<p>My D is interested in several schools (Ithaca College, Elon) that offer both BFA and BA theater programs. While she understands the BFA acceptance rate is crazy-low (I think I read IC takes 17 from 500 auditions) both schools warn against treating BA programs like "BFA Wannabes" for those wanting theater programs but who didn't make the BFA cut. Anyone out there face this choice? I want to be supportive of my daughter's dreams but I don't want her to miss out on some great schools because she put all her eggs in the BFA basket.</p>
<p>I’m interested in reading responses to this question, which affects my family in a slightly different way from yours, Newbie… My son has been planning on applying to BFA acting programs, but he’s increasingly interested in BA or “theater studies” programs too, and at this point would not be ready to apply ONLY to one or the other. Is there a way to apply to both so that he has choices in April? Like you, I don’t want to see him close any doors. Would be interested in hearing from others who have considered this!</p>
<p>At Coastal Carolina you can still be considered for the BA if you audition for the BFA and don’t get selected. BAs can audition at generals and are cast in mainstage shows. And of course there are other opportunities to perform outside of the mainstage shows. I believe you just let Ken know that you are interested in the BA if not selected for the BFA when you audition/interview for the BFA.</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I’m interested in this as well–and for a third reason. 
My D is a sophomore in HS this year and wants theatre as a major and, ultimately, a career (at least, that how she feels right now). I’m trying to figure out what the best post-high school path is for her. Our older son graduated from Carleton College in 2011 and is now getting a master’s in urban planning. He’s done really well and so I thought I had the college admissions thing, well, if not down at least in an arm lock. </p>
<p>D has been looking at strong LACs where she could major in theatre. What would be the benefit of a BFA over a BA program? I imagine that you’d get better training (assuming you could get in), but I get nervous thinking about her coming out of college w/o the knowledge (and other skills) that an all-round liberal arts education can provide. And she’s currently on an academically strong track, with all honors and AP classes this year and IB classes to come (although she won’t do the full certificate, since she couldn’t do that and take the theatre, chorus, and musical theatre classes she wants to do).</p>
<p>Am I way off? Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated!</p>
<p>Limner:</p>
<p>I understand there is a cost component to what I’m going to say but for the right kid with both an academic interest and a professional acting interest, a student can do both by getting a BA and then pursue professional training through an MFA. If my daughter had a more academic orientation, I would have pushed her to consider this path.</p>
<p>A BFA is a professional training degree. Your child is getting far more professional training than would be received in a BA. If my daughter’s experience a CMU this summer is any guide, many kids that think they want to pursue a BFA find out otherwise after experiencing what its like to be immersed 24/7 in the field. </p>
<p>However, its unclear whether your assumption that a liberal arts degree degree better equips a student with a BFA for the job market bears out. To give perhaps a trivial example, studying Shakespeare in a classroom setting bored my daughter to tears. Doing it in acting class is both reading Shakespeare and doing Shakespeare. So is learning any less than (or is it more than) a LAC class. There have been some very good threads on this in the past about job skills developed in BFA programs.</p>
<p>My D is in a BA MT program (American U) which she chose over several BFAs to which she was also accepted. Her reasons: she had attended a performing arts HS and has been performing professionally since age 8 so she decided that she really didn’t want to be surrounded by “performers” 24/7. She likes the intellectual atmosphere of a university (has friends who are international studies majors, business majors, math majors). She wanted to take classes outside of her major and is now double-majoring in history. In particular, she liked the international focus of this particular school and has had opportunities performing in Russia and Czech Republic, as well as collaborations with Russian directors and playwrights. It was and is, a “good fit.” </p>
<p>But I really think that every student needs to decide what they want. There are many roads to being a performer. My S, rising HS senior, is running as far away as he can from liberal arts and is applying only to conservatories that don’t require a math class!</p>
<p>Thanks for the thoughts on different paths, ActingDad and megpmom! ActingDad, I agree that a BFA can probably prepare a student for a lot more than a theatre career, although I’m not sure that that would the perception of most people. It seems like an excellent path for your D, who sounds very focused and motivated—which is great.</p>
<p>Megpmom, my D does sound your D and seems to be leaning toward a BA from an LAC. Fortunately, she inherited my husband’s math skills, so, although she doesn’t care for it, she’s really good at it. ;)</p>
<p>For what it’s worth I’m also worried about the perceived value of a BFA from anywhere but the top programs. I’m also unsure about the quality if the training and even if it’s pretty good the chances of getting actual work in this field are so spotty that survival jobs are a given.
So far my list is top schools, UC’s, USC, and maybe Cal State Fullerton, although that one seems risky because of the eventual audition and I’m expecting a UC acceptance without too much trouble. Yes, I would prefer the BFA experience but does it make sense over the long run? I will need to make money at something.</p>
<p>limner, my daughter started out thinking that she wanted a BFA acting degree, but during her senior year she decided that what she really wanted was a BA degree from a school with a serious theater department–because she felt that she still wanted more academic education (I was okay with whatever she decided: one of her sisters is in a music conservatory; one is pursuing a BFA art degree; one graduated from a liberal arts school.) Her top choice ended up being the auditioned BA at Fordham, a school that was not even on her radar going into the process. She did get into two top BFA programs (NYU and Rutgers) and a bunch of other BA programs. She decided that the BA programs that were non-auditioned did not have as overall high caliber acting students as she wanted to study alongside. So Fordham remained her top choice. (She did not apply to Northwestern, which has great academics and a non-auditioned theater program. In retrospect, perhaps we should have looked at it more seriously, but she is thrilled to be starting at Fordham in a few days.)</p>
<p>I’ll chime in. First, ANY student can apply to whatever schools they want. In this area, nothing precludes anything. </p>
<p>My D also applied to a wide range of schools. She also went in wanting a BFA but has a strong interest in academics. She was accepted to strong academic and artistic non-auditioned BAs, an auditioned BA, a non-auditioned BFA and an auditioned BFA. She chose the auditioned BFA because when decision time came in May, she realized this was what she had dreamed of and wanted all along, and she didn’t want to pass up the chance. In addition, her BFA school has a distinctive Honors College, so she is getting the liberal arts foundation she also wanted. She also received a terrific scholarship at that school, and it is close to NYC, where she can indulge her play-going habit (she saw 24 plays on student discounts last year).</p>
<p>THE MOST IMPORTANT part of this process is to make a balanced list of schools that ALL are appealing to the student. There are only miniscule opportunities to apply late in the year, so getting the right number and kind of applications in on time is a crucial step. After that, it’s a matter of following directions and seeing what your results are. People worry a lot about whether they would go to the schools they apply to; really what they are choosing from are the schools that accept them in the end, and that choice often makes itself through their application and audition process.</p>