<p>My daughter is a senior in high school. She has really struggled with the BA vs BFA decision. NOTHING makes her happier than actiing and singing. She says she comes alive when rehearsing, performing, etc and can't imagine not being on a stage. She dances well but it is her area of least confidence. She is a true actor with mobile range funny to heartbreaking, physical to wordlessly expressive, petite blond body type and lovely true soprano with large range . We have tried to get honest opinions from voice coach and directors and seem to hear that she has great potential to succeed on stage. Though who knows?</p>
<p>She is a pretty strong though not perfect academic candidate, with 32 ACT, 5s on AP exams, and a 4.0 unweighted GPA (4.2 weighted) heading into senior year. She loves to write, read, think, explore, which she brings to her characters on stage. She is a pretty strong theatre candidate, with leading roles in high school and community and two in professional theatre. She interviews and auditions very well.</p>
<p>We have been on the site here at College Confidential for a year, and have gotten so much great advice. She had planned for to auditon for BFA programs at the Unified in Chicago, but just lately she is thinking that maybe she should apply for BA programs instead, to continue to liberal arts and well rounded education, and then go on to either MFA or try her hand on professional stage if possible from there. I am a little at a loss to switch gears right now and would love advice/support on some programs to consider. I am also a little worried she will switch gears again and miss some windows. She says she wants to major in Theatre, not MT, which also has changed a few times, so I am also trying to figure out which is the better program at some of these places. And wonder if there are advantages to one major over the other. I am a non theatre person who only knows what I know from taking this journey with her.</p>
<p>The colleges/universities that she has lately been thinking of ( BA) are in no particular order. We live in the midwest but don't have a particular region in mind, though she is sort of against living in the South or Southern California as she likes seasons a lot. She realizes that many of the schools are reaches for all candidates. In general she is not wanting a huge university, though had been very excited about both U Minnesota- Guthrie and NYU when she was back in the BFA thought process. We also wonder about University of Indiana? Boston University? American University? Smaller schools we haven't thought of ?</p>
<p>Do any of you have advice for us? A bit of additional padding for her college list? Programs we should cross off as being too small or not strong enought? Programs we haven't thought of? thank you so much for your answers and all the thoughtful posts we have read this past year. </p>
<p>I am only familiar with Brown and Northwestern as I know kids with Broadway credits who chose to attend those schools. They are very happy and have theater and choral opportunities there. My daughter would have preferred to go to a conservatory but I wanted her in a program with academic classes. She was accepted to both BA and BFA programs but chose BFA because she wanted to eat, sleep and breathe MT. So far no complaints! </p>
<p>@sscncadams - Good luck as you start on the journey. I would encourage you- and D, not to ELIMINATE the idea of BFAs entirely. If you have been reading CC, you have surely seen posts about the value (nay, necessity) of a “balanced” list. It would seem that she might want to have a blend of schools, BFA/BA, reach/fit- and that ever important safety where she can see herself happy. (and if you possibly can, making it one with rolling admissions eases pressure early in the process- we didn’t do it last year, and it made it a LONG time until March) That would seem to keep options open- just in case she has a mid year change of heart again, and so that when acceptance come in you have options to TRULY find the best place for her to learn and grow. That was our strategy, my own D applied for both types, and was accepted at Kenyon and Northwestern (from your list- I loved both schools for very different reasons), and will be leaving for NYU in just over a week </p>
<p>In the more specific sense- I would recommend she check out the program at Fordham in NYC, it would seem right up her alley. </p>
<p>I loved Fordham, also. If your daughter is a national merit semifinalist, she would automatically receive a full tuition scholarship at Fordham. It is an auditioned BA program, right near Lincoln Center. </p>
