Community colleges with great Art and Theatre programs?

<p>I'm an international student who wants to study in (or near) NYC or California. What are some community colleges in those two areas that have strong Art and Theatre programs, along with good academic reputation overall? The one place I've found that seems to fit the bill is Rockland CC, which is 25 miles from NYC. However, I would prefer Borough of Manhattan Community College due of its location even if I don't know anything about the art instruction there, and the academics aren't the best, as far as I can tell. There doesn't even seem to be an honors program there.</p>

<p>I know this is sort of useless but do not go there if you could help it. It is the place for NYC nowhere public HSs’ barely grad (local diploma, not regents diploma or advanced regents that require passing of college prep classes) = who could not make the cut for CUNYs low ends SAT>800 (math and cr)
If you are adult returning student really wants change and do it over while holding job to support yourself, it is a whole different story and attitude, no offense.
Where you from? I know somewhat affluent internationals are tricked into believe CC in NYC is the great place to start but I have to disagree unless you are clueless enough what you are made to do there (HS 13, 14th grade or possible repeat of 11th 12th grades) and who your classmates are = nice, fun, innercity but decent teenagers/young adults just did not work at all during their HS.</p>

<p>Rockland (awful far away from NYC, you better have car to get around) is different, any suburbs and upstate are different, CC two years transfer into SUNY Bing, Geneseo to save parents $ is the common way to go.
If you want good art and theater and have good stats, look into top LACs that welcome internationals with substantial aids, donno Williams? Swarthmore? lower the tier skimpier they become.</p>

<p>Thanks for the reply. I am from Canada and want to live as close to NYC as possible without compromising on the academics. I can’t apply directly to LAC’s because I don’t even have SAT’s or ACT scores.</p>

<p>I was looking at Suffolk County CC as well which I believe is in Long Island. Is Long Island anything like NYC (has the same vibe, I mean) and do you know anything about this college? I’ve read a few reviews, and they it’s all pretty positive. I just want to know how their art and theatre programs are.</p>

<p>Also was wondering about Nassau Community College if anyone knows about that…</p>

<p>LongIsland is NOTHING like lower Manhattan where BMCC is.<br>
Have you ever been to NYC, NY NY and if that’s what you want day in day out, you won’t be happy there.
But if you stay there in suburb study hard and find place to live then come out occasionally to enjoy the city, that’s doable.
I don’t know about either CCs but my guess is half decent students would be able to go to SUNY Stony Brook, being public HSs around there are much better than here in NYC, their kids have better choices even if they don’t mind staying near home.</p>

<p>There are good schools Americans are dieing to go because it’s cheap in Canada… irony there is.
Why can’t study and do SAT?
Have you ever read the book " the Runner " ?
The Runner: A True Account of the Amazing Lies and Fantastical Adventures of the Ivy League Impostor James Hogue by David Samuels
Hogue was an adult student took SAT fair and square gotten fabulous score, that part was not lie.
I am not saying you should do that to get into top schools but nothing is impossible.
Just that, all the way from Canada to go to school where local kids rather not to go if given choices does not make much sense to me if your goal is 4year college in the end.</p>

<p>I’ve always wanted to go to school in the states and I feel more American than Canadian anyway. Sure it’s cheaper up here but reputation wise Canadian schools can’t compare. </p>

<p>I don’t know. I didn’t know it was possible to get into a top tier US college based on stellar SAT scores alone. Aren’t the top colleges looking for well-rounded people with lots of extracurriculars, leadership experience, etc.? Could an adult student get in based on great SAT’s/ACT scores alone?</p>

<p>Thanks for the book recommendation. I’m going to check it out… sounds interesting!</p>

<p>No. I am not saying scores alone will let you in but you can’t do it without scores unless you have college transcript that could prove you did fine academic wise and capable to do the hard work you got to do once you are in the top college.
If you don’t have that foundation I don’t know how you’d gain that in here if you can’t do it in comfort of your homeland without health insurance, bank account, job, etc etc unless you got pile of money or yourself greencard already.</p>

<p>I hear you, I have a kid having trouble, we tried many different environment to see if that motivate him but didn’t do much. Now I just wait.
You might think if you are in US, NYC, CA things would work out. Maybe, maybe not.</p>

<p>And the book is just to let you know that in the way, how stupid HYP could be, well, Yale was never involved with the guy, so HP. Don’t take it seriously, but study seriously SAT.</p>

<p>Lots of students leave their homelands to study at community colleges in the US. I am approaching my mid 20’s and have an incredible travel lust in me, so if I can’t put down my studies to travel the world, doing it in the US would be the next best thing. I am well aware that I will need something more than great SAT and ACT scores to make it into the top colleges in the US. My only option now is to attend community college, whether it be in Canada or in the states. And given the choice I would jump at the chance to study in the states, so why not go for it is what I say? </p>

<p>I would be studying full-time (so not time for a job), health care I could fly back to Canada for it, and a US bank account shouldn’t be hard to obtain… so the differences between studying in Canada vs. the US is not that great. Especially since I’m looking at community colleges … which are cheap.</p>

<p>I forgot to ask if you are a guy. If so, here is an outrageous all free + almost transfer to Ivy OK option.
Art? maybe once in few years. Theater? that’ll be hard
it’s one of my kid’s dream school</p>

<p>[Deep</a> Springs College](<a href=“http://www.deepsprings.edu/admissions/faqs]Deep”>Employment FAQ | Deep Springs College)</p>

<p>And it is the polar opposite from NYC
but sort of in CA.</p>

<p>Westchester Community College. Not sure if it is “great,” but for a CC has as strong an arts focus as I’d imagine you’d find. In Valhalla NY, near White Plains.</p>

<p>Where in Canada?
Montreal, Quebec?
Do French?
Why haven’t I thought of this before.
get any job at
Cirque du Soleil<br>
Anything will do, selling popcorn, scrubbing toilet.
Tour with them and spy on them, then you’d get enough of travel lust and learn more art and theater than toppy top art schools anywhere.</p>

<p>Look at Nassau Community College. You can probably do a reverse commute there from Manhattan or Queens. About 35 minute train ride on the Long Island Railroad plus a short bus trip to the school (they may have some shuttles.) They have a feed-in program to FIT. Maybe even NYU…definitely for CAS, not sure what they would do about NYU Steinhardt for Studio Art. It is a really top CC with lots of programs and a good reputation for art and music.</p>

<p>PS–Nassau is much closer to the city than Suffolk. A large % of people on Long Island commute into the city, so whereas it is a suburban environment, the people who live around the school and attend it are very connected to the city. I would vote for it hands down. There are many weekend and evening courses also, so working would be possible.</p>

<p>orange-
I know a girl who dropped out of high school, got her GED, went to Rockland CC and then transferred to SMFA in Boston. Rockland County is not anything like NYC. It is a suburban area with one little cool town (Nyack) on the Hudson River. You would need a car to get around. RCC is in the middle of the county. The commute to the city takes a bit over an hour each way either by train or bus. Weekend service stinks. That being said, it is a viable stepping stone toward getting closer to NYC and a 4 year college.
But you would not be considered an in-state student so the cost are much more than those of a NY resident.
There are some LAC’s and Art Schools that are SAT optional. In the NY area and California you have:
Bard - NY
California College of the Arts
California Institue of the Arts
Connecticut College
Mercy College - NY
Pitzer Colege - CA
College of the Atlantic - CA
Juniata College - CA
San Francisco State
San Jose State - CA
Sarah Lawrence College - NY
SVA - NY
Seton Hall University - NJ
Sonoma State - CA</p>