Finding Safeties

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>Hello everyone! I'm beginning to narrow down my list, and I'm looking to have somewhere between 12-15 schools. I'm at 15 at the moment, and while I'm comfortable at that number, I'm more afraid that all the schools on my list are reaches! Of course, I understand that going into acting means that there's no such thing as 'safety,' but I think I need a broader range of schools. </p>

<p>I'm interested in conservatory styles and would prefer a BFA, but really as long as the majority of my time at any school is spent acting, I don't mind. That being said, if anyone happens to know of programs (particularly non-auditioned) that typically have some 'safety' element to them, I'd really appreciate it! </p>

<p>My list at the moment is as follows:
ADELPHI UNIVERSITY
BU (?)
CARNEGIE MELLON
CHICAGO COLLEGE OF PERFORMING ARTS AT ROOSEVELT UNIVERSITY (?)
EMERSON (?)
FORDHAM
HOFSTRA
MARYMOUNT MANHATTAN
NYU
RUTGERS
SUNY PURCHASE COLLEGE
SYRACUSE
TULANE
U OF MICHIGAN
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA</p>

<p>Are these schools too competitive? Am I crazy for having a list like this? Any suggestions are appreciated! Thank you!</p>

2

<p>To be considered a true safety school it should be one you match academically (GPA and SAT/ACT) and financially that is also non-audition. It should also be one that you could see yourself attending! Do you have a school close to you or that fits this criteria with a non-audition acting program that you could go visit to get an idea of what that would be like?</p>

<p>Muhlenberg has a non-audition, well respected theatre program but is competitive academically and is expensive. You can (and should!) audition for scholarships.</p>

3

<p>University of Rhode Island (URI) has a non-auditioned BFA. The university does not require high academic stats for acceptance and they offer merit scholarships.</p>

4

<p>Actually, that looks like a pretty balanced list! We took the approach of dividing the list in 3 groups: non-auditioned safe-bet schools, super competitive audition schools, and … still very competitive audition schools that weren’t quite as terrifying! My son did 11 total, 3 of them non-auditioned. I would agree with GCMom that URI is a great non-auditioned BFA option, and they have an early action plan that would let you know by Christmas. My son also did UNH, but they are an auditioned program (still BA, I think) as of this year; still might be worth a look!</p>

5

<p>You have Hofstra which has a good theater program and its non- auditioned. If you fit in academically well, they give money. You can audition there once admitted for a further talent scholarship. That was the safety my D used. She only used one, and it was sent in by me as she didn’t want to send to any safeties, which I thought was a mistake. I agree about Muhlenberg. Your list appears pretty balanced. I didn’t know Tulane had a theater program but I know academically its great. So it looks like your grades must be good. If your grades are good and you give a decent audition NYU probably will be a good bet as they do have a higher acceptance then some of the other programs on your list. Just expensive and they are not generous with money. Good luck!</p>

6

<p>My D just started at CCPA/Roosevelt. I’d be glad to try and answer any questions either here or send me a PM.</p>

7

<p>Good list (and alphabetical!) It’s probably a little long, in terms of how much time and energy all of those auditions would take, so I assume you will trim a few of the question-mark schools.</p>

8

<p>Your list is a cousin to my D’s a few years ago (and she did end up at Adelphi :slight_smile: ). If you don’t mind, I’m going to rearrange it not alphabetically, but by category. What is reminiscent is that you have reach audition schools and a couple that are slightly less difficult to get into (as Times3 also said), but you don’t exactly have the group of reach-match-safety of non-auditioned schools that might be a good idea. What I see is: </p>

<p>Super selective auditioned: BU, Carnegie Mellon, Rutgers, Purchase, Syracuse, Michigan
Slightly less selective auditioned: Adelphi, Marymount, Roosevelt, NYU
Fordham is in a class by itself, being an auditioned BA, with a different balance of academics and audition - also very selective on both counts. And I’m not exactly sure what you’re looking for at Emerson or USC (BA or BFA) so I don’t know how to classify them - again, very selective. But on the whole, your auditioned list is pretty well balanced - and it’s all completely up in the air, anyway. But having a few where the odds are not so astronomical are a good idea, and you do.</p>

<p>As for your non-auditioned schools, I’m seeing a kind of reachy school - Tulane - depending on your stats, and one safety, Hofstra. Do you need another safety? In my opinion, yes. Unless you have a legacy status at Tulane or huge grades and scores, you are running a very high chance of having one admission. And it could be tough for a kid who was hoping for one of the first schools I mentioned above to have only Hofstra as a choice.</p>

<p>You haven’t mentioned cost, either. If you are a NY resident, I would look at more of the SUNY schools. SUNY New Paltz, for example, has an excellent auditioned BA. Its admission rate is pretty high, even with the audition. Other people have talked about other SUNYs - do a search of this forum. Also for non-auditioned BFAs. I second the suggestion of URI.</p>

<p>If you are willing to go to a BA, there are so many more that you could apply to, with excellent theatre departments.</p>

9

<p>Wow! Thank you all so much for the feedback! I’m glad to know that this list has at least a little variety. A few of those schools–Tulane, Hofstra, Fordham–are mostly on there because I have free applications and wouldn’t hate to go there. I’m fortunate enough to not NEED to factor cost in when applying, but I know it certainly would be better to look at some cheaper schools!! :)</p>