<p>If your D wants to switch back towards MT, she will be auditioning against people who have had years of professional voice and dance instruction that she might miss out on if she can not take classes as an undergrad. Some schools may not offer vocal or dance instruction to her based on her major. That is one of the areas that I would look into closely. Will she have high level instructional or performance opportunities? Who would be giving the voice lessons? How often are they available? D was accepted at Barnard and considered it carefully. In the end, even if she chose to have a music/ theatre and English major she could not be guaranteed voice instruction. Assuming she would pass the audition, there were only so many slots open for voice lessons at the school (Barnard/ Columbia) and upperclassmen had priority. So essentially we would have had to pay out of pocket in the $150 range for each private voice lesson. She decided on a BM degree at NYU Steinhardt ( Vocal Performance–Musical Theatre track.) She was also able to minor in English Literature and the Business of Media, Entertainment and Technology. The school was academically challenging and left her many options for additional non-theatre/ music classes.</p>
<p>Thank you both, good advice, we will check out Fordham as well. I do agree that maybe she should apply to a few BFAs, I guess I was sort of thinking it was either or, but of course it isn’t !</p>
<p>Some schools to think about which are academically very highly rated would give you some MT options down the line:</p>
<p>William and Mary is one of a very small number of very highly ranked liberal arts-type schools that do two musicals a year. I have no idea about the quality of the theatre program.</p>
<p>Pepperdine has a very interesting music and theatre program in a highly ranked liberal arts-type school (SOCAL, but unbelievably beautiful location).</p>
<p>Since you mentioned Indiana, you may want to take a look at UCLA which has a very well-regarded BA program that emphasizes a liberal arts approach to theatre (but it is in SOCAL) and Wake Forest, which has a very active theatre program.</p>
<p>James Madison is a good school with many theatre options.</p>
<p>Since your d is thinking about straight theatre, you may want to ask for advice on the Acting Forum.</p>
<p>@sscncadams - Oberlin is a GREAT college for music, especially classical musical. Not sure about theater. If you have satellite radio perhaps you listen to the bway station on sirius/xm. Seth Rudetsky is an Oberlin alum, and I have heard him say more than once that MT was the “forgotten child” of the campus- the resources and focus was on classical. No idea on straight theater. It is a beautiful campus and charming town. D toured Baldwin Wallace and Oberlin the same day, (they are only about 30 min apart) and we both remarked that we wished the schools and setting could switch. (BW has a great MT program, and the campus is “fine” but didn’t really resonate with either of us, Oberlin was gorgeous, but focus was clear…)</p>
<p>I think your list so far is pretty good. One thing is that it is missing safety schools. Muhlenberg would be a safety for your D and a good one that meets what she is looking for. American and James Madison have strong BA programs, though they require an audition and so are not true safeties (though are academic safeties for her). Fordham is an audition based BA but a good one for the list (not a safety). </p>
<p>I have had students in the past who are not sure whether they want a BA or a BFA and so to keep options open longer, they applied to some of each and that is one direction your D may want to think about when finalizing her list. She may wish to keep NYU on the list because while it is a BFA degree program, there are more academics in the program than many of the other BFA programs and the university itself is academically selective. And BU might still be a consideration along the same vein.</p>
<p>Had she been willing to consider Southern CA, USC and UCLA would have been good options for her…BA programs by audition. Take a look at Brandeis. </p>
<p>Thanks, I agree. Maybe we should look at the California schools. My parents live in LA and we could visit and see what she thinks despite her prejudices!</p>
<p>I have been poking around on a lot of the university websites, James Madison is very interesting and not a school I had heard of before. Fordham too. Thanks for the suggestions. </p>
<p>One of the reasons she was so excited about NYU BFA was that it is a more well rounded program. So she will do that. </p>
<p>I also would like your thoughts on the programs at University of Virginia, and William and Mary which both seem interesting, though UVa is very difficult to get into I know. Would Emerson be a safety or is that not? </p>
