ACTING COLLEGE DECISION: CalArts vs AMDA vs UCI vs UCSB vs CSULB vs CSUF

Hello everyone,
My daughter wants to pursue acting in college, hoping to go into screen and/or stage performance. She has narrowed down her college choices to CalArts, AMDA, UCI, UCSB, CSULB, and CSUF, having been accepted to all 6 in their theatre departments.
For some background, she has been performing since the age of 3, in drama class at school since 4th grade, done community theatre, artist master classes, and summer theatre camps for many years, trained in classical Indian, western classical, and musical theater singing as well as various forms of dance for 13 years. She has been an A student throughout her school years. We have been on tours to all the colleges but she is not sure which will be the best for her.

She is looking for:

  • a strong acting program which has training in acting for film along with stage and hopefully a film department at the school
  • the opportunity to do musical(s) even if she is not an MT major
  • some level of a college experience and GEs even if it is a conservatory
  • a senior industry showcase or some form of making connections within the acting industry through the college
  • the opportunity to perform regularly (based on casting, of course)
  • a singing and dance training either as part of the department or available through another department within the school
  • the ability for acting students to either direct/create a show or take a class in directing
  • faculty working in the industry or that will also train in acting for new media
  • opportunity based only on talent with as limited racially biased casting as possible
  • a safe environment to grow as a person and artist

She would like to find a school that fits most of these, and we would greatly appreciate any input from alumni, current students, or parents of students or alumni regarding these colleges.
Thanks,

DadAct

CalArts if you can afford it

@DadAct Are you going to the Calarts accepted student event on this Saturday? We are going with my S. It is an amazing program, but it is a school with a very different feel, so worth a visit! It will also be the most expensive option. I have heard great things about the UCSB program. And, your D will have the full college experience as well. UCI is also a great program. I think the kids may need to audition again at the end of Freshman year or something like that in order to move into the BFA portion. CSUF is a popular program, however, they are one of the only programs that cuts kids. Maybe look at that one statistically. Sorry, I haven’t heard anything about CSULB. Good luck!

@DadAct Congratulations to your D on having so many choices! I agree with Jkellynh17 that CalArts would offer the greatest number of things on your D’s list – acting training, film, and industry connections, in particular.

If MT opportunities/singing/dance, “college experience” and academics are really important, then UCI might be a better choice for her (and maybe UCSB if she really wants college experience, a beautiful location, and overall university reputation).

For me, your D’s choice comes down to conservatory vs. BA with strong training, which is a question of what is most important to her for the next 4 years. If she wants intensive training, then CalArts is the best choice. If she is willing to trade off some of the intensity, film, and industry connections/reputation for a full college experience, more MT and stronger academics, then UCI or maybe UCSB.

After reading carefully the aspects that are important to you I will weigh in. Being from CA we know kids who are in these programs. As has been stated CalArts is a really well respected program. However, they do not stage musicals and there is zero opportunity for voice and dance training for those in the Acting BFA program even though they have a music and dance department. Also, the productions they stage tend toward the avant garde and experimental - exciting but not for everyone. The lack of MT training opportunities was a deal breaker for my daughter. Her friend attending the program is happy overall but does find some of the approaches extreme and a little odd.

She has a friend who just graduated from UCSB with his BFA and he is getting some work - particularly in Shakespeare productions. Again, the program there offers no MT training and they do not stage musicals.

Based on what you describe as priorities I would strongly encourage a hard look at UCI. They do offer MT training and stage musicals every year. They also have excellent acting training and are turning out a lot of working alumni. It’s a well rounded program as well that provides opportunity for a real and diverse college experience. We know a young woman who recently finished up her BFA there in MT and she is working steadily in Chicago at the moment. From the type of program you describe it seems that UCI checks the most boxes.

Thanks everyone for your detailed perspectives - really appreciate this!

@frontrowmama : Yes, we are going there for the Accepted students event this Saturday - One final evaluation. We have been there a few times, have loved the place and potential (not so much the price tag !!). D did a student shadow last week and came back a bit “underwhelmed” relative to may be the expectations from purported “Julliard of the West”. Still one of her top choices, so we will see how the experience on Sat works out.

UCSB was a good program, and great place for college experience - some components were missing (like MT), and the fact that it would take her farthest from LA hub make us a bit uncomfortable.

UCI - good program, school and college experience. Place had a bit of a “monotone suburbia” feel to it, nothing that cant be overcome. Also close to LA and family.

Both CSUs are intriguing options from the “best value” perspective. LB theater dept puts on a large number of shows, some main ones and several student run, bit dated facilities but students looked energetic and shows seemed to have more social purpose to their design and selection - good things in our eyes. Fullerton program and facilities looked good, cut system kinda puts a bit of uncertainty. Both places along with UCs also have potential for a double major.

AMDA : She is very interested in their approach, and I can see the positives as “directly jump into middle of action”. From parent’s perspective, safety is of some concern, and she will miss out on the college experience. Has potential to get done with BFA sooner.

Tough decision making with this multi-parametric evaluation - money, training, experience, social life, connections. I will update any new developments.

Best wishes to all.

I will add as I forgot to mention AMDA in my response that D has a friend finishing his second year in the BFA MT program in Los Angeles and he loves it. And I can see from the strides he is making that the training must be very good. He started out as a good singer, ok actor and not a dancer at all. He is now a fantastic singer, much more mature actor and a pretty great dancer for only being there 2 years. I’ve been pretty impressed by his transformation. Definitely a program to consider as well. Best of luck!

Regarding AMDA- Just remember even though they offer a BFA, AMDA is not accredited by any of the Higher Education Agencies. They are only accredited by NAST. So if one gets a an AMDA BFA, they cannot teach or further their education with a Masters, etc. as the credits will not transfer. Something to consider if your D ever wants to teach, etc. AMDA does have an agreement with the New School in NYC where the first 2 years of credits will transfer and then you can get an (accredited) BFA, but looks like you want to stay in CA and not sure if they have an agreement with a school there.

Last year my D’s final decision was between Calarts and LMU. She also applied to UCSB and UCI but was not accepted. She also shadowed a student at Calarts and came out very unsure. She ended up choosing the BA at LMU. That being said…I think the program at Calarts outranks all the other schools she is considering. I really can’t see choosing AMDA over Calarts! If for some reason she isn’t happy with her choice she could go back to AMDA anytime and be accepted. I do not believe it’s a difficult program to be admitted to. But since you’re in-state I’m sure the tuition at UCI or UCSB is more reasonable…so tough choice there. If you can swing it I’d say Calarts 100%.