<p>I've been going over schools with my college counselor, and we narrowed my schools to 12, but some of the weren't on the list at the top of the main musical theater major page, I was just wondering if anyone knew how good the following BFA programs were:</p>
<p>Abilene Christian University
Columbia College Chicago University
Texas State University</p>
<p>Thank you!</p>
<p>Don't bother with Columbia College. Only if you're absolutly worried that you won't get in anywhere else, you could use it as a safety. While some programs there are quite good (film, photography) the theatre program is not. I've heard of people who went to columbia only because they were too afriad to audition at any other schools. Is that the enviornment that you really want to surround yourself with? I don't know anything about the other two schools. Good luck</p>
<p>~Tim</p>
<p>Thank you so much, I had never heard of them before and I was really excited by the thought of studying in Chicago that I thought it would make a good safety. Thanks again.</p>
<p>Does Abilene Christian have musical theater? I know a very good actress from our area is majoring in drama or theater there, but I don't think it is musical theater. I used to live in Abilene and loved the town itself, but I don't know much about the college.</p>
<p>From what I understand and read they have a BFA in Musical Theatre</p>
<p>Like I said, I don't know much about the college, but they have at least one very talented girl there. :)</p>
<p>Can you please clarify for me what school you mean by Texas State University? I'm not familiar with a school by that name, but there could be one! I don't live in Texas. Where is it located? Texas has many very good state universities.</p>
<p>North Texas State University no longer has a BFA MT major, based on something posted on this site awhile back.</p>
<p>Texas Christian University is my alma mater, and they do offer a BFA in theatre in which MT can be one of the selected areas of specialty. It does not require an audition.</p>
<p>Adding to my last message - we know a girl who is studying at a local college for gen ed's and hopes to transfer to Columbia College in Chicago to study theatre (not MT). Some people do like it as a non-audition option.</p>
<p>Texas State University - I found it in US News & World Report - in San Marcos. I just always had seen San Marcos listed after TSU - sorry! Anyway, I now have checked the "Big List" for you. To get the whole thing, click FAQ at the top of this thread, and in the FAQ page, click on Big List to the left. Notice that Texas State University does not require audition, based on the tick mark. Abilene is listed and apparently has an audition. I hope someone from Texas will give you more info. on these. Here are the TX schools from Big List of Colleges that Offer MT Major:</p>
<p>TEXAS </p>
<p>Abilene Christian University (BFA)
KD Studio (2 year program)
+Sam Houston State University (BFA)
~Texas Christian University (BFA)
~Texas State University-San Marcos (BFA)
University of Texas at Arlington (BM)
University of Texas at El Paso (BFA)
West Texas A&M</p>
<p>PS - the list at the top of the main MT forum is not by any means a complete list of schools offering a major in MT. It was a list selected at one time based on the frequency of discussion, I think. It was limited to 30 schools. </p>
<p>The "Big List" is intended to be a complete list and can be added to at any time.</p>
<p>Here's a tiny bit of info. from reliable sources in Texas. Sam Houston State University may be the best one for you to look at, especially if you are a Texas resident. Cost is reasonable, program is good. It's also fairly competitive to be admitted from the audition, so do make sure you have other choices.</p>
<p>Texas State in San Marcos - a non-audition MT program. A person who looked at it before said they do not produce musicals very often (maybe once every 2 years), but you should definitely revisit that issue in case it has changed.</p>
<p>Abilene Christian requires an audition for the MT program. It may not be quite as competitive to get in from the audition (not as many trying as with some schools). Being a private school, it is more expensive than some. Their shows are good and are well attended by the community, per someone who has friends in Abilene.</p>
<p>Hope that helps a little.</p>
<p>Thank you all very much, I already had Sam Houston on my list of 12, but because it was on the list on the first page I didn't think of putting it here. Besides Columbia College in Chicago, are there any BFA's in MT in Chicago? Because I would love to study in Chicago.</p>
<p>Starryeyed:
Take a look at Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts. They offer a BFA in MT.</p>
<p>Texas State University used to be called Southwest Texas State University. I went there for two years prior to transferring to UT-Austin for journalism. San Marcos was in the news this weekend due to bad storms/possible tornadoes. It is about 30 minutes from Austin, and 50 minutes from San Antonio. When I attended, it was very much a suitcase college, meaning many kids (myself included) went home on the weekends... most major cities in Texas (Houston, Dallas, Corpus Christi) are less than 4-5 hours from San Marcos and most of its students come from those areas. When I did stay in town, I found most kids go to Austin for entertainment. Academics at Texas State are not very challenging at all; there's a LOT of partying, but it's a very pretty campus, with the San Marcos River running through it.</p>
<p>Sam Houston State University is about an hour and a half north of Houston (despite the belief by many that it's in Houston). Huntsville is known in Texas for their large state correctional institution, in fact, SHSU (we used to refer to it/pronounce it 'shi-soo') and the prison pretty much dominate Huntsville. Academics there are also rather easy. Houston is the closest major city, but thankfully Bush International Airport is on the far north side of Houston, so probably just over an hour to SHSU from there. While living in the 'flatness' that is Houston, whenever we went to Huntsville and San Marcos, it felt as if we were in the mountains, although they were just some decent rolling hills. But quite a change for us flatlanders.</p>
<p>I know very little about their theatre programs, but if you have any other questions regarding the school/location/etc. itself, please feel free to ask me. Another advantage, out-of-state tuition in Texas is generally pretty reasonable... not the drop dead deal it used to be, but still quite affordable.</p>
<p>A friend of mine, retired H.S. theatre teacher, highly recommends Sam Houston. One of the things he emphasizes is that courses in TV/Film are also integrated into the program. So a broader based study can be fashioned.</p>
<p>I would strongly suggest staying away from Columbia College Chicago, I went there for a year studying jazz and the talent there is underwhelming. I didn't research my schools well enough the first round of auditions, so research as much as you can. Be sure this is what you want to do because if you have to change majors and transfer, it's a pain...anyway, Roosevelt has a good theater program so does DePaul. If you like the idea of a big city environment I'd look into schools in NYC. Chicago is kind of boring, in the south loop where Roosevelt and Columbia are.
Hope this helps!</p>
<p>actually the mt program at columbia is quite good.. yea the first year sucks cuz u have a bunch of untalented people but they get kicked out quite quickly or drop out i should say... but the teachers are all working professionally in the industry and a high percentage of out GRADUATES (the small percentage that graduate) get work professionally...</p>
<p>My teachers alone have gotton me enough professional work to have enough points for mu equity card and im only a junior...</p>
<p>StarryEyedJR - Roosevelt's CPA has a MT BFA, and they are based in Chicago. My friend auditioned there and was accepted, and he was quite impressed with the school. The only iffy thing I heard from him was that supposedly they do not allow MT students to perform in straight shows and vice versa. I don't know if someone else could verify that, but that was what he heard. Mind you, that's just one thing, and otherwise I have heard only good things about its faculty and curriculum.</p>
<p>Keep in mind, kids, that starryeyed wrote the original post a year and a half ago! Chances are good that he/she has the answer they were looking for by now. :)</p>
<p>Whoops! :)</p>