<p>Hello everyone. I'm a freshman in high school, but I really have a good plan out for college, etc. I'm currently in all honor and one AP class, and I have a 3.168 GPA. I usually do a lot better, but lots of teacher problems. Anyway, I'm hoping to go to a early college program called Bard College at Simon's Rock. This is in the Berkshires, and I was thinking I could still get a NYC agent. I later would like to transfer to NYU, USC, or Northwestern after I get my AA from SR. I have been acting since 6, and have been in more than 20 plays. In the last four years I have transferred into the field of film acting. It was very hard for me, because I was very theatrical. I ended up going to a convention called AMTC, and got some agents. I now have an Atlanta and Nashville agent. I really haven't got much, and these are small markets. I'm now back into theater in high school, and it's not as good as I remember. I like film acting better, I just like to be more natural. I also have a passion of print journalism, and would love to do both. </p>
<p>The only two acting programs I can see myself going to are NYU, and Chapman University. I would transfer as a junior, but I'm not sure if it is even worth going for acting. NYU has the Stonestreet studio. I'm not even sure how good that is. If I transferred to NYU I would like to double major with print journalism. Then, there is Chapman University. It really isn't that strong in academics compared to my other schools. It is the only school that actually has a Film Acting degree. It is very new, so lets see how that goes. It's journalism is nothing when compared to USC and even to Pepperdine. </p>
<p>If I went to USC or Northwestern I would probably do just journalism. There programs are mostly stage, which I don't like. Chicago isn't a huge market for film, but they do have one of the best world wide journalism programs. The pro of USC is that it is in LA, the capital of film acting. I'm also intrested in some television & screen writing. NYC is more for stage, lol. I really can't see any other programs, because personally don't like classical theater at all. I'm not into the whole Shakespeare stuff, but I think I could see myself in plays like Barefoot in The Park. I do know Yale has a very good program for Theater, but would I like that and isn't that graduate school? Do you think it is even worth going to school for acting? Any school suggestions I could transfer after Bard at Simon's Rock? I haven't got anything in this market, mostly because of this economy. Any feedback? Thanks guys!</p>
<p>You are way too stressed out for a Freshman! I have a good friend whose daughter went to Simon Rock and is now a Freshman at Bard and is thrilled, but she’s not interested in acting in at all.</p>
<p>What I suggest you do is spend some time looking at different Theatre/Drama schools on line, learn the difference between a BA and BFA program, and see what these school offer in journalism also. I’m not sure where you got your NYU info from but it’s not complete at all. From your post it appears you have a few interests and might like a school with a good BA double major program or even a school with a good journalism school but a strong theatre program but no theatre major. Cornell is one that comes to mind immediately and I think Columbia also.</p>
<p>Calm down, take some time to do some research, and then, next year as a sophomore you’ll be better prepared to start your search in earnest. Relax and have fun at this point, there’s plenty of time to stress in the next few years.</p>
<p>early college, I agree with amtc that you’re stressing far too early! I also agree that some research (you have lots of time) is necessary but you should be concentrating at this point on your training and also on your academics. </p>
<p>I’m not sure why NYU and Chapman would be the only two schools you can see yourself attending. If the NYU focus is solely for Stonestreet, then you’re going to have to alter your plan. Stonestreet is a secondary studio, not a primary one so you would not be able to transfer into Tisch and go into that studio. Transfers usually have to begin in freshman year studio (in one of the primary studios), even if they actually have sophomore standing. Double majoring while in Tisch is possible but difficult, and my guess is that it might be impossible if you were a transfer. There is an abundance of information that I could continue with here but, since you have a lot of time before making these actual decisions, I recommend that you spend some time reading through the forum discussions as well as the individual school forums. You’ll learn a lot, and being an informed consumer/student/applicant is half the battle in this process. Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>I’m not really intrested in theater, more tv/film acting. I also would be a junior when going to NYU. It said you have to try out for Stonestreet as a junior, and it would be my first year. I don’t want to go to school for theater, so that’s the problem. Most acting schools are just that. I know you have to be versitile, but they’re totally different fields. Also, Cornell and Columbia do not have journalism major for undergraduate. I have done a lot of research and talked to NYU directly. Thanks for your help, and AMTC: how did you come up with that name? :)</p>
<p>While I agree that there are certain distinctions between acting for the stage and acting for the screen, much of the training you will get in college acting programs will prepare you for both. Good actors are good actors, and typically, many of the best actors on screen have spent a good amount of time onstage. This is evident in both movies and television, particularly in good tv shows like Law & Order (most of the actors in all the L & O series are theatre actors as the show is shot in NYC), West Wing, Oz, Six Feet Under, Dexter, etc.</p>
<p>Yes, Stonestreet is a studio that Tischies can audition/apply for as a junior but that’s after they complete their primary studio requirements. All Tisch drama majors are required to spend two years in a primary studio as a requisite for their BFA. You would not be able to be granted a BFA in Drama from Tisch without that primary studio credit.</p>
<p>also, don’t indicate to college programs that you haven’t gotten many jobs because of “small markets” or “the economy”. you don’t know that.</p>
<p>to answer your question, there are many successful actors with degrees in acting and many without (everything from no degree at all to a BA in russian literature). i don’t think you (or a bunch of well meaning people on cc) can predict whether a degree will really make a difference in helping you as an actress.</p>
<p>I’m not recommending this as a way to pick your future college. But it might help give you some perspective as to what kind of college degree can be helpful to the kind of actor you want to be, and what schools offer good programs.</p>
<p>No offense taken. Your original question was whether it’s worth going to school for acting. I just thought it might be helpful to have a way to see what other actors have accomplished by going to school for acting (although a quick glance at the IMDB indicates that lots and lots and lots of actors went to school for other things instead).</p>
<p>I do understand, but my whole question was that do you think it’s worth it to go to school for acting? Each actor is different. Do you think it’s fine if I just go into print journalism? Thanks for your advice!</p>
<p>You would if you were there for three years. Many Tischies do two years of their primary studio then a year, or even two, of a secondary studio.</p>
<p>I’ve only ever heard of sophomore transfers into Tisch, never a junior. Transfers typically have to enter freshman studio, even if they have sophomore standing with NYU. So, if a transfer wanted to do two years of primary studio and then one year of a secondary studio, they could conceivably graduate on time as long as all of their other necessary credits were obtained (or transferred from their original college).</p>
I also agree that some research (you have lots of time) is necessary but you should be concentrating at this point on your training and also on your academics. </p>