College suggestions for a professional child actor

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>I am grateful for the wealth of information found on this board. I’m hoping you all will give me suggestions of colleges that would fit my son’s desires. </p>

<p>Here is what you need to know about him. </p>

<p>He is 15 and will be starting 10th grade in the fall. He has been acting professional since the age of 6 when he got his first guest star TV role. He has been lucky enough to have worked steady since then with a few leading and supporting roles in movies and TV shows that not only make him somewhat of a known child actor, but also gave him the opportunity to obtain representation with a top adult talent agency. </p>

<p>He wants to continue acting professionally and go to college for acting with the ability to minor in communication/advertising. With this in mind I assume that means he needs to look at schools with a BA in acting not a BFA. Since he is at that just exploring college age would he be smart to look into what a BFA program entails and rule that out completely and if so what BFA programs would you suggest.</p>

<p>He is a good student and in the top 12% of his class with a grade point average of 3.9. He is taking honors classes but does not feel like he wants to take many AP’s classes. He intentionally is not taking acting electives in school, as he wants to broaden himself a bit and is taking media studies, film studies, TV production and creative writing electives instead of theater and drama. He also has chosen to try sport related extracurricular activities, and joined the swim team and JV Lacrosse team rather then school theater productions. Participating in team sports is something he missed while being home schooled through middle school; his busiest time on TV and movie sets.</p>

<p>He has money for college but would love to save as much of it as he can for life in Los Angeles after graduation. He feels he will have some lean acting years ahead of him as he establishes himself as a young adult actor and wants money to live in LA.</p>

<p>So my question is what schools would have a BA program in acting that would give him merit aid for talent and maybe even good grades. How much money could he expect? Is there a free ride anywhere? He has not taken the PSAT or SAT yet but he plans on studying for them and is a good test taker. I think he will break the 2000 mark. </p>

<p>He will begin preparing for college auditions by working with a private acting coach this summer and plans on doing a college summer acting program next summer. </p>

<p>Thanks in advance for your input.</p>

2

<p>USC? I know it’s in LA and expensive, so it might not be what you’re looking for on those levels, but otherwise it seems like a good fit. We have a couple other child actors here, so I guess it’s a good transition program for them? As an incoming freshman, he won’t get any merit money for talent, but if his GPA and test scores are high enough, he may for academics.</p>

3

<p>Muhlenberg has academic merit aid and offers talent awards.</p>

4

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>SDoncc - How much aid could someone get at Muhlenberg if they end up meeting both the merit and talent awards. What would the net price tag a year look like. Has anyone looked in Monmouth College for acting and if so how was their merit offering? </p>

<p>If it helps you come up with ideas we are in NJ. Do state schools like Rutgers and Montclair State give merit aid for talent and grades for in state students and once again would anyone know what that looks like price wise a year. I saw that Mason Gross right now with room and board and other expenses is $27,000 for in state. That is the BFA program something that I think he will not end up doing. Do schools give more merit aid if you are a BFA? </p>

<p>I think in his case it may boil down to what aid he gets as his desire to go to college is more for the life experience and less for the overall training. Although he would like the best training with that aid he can get. Does this make sense? Or should we look at these college years a different way?</p>

<p>Thanks again</p>

5

<p>Someone my son knows went to Monmouth for theatre and was disappointed in the program and transferred. I don’t know details.</p>

<p>I think if your son is more after life experience than training, it would be best for him to attend a BA program with excellent academics.</p>

6

<p>USC offers automatic 1/2 tuition scholarships for NMSF’s [ the cut off numbers are determined by a students PSAT score and the state he lives in.] Many U’s offer free tuition to NMSF’s as well but USC is the obvious choice for an actor, so order him a copy of the Collegeboards official SAT prep book, and have him study like his life depends on it this summer. He should try to take practice SAT tests at least once a week. Doing well on that one little test in Oct [ the PSAT] can mean saving hundreds of thousands of $$ in tuition payments. And scoring hi on the SAT’s will help him get into USC, as they love hi stat students who also show a strong interest in going there. The final thing to remember is to have him apply to USC EARLY, no later than their Dec 1 deadline, in order to be eligible for other scholarships, in case his PSAT #'s fall short of the cut off.</p>

