<p>I am a first semester BA Theatre Arts major at a NY state school. My school does offer a BFA program in both Acting and Musical Theatre that I may audition for, but I really don't want to stay at this school and I am interested in auditioning for other programs. What programs definitely DON'T accept transfers? I know I would have to start from scratch pretty much and it is harder for transfers. I am currently interested in SUNY Cortland (Which is a BA Musical Theatre program), Pace University, and Ithaca. </p>
<p>Also, does anyone know how the application process is different for transfers?</p>
<p>My daughter is a freshman at Fordham and says that there are four transfers in her Acting I class. (Yes, it’s a BA program, but an intense, auditioned BA.)</p>
<p>I auditioned for Fordham last year, and didn’t exactly love it, but that could just be because I know many people who went there and I didn’t appreciate the fact that I was being pushed to go there. I am from New York City so that is probably why most of the schools I’m interested in are in-state. Those are the only schools I know much about.</p>
<p>Athena- almost all programs do accept transfers (unless they have changed, Emerson does accept transfers- my D auditioned as one 3 years ago and was accepted). However, many, if not most, programs may require you to start over as a freshman. Since most BFA programs move students thru the program as a group, they do not want to transfer units over as it disrupts the flow of their program. You might have better luck looking at BA programs, as they are more apt to take transfer units.</p>
<p>I believe Emerson accepts transfers into their BA Acting and other programs but from their own FAQs on the website: </p>
<p>“Transfer students may not apply for the Acting BFA or Musical Theatre BFA, but are welcome to apply for other programs in the performing arts.”</p>
<p>I emailed them about it and they said they didn’t take transfer students for a Musical Theatre BFA, but if someone knows of any way I could get into their program, (I will be transferring) I don’t mind starting as a freshman.</p>
<p>If you are willing to start over, anyone will take you. By saying “we don’t take transfers” it is an easy way to say “you can’t come here for two years and graduate with a BFA from our school.” You do not need to tell anyone that you are bringing credits with you when you audition. This isn’t cheating. The word “transfer” means you want to complete your college career in the traditional four year period and you want to start at the new institution where you left off at the old institution. Few BFA’s will take those students. Good luck!</p>
<p>I respectfully disagree and I think this suggestion is getting into a slippery slope. The application itself asks someone to list all of their previous education. One is supposed to be truthful in that regard and I believe most applications ask you to sign with the intention that everything on the application is truthful and accurate. To omit having attended a previous college would be a lie by omission. I understand the willingness to start over, but I do not advocate for lying on an application.</p>
<p>I also disagree that the word “transfer” only means you want to complete your education in just two more years. In fact, the word “transfer” indicates you have previously attended college but have not received a degree.</p>
<p>PS, here is the definition of a “transfer-in” student by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) at the National Center for Education Statistics:</p>
<p>SoozieVTs interpretation was always what I thought as well but her response and kjgc’s post raises an interesting question: If a student is willing to start at the very beginning with no expectation whatsoever of transferring credits, why would a BFA program care if you are a transfer or not? Is there a reason it matters?</p>
<p>You can transfer in without credit, and so in terms of the number of years needed to get a degree at the new school would be the same as a freshman applicant and so it does “not matter,” still the applicant is considered a transfer applicant and should report all previous education on the application which requires someone to sign that the information provided is accurate. </p>
<p>Another issue is that unless someone is wealthy, why would someone not want to receive at least SOME credits from the previous institution if they had attended at least one full year and it was possible to do so? I mean a year or two of college ain’t cheap and to have nothing to show for it is not something everyone would want to do. Sometimes a BFA transfer student who has attended two years at another college is allowed to enter the BFA program with sophomore standing at SOME schools, just saying. Their gen ed. credits may transfer, as well as some of their theater coursework. </p>
<p>For example, my D’s friend transferred from Cornell to NYU/Tisch after her freshman year at Cornell. At NYU, she was given soph year standing (only attended NYU for three years) but had to start the BFA studio coursework with the freshmen class.</p>
