<p>I really want to get a great musical theatre education in college. However, I would also like to study French, so I prefer a liberal arts college to a conservatory. I would like to go to a school that is competitive academically in addition to having a strong theatre program. Any suggestions? </p>
<p>My information:
SAT score : 2200 (math 690, reading 740, writing 770)
ACT score: 31
High school GPA: 4.21 weighted, approximately 3.8 unweighted</p>
<p>I’m not expert in this area, but I’d look into Bard, Skidmore, Muhlenberg, Wesleyan and perhaps also Fordham Lincoln Center (which has a great theater program but not as much musical theater)</p>
<p>I’ve looked at skidmore and muhlenberg already. Both look like they have great theatre. But I am hoping to find a school a bit more selective academically. I have been considering Amherst and Middlebury. However,I don’t really like the rural setting of middlebury, and I’m not really sure if Amherst has a very strong theatre program.</p>
<p>Although not as selective, Ithaca College has a very good theater program. Also Cornell’s program has turned out some talent.</p>
<p>Thanks! Do you know if Ithaca has a ba program? I only know about their bfa.</p>
<p>Muhlenberg, Muhlenberg and Muhlenberg</p>
<p>p.s. where did you come up with muhlenberg not being selective academically? that is not even close to being true!</p>
<p>I know that it is somewhat selective, but I really want a school where my scores and gpa won’t be too far above the average range of students admitted. So I thought that based on scores and average gpa listed in the Princeton review.
So are you studying theatre there? I’ve heard their program is really outstanding. The only thing I didn’t like was its location in allentown.</p>
<p>^^^ I do not attend muhlenberg, however I assure you that you will be challenged at the school if you go. many schools which have a rep as being more rigorous (I will not name) have a cut throat non supportive environment and the outcomes are not better then a school like muhlenberg. muhlenberg is a rapidly rising school for students looking for a great all around undergrad experience. you are going to school for the college not for the city. you have everything you need at or close by the school. including an airport and hospital(most people do not think about those two things) do you want to stay in allentown after you graduate?(probably not) the freshman retition rate is very very high and that speaks volumes about the feelings of those who attend. I think you should take the time to really check out the school.anyway enough of my babble!</p>
<p>Can your family afford a school where your scores aren’t “too far above the average?” There’s a difference between a school being “competitive academically” in terms of getting admitted versus providing an academically challenging environment. If you rule out the later, you’re really going to limit yourself.</p>
<p>Penny, Williams has a small but dynamic theater program, with excellent facilities. (And of course excellent overall academics.) Though the Williamstown Theater is not directly connected to the college the influence rubs off. The Berkshires area offers a lot in sophisticated arts focused culture, but it is, by definition, quite rural. You’d have to visit to see if it’s for you.</p>
<p>Princeton. 10 char</p>
<p>Take a look at Holy Cross which is 1 hour west of Boston and 3 hours north of NYC. HC has a superb Theatre department regularly winning the Moss Hart Award for best college production in all of New England (which has the highest concentration of the best colleges in the nation) and ranked #29 nationally per US News & World Reports and is division 1 in athletics.</p>
<p>Oberlin should be on your list. You don’t have to join the conservatory to access to the resources it provides and the student body includes a large percentage of performing artists.</p>
<p>Agreed on Williams and Oberlin.</p>
<p>So Oberlin has a ba as well as its bfa? I will definitely look into Williams. Thanks!</p>
<p>Northwestern</p>
<p>Might look at Holy Cross-very good LAC near Boston.</p>
<p>Have you read through the Musical Theatre sub-forum in the College Majors Forum? That is a good place to find ideas.</p>