Although I do understand where you’re coming from, I don’t appreciate what you’re implying.
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Wow. I was just offering informed opinions based on having gone through the college search process in multiple disciplines. If you are that hyper-sensitive about what I was “implying” then you will need a lot of work about how to accept acting notes or criticism, not matter what program you choose. Best of luck.
@delegator - wow indeed. I would say give the kid a break…
I think we should chill out. It is, indeed, a risk to attend a true conservatory and a nice hedge to get a BA along with theater training. However, kids who want that conservatory experience (or think they want it) are entitled to try to get it. I do think there are schools on the OP’s list that will just take your money regardless of talent (AMDA graduates some talented people, but they also take a lot of people who don’t get in anywhere else) .I’d maybe start with classes rather than a two- or four-year program and see how that goes. If the OP has what it takes, people will take an interest and help him figure out the next step.
@Delegator And you do it again. You assume you know anything about me, how I feel, how I am as a person and how I take criticism, when you know nothing about me. I’m not hyper-sensitive about what you said. I don’t like when people assume things and make predictions when they don’t know anything about who they are talking to. Give your experiences, fine, but don’t tell me how should or might feel. What right do you have to do that? You gave your experiences about the process but also told me how I might feel when that is not your call to make. How can you tell me how I would feel about something just because someone you know felt another way? Every single person is different and just because one person felt someway, has no bearing on how I or anyone will feel.
@toowonderful I’m not sure what this comment means 100% :-?
@Jkellynh17 Yes, I agree to take classes and then see what the next step is.
@BG1693 - I thought delegator’s comment was harsh- my response was sarcastic. You are entirely correct that we as a group know nothing about your motivation or skills or desires regarding theater. And I think an 18-year-old person should get the benefit of the doubt.
@toowonderful Ahh, okay. Sorry, I’m bad at sensing sarcasm 
Thank you, though 
And I appreciate everyone’s comments and advice tremendously, I just didn’t like how his “advice” was basically telling me how I should feel about something or putting me down, because that doesn’t help me and isn’t really advice at all.
Look at the Acting faculties at those places. I’m pretty sure they all mainly teach Meisner Technique and I’d wager that not a single teacher at any of them ever studied with Sandy Meisner or Bill Esper directly and most certainly never apprenticed under either to learn how to teach it properly which is a completely different matter than simply being trained in it. Actually, at AADA LA, the last time I checked, they were mostly graduates of a lower tier college program who teach as a survival job to sustain their ambitions for careers they’ve yet to realize themselves.
You’d be better off just studying that in the studios I named on an old thread that somebody already linked in Post #15 although I left off the Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown Studio and the Taylor School of Acting because I didn’t know anything about them at the time. I don’t know if your 529 Plan could be used for that or not although you might actually have better luck with that kind of thing at the NYC conservatories like Stella’s, Esper, and Atlantic or maybe Art of Acting in LA.
Then you’re kinda in the wrong place. This is College Confidential after all. 
You might have better luck on the Backstage.com forums or the Acting subreddit. I’ve offered up some info that I’ve gathered from different sources here, but I’m college trained myself and never studied at any of those places other than with Bob Krakower and Lesly Kahn neither of whom I’d recommend to an actor at the beginning of his journey.
Hope this helps.
The artistic director at Neighborhood Playhouse (2 year certificate conservatory) studied under Sandy Meisner. Lots of famous alum including Sherie Rene Scott, Dylan McDermott, Chris Noth, Allison Janney, Connie Briton, etc etc. Admissions are rolling. I get that this is College Confidential but I hope it’s ok for some of folks to explore non-traditional options as well. I know my S is looking at both colleges and a couple conservatories. Conservatories are a great option for someone who wants rigorous training in a short time without spending a ton of money. They are definitely not for everyone, but in the same respect, not everyone wants to take liberal arts courses either.
Hi!
I think LA is a great idea to take acting classes. I’m studying at the Michelle Danner Acting School in Santa Monica and it’s really cool. Not too expensive, and you have a great variety of classes. It’s very complete, and they can be flexible if you already have a schedule. A lot of international students, everybody is super friendly and work together on a lot of projects. You should definitely check it out!
Does anyone know of anywhere I can study acting or theatre full time at a university or college or program in a foreign country? My dream is to act in English and in different languages ^_^.
Which languages?
There are a number of very reputable drama schools in the UK: Rada, Lamda, Central in England, Royal Scottish Conservatory in Scotland, the school at the Gaiety Theater in Dublin, but that would all be primarily in English…not as familiar with other country’s offerings, but I’m sure they exist. Probably the best strategy would be to pick the other language that you’re fluent in and look for schools in that country?
There is a school in Barcelena - think it is is Institute of the Arts (or university of the arts) that is affiliated with a university in Liverpool. They offer a BA (hons) in acting (equivalent to BFA in USA). Believe classes are taught in English, but being in Barcelona some productions may be in Spanish too. May be worth a look.
Interesting @fishbowlfreshman! Not to pull this thread too far off topic BUT - I was just on Shenandoah University’s site for Musical Theatre. They appear to be a Meisner only program for the first two years. I note their master acting teacher did study under Sandy Meisner. I added it as a “mom add” to D2’s list :-).
Also thinking about the S’s Fulbright application – he didn’t go this route, but there are a lot of self-designed scholarships where you study a specific discipline in another country for a year. I remember a film maker going to Ireland, for instance. Might be a way to study theater in another non-English-speaking country.