<p>Hello all, this is my first post on this website. I just ended my junior year of high school and I was curious what you all thought were the best schools for drama or acting. Here are my test scores and such:</p>
<p>I've done some prior research on some schools I could get accepted to that have majors in drama available:</p>
<ul>
<li>New York University</li>
<li>Carnegie Mellon University</li>
<li>Boston University</li>
<li>North Carolina School of Arts</li>
<li>UCLA</li>
<li>William and Mary</li>
</ul>
<p>Yale and Northwestern are two reach schools for me, and could become more feasible depending on what I get on my SAT for october.</p>
<p>Also, I was curious about a few things:</p>
<ol>
<li>Do you have to audition to the arts school at a university right away? </li>
<li>Is it possible for me, at the best drama schools, to double major in drama and something else?</li>
<li>On a more general note, do the personal essays matter that much in the admissions process?</li>
<li>And will not taking an SAT Subject Test gravely hurt my chances at some of these schools?</li>
</ol>
<p>Hello and welcome! We wish you all the best.</p>
<p>It would be really helpful if you looked at other threads that ask and answer a lot of the same questions you are asking - these are great things to be thinking about.</p>
<p>My answer to most of your questions is that it depends on the school: for example, auditions are done differently everywhere, and you can’t generalize about essays, because each school really does weigh these factors in their own way. And read the websites: you’ll know which schools expect SAT2s (like Northwestern), which “recommend them” (like BU), and which don’t care at all.</p>
<p>As for your list, you only have one school (W&M) that could remotely be considering anything but a huge reach for anyone. All of the auditioned theatre programs are reaches. Their acceptance rates are at best in the 20-25% range (and the ones you list more like 10% or less) and audition results are completely unpredictable, unlike stats-based admissions. You need 2-3 schools on your list that are non-auditioned, where you are in their top 25% of stats AND that accept more that 30-40% of applicants (a true safety accepts more than 50%). </p>
<p>Read through the other threads and ask us some specific questions that you still have about how to keep building your list. Again, good luck!</p>
<p>I agree with emmybet, you’re asking very general questions. I did the same thing too, and I just finished junior year. I keep doing this, but I’m gonna refer you to the thread I created on this board: “selective schools that will allow me to double major?” there are some really great replies there, to questions similar to yours. it’s already 5 pages long, so it’s best to check out the answers there–otherwise you might ask all of the same things.</p>
<p>To the OP: Unless I am mistaken, SAT Subject Tests are required at NYU, Carnegie Mellon, BU, Yale and in certain subjects at Northwestern. Check the College Board website.</p>
<p>Check each school’s website. The information is often buried. My D applied to CMU, BU and Northwestern. CMU did not require them for arts majors; BU “recommended” them; Northwestern did require them. But we had to search within the specific majors’ admissions standards.</p>
<p>As for essays, I think it’s safe to assume that they ALWAYS matter. It’s a way for them to know who you are as a person. Even a school (like, supposedly, CMU) that bases “90%” of admissions on the audition, has to care what you’ve written in your essay.</p>
<p>My D had to write a theatre-specific essay for at least a couple of schools on her list. If you are applying to a non-auditioned, selective BA, they want to know who you are as a theatre person - Northwestern, for example, is definitely screening people through the applications. And some programs, like UMich, have pretty stringent theatre essay assignments. I recall that Montclair asked for a theatre essay as part of their pre-audition package.</p>
<p>Start a list and chart of all of the schools you’re interested in, and what they want in terms of testing, essays, and the rest. You’ll find where you can use the same essay for more than one school, and can get an idea of how many different essays you’re going to need to write. It’s going to be several, I assure you. And request your recommendations as soon as possible, too - two academic teachers (preferably one lit/hist and the other math/sci) and someone from your theatre background, or at least arts-related.</p>
<p>Thanks, EmmyBet for pointing that out. When I did this in 2008 with D, I only used the Collegboard site for that kind of info because she was a “regular” cadidate. Not an “arts” candidate. Now that my son, who is a rising senior, is looking at schools, I will check their websites and theater department requirements more thoroughyl.</p>
<p>The good news is that not requiring subject tests may have opened up a few more schools. He was “not thrilled” about taking more standardized tests! LOL.</p>
<p>My D applied (and was accepted) to NYU. She did not take any SAT subject tests. This was for admission for the 2010-2011 freshman class, so things can always change.</p>
<p>I’m really impressed with any kid who is managing this on his/her own. Hurray for all of you, and good luck to neualex! I think butterflies already knows I wish her well.</p>
<p>My D did take SAT2s, which came in handy when she threw in Northwestern as a “hail Mary” reach in the fall. She got an excellent Lit score, which we did send to pretty much all of the schools she applied to, particularly the BAs (maybe not the safeties … I don’t remember). We figured that could only help, but of course we’ll never really know.</p>
<p>NYU now has a variety of options for tests that need to be submitted. Check the website. IIRC, you can even use SAT2 instead of 1, but I think you need to submit three in that case (check the website, though!)…</p>