7

<p>Thanks to all who have responded to this thread. I think it has given me some clarity.</p>

<p>How academically demanding is NYU, UCLA, USC, Vassar, Oberlin, Kenyon and Occidental College? I think he would end his high school years with stats that would meet the criteria for entrance into these schools but from talking to him I gather he does not want a highly stressful academic college experience. Don’t get me wrong he enjoys learning and wants to be around interesting and smart people but is not driven enough to push himself beyond what comes on the high side of easy for him. I hate saying that since I do wish he cared enough to push higher but this just is who he is. Nagging him to be something else is not going to get him to care more or push himself more it will hurt the great relationship we have. The fact is when it comes to some things in his life he does strive high and meets those high goals he sets. </p>

<p>So do I rule out NYU, UCLA, USC, Vassar and any other school considered on that academic level? Does this list below sound about right for where he fits… DePaul, Rutgers, Montclair, Fordham, Muhlenberg College, Chapman University, and Elon, I left off Purchase because we have seen the campus and it is not what he is looking for. I also left off schools to far away from a city. He might end up wanting to be near LA, or NY so he can audition from time to time for professional jobs.</p>

<p>Of any of these I listed and any other I might have left off that you all know of, what would their merit aid look like based on talent and grades? </p>

<p>Thanks again!</p>

8

<p>If it were me, I’d have him apply to a range of academically challenging schools so he can keep his options open. You don’t know what he might decide April of senior year.</p>

<p>For Muhlenberg, I don’t know if talent is given on top of merit or not, or what the net cost is, but it has academic scholarships totaling $20,000 and if your son gets the test scores you predict, he’d probably be offered something.</p>

9

<p>This is probably heretical, but I think USC falls into the camp of schools where the hardest part is being accepted. I haven’t found the BA Theatre to be terribly difficult on an academic level (it poses other creative challenges, but if you’re not willing to rise to them, you really shouldn’t be a theatre major in the first place). I’d say they’re less rigorous than my IB course load—or maybe it’s just that I’m used to putting in that much work and it’s stuff I’m passionate about. Whatever the reason, I’ve never felt like I was slaving away over anything at USC—either I enjoyed the work I was doing, so I didn’t mind it, or I knew I had procrastinated an unacceptable amount, which is why I had such a deluge of work at times (and besides, that was only ever for classes for my minors). </p>

<p>I think every class at USC requires each student to write two papers, but most theatre classes ask for like reviews of shows or personal statements about artistic growth, which aren’t exactly strenuous to write. The papers for the academic theatre classes are like 3-5 pages I think, and they’re free-form enough that you can almost always write about a play you feel passionately about or particularly liked. </p>

<p>That being said, if he is planning on applying to schools like USC (i.e. ones that are competitive academically in admissions), I would recommend he take AP classes. Don’t force him into ones for subjects he doesn’t care about, that never ends well, but for subjects he is interested in—encourage him to take AP/IB classes! They prepare you for the work you’ll be doing at a university level, they look good on transcripts if you earn good grades in them, and they can often be used for college credit.</p>

10

<p>USC , like many Universities, can be demanding or not demanding, depending on the courses required for a major and the drive of the individual student. At USC, UCLA, Vassar and Oberlin the majority of students are very bright, and the days of coasting through college are pretty much over . For many students, the hardest part is getting accepted, but that can be said of many selective colleges. UCS does have 8 categories of required General Education classes that all students must take to graduate [ only 2 categories of Gen Eds can be waived with Hi AP scores] . Very ,very few colleges, like Brown and Amherst, have no Gen Ed requirements at all , thus freeing students to take only the classes they want and the classes required for their major .</p>

11

<p>Thanks again guys. It looks like he and I should keep an open mind and not rush to write schools off.</p>

<p>Wisdomsomehow - I think he would be able to keep up with the work load you mentioned at USC.</p>

