her boyfriend (see previous comments re nunnery) take up a good deal of her time.
I don’t know much about Northwestern, but I do know the theatre major is part of the School of Communications.
http://www.communication.northwestern.edu/ I don’t think students in other colleges within NW get much chance to act and I doubt theatre majors can take many science courses. http://www.communication.northwestern.edu/
You may want to think Left Coast: USC, UCLA.
She is a sophomore, so it’s not critical that your school visits pick the precises schools for her list. But it’s nice to get an early start to sample various factors (big vs small, city vs rural, LAC vs University etc).
You are wise to avoid student debt, especially if doing theater major.
FYI at Northwestern it is possible to double major in theatre (in Communications School) and something else even in another college (we know someone who was accepted as theatre major and is also double majoring in economics). It’s not easy but can be done. Northwestern is on quarters and I believe most take 4 courses a quarter so there is some flexibility and I believe the theatre degree is still a BA not a BFA. Northwestern is very competitive to get in as theatre major but it is one of the most well regarded theatre programs for people that have true professional aspirations that does not have an audition. NU theatre majors have the academic chops as well as the talent.
UCLA would probably be full fare for your family as she is OOS[ remember, it is a public U]
A word about the PSAT- have her study for that test a LOT by taking practice SAT tests this summer. a GREAT score [ ABOVE 225] on that one test taken in Oct of her Jr year can mean the difference between being a National Merit Scholar, which will qualifiy her for automatic full rides and full tuition scholarships at many Universities, and a more difficult time in the college admissions game…
USC http://academics.usc.edu/
should be on her short list , [especially if her SAT’s are top notch] because
1- it offers 120+ FULL TUITION scholarships to top students each year- and 250+ 1/2 tuition scholarships for National Merit Scholars . And is has a very generous FA program.
2- it has School of Dramatic Arts where she can minor if she likes
3- it has a great marching band and top notch school of music [Thorton School of Music] where she can take classes and lessons even is she is not a Music major
4-It has a great School of Engineering [ Vertibi]
5 USC has a selective honors Programs for top students in Science and in the Liberal arts
6- USC encourages students to manor and minor in different fields- the Renaissance Scholars program
http://www.usc.edu/programs/ugprograms/renaissance/
In other words- its a great place for smart students who want the option of exploring a lot of different areas.
when my son was applying to colleges it was his backup school [this was 9 years ago before the Ivys initiated their generous FA programs ] So although he was accepted at many much more more highly ranked colleges, he could not turn down the Scholarship and the chance to stay in Calif.
USC was a great choice for him. He is now at Caltech completing his PhD.
Agree with Cardinal Fang on Carnegie Mellon. Tremendous Theatre program and offers a Theatre minor. Obviously CMU is excellent for STEM. Good luck to you and your daughter.
You may want to consider touring some of the smaller universities and not just LACs . The LACs generally only can support one or two productions per term, and if there is not a good role for you, you are out of luck. The larger universities have more options. My diva picked schools that had at least one student run theatre group, not just Department of Drama productions. Stay away from the conservatories unless she wants all acting all the time. My DD ended up at Tufts, the biggest NESCAC, mid-size city school with lots of theatre and music and lots of drama majors who double major in disparate things like engineering, computer science, and international relations. Another school that was high on her list was Tulane. Mid-size university, big exciting city, runs a summer stock theatre (musical theatre).
If she is seriously considering theatre as a career I would suggest a summer program like Interlochen or Walnut Hill. It gives them a real sense of the level of competition.
This would likely be a safety school but you might check it out for fit. The University of Evansville. It’s in Indiana, smaller city near the Ohio river. Pretty, compact campus. She would likely get decent scholarships and they are a strong regional university not a LAC. They also have a really cool campus in Harlaxton England.
I agree Tufts sounds like a great fit. The location alone provides students with opportunities not found in less populated areas. If she likes the NESCACs and doesn’t mind a more rural location, however, Middlebury offers interesting opportunities with its well regarded theater program: http://www.middlebury.edu/academics/thea
My D is attending Midd in the fall and her main EC has been dance (including a few summers at Interlochen). She didn’t apply as a dance major, or even submit an art supplement, she plans to focus more on the environmental program. She was drawn, however, to Midd’s fantastic dance dept and it was a big factor in her decision to go ED- great classes, lots of performing opportunities, lots of student interest and community support. I think the theater program functions in a very similar manor.
Thanks again to everyone. It has been a huge help. We spoke a bit last night and she paged through this thread. Other than an eye roll about my comments on the nunnery, the advice here and some time on Google caused her to put Tufts, Northwestern, Carelton and Vassar on the take a look list. She is not so sure about Middlebury. Her brother looked at Bowdoin a bit and she thought he was crazy for looking at some place that rural. Then again, she likes Cornell, so who knows. I do think the left coast may be a bit far for her. My feeling is that while she wants to loosen the apron strings, she isn’t quite ready to cut them, and Cali is a long way from home. Any opinions about any of the other NESCACS? She really liked both Amherst and Williams when her brother was looking.
If she wants a lot of aid she needs strong stats - either to get merit aid or to get into the colleges that meet full need.
Avoid the mistake we made by letting D take PSAT & SAT cold. Have her do a review & practice tests.
Re: access to NYC from Vassar
Yes, easy access is relative. I was thinking in comparison to Bard which we saw on the same trip. It’s at least directly on a commuter line so you can catch a train and go to the theater in NYC on the weekend at least in theory. It’s not like being at NYU or even some place in the suburbs like Sarah Lawrence.
The University of Chicago is actually quite decent for theater. Not as good as Northwestern, but much lower key, too, and just as able as Northwestern to take advantage of the fabulous theater scene in Chicago.
There is a Theater and Performance Studies major that is quite small (and quite frequently doubled with a more marketable major), but the University Theater itself, with several distinct acting and improv troupes, multiple spaces, and a pretty full production calendar, is the single most popular standing student organization at the university, with hundreds of students involved regularly or sporadically. It has spiffy digs in the new Logan arts building that was completed a few years ago. Both of my kids participated, one a little and one a lot, and they have several friends who are pursuing actual theater careers. One of my kids worked a regular theater management job part time for several years after graduation, and was able to get a fair number of tech-work free-lance gigs as well; he gave it up very reluctantly when he decided he couldn’t pursue two careers at once any more. (He entered college as an actor/director, but left it a set-and-lighting designer.)
For what it’s worth, my kids also have friends who went to theater or film programs at CMU, Northwestern, NYU, and USC. The actors are all really struggling 2-6 years out. The techies (and one writer) are doing quite well, thank you, but largely in television, not theater. One of my best friends in law school, though, was a Northwestern theater grad who was an actor. He has a pretty great life as an entertainment industry attorney, complete with trophy wife, edgy wardrobe, ridiculously cool cars, and Malibu beach house.