<p>My son will be a freshman Theater Performance (MT) major @ Wagner this fall. He’s 1 of about 30 accepted to the Performance Track this year. It is an audition-select BA degree. You must apply by December 1st if you’re interested in pursuing the Theater degree, as auditions are by invitation. The school vets all applicants, and based on academics (GPA, SAT, ACT), offers those students who meet the school’s entrance standards an invitation to audition. There is one-day in midwinter (early February this past year) to audition on campus. If you can’t make it to audition in person, you may submit a DVD audition. It was roughly a 5 hour process, including singing, acting, and dancing, and there were 2 groups that day (AM/PM) with approximately 90 in each group. We were told about 20 students submitted DVDs this year, so in all, 200 auditioned. I believe the # of applicants for this class for the degree program was around 500, so the school is academically select, as well as the program. Many of the theater students are in the Honors program, and the school awards sizeable scholarships, based on both a student’s academics and audition performance. The faculty boasts several Broadway veterans, and the school is currently completing long overdue renovations in Main Hall, where the theater is housed. The program offers 8 school productions a year, as well as several student-run productions, and a Senior Showcase in Manhattan (Wagner is located on Staten Island, which is 1 of the 5 boroughs that make up NYC.) A 20 minute free ferry ride drops you onto Lower Manhattan; the college provides a free continual shuttle from campus to the ferry landing.</p>
<p>The college offers the Wagner Plan, which is a strong liberal arts education that includes community involvement, and learning outside of the classroom (internships) as early as the first semester of your freshman year. It gives students an opportunity for hands-on learning and gain real-life experience while receiving their education.</p>
<p>My son did not want a BFA degree, but rather a BA degree with a conservatory-like learning experience that still provided a well-rounded education. He’s hoping to double-major in Theater Performance and Arts Administration, which is doable, but only with careful scheduling and firm conviction. A BFA program definitely would not allow him that opportunity. He also auditioned for and was accepted to James Madison (audition based MT) and to Muhlenberg (audition was for scholarship, theater is a non-audition degree program there), both fantastic programs and schools with similar opportunities. He loved all 3, but in the end, Wagner won out. He felt it was the best “fit” for him, and only you will know what that will feel like. It’s cliche, but so true…</p>
<p>Definitely check out their website at <a href=“http://www.wagner.edu%5B/url%5D”>www.wagner.edu</a>.</p>
<p>Good luck with your search and your journey to find your “fit”. It’s an exciting ride…</p>
<p>Sent from my SCH-I405 using CC</p>