Acting with Academics

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>Hi. I"m a newbie to the forums, but I have looked around. I'm looking at an acting or musical theatre major, a BA or a BFA. But the big thing is I need a minor in something else (Arts Administration would be my choice) to satisfy the parents. Can anyone recommend some colleges that aren't extremely difficult to get into that do this? I still want good academics. I'm a good student with a great SAT score and GPA, but acting is my passion. I need a recommendation of some good colleges that can satisfy both, so no conservatories. I've looked, but they're hard to find. It would be a plus if they're not as difficult as say, NYU or Northwestern, to get into. Thoughts?</p>

<p>If there are previous threads I couldn't find (I serched) please place me in the right direction. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>You might want to check into Elon, Emerson, Evansville and Otterbein for BFAs with possible time for a minor. Those will be a bit easier to get into academics-wise than NYU, but they're audition programs that are just as hard or harder in that respect. I think they all have honors programs, but I can't say for sure. Evansville and Otterbein would probably even throw some scholarship money your way if you have great grades and SATs. I'm not as versed in BAs, but Vassar, Emory, Sarah Lawrence, Muhlenberg and College of Charleston could have something that would interest you. Hope this helps.</p>

3

<p>Thanks! A quick clarification- I mean audition-wise easier to get into. I"m not terribly worried about the academic side of things-I'm pretty confident it them. It's the auditions that worry me.</p>

4

<p>Northwestern has no auditions, but is academically tough.</p>

5

<p>^ That's why I thought you meant academically. There is a long list of BFA programs by state on Part 8 of the Theatre/Drama Colleges thread. <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showpost.php?p=837997&postcount=3%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showpost.php?p=837997&postcount=3&lt;/a> You should look through those and see what you might like. </p>

<p>The problem is that it's really hard to say which audition-based programs will be easier to get into because there's no telling what they will be looking for in a given year. A lot will depend on who else is auditioning and even who is already in the program. This is especially true with the smaller programs where they might already have somebody "like you" in the sophomore or junior class. I've known people who were accepted to "top" programs but were rejected by others that would generally be considered a good ways down the food chain and I suspect that is why.</p>

<p>If you would be happy doing either a BA or a BFA, my suggestion is to just pick a few good BFAs that meet your criteria and also have a range of non-audition BAs you would also like in case you don't get in.</p>

6

<p>Add Ithaca College to the places you investigate.</p>

<p>Why do so many parents think they can dodge the bullet of how hard it is financially to be an actor by requiring their kids to minor in something "useful." </p>

<p>An undergraduate minor in Arts Administration would teach you so little about anything it'd be like a thimbleful of knowledge. A wiser move would be to major in acting, if that's your passion, and then develop some very lucrative, high-demand, marketable skills so you can get dayjobs that provide a bit more choice than waiting tables, not that there's anything wrong with waiting tables if your identity is "actor."</p>

<p>Here are some examples of skills you can pick up during college. Take the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course so you can work on an ambulance; learn a language so well that you can give lessons or tutor it with a big hourly fee; become skilled in photography with some courses so you can work jobs that require it; learn how to frame paintings so you can always pick up work in a framing shop; train to become an SAT tutor for a company; register and get some practice substitute teaching at the high school you attended so you can always pick up day jobs; learn to be a dental hygienist; get trained by H&R Block to fill out tax forms.</p>

<p>Any or several of these will support you while you try to launch an acting career. The key to an actor's day job is flexibility of scheduling, which is why so many gravitate to waiting tables. You don't know when you'll need to be available to rehearse, so you want to find work that you can schedule on your own, or work with an employer that hires by the day rather than with a one-year contract. </p>

<p>If you can't find an "Arts Administration" minor, that's no reason not to attend a particular school. Keep the parents content by taking some business or marketing courses and pick up a few hard skills like those above (or others you can discover). </p>

<p>Your parents don't want you to starve, but I don't think they've quite got the answer with an "Arts Adminsitration Minor" either.</p>

<p>You might find a theater department with many courses in the production side of theater, or learn to do stage management. Help your parents understand that these are the more likely forms of employment (producing, stage managing..) but those courses are part of a theater major. Look for a theater department that requires you to study a bit of everything, not just acting. Courses in stagecraft, directing, playwriting will give you more skills than just acting courses. They'll also help your acting, since it's an ensemble effort always. </p>

<p>Break a leg!</p>

7

<p>Actually, the Arts Admin idea is my own. The minor is my parents. But I would genuinely enjoy something like that. I wouldn't not choose a college because of it. They're content with another minor, something "marketable" as you said. But I want the minor in arts admin. If anyone has a better suggestion, please let me know.</p>

<p>Any other college suggestions?</p>

8

<p>Take a look at the Big List of schools on the MT Forum thread (at the top), it may be under the FAQ link. Also search for BA schools. There have been some good lists formatted for BA schools with strong theatre or MT programs. It seems you'd have the most flexibility in a BA program that has a strong theatre department. There are plenty of good choices in Liberal Arts Colleges with fine theatre, academics, and the ability to double-major or minor. At the urging of a family member who is a director and filmaker, my son is considering a Business minor to his major in Theatre Arts (BA). His perspective is that no matter where you land in "the business" there will be business dealings. Whether that means contracts, leases, payroll, or project planning.</p>

9

<p>You may wish to think outside the box...and get a double major in what you find both interesting and challenging. If you work within the confines of a BA rather than a BFA, then you will be required to take more courses outside your major. This may in turn offer opportunities to work in business that seek graduates who are more renaisance in their studies. Schools such as Northwestern are academically rigourous, as well as highly regarded by the theatre industry. Look at their site-under the theatre dept, and see the roster of graduates-><a href="http://www.communication.northwestern.edu/theatre/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.communication.northwestern.edu/theatre/&lt;/a>
Follow your passion-the world needs you!</p>

10

<p>Thank you all so much for your help. I'm posting this as a resource I found on my hunt for a database with most of the schools that offer BAs in theatre: <a href="http://www.univsource.com/thea.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.univsource.com/thea.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Its got everything- BA to BFA, acting, whatever. It doesn't seperate BA from BFA, but there's others that do. Its a blessing to those hoping to find BA schools.</p>

11

<p>GIHIGI:</p>

<p>That website is going to be very helpful to a lot of people. Thanks for finding it.</p>

<p>Another useful resource is the Directory of Theatre Training Programs, 10th edition. I've posted this elsewhere, but it bears repeating:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.theatredirectories.com/%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.theatredirectories.com/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The Directory describes in some detail virtually all schools in the US and Canada which have any kind of Theatre program, listed by state. There is an index in the back which will tell you what kind of degrees each school offers. It's not free, but it is a worthwhile investment.</p>

12

<p>Does anyone have any thoughts about Lake Forest in Chicago, or Sarah Lawerence?</p>