I know both are fantastic in the performing arts, and acting specifically, but I’m wondering which is more widely regarded. Duke’s campus is absolutely beautiful, I’ve never been to NC but just looking at pictures makes me want to go. Obviously UNCSA is a smaller school with much cheaper tuition, but I’m also leaning towards attending a non-art school and double majoring in something STEM related, possible atmospheric sciences or environmental science.
I’m from the west coast and don’t know much about either school but I’m curious.
If you are serious about the arts, and get into UNCSA, go there. The idea that Duke provides even remotely comparable training is ludicrous. They are not the same kind of school. A few major universities offer conservatory-quality theatre training, but Duke isn’t one of them.(Great university though!)
However no one would ever say the UNCSA campus is “absolutely beautiful”. The dorms are pretty basic and the Winston-Salem feels quite rundown. D18 was there for a summer intensive. Great teaching and dance facilities but not remotely somewhere she wanted to consider for college. They are completely different types of school.
I was an earth & ocean sciences major at Duke and was heavily involved in theatre and the MT group on campus; the latter puts on three musicals each year. Duke is a great option for someone with dual interests in the sciences and theatre. Certainly there are few (if any) colleges with stronger undergraduate programs in environmental science and policy.
Duke isn’t the best option if you plan to go into acting professionally and want conservatory-level training, but if you’re interested in theatre primarily as a secondary interest, I highly recommend checking it out. I’ll add that dance, if that’s of interest to you, is extremely strong at Duke.
I’m curious if you know how Duke’s environmental science programs compared to somewhere like Florida State University? I’ve been looking at FSU also because of their phenomenal atmospheric science program as well as their well-renowned theater program. Duke seems similar in that they offer great opportunities in both areas I’m interested in.
FSU is certainly very strong in environmental science, particularly marine science. I can’t attest to how much attention undergraduates get there, though.