looking for a good small performance arts college

<p>Friend's daughter plays the flute and dances ballet...interested in small school for the arts, not a conservatory.</p>

<p>Muhlenberg has an excellent theater department, and a very flexible dance department. Since my d isn'tb into music, I don't know how good their instrumental instruction is.</p>

<p>Depending on her grades, she may also want to check out Vassar.</p>

<p>Here is a list of top liberal arts colleges sorted by the proportion of bachelors graduates in visual and performing arts. 2004 IPEDS data.</p>

<p>college, SAT 75th percentile, total number of bachelors graduates, number of bachelors graduates in visual and performing arts, proportion of graduates in visual and performing arts</p>

<p>BENNINGTON COLLEGE 1300 129 74 0.57
BARD COLLEGE 1440 306 106 0.35
OBERLIN COLLEGE 1440 722 192 0.27
PRINCIPIA COLLEGE 1270 113 21 0.19
LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY 1340 314 58 0.18
SCRIPPS COLLEGE 1440 172 29 0.17
SWEET BRIAR COLLEGE 1255 132 21 0.16
BELOIT COLLEGE 1300 261 38 0.15
GOUCHER COLLEGE 1290 272 40 0.15
HOLLINS UNIVERSITY 1280 189 29 0.15
MILLS COLLEGE 1280 194 30 0.15
SAINT OLAF COLLEGE 1340 708 109 0.15
SKIDMORE COLLEGE 1340 597 92 0.15
VASSAR COLLEGE 1460 614 90 0.15
WELLS COLLEGE 1230 91 14 0.15
WHITMAN COLLEGE 1440 337 48 0.14
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 1490 722 92 0.13
WHEATON COLLEGE 1300 356 45 0.13
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE 1400 452 54 0.12
PITZER COLLEGE 1330 207 24 0.12
CARLETON COLLEGE 1480 455 48 0.11
ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 1380 462 51 0.11
KENYON COLLEGE 1420 399 42 0.11
MUHLENBERG COLLEGE 1320 595 66 0.11
SEWANEE: THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH 1320 313 34 0.11
SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY 1360 311 34 0.11
WILLIAMS COLLEGE 1520 531 57 0.11
HAMILTON COLLEGE 1420 457 45 0.1
OCCIDENTAL COLLEGE 1360 459 46 0.1
SMITH COLLEGE 1370 688 71 0.1
AGNES SCOTT COLLEGE 1300 204 18 0.09
BARNARD COLLEGE 1430 600 51 0.09
BIRMINGHAM SOUTHERN COLLEGE 1300 236 22 0.09
DENISON UNIVERSITY 1330 514 44 0.09
GRINNELL COLLEGE 1490 367 32 0.09
WHEATON COLLEGE 1420 604 56 0.09</p>

<p>Cornish College of the Arts is a good one. It's in Seattle, and the dance program is excellent.</p>

<p>Here's a list of 4-year private arts colleges I quickly generated on finduru.com</p>

