My daughter wants to major in MT and is looking mainly in the Southeast, but is willing to expand to entire East coast. She is ambitious but also loves to support her friends in their pursuit of roles. Are there any programs where the students are more family like- ambitious but supportive of one another? Mostly we hear about the cut throat world of college programs.
@Mooshi22 - are you trying to learn which programs are “cut” programs (they have potential “cuts” after juries or reflection of faculty on student progress and potential) or are you looking for a more collaborative, nurturing school environment? Your post seems like the latter, but some people hear about “cut” programs and think it may be the same thing.
I can tell you that both of the kids I worked with in the last year chose their programs based on the supportive school environment that they observed online and offline. After reaching out to a lot of students in those programs, they got a very good sense of not only the content and curriculum, but also the faculty and their leadership…and the student cohorts as well. Some really amazing programs that are highly touted were crossed off their list because of this (and that made me incredibly proud!!).
The young man ended up at Texas Tech MT (he leaves today!) and the young woman at Samford MT (she also leaves today!!). Other schools that gave them good vibes were University of Central Oklahoma, Millikin, Ball State, Wright State, Western Michigan, University of Alabama and University of Alabama Birmingham, Temple, Ohio Northern and Nebraska Wesleyan. I am sure there are others they encountered as well. I can poll them and see! There is a lot of great info on here from parents. I was worried they might see “cut throat” and assume you are talking about “cut” programs…
A collaborative, nurturing school environment is exactly what she is looking for- any more suggestions?
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D loved the feel she got at The University of Alabama. She might have ended up there if she had not gotten into her ED school.
Florida Southern.
Molloy/CAP21
At Florida State we are looking for students who are collaborative, supportive and interested in learning and growing together.
I also think you have to ask yourself to really examine if nurturing and supportive means not competitive and not rigorous…I think each person has to be honest with themselves…My daughter loved the schools that said they would be rigorous and highly demanding & yet we still found the people at OCU, BW, Ball state to be kind /nurturing not cut throat, but told the kids to be honest with themselves and assess if they really want to WORK.!? the kids this week at Baldwin Wallace from Fr through seniors could not have been more warm and welcoming but they all are ready to work their butts off and are already starting auditions this week. but isnt that what a career in this field will be like?
She loves the rigor of MT, just not the nastiness that can sometimes come from some people when they/or their friends don’t get the role they want. Although those kind of people will exist, she is looking for a program where the program and the students encourage each other while also working hard.
Unfortunately in a lot of the top programs you will find some experiences of “cut throat” behaviors. It won’t be always and it won’t be everyone, but the study of this very personal art will always include egos- from both students AND faculty.
Many BA MT or BA Theatre programs will be much less “competitive” once in the school, but again, the problem isn’t necessarily unavoidable. Definitely try to reach out to alum of programs you’re considering and try to get a sense of reality there.
@Mooshi22 I think what she is looking for is completely reasonable and a wonderful goal. It was not on my students’ list of “wants” at the beginning of the season but it was certainly there at the end. I went through three colleges myself (40 years ago) to find the right spot for me that was a positive, collaborative experience. My first college theatre experience was a toxic, misogynistic environment. Yes, this industry will always have a competitive nature to it. That is the way it is. But finding a program that promotes mental wellness, respect and camaraderie among the students is something important to look for in a program. That doesn’t mean it can’t be rigorous and require hard work at the same time.
This is exactly what I meant. Thanks.
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Hello! I am a sophomore BFA at Western Illinois University. I believe our program is a hidden gem - it’s a family of supportive, hardworking, extremely talented artists. The training I’m getting is wonderful, but the support from my department, the faculty, and my peers is what really makes the difference. No matter where you decide to go, regardless of the quality of education, if the culture is not healthy, it is extremely difficult to be vulnerable and learn to be a good actor. Good luck in your search!
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