12

<p>Speaking of USC, my S2 is doing a double major in their School of Cinematic Arts and also Theatre. If your S would be interested in film, he should look into that major as there are several who, like him, have childhood professional film backgrounds in acting. Ron Howard is perhaps the most notable success story who came from SCA at USC and transitioned well, I’d say. ;)</p>

13

<p>Any good college program is going to be demanding.</p>

<p>But a program in the arts may not be ACADEMICALLY demanding so much as it is demanding in other ways.</p>

<p>Since your son has been a professional actor since he was 6, I am guessing he is used to the sort of demands that a professional acting career has. My own undergraduate program in theatre was very demanding, we all put in very long hours on our shows. A common comment was “why do I have an apartment, I’m hardly ever there! The college should just put out cots for the few hours we sleep each night.” We all worked on shows, went to classes, and the homework for the classes was usually “find time to meet with your scene partner and rehearse the scene” rather than some sort of academic homework. A fellow student of mine actually said to me that he didn’t know it would be so demanding, he didn’t know he would have to actually work on shows, he thought he would just sit in a classroom and be told things.</p>

<p>These days it is perfectly okay for someone to go to college and expecting college to be demanding in other ways than academics. You can avoid academic demands if you are willing to meet other types of demands. If your son is just saying he doesn’t want to meet ANY demands, maybe he shouldn’t go to college. College doesn’t really provide as much “life experience” as going and getting a job in the real world does. Instead, college often allows people to extend their adolescence and not grow up. On the other hand, if your son has been working since he was 6, maybe he doesn’t feel like he has really had the chance to be a kid, and so does need more time with childhood/adolescence.</p>

<p>KEVP</p>

14

<p>Thanks KEVP,</p>

<p>I think his high school years so far are providing him with the feeling that he is really enjoying himself and has not missed growing up.</p>

<p>It’s more a case of me knowing his study habits and knowing high achieving kids from when I was a teenager and feeling like he could be “that kid” if he pushed himself. He is okay with being that A/B+ student in honors classes without working really hard and not having the desire to see if he could be that B or A student in AP classes. </p>

<p>Now knowing that he is not going to take many, maybe only 2 AP’s in high school and assuming he stays with around a 3.8 or higher unweighted gpa, remains in the top 12% of his class, and breaks that 2000 SAT mark, and with his childhood acting work experience behind him he might still be a fit for the USC’s, UCLA’s and NYU’s. My concern is would this be the time that he learns how to push himself to go above what just comes to him and go to a school like that if he gets in? Are some of the kids who go there just like him in high school?</p>

<p>This is going to sound like I am a bit of a crazy mom but I might has well be honest here as my only reason for thinking about it is because I love him and want the best for him. If he could get into a less academic school program with more merit or even talent aid that might make ME( I know this should not be about me,) feel okay with him not shooting higher. That’s one reason I asked about schools with aid.</p>

<p>One more thing, I think my reason for reading these threads and thinking about this now as he enters 10th grade is that I want to be the best guide I can for him in the kindest way I can. This information I gain from you has helped me put things into perspective. At this time I am going to just sit back and let him grow in different ways.</p>

<p>Thanks all!</p>

15

<p>FWIW, my daughter did some child acting, although probably not as much as your son. She had a 3.76 GPA and similar SATs and thought she would go to a BFA acting program (and was admitted to NYU and Mason Gross. But in the end, she chose the BA program at Fordham Lincoln Center, in part because of its academics and in part because she is also a playwright and was very excited about Fordham’s playwriting program. She did get merit aid at Fordham (and NYU and other places…) but fell in love with Fordham from her first visit. She will start this fall, so we’ll see how it goes.</p>

16

<p>I don’t work in the admissions office at USC, obviously, but I’d imagine if he could get his SAT score up closer to 2100 (and preferably in the 2200 range), and he showed a lot of passion for acting/USC and they knew about his previous work, he should be able to get into USC. Like many schools, I think they relax the academic requirements for admission in the case of some arts students, particularly ones who have already worked professionally. No one can really say, oh, he’ll for sure get in, though, because it is a tough school to get into academically. But I’d imagine if he starts showing interest early, and shows passion for theater, with what you mentioned above, he has a shot at being accepted into USC.</p>