<p>Remember also that the college will get the high school transcript when applying for admission and if the student omits on the application that for two years she has been attending college, they will want to know how she has spent those years since high school graduation (noted on the transcript) two years prior. I don’t recommend lying about or omitting having attended college even if you don’t care about transferring with ANY credits.</p>
<p>The OP (Athena) is currently enrolled in a BA degree program and thus by definition, at most colleges, has to apply as a transfer applicant, even if she starts over with the freshmen class at her new school and receives no credits upon transfer.</p>
<p><em>sigh</em> This is one of those situations where it is much ado about nothing. My suggestion is correct. If you are interested in starting again, you do not have any need to tell the program that you are “transferring.” You are welcome to tell them you spent time at another school and that you felt a change was necessary or desired and that you know it means starting again. They will accept your audition and you will enter and track with the freshmen. Simple as that. When you call a school (and in this case I’ll speak as someone who has spent a long time in academia auditioning students and speaking to parents at more than one school) and ask if they accept transfers we offer two answers. First is “no” or “unlikely.”</p>
<p>The second part of the answer depends on how much time we have or how the initial question is phrased. What I say is, “it is unlikely we will have space in the program with the rising sophomores (or juniors). However, if you are interested in starting with the incoming freshmen we will be happy to have you audition for the program.” </p>
<p>Why the difference? Because few people can afford 5-6 years of college and it is highly unlikely they will start new. Therefore, my suggestion is to tell the program you are interested in starting as a freshman. That way there is no suggestion of impropriety. Remember, I speak for the program, not the university. The university will likely know where you were and what classes you had taken. Besides, you’ll want to bring those credits so you don’t need to take English 101 again. You will take Acting I again, as well as all the other required theatre courses. </p>
<p>In the strict world of admissions - you are a transfer student. In the not so strict world of BFA programs, you are auditioning to be a first year student and you will be bringing credits with you. </p>
<p>Very good information kjgc. Would someone willing to start over as a freshman also have equal consideration in the scholarship pool with anyone entering college for the first time? Since so many scholarships must be secured when entering as a freshman, that might be a good reason to want to apply that way even if you can’t transfer credits from the first school.</p>
<p>That depends on the school and is really highly individualized. For instance, the school I work for did not offer transfers scholarships until two years ago. Now, they are in the same pool as any other incoming freshmen. I know that there are several schools like us, and I know of more than one school that does not offer the same amount to transfer students.</p>
<p>My D1 applied as an MT transfer last year. She contacted at least 24 colleges and universities before deciding where to apply. The only place that told her they do not under any circumstances take transfers in MT - even to start over (you have to start over pretty much everywhere so she was willing to accept that anywhere) was U Miami Coral Gables. She visited Emerson and did not apply but they said they only accept transfers as BA students even if u are willing to go for 4 years. That may not have been correct or may have changed but that is what they told her. She ended up getting in to the BFA at Fredonia, the MT BA in theatre at Marymount, Wagner, and the BA in Ithaca, and Muhlenberg, and waitlisted at Tisch. Tisch has different audition dates for transfers. They said last year was the first year they did not let transfers audition during regular freshman auditions. This was the case even though they said you would have to do 4 years for the BFA program (so you would be in the same classes as freshman-regardless of how they classified you). She did not wait to find out whether she would get in to Tisch. She had already decided to go to Muhlenberg and double major in dance and theatre. That is where she is and she is extremely happy.</p>
<p>If Athena were to find one of those schools where, if one worked oneself ragged, it is possible to do the degree in three years, then she could start as a freshmen but still graduate at the original time. Schools that I remember from a few years ago where one could possibly complete the degree in three years were Elon, Point Park (BA), and Tisch. Everybody feel free to update/correct that list!</p>
<p>It would be interesting to know if there are any schools that do sometimes let people come in as sophomores, accepting those beginning acting, dance and voice credits, etc.</p>