<p>Finally, the only other school I could find that combines the selective liberal arts with the really well respected BA theatre was Northwestern. Others that stand out that I am missing? You guys are awesome</p>
<p>Drew University is a small liberal arts college with a great theater department. It is 20 minutes outside of NYC…40 minutes by train. They offer a semester on Broadway and one in London. With your daughter’s stats she would likely get almost full tuition in merit aid. My daughter was like yours, only wanting a BFA but then realized she wanted a more of a liberal arts education. She plans to pursue her MFA afterwards. Oops, I just realized that I am in the MT forum and not the Acting forum…still a nice option. You can minor in Dance and they offer voice instruction for free. </p>
<p>I have a friend who has had good success in theater, including a couple of shows on Broadway, with a BA in Theater from Sarah Lawrence, just outside NYC. Also have heard good things about theater programs at Bard and Bennington.</p>
<p>I have seen shows at UVA, they have been good. The town is adorable… and the campus lovely. I believe they are (or recently built a new smaller theatre space. </p>
<p>I have not seen productions at William and Mary, but have worked with some alum… and one of my former students performed in the William and Mary summer theatre a few years ago. Have heard good things.</p>
<p>I think that all the programs at Emerson (even the BA orogram) are auditioned… if so, it would not be a safety… although, I think academically it would be a safe bet for your D.</p>
<p>I can’t believe I forgot to mention Fordham on your other thread! Strong auditioned BA program.</p>
<p>I teach at James Madion and would be happy to answer any questions you and D may have. Either PM or email me <a href=“mailto:arecchkm@jmu.edu”>arecchkm@jmu.edu</a> </p>
<p>My daughter got her BA in theater from Kenyon, and I’m happy to answer any questions you have. She thrived there and maintains a good connection with the school and program. I also live and teach in Charlottesville and have had many students attend both UVA and W&M, several with an interest or a major in theater. I’m less enthusiastic than Kat about the shows I’ve seen and what I hear about both programs. I would strongly endorse Kat’s program at JMU, though! An excellent actress/singer from our area is starting her sophomore year at Oberlin; she chose it over several schools with stronger theater reputations. I think it’s definitely worth a look, especially if the school culture appeals. Another consideration might be Boston University, as SoozieVT suggests–it has interesting theater options and high academic standards.</p>
<p>With your daughter’s academic credentials, she’s an excellent candidate for Kenyon, but historically that program has not been MT-oriented–much more straight theater (though not exclusively). If you’re considering places like Drew and Knox, you may also want to take a look at Denison, which also has a strong theater program. Please feel free to PM me with specific questions! </p>
<p>I have only seen 4 or 5 shows at UVA over the past 8 years! and William and Mary is a bit too far from Harrisonburg for me to pop over to see shows, unfortunately! Both are strong academic environments that have good theatre programs, so may be worth looking at. I have enjoyed the shows I saw at UVA. </p>
<p>I just had the opportunity to work with a recent graduate of Northwestern who was top notch dance, singing, acting! And a great, grounded person. </p>
<p>I also have worked with wonderful Oberlin and Denison alums. </p>
<p>Muhlenberg is a fantastic school you should consider. Great academics, liberal arts, very strong theatre/MT training.
NYU allows considerable opportunity for academics compared to other BFAs. It is a large school and program though.
Indiana has a wonderful BA program but also has a BFA. Penn State offers both options as well but I believe you have to audition for the acting BA as well as the MT BFA.
Fordham is fabulous.
It is not talked about much here but Harvard has a fantastic theatre program. A friend turned down an acting spot at Carnegie Mellon to go to Harvard. And one of the female leafs in the Tony-winning Gentlemans Guide is a Harvard grad.
And I know it’s in the South, but I’d look at Elon also.</p>
<p>Kat, just gotta testify for a second: one of the best college productions I’ve ever seen anywhere was JMU’s “Dead Man’s Cell Phone”–I know I’ve gushed about it on CC before. Have seen other shows including a student-directed play, and I work right now with a JMU acting alumna–I just can’t say enough good about your program!</p>
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