<p>Should I go to an acting school or an ivy league?</p>
<p>(assuming my apps are all on point and what not. I just don't know if I should dedicate myself to acting or go somewhere more... idk.. secure I guess).</p>
<p>For those who want more information:</p>
<p>Well, I absolutely love acting. There's something so freeing about it and I've always dreamed about acting in my future. It just sounded so ideal. As college looms closer and closer, I'm beginning to second guess my dreams more and more and I'm beginning to become a bit more realistic. In all honesty, the chances of me being successful as an actor are very slim. However, I would still love to act and if I went to acting school, I would know for sure what I wanted to do with my life afterwards. On the other hand, I have a passion for learning and I'm kind of decent at school; I can confidently say I'm smart, while I can't exactly say that about my talent in acting. Going to a school like Yale (that is, if I somehow got in!) would still be loads of fun for me and I would probably enjoy it just as much as acting school. That being said, I don't have any passion to pursue a career in a more "intellectual" field. I mean, it just sounds boring to be an engineer (even though I really like math and that kind of stuff???). Anyways, I don't want to feel like I wasted my intelligence by going to acting school but I also don't want to feel like I sacrificed something I enjoy. In the end, I'm probably split between acting and school stuff half and half.</p>
<p>So, what do you think I should do? Whatever I do, I know that I want to go to the very best place possible to pursue whatever I'm chasing. I wish there were a school that combined the two, but I have yet to find a school that does that for me. NYU, Carnegie, and Yale seem to sound the most appealing, but I just don't know. I'm really lost in all of this. Sorry if I didn't give enough information, either. I'm just really confused and I'm having trouble processing and communicating everything properly. If you need some clarification, I'll be happy to clear anything up.</p>
<p>I’d take a gap year from ‘real college’ if I were you to pursue acting school. Perhaps being in such an environment will help you realize if acting is something you want to do seriously as a career.</p>
<p>There are lots of schools that combine the study of acting with more academic pursuits.</p>
<p>Northwestern is one that immediately comes to mind. Nearly any liberal arts college has a theatre department and many allow / encourage double majors. There are dozens of colleges that might fit the bill for you.</p>
<p>You should check out the drama/theatre major forum - lots of discussion there about this and related topics.</p>
<p>Also, you can pursue a BA in theatre rather than a BFA for a more balanced approach between acting and other more academic interests. (Check out the thread on BA vs. BFA for more nuanced discussion of the differences between these two types of degrees.)</p>
<p>The Val of our school chose to go to Yale to study, but she said they had a great theater program and she is active in many of their productions. I don’t know if that is what you are looking for, but I am sure there are similar programs at the other schools. </p>
<p>Research all the schools you’re interested in attending and find out what they are able to provide.</p>
<p>I’m particularly interested in Yale’s theatre program since I’ve heard that it’s pretty good while also combining very rigorous academics. However, it seems like there aren’t any colleges that truly combine the two. I mean, it just feels like you’re sort of picking between, even if you get to have both at the same, if that makes any sense. I’ll be sure to check out those forums, though! Thanks for your thoughts, and if anybody has something they want to say, feel free to share. More opinions are always welcome!</p>
<p>I suppose that this is anecdotal but it may be helpful - Of the dozen or so of theater majors I have known, none have ended up in acting careers. The one person I know who has been successful in landing many TV (but not film) roles had a college major with nothing to do with acting or theater. He did act in most of the school plays, though, and had a knack for self-promotion. He was also very good. Great actors do not necessarily come from acting programs or schools, any more than great artists or musicians come from art or music schools.</p>
<p>Is Yale in your range of schools academically? I wouldn’t feel comfortable projecting anyone to get into HYP. What are you standardized test scores?</p>
<p>Another vote for Northwestern theater that combines preprofessional training with strong liberal arts education. Meryl Streep (Yale alum), Mikhail Baryshnikov, and Tom Hanks sent their kids there.</p>
<p>OP, you may want to PM amtc. Her D turned down Yale for Northwestern and is a theater major.</p>
<p>Not an Ivy school, but Fordham - Lincoln Center has a strong acting program (auditions required for admittance) and the school will give you a well rounded academics and you earn a BA degree.</p>
<p>apkid3,
I’m thinking hypothetically if I got into a very prestigious acting school vs a very prestigious liberal arts school. I know the odds of that actually happening are almost 0, but I’m keeping my hopes high (while being realistic at the same time). However, my grades and standardized tests (that i’ve taken thus far) would qualify me for “consideration” at an ivy league. </p>
<p>snarlatron,
your experience provides me with some comfort, but I would still enjoy the journey and the incredible lessons that are taught at an acting school.</p>