Anyone who has gone to Pace or Syracuse University for a bfa in acting, in stage or screen?

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

How many productions do you do each year and what kind (plays, musicals, cabarets, dance concerts, etc.)?

Do they emphasize any specific styles? (Shakespeare, Golden Age, Contemporary, Pop/Rock, etc.)

Do they have a cut system (aka Sophomore Slaughter)?

Do they teach a specific acting technique?
What kind of dance training is included in the degree program?

Is there a stage combat class? In what year?

Does the program include on camera training or just theatre?

How many years do students have to live on campus?

Can freshman audition for shows?

Is there a senior showcase? What are they like? Who picks the content of the showcases? Do you have to audition? What is the process? Do agents attend? Do you know people who have gotten signed as a result? Do some people not get signed?

What is a normal day schedule for you like? What about rehearsal schedule?

Can you audition for things outside of the program?

How competitive is it?

What about General courses, how hard or time consuming are they compared to the work for the major? (Acting)

Did you enjoy your experience do you think it was worth the money?

The headshots they show on the schools website for senior showcases, do you have to get those taken yourself or do you get them taken at school as something that is like included in the cost of the school?

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@theatregirl101 - I can only answer from hearsay but maybe other people who know more about the specific schools can weigh in.

Pretty sure neither Syracuse nor Pace have a cut system.

Auditioning outside the program is possible at Pace, I know when we toured they bragged a little about students getting cast on Broadway while staying in the program. But no BFA program wants you to focus on finding work to the detriment of your commitment to your studies.

Stage combat is an elective most places - check the school’s course listings and you’ll see the breadth of classes offered. For a BFA in Acting programs do include movement and dance classes but dance is minimal - some places allow dance as an elective. Again with this and any other curriculum oriented questions, you might find it most helpful to read through the degree requirements and course catalog on each school’s website - you may have to dig but they are usually there somewhere.

Pace and Syracuse are both terrific programs but the schools are really different. Why did you focus on those two?