Columbia College Chicago

<p>I was visiting Columbia's website (Chicago) and the program, though non-audition, looks very unique and appealing. There seems to be an emphasis on learning-by doing, as student are allowed to participate in theater outside of the college and audition for shows regardless of seniority. I was surprised that there is no current thread on Columbia. Does anyone know about it? Thanks!</p>

<p>This thread has some info on Columbia, [thread=149237]Click here[/thread] and do a search. Good luck!
Carole</p>

<p>This is a weird place for this thread (CMU), but I have one comment. When really looking at the website, I found they have a tiered tuition. The basic tuition is listed and then it costs $8100 more if you take 12-16 units, and even more for >16 units. Well, I would venture a guess that MT students (if studying full time) are going to have 16 units or maybe more. So, the price of tuition is really more elevated than it looks at first glance.</p>

<p>I'm a current musical theater student at Columbia College so if anyone has any questions feel free to email me and I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my ability. Columbia's mt program is currently a ba degree but they plan to implement a bfa in the next few years. It is correct that there is no audition... but its a very hard program to stay in..... there is no cut program but the professors can make u repeate many of the classes unti lthey feel u are ready or u quit lol. Some of the highlights of columbia are that it does about 30 plays a semester and 3 ful musicals a year. The school will also allow u to double major though it will probabaly take u 5 or 6 years to fullfill both requirments. There is a freshman showcase of the mt students which is great and allows for you to get your feet wet as soon as you start. The professors are also all working professionals still working in chicago theater so they have a plethera of connections and knowledge of the buisness. Some of the negatives are that there is only one group singing class for musical theater students for the first year and the class only has 12 spots (and regular theater students can take the class as well) so most mt freshman dont sing the first year. Private voice lessons are not available until you meet the prerequisites which take at least the first year to complete.....</p>

<p>te response to the tuition comment is that it is very possible to finish the major any taking 16 credits a semester.... i personally have taken more so that i recieve a more indepth education but it is very possible to stay within the 12-16 limit.</p>

<p>Columbia now has a bfa program for musical theatre.... it's going to work alot like point parks program... u will enter as a ba musical theatre major and then after your sophmore year u will have to audition to be accepted into the bfa program!</p>

<p>Why is a thread about Columbia College Chicago under the CMU thread title? Can a moderator fix this?</p>

<p>Voila, Columbia College has its own thread and was in the wrong place under CMU before.</p>

<p>Back in October of 2006, Jiddir, a current (at the time) student at Columbia College posted in #6 above that Columbia now has a BFA in MT. However, their website still only has the BFA in Acting and then the BA in MT Performance listed. Jiddir was saying that students would enter as a BA for MT but after two years, they could audition to get into a BFA for MT (such as Point Park). So, that was posted well over a year ago. Columbia's site still has no mention that I can find of a BFA in MT. Anyone know the latest? Is it as the site says, still a BA in MT Performance or like Jiddir wrote that they started a BFA in MT. I notice on the list of acceptances on our MT Forum this year, some members have said they (or their kids) got into Columbia for MT. Is that for a BA in MT Performance or is there actually a BFA for MT? Thank you to any who may know.</p>

<p>my year is the first year of bfa majors and we technically arent classified as bfa till our junior year which will be next year, thats why it doesnt say anything about the bfa on the website!</p>

<p>You're still around! Thank you for that quick clarification. Even though this is the first class of BFA majors, it seems odd to me that if a college is offering this degree, that their site would not indicate that because those who are exploring the school would want to know the degree options. You might want to mention to someone in your program that there are students who are looking into the school who want a BFA in MT and might pass the school over as they would have no idea that the school has a BA that offers an opportunity to audition for a BFA in MT after the second year. </p>

<p>Thank you once again.</p>

<p>Ive applied to Columbia and I'm still waiting for a response. Maybe its because Im a small town country both but this school is a dream to me...What does a BA consist of and what does a BFA consist of? I think its easier to get an answer from a student and not a school worker is usually gives the "miss america answer"</p>

<p>TIA</p>

<p>just accepted to C.C.C. and all of my info received said B.A. for MT as it's a concentration off of the basic theatre major.</p>

<p>Ok heres a load of stuff...</p>

<p>first off columbia is the largest theatre department in the United states so we deff arent worried about getting students...</p>

<p>prior to the incoming freshman this year, the ba was almost identical to the curriculum of a bfa at any other school... Now, the ba has been revised to be an actual ba and be mostly gen eds with a lot less credits in the major... the bfa now has 9 more credits than the old ba... i can post actual curriculum if people want to see it...</p>

<p>Jiddir, I wasn't suggesting that the school needs to be worried about getting students. I was saying that when prospective students are looking into schools, they need to know what the school offers. So, let's say someone is seeking a BFA in MT. If they visit Columbia College's site, they'd have no way of knowing that after two years in a BA there (no audition), there is suposedly an option to audition to get into a BFA in MT. So, it would seem important that their site has the information about the degree programs they are now offering. </p>

<p>They probably are not concerned about getting students. You are right. To my knowledge, the school has nearly a 100% acceptance rate, no criteria for admission, let alone no audition (though you really just are being admitted initially to a BA), and so many may apply given these statistics.</p>

<p>hey, jiddir! I was just accepted to CCC and I'll be there in the fall :) maybe I'll see you around?</p>

<p>Whats the usual gpa they take?</p>

<p>ohernjr8, from what i understand they have almost no academic requirements...</p>

<p>I believe they have no academic requirements and all get in who apply pretty much.</p>

<p>They accept 95% of those who apply. The average GPA is 2.9 but that is basically irrelevant because they do not consider your high school courses (rigor), grades, or SATs, or extracurriculars. You basically just need a diploma or GED and you'll be accepted.</p>

<p>Be aware that Columbia College has a 66% freshmen retention rate and a 31% graduation rate, both of which are quite low for a college.</p>

<p>So what about the five per cent that don't get in? Did they not graduate from high school? My guess is that while academic requirements are not high, there probably are "some"- thus the five per cent.</p>