<p>The title speaks for itself :) What are the major differences and pros/cons of each program?</p>
<p>UCLA Theater/Film/Television department offers is a BA program with lots of general education requirements. It has some conservatory-like elements but is not a BFA program. CalArts is, obviously, an art school and places a premium on each student’s unique vision. </p>
<p>There is a lot of material on this forum about the differences (many) and similarities (not so much) of these schools.</p>
<p>My D made just this decision last year and I see someone bumped our angst ridden chain as she made that choice. In the end, my D decided UCLA was the best for her and she is pleased with her choice. Yes, there are negatives at UCLA. The Freshman Experience at UCLA is very much about learning all aspects of the work… set design, costume design, analyzing plays, understanding performance, and stage management. She is also taking Ballet and Tai Chi. But, as a Freshman, she does not take voice, movement or acting courses and won’t until Sophomore year. From that point on, however, she will always have voice, movement and acting every quarter for the most part until she graduates. Keep in mind, though, that every class she took first quarter was a theatre course. She will also have three theatre courses her second quarter (and two general ed courses.) I expect her third quarter will again be three theatre courses and two general. She is, however, getting plenty of “work.” She has been in three UCLA Film School films, and is planning on auditioning this winter quarter (fingers crossed) for two of the plays. (UCLA Freshman don’t audition until Winter Quarter.) There are also a multitude of student run performance groups and many of the freshman have already been in shows first quarter.</p>
<p>Also, as we have since found out, UCLA has the same perspective as Cal Arts. Both of these schools stress “global theatre.” So far my D has studied Japanese and Polish theatre art forms, and those are just the ones I know of. UCLA, like Cal Arts, believes you cannot be an artist in the current global environment without understanding and knowing about other culture’s theatrical forms. UCLA profs told my D the same thing Cal Arts said at their accepted students event… they want to teach the students to be “leaders” in the theatrical world. At UCLA, this endoctrination into other cultures’ theatrical forms begins during the Freshman Experience. So, they incorporate alot of those other cultural perspectives into the work they do at UCLA.</p>
<p>That’s interesting stuff, thanks you guys!
I’m glad your daughter is enjoying UCLA Crissyblu, I read your Calarts V UCLA saga and the desicion seemed impossible 
Your daughter must be so talented if Calarts was so desperate to have her!
I’m more interested in Calarts at the moment, but film acting is also very important to me. Do you know if CalArts acting students participate in student films as well?</p>
<p>Yes, they do. But I don’t know if there will be as many opportunities at CalArts to do film acting as UCLA. My D, as I said, has already made three films at UCLA. At Cal ARts they made it clear it is entirely up to the student and how active the student is in seeking out opportunities. Whereas at UCLA, they send out mass emails telling of auditions and so all the TFT students find out about the opportunity to audition. (Mind you, so do Hollywood types. In one of her films, she was opposed a Nickolodeon sp? actor.)</p>