hi all, so right now I’m a freshman in a pretty good BFA acting program but it’s just not working for me and I want to start thinking about transferring. I’ve started a list of schools that I know take transfers but if you guys know any more could you post them? so many programs make you start over as a freshman but I can’t afford that due to the college that I’m at now’s tuition. please help a girl out!! thanks!
current list:
Pretty sure you have to start over at UNCSA if an acting major as it is a four year curriculum -unless you are coming into the drama program as a directing major. I believe they occasionally accept a transfer for directing. It is not as costly as other schools though. And your academics will transfer saving you time (not money).
I think I have read on here that U Arts accepts transfers. New School may as well.
SUNY Fredonia accepts transfers if space is available in the cohort. The website says that transfers are placed in either the first or the second year depending on an analysis of their talent and academics. There is a November deadline for transfer into the spring semester and auditions from January through March for the fall semester.
@capricornactor - you’ve been at your school for about a month now - correct? What don’t you like about it? It might help us give better advice if we know where problems lie. For example, NYU takes transfers, and you can graduate in 3 years - BUT, given that you mention $$ as an issue (saying that you need to graduate in 3 years rather than pay for 4), NYU might not be a good fit. Are you looking for things in a college that your school doesn’t have?
@toowonderful hi, yes i’ve been at my school for 4 weeks now and the problems i have are 100% the program and not the school itself. i’m looking for a more traditional conservatory style BFA acting program. first off the program I’m in is huge (about 60 kids) and i feel disconnected from my classmates, in one of my classes all the other students are in other fundamental acting classes together and i’m the odd one out, and i really want to be in a smaller group. Also the program is not intense or focused enough, I only have one theatre class a day and strangely enough we haven’t actually talked about theatre in any of them yet, which i see as a big red flag. I’m not saying that i know i want to transfer yet i’d just like to be prepared to make a decision by the end of the semester. the school i’m at has a great reputation i just know in my heart that it’s not the place for me, and yes NYU is a great school but it is huge and way too expensive
@capricornactor - good info. So you are looking for something intense, and more conservatory style. CCPA and Marymount would absolutely be places I wold recommend, and you already have them on your list. Do you have preferences about urban/rural? What about Columbia College in Chicago? Or Emerson? (I know a person who graduated from there in 3 years - though they were not a transfer, Idk what their policy is there)
I should change one of my Recs from above- based on what you posted, New School is not for you -they have more of the couple classes per day a week vs daily intense training all day every day schedule. But lots of flexibility to explore various areas.
Another note is that Marymount is a larger program (relatively speaking) so you may want to check that.
Not sure if getting scholarship is important but other posters have noted CCPA doesn’t award much.
(I’m not trying to be negative - rather just point out things you may want to explore at each place of interest if you haven’t already. Better to know up front if something is a deal breaker).
UNCSA fits what you are looking for -but you will have to start as a first year. There are many kids who do this there.
Might want to check Coastal Carolina University. They have on occasion taken transfers that are allowed to stay in their year and not have to start over as freshman, though it depends on the credits you have coming in. The whole program is small and very focused. I think they have 9 freshman this year, and that was for two BFA majors: Acting and Physical Theatre combined. 12 freshman in MT. You might have one or two classes outside your major till you get your core done, and the rest are theatre dept courses. And it’s not horrendously expensive.
I also know Pace has accepted transfers as well that can stay in their year, but cost/size might be a factor there.
That is good info @Jkellynh17 CCPA is such a good program so hopefully money isn’t the reason someone wouldnt be able to attend.
Also-thank you @stagedoormama I didn’t realize Pace or Coastal took transfers.
Pace BFA acting is a small program. They have various BFA majors (so the PA school as a whole is larger) but each of the majors are small and separate from what we found out.
@bfahopeful - My D has a friend who transferred into Pace as a sophomore from another BFA and was able to stay a sophomore. I hadn’t realized they accepted transfers till then (though I am not sure how common it is). And again with Coastal, it has been done- just not sure how often they allow it.
My son attends CCPA. He was able to negotiate his talent scholarship and actually tripled it from the original offer. Don’t give up on the schools! Keep trying to negotiate more money
FWIW, I discussed this possibility with someone at UMich, since my daughter was planning to reaudition and try again and was told that although you have to start as if you’re a freshman regarding all their required BFA Acting classes, many gen-ed class credits will be accepted by UMich so you don’t actually end up paying for 5 full years. Possibly something to look into at other schools. Good luck!
A lot of BFA programs operate like that for transfers; you do start at the beginning of the Acting program, but gen eds will transfer. It doesn’t always mean completing the program in less than 4 years, as the curriculum is often a four-year progression, but it can grant you some flexibility during those 4 years. For example, if you already took the math requirement elsewhere, you now have time to take something else you might be more interested in.