I thought that it might be helpful and kind of fun to put together a thread that points out schools similar to some of the most popular programs:
If you like Carnegie Mellon or NYU, then you might like…
Emerson
Miami
Syracuse Eastern, established MT programs with solid academics
If you like Boston Conservatory, then you might like…
Emerson
Hartt
Manhattan School of Music
Point Park
Rider
Roosevelt
Shenandoah
U Arts Eastern and/or urban, conservatory/conservatory-style schools
If you like Ithaca, then you might like…
American
Catholic
Emerson
Molloy/Cap 21
Rider
Wagner Northeastern, smallish, private schools
If you like the University of Michigan or CCM, then you might like…
Florida State
Indiana
Oklahoma
Penn State
Texas State Very large public schools with very selective MT programs
If you like Baldwin-Wallace or Oklahoma City U, then you might like…
Illinois Wesleyan
Millikin University
Ohio Northern University
Otterbein University
Viterbo University
Webster University Midwestern, smallish, private schools in suburban or small-to-midsize cities.
If you like Ball State, then you might like…
Northern Colorado
Western Michigan
Wright State Midwestern, public, mid-size schools
If you like Elon, then you might like…
TCU Southern, private schools with solid academics
If you like Northwestern, then you might like…
UCLA
USC (MT Minor) BA programs at academically rigorous schools
Great post! I would not put Carnegie Mellon in the “solid academic” category for BFA Students though. Obviously it is a fantastic and prestigious school academically as well as for the conservatory. However, BFA students do not take many classes with the “general population” there. There are minimal requirements outside of the drama school. And they tell you grades are not as important for admission as they would be in a non-audition major.
NYU has a lot of academic requirements. They also require high academics for admission (like Michigan). NYU and CMU are in two different categories in my opinion. Both fabulous schools but NYU is much more academically focused.
@bfahopeful - you are correct, but the academics are there if you want them. I know a kid who made time (with summer classes in many cases) to take far more than the limited “required” academics. Plus, there is the academic reputation of the school as a whole. After all, if you applied for another type of job, people wouldn’t necessarily know how many academic classes you had taken- but they know the reputation of the school.
Also- in thinking of adding on from the acting side- I might add Boston to Eastern/academic, and Fordham to BA/academic
I just didn’t want someone to think it required the amount of academics some other schools do and have as part of the regular program. It is a great school!
I love the human rights program at Columbia, the global liberal studies program at NYU, the school of foreign service at Georgetown, the international affairs/human rights/language combined program at Northeastern, human rights program at UChicago - I’m applying to nyu, Columbia, Boston university, Georgetown, Emory, northeastern, Uchicago but who feel less worried if I could apply to more schools. Anyone know of other urban colleges with good journalism/human rights/international affairs/global studies majors and a lot of study abroad options similar to these colleges? ( I looked at as safety’s American and GWU but did not like them )
When I was putting this list together, I had a really hard time right off the bat trying to figure how to find programs that can compare to Carnegie Mellon - a “true” conservatory program with very limited gen ed requirements at a very prestigious academic university in the East, with the oldest theatre program in the country. However, I couldn’t lead off with any school other than CMU, so I did my best - and my justification is exactly what @toowonderful said, “the academics are there if you want them” and “(long) established theatre program.”
It gets tricky to figure out where to put schools - but I might add Belmont to the “If you like Elon, list” of southern, private schools with good academics?
I also thought about putting Coastal with the “if you like Ball State” group - but it is Southeastern, not midwest. But as far as type of school I think it is somewhat similar in size and program.
But I defer to you @EmsDad. I think your list is great just the way it is!
@vnnstar - I agree completely about Belmont being in the “Elon list” with TCU, I thought of it shortly after I posted the list. I was working from the list of schools at the top of the page and so that’s how I missed Belmont. I was actually hoping that people would start making some suggestions to add to the lists or even make some new categories. For example, I ran out of time before I could figure out how to make a list for Pace, another very popular school.
Would love to hear of more schools under the academic rigorous with BA program. D is at USC for theatre exactly because it was non-audition BA where she can take courses outside her major. S18 may want the same. Northwestern would be perfect if it gave decent merit money.
@toowonderful Pace academics vary a little bit depending on which program you are in (they have several BFAs and BA option in the PA school). One thing I liked when my D looked at it was that BFA students can fit in a minor - especially if they come in with AP or college credits. That sounds like Marymount a little. Not sure about DePaul. DePaul doesn’t have MT - not sure if this is just an MT list or not.
Another school to add into the Elon category of southern private schools with solid academics is Southern Methodist University. They actually require quite a bit of academic credit outside theatre. MT is a minor within the performance concentration of the BFA I believe. They are generous with scholarship money too.
@bfahopeful - I think SMU is a great school, unfortunately, SMU doesn’t include musicals in their theatre season at this time. Hence, I would not put it on the same comparative basis as schools like Elon, Belmont, and TCU for MT. I think they sometimes do student-produced musicals. Schools that do musicals that may be more comparable for MT, IMHO, are Samford and Baylor.
@vistajay, “Northwestern would be perfect if it gave decent merit money.”
Just a suggestion: Be sure to factor in that you’ll have two kids in college this time. You might be surprised how much that can impact the numbers. Many people who don’t qualify for need with one kid in college, do qualify with two. This may well not apply to you, but it’s good to keep in mind.
I would add Montclair to “if you like Boston Conservatory.” In the end my daughter narrowed it down to those 2 and agonized over the decision. One of her coaches told her that she had known of others who had agonized over the same decision.