<p>I’d love some more Hofstra-like suggestions! University of Rhode Island is a good one, and from what I can see by quickly looking at it, it definitely seems like something to pursue. I’m willing to go for a BA, though! I just lean more towards BFA simply because I know I’d be happiest acting as much as possible. :slight_smile: Thank you all so much for your help so far, and if any other schools come to mind (particularly ones with acceptance rates and academic profiles similar to Hofstra’s), please let me know!</p>

<p>EDIT: Actually, if anyone has any information regarding the acting major at Suffolk University, that would be wonderful, as well! Somebody recently told me to look at it, but college websites can only say so much. :slight_smile: Thanks again!!!</p>

10

<p>I’ve got a list that I’ve divided up that has more in common with Emmybet’s list than you’ll get at first glance. </p>

<p>super hot: Russell Crowe (when he’s not singing), Jimmy Smits, Sean Connery, Denzel Washington (even if he is singing)
slightly less hot: Brad Pitt, Dylan McDermott, Patrick Dempsey
adore but probably better friends than lovers: Neal Patrick Harris, Justin Timberlake, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Bill Clinton (when he’s behaving and being properly presidential)
adored by millions of swooning fans but not ever going to make my list: Justin Bieber. </p>

<p>Emmybet’s list has a few Denzels and his pals that I’d agree with. But I also see several on her list that she considers hot, or slightly less hot that on my personal list are Biebers. And maybe she doesn’t find Jimmy Smits as hot as I do but damn… he was awfully cute in LA Law and The West Wing so yes, super hot to me. </p>

<p>But so far none of these guys have actually called to take me out to dinner. If any of them do, I’ll be there with bells on at least for a first date. Unless it’s Justin. He’s young enough to be my son and that would just be creepy. Luckily for me my safety is my husband who is a dark Mediterranean man which, if I’m being completely honest, is really my type.</p>

<p>Hope you get my point. Otherwise you may as well think I’m crazy and just offering an opinion. As, I hope you realize, are others but maybe they are less crazy. You decide because in the end, it about your journey not ours. All the best!</p>

<p>and as a PS just saw your post above mine before I posted. I’m from Boston (and my info could be outdated) but I always associated Suffolk with things like law and not theatre. Perhaps things have changed and I think Boston is a fantastic city to be a college student.</p>

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<p>halflokum-- I completely agree with you but :secret: try to tell this to a 17 yo D! lol I do believe the theater schools are more polygamous though. Or at least invite to dates many girls and boys. And then, Denzel Washington did marry someone (did he?) and you never know if you have a chance until you try?</p>

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<p>Hilarious, halflokum, and I hope people do get it, because you’re making an important point!</p>

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<p>Halfokum, brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.</p>

14

<p>I just spewed my coffee across the room… Russel Crowe when he’s not singing!!! Lol!!!</p>

15

<p>haflokum - that was great. I’ve never seen a better explanation of just what the auditioning kids are getting themselves in for. Hats off to you!</p>

<p>My D would have loved to be in Boston. We found that while there are excellent auditioned schools there, and a few high-stat BAs, there aren’t a whole lot of non-auditioned safety-type schools for a theatre kid. Maybe there’s something that we didn’t know, or that has changed. The hard thing about finding BA schools is that practically every college has a theatre department; the trick is learning how to research them to see if you will have the experience you are looking for. Key questions are how much experiential learning you will have - classes that train, as opposed to studying theatre as an academic subject - and what the performance opportunities are like. But there are wonderful places everywhere, so I’m sure you can come up with a few more schools.</p>

<p>My D found Goucher College in Baltimore a nice option. Someone mentioned recently that Northeastern’s theatre program is growing, but NEU is getting to be a hard admit, could be called a match at best. Really we can help you more if we have a bit more information on what appeals to you. There is no linear definition of what is “best” in a theatre program.</p>

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<p>halflokum, that was hilarious! And well done…putting it all into perspective!!!</p>

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<p>There are some rumors that Suffolk has started up a theatre program with a department head who has transferred over from a prominent theatre department of another school. I do not have the specifics nor enough interest to truly look into it but if this is true, Suffolk is located next to or intertwined with Emerson, and theatre venues in the Boston theatre district, has just built amazing new dorms and physical infastructure and could become a game changer in the Boston scene of acting programs. If anyone has more reliable information to post than mine, please do so.</p>

<p>P.S. and there are no safeties. cast a wide net, audition all over the place and pray for a date from a hottie, just be open to changing your perspective of who you are calling a hottie</p>

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<p>You might want to look more closely at Fordham-- it is in a different category than Tulane and Hofstra. Admission to their theater program is at as competitive as pretty much anything on your list except CMU. Fordham’s acting classes are filled with students who were also admitted to NYU, Rutgers, Emerson, Purchase, UMich, Syracuse, but chose Fordham for its particular program. </p>

<p>By the way, Denzel went to Fordham (not sure what that does to halflokum’s list!) </p>

<p>Another solid nonauditioned safety would be Temple, which gives automatic scholarships based on scores and GPA, as well as further opportunities for theater scholarships.</p>

<p>Also you might want to look into Vassar, Bard, and Sarah Lawrence as non-auditioned schools (if you don’t mind the idea of a slightly isolated campus in NY State.)</p>

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<p>Loving it Halflokum!!!</p>

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<p>Greatly relieved to see that not only are you all getting the joke, you’re getting the point! Yay.</p>