Hi! So I’m in a bit of a weird situation. I’m currently a first semester freshman currently going to a school with a really good theatre program, and was denied entrance when I tried to transfer in. It’s a little painful to be around theatre majors constantly, but not being able to be apart of it and I’ve realized after not being able to perform for the first semester of my freshman year, that it’s really my true passion and what I need to be doing. Last year, as a high school senior, I was pretty uneducated and only auditioned for really high reach audition programs and got rejected from all. Now that I want to transfer colleges, I want to make sure I curate a good list of reaches safeties and matches. I’m currently looking for more underrated audition based programs, programs with big acceptance rates, and good non-audition BA (or even BFA haha!) acting/theatre colleges. I’d prefer to stay close to a big city, preferably NYC. Does anyone have any advice? Thank you!
Hi @blueticket31 - assuming you auditioned as a BA trying to get into your school’s BFA program?
You might start by reading this thread:
and looking to see how those schools match up with your desired transfer goal. In the NY area for higher-chance audition-in programs off the top of my head there’s Wagner, which has an auditioned BA and Adelphi and LIU for BFAs. But as you know, there’s no such thing as an auditioned safety and NYC is a popular location for Theatre majors.
For non-audition BAs I think you are going to want to find a school that doesn’t have a BFA program because otherwise you’ll be in the same boat as you are now - a BA kid in a BFA world. Maybe if you look at the class of 2023 thread and see which BA programs people are looking at it would be helpful. Or maybe just look for BA schools in your desired location that you can afford / transfer into. Just about every school will have enthusiastic, dedicated theatre kids and the judgement of what a “good” program is will depend upon the priorities of the applicant.
Vassar I believe has a drama department that anyone can choose for a major. Whether you get cast in a production is another story. I think that’s audition based. however there are other opportunities on campus with many student productions. It’s on the train line Metronorth to NYC.
I would also check out Bard. On Amtrak line to NYC
I think Wagner requires an audition.
I think that Drew does NOT require an audition.
Skidmore does NOT require an audition for the major but does for the productions.
Barnard/ Columbia does NOT require an audition for the major
Wesleyan U does not require an audition for the major
I would also check out Connecticut College,
Wheaton College in Mass
There are probably several others!
I am no expert in this area!!
AMDA and Brooklyn College are two New York BFA programs with high acceptance rates. My son didn’t have much training or experience, but was accepted to both of those programs (and rejected everywhere else).
What are your financial constraints? Are you a NYS resident? Can your family afford private school tuition or do you have to do SUNY (like my kids)? You also have to consider how many of your credits will transfer to another program. How wedded are you to being near NYC?
My son is at SUNY Fredonia, which is not near NYC but since we live in a bedroom community of the city, he was eager to get away. He just transferred from the theater tech BFA to the regular theater BA. I have observed that his school casts BFA MT, BFA Acting and BA Theater students in its shows. S17 has told me that non-theater majors have even been cast.
Closer to the city, there is Sarah Lawrence, which is very expensive, sticker price wise. S17 has a friend there and she has had numerous acting opportunities. She’s a theater minor. It’s a non-audition program.
SUNY Purchase is also well known for acting, but I am not sure how many transfer students it takes. There is a non-audition theater program but I don’t know anything about casting opportunities.
Maybe try western Connecticut state university. Its a non audition and definitely a good safety.