17

<p>Many of the problems in my life come from the fact that people tried to get me to “push” myself in directions that were completely wrong for me. If your son doesn’t want to “push” himself academically, then that’s probably not right for him. Find out what areas he IS willing to push himself. Is he willing to push himself in his acting work? Then that’s what he should do. He shouldn’t be looking at these “academic” schools, he should be looking at the schools that are looking for someone like him, someone who is committed to acting and will work hard to push themselves to be better actors.</p>

<p>From my own experience, I would say my life was ruined by people who tried to get me to push myself in areas that were wrong for me.</p>

<p>I understand that the attitude I am advocating for is very different from the values that people bring here. But people like your son do go on to have very succesful careers, and really don’t need those academics. There are schools that are going to be much much much more interested in his acting skills than in his academic qualifications. And those are probably going to be better programs for him.</p>

<p>Also there are many people who are succesful in entertainment without any college degree at all. Such as quite a few folks who start out as child actors.</p>

<p>I think you should find out what areas he is willing to push himself in, then encourage him to do just that. If he doesn’t want to push himself in ANY area (which I very much doubt) then he probably should wait a bit before going to college, take a year or more off. Or make do without a degree at all, as many many people do.</p>

18

<p>Coming from New Jersey and being from the top of his class with close to 2000 on SAT, he will have little to no problem getting into USC academically. He might even get money. It is much easier then it would be if he was from California.</p>

<p>He would possibly get into UCLA and NYU as well. If he is going for a BFA it will depend on his audition.</p>

19

<p>I agree with The Real KEVP. I am firmly of the school of parenting that says that kids should proceed at their own pace and pursue their passions and interests. Some encouragement and structure from the parents, yes, but too much pressure and the kids end up doing things to please the parents or other external forces and don’t discover what makes them tick.</p>

<p>Actually, when I first replied to OP’s question, I didn’t notice that he was just entering 10th grade. You’re really worrying about this too soon, at least IMO. Let him enjoy life and grow as an actor and a student and then come back in a year!</p>

20

<p>Shacherry, I agree with SDonCC and want to reassure you. As parents we all worry about what might be the best plan for our college-bound kids, whether it’s academically, artistically, financially, professionally, etc. </p>

<p>The way you describe what you son is considering and planning, I think he is on a great track to enjoy HS, prepare for his theatre studies, and put himself in a great place for college admissions. I’m not sure how familiar you are with this process, but I’ll say after two of my own (one of whom went the college theatre audition route) that your son is in great shape both for acceptances and for scholarships.</p>

<p>I also understand your concerns about “rankings” and “quality” (these words are unavoidable, but impossible to avoid). My Ds were both very capable but with very different needs and approaches to school - D1 had top stats and couldn’t see herself anywhere but a school where her peers and program would challenge her to the utmost. D2 had somewhat lower stats, and got into some great academic schools where she wondered if the high intensity might not suit her. She chose instead the school that gave her the most intensive theatre experience, which has an Honors College to make up for a less academically selective student body, and also where she received substantial merit and talent scholarships. </p>

<p>It took her literally until May of senior year to decide among her various options - academically, artistically, and financially. Let your son continue to evolve in his needs and interests, visit schools and read about them, and ask questions here and anywhere you can. His most important job is to create a list of schools to apply to. He will not have control over where he is accepted or rejected, or what kind of financial aid he is offered. Once he has applied (and auditioned, if he chooses), he can mull over what suits his needs at the time. Until then, he (and you) should focus on building a reasonable list of schools he likes - that’s all.</p>

<p>When my D was making her very difficult final decision among many acceptances of where to attend, she finally had to realize that everyone in this situation is taking a chance. She decided that she only had to decide where she wanted to be as a college freshman - or, as KEVP might say, what she wanted to be doing in the fall after graduating HS, whatever that might be. People transfer; people change their plans. Finding a college is not locking in on what to do with the rest of your life - it’s just finding a reasonable plan that feels both attractive and practical at this time.</p>