<p>I've received all my admission letters for Theatre Design/Tech Accepted: Emerson, Syracuse, and USC. Denied: NYU. Now comes the hard part... making a decision.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any experience, knowledge, opinions, or comparisons on Emerson, Syracuse, or USC? I have my own list of pros and cons for each and I really can't make a choice. I'm not even leaning in one direction or the other. It would be great to hear from some others on what they think of each school. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>I cannot do private messages so I hope this will be seen and a reply can be made:</p>
<p>Essentially my pros and cons come down to:
Pros - They all have amazing reputations with opportunities for networking, internships, and study abroad.
Cons - Mostly qualms comparing locations and which I would like best.</p>
<p>Let me explain. I live in California (granted Nor Cal, but I visit So Cal a lot) so while I absolutely love So Cal and I loved the USC campus and the people it’s all very normal to me. Which isn’t a bad thing in the slightest, but its also why I am a little drawn to Syracuse or Emerson. I have visited Emerson and it was so incredibly different than home and I loved that. Something new to experience. However, as you said it is a little small, but that doesn’t matter to me too much.</p>
<p>The basic circle I keep going around in my head is this:</p>
<p>USC is an incredibly prestigious school, “close” to home, and has hundreds of opportunities being in LA. But then what about Syracuse, it’s of a similar size and has a great reputation as well. Plus they have a great relationship with Syracuse Stage and semesters in NYC available. But there is also Emerson which is smaller but that could be a good thing and I love Boston! Plus its reputation as a theatre school is incredible, everyone talks about it! But I would be far from home, so there is always USC…</p>
<p>And it goes around and around. I wish I could just find something about one of the schools that makes me go, “Thats it. Thats where I am going.”</p>
<p>Not to sound like a commercial for Emerson, but I think really highly of that school. (Disclaimer: I do not have a student there but I’m originally from Boston so I know the school quite well and have always admired it.) Emerson is small, but isn’t THAT small. 3,700 students and they are all focused on communications in some form or another which means each and every one of them are technically your colleagues in your college journey. This is different from what you’d find at many larger schools with small theatre/arts departments. I can’t speak at all to the other schools on your list and nor can I speak specifically about Emerson’s theatre design/tech program (you’re a better judge as far as comparing the programs.) But there is no cooler city to be a college student in than Boston. The campus location is amazing and the old classic theatre itself is probably the nicest of any college campus. What’s not to like about that? It’s also pretty straight forward to get there from Northern Cal with direct flights from SFO and even SJC. </p>
<p>OK this did sound like a commercial but since you’re asking for opinions, there you go. I know NOTHING about the other two schools. They could be equally amazing or even more so. These are just my thoughts specific to Emerson. Good luck with your decision. You have wonderful choices.</p>
<p>FrogsterDude, are you more interested in Design (Lighting? Scenic? Sound? Costume?) or Tech or? </p>
<p>You got into some wonderful schools! I’m not familiar with all their tech programs, but one route is to look at the required courses and what year you’ll be taking which classes. You might also consider other GEs req’d (will you have to take foreign language? Is that good or bad?? hehe) and if your AP credits will count. Stuff like that. I could make a difference when you compare all three.</p>
<p>Then it could be time to call each school and talk to the head of Theatre Tech and ask really specific questions. Check how many incoming theatre design/tech kids each program typically enrolls. How many stay through the program and get their BFA in 4 years? What do they typically do when they graduate (the best answer, of course, is find work in the field)? See if you can get some real stories of the typical path for students at each school.</p>
<p>Lastly, ask when you’ll be given a design/tech roll on mainstage productions. Some schools will give you an asst. designer position your very first semester, while some do not let UGs do any design/tech work at all. If getting your designs built and on stage (for portfolio pictures) is of importance, this might matter. For other students, just getting top training is worth it.</p>
<p>Your desire to get out of your comfort zone is admirable and if you hope to one day work in NYC, moving east for college could be a good first step. You have very good choices.</p>
<p>Getting to do design/tech work on mainstage productions would definitely be important to me. While training is obviously critical to a good education I think practice and workplace experience is just about equally important and something I forgot to consider. I can’t be positive but I am pretty sure a USC admissions counselor told me they give undergrads mainstage opportunities very earlier on if not immediately. I am not sure with Emerson and Syracuse but I will find out quickly!</p>
<p>Thank you as well for giving me a few things to consider and research beyond the realm of each drama department. It is easy to forget some of those little things that might make a huge difference.</p>
<p>Frogster - one very attractive feature at Emerson is its ownership of two magnificent, historic theaters in Boston. I think it would be exciting to work on productions at both of them.</p>
<p>UPDATE:</p>
<p>After doing further research I have found all three schools allow undergraduate work on mainstage productions with USC being very clearly proud of this. One design graduate is even quoted saying “The school definitely strives to get you into the industry right after college. You’re working on productions immediately- its hands on. You never have that ‘Oh, maybe by the time I graduate I’ll be assisting on a show.’ You’re thrown in from day one.” </p>
<p>I also looked up differences in conservatory training and liberal arts training. Syracuse and USC are both considered conservatory while Emerson is very proudly a liberal arts college. I personally feel as though conservatory training is much more in my interest.</p>
<p>I think you’ll find that any program will fully employ people with your skills set from word go. Sounds like you are doing the right research and I wish you the best. Not sure that I entirely agree with your conclusions about two big schools that have a broad offering of majors being more conservatory-like than a school that is pretty much dedicated to creating working professionals but I’m also not really familiar with your field. But certainly if your gut says rule one out and then wrestle the other two to the ground do it!!!</p>
<p>Frogster: For what it’s worth, I live in Northern California and my D goes to school in Pennsylvania and this summer will intern on the east coast for the first time and we miss each other a lot. But I think there are a lot of pluses for her to being far from home. She has grown up faster and learned about a different part of the country and she will make more educated choices when school is over.</p>
<p>I can’t say what’s the right answer for you. But it may help to look at college as a time to experiment. </p>
<p>The west coast is only a (long) plane ride away.</p>
<p>About the liberal arts question, Emerson is a liberal arts college but Design/Tech is a BFA major and considered a conservatory program. Moreover, as halflokum says, although a liberal arts college, the school is focused on performing arts and communication. It’s actually the most concentrated of your three options. I’m not really recommending Emerson but I don’t think you should rule it out as a liberal arts school.</p>