<p>Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MN)
<a href="http://www.mcad.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.mcad.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
722 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$26,110 School website:
<a href="http://www.mcad.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.mcad.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Memphis College of Art (TN)
<a href="http://www.mca.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.mca.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
289 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$20,660 School website:
<a href="http://www.mca.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.mca.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>School of the Museum of Fine Arts (MA)
<a href="http://www.smfa.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.smfa.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
634 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$26,244 School website:
<a href="http://www.smfa.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.smfa.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Maine College of Art (ME)
<a href="http://www.meca.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.meca.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
377 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$26,090 School website:
<a href="http://www.meca.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.meca.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Savannah College of Art and Design (GA)
<a href="http://www.scad.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.scad.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
6,913 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$24,390 School website:
<a href="http://www.scad.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.scad.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Pacific Northwest College of Art (OR)
<a href="http://www.pnca.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.pnca.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
336 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$18,224 School website:
<a href="http://www.pnca.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.pnca.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University (MA)
<a href="http://www.aiboston.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.aiboston.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
825 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$22,225 School website:
<a href="http://www.aiboston.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.aiboston.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>California College of the Arts (CA)
<a href="http://www.cca.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.cca.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
1,310 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$27,914 School website:
<a href="http://www.cca.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.cca.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Thomas More College of Liberal Arts (NH)
<a href="http://www.thomasmorecollege.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.thomasmorecollege.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
92 Locale:
Rural setting Out-of-state tuition:
$12,250 School website:
<a href="http://www.thomasmorecollege.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.thomasmorecollege.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Otis College of Art and Design (CA)
<a href="http://www.otis.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.otis.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
1,073 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$27,596 School website:
<a href="http://www.otis.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.otis.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Columbus College of Art and Design (OH)
<a href="http://www.ccad.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.ccad.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
1,581 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$21,296 School website:
<a href="http://www.ccad.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.ccad.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Moore College of Art and Design (PA)
<a href="http://www.moore.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.moore.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
507 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$24,788 School website:
<a href="http://www.moore.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.moore.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Cornish College of the Arts (WA)
<a href="http://www.cornish.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.cornish.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
788 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$24,100 School website:
<a href="http://www.cornish.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.cornish.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts (CT)
<a href="http://www.lymeacademy.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.lymeacademy.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
149 Locale:
Rural setting Out-of-state tuition:
$19,398 School website:
<a href="http://www.lymeacademy.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.lymeacademy.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>University of the Arts (PA)
<a href="http://www.uarts.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.uarts.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
2,117 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$25,680 School website:
<a href="http://www.uarts.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.uarts.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Montserrat College of Art (MA)
<a href="http://www.montserrat.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.montserrat.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
280 Locale:
Suburban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$22,300 School website:
<a href="http://www.montserrat.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.montserrat.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Art Center College of Design (CA)
<a href="http://www.artcenter.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.artcenter.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
1,485 Locale:
Suburban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$27,910 School website:
<a href="http://www.artcenter.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.artcenter.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Corcoran College of Art and Design (DC)
<a href="http://www.corcoran.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.corcoran.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
459 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$24,489 School website:
<a href="http://www.corcoran.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.corcoran.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Art Academy of Cincinnati (OH)
<a href="http://www.artacademy.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.artacademy.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
160 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$20,250 School website:
<a href="http://www.artacademy.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.artacademy.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (PA)
<a href="http://www.pcad.edu/%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.pcad.edu/&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
225 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$14,057 School website:
<a href="http://www.pcad.edu/%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.pcad.edu/&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Cleveland Institute of Art (OH)
<a href="http://www.cia.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.cia.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
490 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$28,891 School website:
<a href="http://www.cia.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.cia.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Maryland Institute College of Art (MD)
<a href="http://www.mica.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.mica.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
1,640 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$28,670 School website:
<a href="http://www.mica.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.mica.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Laguna College of Art and Design (CA)
<a href="http://www.lagunacollege.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.lagunacollege.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
310 Locale:
Suburban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$19,600 School website:
<a href="http://www.lagunacollege.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.lagunacollege.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>School of the Art Institute of Chicago (IL)
<a href="http://www.saic.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.saic.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
2,274 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$29,220 School website:
<a href="http://www.saic.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.saic.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Oregon College of Art & Craft (OR)
<a href="http://www.ocac.edu/%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.ocac.edu/&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
117 Locale:
Suburban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$17,850 School website:
<a href="http://www.ocac.edu/%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.ocac.edu/&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>California Institute of the Arts (CA)
<a href="http://www.calarts.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.calarts.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
831 Locale:
Suburban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$30,075 School website:
<a href="http://www.calarts.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.calarts.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts (NY)
<a href="http://www.lang.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.lang.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
1,164 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$29,210 School website:
<a href="http://www.lang.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.lang.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>College of Visual Arts (MN)
<a href="http://www.cva.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.cva.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
172 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$19,936 School website:
<a href="http://www.cva.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.cva.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map </p>

<p>Art Institute of Phoenix (AZ)
<a href="http://www.aipx.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.aipx.edu&lt;/a>
Four-year
Private School size:
1,053 Locale:
Urban setting Out-of-state tuition:
$17,655 School website:
<a href="http://www.aipx.edu%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.aipx.edu&lt;/a> Show location on map</p>

<p>Drew University is a small LAC with an excellent theater department.</p>

<p>Not so small, but from what I've heard University of the Arts in Philadelphia is awesome. It attracts lots of kids from other states that want an urban/dynamic atmosphere. Kids who end up there can't say enough about it.</p>

<p>dance is particularly strong at</p>

<p>barnard
connecticut college
oberlin
skidmore
smith
vassar
wesleyan</p>

<p>zooper1, I think you need to clarify whether she's looking for a liberal arts college or university at which she could major in music or dance as well as take other courses OR a "performing arts" focused college at which everyone is involved in some aspect of the arts OR a special performance based school within a larger university.</p>

<p>I think Huskem's list is good and for a combination of dance and music in a small liberal arts school setting I would add Williams. Although it's a highly selective school they admit a high percentage of kids with talent in performing arts and there are many opportunities for performance on campus, even for non-majors. They have beautiful, new performance facilities and a high level of support for campus events in the arts.</p>

<p>Bard has an excellent dance program.</p>

<p>Barnard has a joint program with Juilliard, and Columbia does, too, I think- And Barnard has an excellent dance program, so it's definitely worth looking into. </p>

<p>Here's a good link about this program: <a href="http://www.juilliard.edu/admissions/generalap.html#ops%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.juilliard.edu/admissions/generalap.html#ops&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Go to the Arts and Musical Theater threads under MAJORS. More info tha you will know what to do with.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the replies. I think I will introduce my friend to this forum and let her do some reading! You all have been very helpful!</p>