I’m looking for a strong focus on drama/acting, however I want a flexible liberal arts education because I feel that it’s important to be well-rounded. That’s why I’m afraid to gun for the crazy conservatory-type drama programs (Julliard, Rutgers, Carnegie Mellon), and I feel like that sort of intensity is better suited for a MFA program. So I’m trying to stay as well-rounded as possible, but I can’t go w/o doing some type of acting or in some type of theater program. I applied to quite a few B.F.A programs such as Boston U., Ithaca, Purchase, but I’d rather be attending those with a strong liberal arts focus that start broad and get more intensive when you pick a focus, like Emerson or Temple. If you have any suggestions for more B.F.A’s like those, let me know.
However I need help with B.A programs. I really want to have a good list of B.A programs with good theater programs, both because I can have that well rounded education with a focus on acting. My only issue is that I have a 3.3 GPA and a 1170 on the new SAT’s and I’m afraid that my grades won’t allow me to get into a good B.A program. Anybody have suggestions? Also let it be known that I’m not applying for any colleges in New York City because that’s where I live, and I want to go away for college. Thanks so much.
Some small LAC’s have BFAs that are a bit more “well rounded” and require courses outside drama. Illinois Wesleyan is one.
Some BA schools with strong theater focus include Mulenberg, Drew, Farleigh Dickenson
Regarding Purchase- you can apply specifically for the BA in theater I believe. A totally different program than the BFA there. Might be a better fit for you as the BFA is a true conservatory
Denison university in Ohio is a great LAC that is not quite as academically restrictive as some of the famous east coast LACs. Beautiful campus- and it is one of the “colleges that change lives” group.
The Pace BFA includes liberal arts covering ~8 areas of knowledge. They also have a BA international ensemble the would be worth a look. Marymount Manhattan has a BA program that is probably not as academically rigorous as Pace (which is itself not at the level of NYU) which could be helpful if you are concerned about whether your grades and scores will get you in elsewhere. Wagner has a good BA program in theatre arts and is a good liberal arts school. the performance concentration is very competitive but the theater arts is more liberal artsy and not audition based. All of those are in NYC. if you want to lol oitside that area then you have places everywhere from the Ohio schools (e.g. Oberlin, Denison, Wooster) to places like Muehlenberg in PA. If anything there are too many choices for good liberal arts schools with strong theatre programs. Some are audition, some not.
Pace and Marymount both have an average SAT score under the OPs score -so that would make them less of a reach than other programs (such as Oberlin, mentioned above, where the average is 1450). I don’t know much (if anything) about the BA programs at Pace or Marymount (though I know BFA students at both). I always hesitate with schools that have both BA and BFA programs, b/c in observing, it often seems like BAs get the short end of the stick JMHO
The BA at pace is audition based and is an international performance ensemble with an acting and directing emphasis. They also have two other acting BFA options and an MT BFA too. So all 4 programs are meant to be different programs and offer different things. All are audition based and competitive to get into. This is Different from a school with one BFA that is audition based and then a general non audition based BA in general theater studies.
Not sure how Marymount is set up.
I agree with you about the BA and BFA stuff @toowonderful
Students should really look into what each program offers. If a school has both - it may be that the BFA majors get preference for casting, classes, etc. definitely something to consider
In addition to the above good suggestions, you also might want to consider Butler University, which has an auditioned BA program in Theater. My daughter was accepted academically, and will audition with them at Chicago Unifieds (this is Butler’s first time at Unifieds, and they are only in Chicago. Otherwise, they are doing campus auditions.) https://www.butler.edu/theatre/major-minor
My daughter also applied to Bard College Early Action, which has a strong Theater BA, (she was accepted). She also really liked the program at Skidmore, which offers a pre-professional BS in Theater. https://www.skidmore.edu/admissions/academics/theater/
Also, Connecticut College is supposed to have a strong theater program as well, but we found it is very small during a campus visit and interview. My daughter really liked the opportunities for CT College theater students to access the nearby National Theater Institute. (They have a gorgeous campus and the school has an excellent reputation.) https://www.conncoll.edu/academics/majors-departments-programs/departments/theater/student-experience/
Just checked the application deadlines. You still have time to apply to Butler (2/1) and Skidmore (1/15). Academically, Butler seems like it would be a better fit.
Princeton Review’s List of “Top 20 Best College Theater” Anyone know exactly what they mean by "best college theater productions? I mean there’s no way that this ranking can be truly accurate from an objective view point.
1.Muhlenberg
2. Sarah Lawrence
3. Wagner
4. SUNY Purchase
5. Bennington
6. Stephens
7. Drew
8. Carnegie Mellon
9. Catawba
10. Emerson
11. Bard
12. Clark
13. Wesleyan
14. Ithaca
15. Wabash
16. Fordham
17. Columbia
18. Univ. of Chicago
19. Elon
20. Brown
If I am remembering correctly - and someone please tell me if I am not… wasn’t this based on responses to a survey question to the student body at various schools- - as in “how would you rate your school’s theater productions?”
Just looked it up (under methodology at the top of the page) and that is exactly how they got the rankings. Which is great in terms of how the campus feels about the shows being done- but isn’t really an empirical list
@PeaceLoveTheatre UMN BA is totally separate from the BFA. Completely different faculty and programming.
They do not require an audition. Anyone can declare the major as a BA. You can audition for talent scholarship.
I personally think the BA program concentrations look interesting. I know some alumni do work at the Guthrie after graduation.
However if you are wanting similar training to the BFA it may not offer that intensity. Look at the curriculum and performance opportunities to see if it matches your needs
Like any program there are students who report loving it and others who don’t.