Freshman experience

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
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<p>Hi all--the MT forum has a great thread on the freshman experience at different schools, and I was hoping that this might be a time when people would be willing to describe their schedules, what they particularly like and/or might change about their programs, performances, etc. It would be great for those applying and even better for those deciding in a few months. (If there's already a thread like this, we could add onto that-- I found one with just schedules but am looking for a more in-depth sense.)</p>

<p>I'd love to hear "a day in the life" of a BFA actor at different programs.</p>

2

<p>This is a great idea and would have helped my D last year, so we’re happy to oblige. She just finished her first semester at Adelphi University in BFA Acting and the Honors College. </p>

<p>Classes:
All of her courses were required. She took 4 2-credit Theatre classes (Voice, Movement, Acting, and Costumes), and 2 3-credit liberal arts classes through the HC (basically Lit and Civ). She had 2 Theatre and 1 HC class each on M-W and T-Th. She was officially assigned to tech 6-8 hr/wk. She also worked on other tech projects as needed. </p>

<p>Performing:
Freshmen at Adelphi are not allowed to audition for mainstage, and there weren’t any other productions that she got involved with as a performer. However, first-year students participate in the Freshman Workshop, which begins rehearsals in October and is put on in December. So after the first month she had rehearsal for several hours 3-4 times/week, and then more as the show got closer. Often she was on the go the proverbial 9 a.m. - 11 p.m. because of theatre commitments.</p>

<p>Extra-curricular:
She found after the first month she had little time for other ECs. She did take voice lessons, but couldn’t schedule a dance class as she had hoped, although some of her friends (who are not in the HC) did. She realized quickly that she couldn’t commit to other activities she was interested in, such as the radio station, choir, jazz band, etc., because so many of her evenings ended up filling up because of rehearsals.</p>

<p>Social/Entertainment:
She did have free time, however - it just was unpredictable. She was able to socialize a lot, primarily with her fellow theatre students, and virtually every weekend she was able to go into NYC. She saw more than a dozen plays this fall, and plans to see even more this semester now that she’s got the hang of it. She also saw lots of performances on campus, too - music, theatre and dance. </p>

<p>Workload/Stress level:
She found the homework pretty intense, particularly because she had the high-level liberal arts classes, but also in the theatre classes themselves. All of them had lots of reading and writing. They also were physically and emotionally demanding. Grading was hard, but she fully expected that. She did feel she had enough time to get things done, but as I described except for going to the theatre - which she feels is an essential part of her education experience - she didn’t have time for the “fun” that a lot of college students do. She was a bit lonely the first month, but once they all got comfortable socially she had the kind of lifestyle she really enjoys - basically living and breathing theatre and the arts in general.</p>

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<p>EmmyBet, does your daughter still have to complete the foreign language reqiurements? Adelphi seems like a great program, but it looks like students stay really busy between theatre and gen ed classes.</p>

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<p>Yes, Adelphi does have a substantial set of liberal arts requirements. The BFA is about 60 credits, and gen eds are about 30, including foreign language, so there are credits left over for electives, including more in theatre. Many of my D’s theatre friends have gotten lots of AP credits and don’t have to spend as much time on liberal arts as she does.</p>

<p>The Honors College courses there are not replaceable by APs. It’s very difficult to do both, but at this time she intends to complete both programs. Her hope has always been to get a solid liberal arts education as well as theatre training, so Adelphi was a good choice for her.</p>

<p>The two year foreign language requirement can be hard to fit in, if you don’t have AP credit or pass their placement tests. She took 3 years of Spanish in HS but would prefer to take something else. She might take a year of classwork and do a summer program. Getting proficiency in a foreign language (which wasn’t very possible at our HS) is another personal goal for her.</p>

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<p>Thank you thank you EB! Looking forward to more!</p>

6

<p>I’m going to follow the same format as EmmyBet for simplicity’s sake: for a freshman BA at SUNY Fredonia (first semester)</p>

<p>Classes:
I was required to take Script Analysis, Intro to Acting, Intro to Performing Arts and a Seminar for theatre majors. I took Intro to Technical Theatre the second semester (and got into Intro to Dance! That’s an elective though). I also took two required basic courses in Philosophy and Freshman writing. 17 credits total although every semester after that I’ve done 20 (max. is supposed to be 18).
Freshmen are to fulfill a semester working in the Scene Shop building sets for our mainstage productions and another semester in the Costume shop doing the same. We were divided up into groups and our group would be assigned to come in and work fifteen hours in the week from 3:30-8:15 (with a short dinner break. Of course, now they’ve changed the schedule to give freshmen more time late at night to do homework and give them Fridays off!)</p>

<p>Performing:
Freshmen can audition–depending on your major, that is. ALL performance BFAs are required to audition for the mainstage shows, including freshmen. For BAs, this is optional and usually done. Freshmen BFAs can’t audition for anything else (including Acapellas groups, Improv, film, independent projects, etc. except for the One Acts) for the first year though so this is where freshmen BAs have the advantage. Several freshmen BFAs were cast in the mainstage shows, including two as Liesel and Rolf (Sound of Music)!</p>

<p>Extra-curricular:
The first semester, I really got to be involved in a lot. I joined the Quidditch team (laugh all you want, but we did ace at the world cup!), the lucid dreamers’ club, the stage combat club, the creative writing group…I worked on one show personally my freshman year, as the assistant stage manager of an independent production, but other than that, I did what I did in the shops and then I was free to go out a lot to open mic nights and to see the Improv shows. Now that I’m more in with the department and taking more credits, I don’t get to be as involved anymore but they understand and I do what I can. </p>

<p>Social/Entertainment:
We probably did over thirty shows in the year and I think I saw them all. I had coffee dates with friends once a week at our favorite place on campus. I play Quidditch and go to the comedy shows. I don’t get out on the town a lot but I enjoy what I do. :)</p>

<p>Workload/Stress level:
It was probably more intense than I realized but I loved it so much that I did it without thinking or complaining about it. </p>

<p>Side note: I am also a blogger for the theatre department and I write about my current life as a student there quite frequently but I also keep a personal blog about really being a theatre major; what I think of the degrees themselves, what exactly I’m learning in class today, the shows I work on and what we are doing with them. CC doesn’t let me post links to blogs apparently but if anyone wants to take a read then send me a message!</p>

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<p>I’m bumping this while we’ve got lots of action on this thread. Anyone who is already at a school, who would take the time to describe your schedule, classes, performance opportunities,etc.-- would be helping future students immensely! Thanks!</p>