<p>Hey guys,
I'm new here at CC, but have been reading some threads and thought I'd share my list!
Im applying for BFA/some BA Acting/theatre only, no MT... I'm open to adding/taking off my list, (although there are ten, Im open to anything, really) so I'd like to hear some thoughts and opinions on my list. My grades are mostly A's/few B's, so I'm not too worried about not being accepted academically to many of these schools since it's for Acting... Let me know what you think!</p>
<ol>
<li>University of Southern California, BFA Acting</li>
<li>SUNY Purchase, BFA Acting</li>
<li>University of Minnesota/Guthrie, BFA Acting</li>
<li>University of Cincinnati-CCM, BFA Drama</li>
<li>Rutgers University Mason-Gross, BFA Acting</li>
<li>Carnegie Mellon University, BFA Acting</li>
<li>Boston University, BFA Acting</li>
<li>UCLA, BA Theatre</li>
<li>Sarah Lawrence College, BA Theatre
And Juilliard, BFA Drama, because why not...</li>
</ol>
<p>Sounds great, although you should probably add a few safeties. SLC is probably a tad too competitive (as an academic admit) to be considered a true safety, even with your excellent GPA.</p>
<p>I agree with gh - all of your auditioned programs are dependent on factors you can’t control, and they have very low admissions odds. Imagine that list as 9 Ivies and Sarah Lawrence; I don’t think you’d feel right not adding a few more options.</p>
<p>Tell us a bit more about what you are looking for. Even BFAs are not all the same, and “top” means lots of things to different people. And what puts Sarah Lawrence on your list as a BA? There are schools that provide similar BA opportunities to SL, and we can make suggestions. One point I’ll make is that you will most likely get into UMinn as a BA (since you apply to the University before you audition for the BFA) and that can be an excellent option, depending on your interests. </p>
<p>There also are some non-audition BFAs all over the country - check out the thread that lists them if you absolutely want a BFA. None of us want to be too negative, but based on your list I’d be thinking seriously of what you’d do if you don’t get into any of those schools, or - and you haven’t mentioned money - if you can’t afford the one(s) you do get into.</p>
<p>Keep asking questions - we’re happy to help!</p>
<p>All those schools are highly competitive, I know – theatrically, academically and otherwise! I forgot to mention, I am applying to a local state school, Cal St Fullerton, which has a decent acting program and I already know I can get in, that’s why I’m “going big” with those 10 schools.<br>
Sarah Lawrence is on there, because both my parents went there and they’d be distraught if I didn’t at least apply. My weighted GPA is a 4.1 and I have a good SAT score. Really, the only long shots academically on my list are USC, CMU, BU and UCLA (possibly Sarah Lawrence, too, but due to their lack of male population, I think I have a great shot).
I’ve been doing theatre for about 6 years now, at local theatres and my high school. I also did summer training at Interlochen for 3 years and will be going for my senior year! I think they’ll help me get prepared for my auditions, but I want to have my list set before the year starts.
Anyone else applying to those schools?? I’d love to go back and forth about what you like/dont like about them!
Thanks a lot guys!</p>
<p>From what I can gather Fullerton has an extremely competitive acting program. You can do the BA route but to get into the BFA program you must attend one year and then you may audition for the program. I have heard they are very selective with who they admit to their BFA program.</p>
<p>Perhaps look at CalArts as another potential auditioned school. </p>
<p>In CA perhaps also look at UC Irvine? </p>
<p>You could look at Muhlenberg ¶ as another BA option. They have an optional audition for talent awards and do take demonstrated interest into account for academic admissions. </p>
<p>My S2 applied to several programs/universities on your list. Here are some things to keep in mind:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>University of Southern California, BFA Acting – it is possible to be admitted to USC’s Theatre BA if not admitted to BFA. Last year avg admit (BA) GPA: 3.8 UW, SAT: 2140. For BFA there can be less emphasis placed on stats. If you are in that range you have a good shot for backup BA.</p></li>
<li><p>Carnegie Mellon University, BFA Acting – if not admitted to BFA, there is no BA Theatre program</p></li>
<li><p>UCLA, BA Theatre – If not admitted to BA Theatre, your app is not even considered for other majors at UCLA. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>It’s a school by school thing and some schools would make your “top” list for their BFA program but may be less interesting for regular BA (SUNY out of state, for example). </p>
<p>There are slightly less difficult audition BFA schools you might add, if you’d love a BFA. There are many great schools with terrific Theatre BAs but no BFA which you seem to avoid on your list. Perhaps you might think a bit on what sort of program/academics/training you most would like to aim for.</p>
<p>KATmt, I visited Cal Arts, and it’s a great school, just not for me… UC Irvine is something I hadn’t thought of, it’s a good school and has a decent (ba?) program. That might be a good school to add, because I think I can be accepted academically!
Devonte32896, NYU was too hectic it seemed, and I did not visit Fordham, though I hear they have a great BA. I will check it out.
mets1962, Thank you!! Im so excited!
madbean, Thanks for the insight! I didn’t even know there were non-audition BFAs haha!!</p>
<p>We, too are working on list; my D has all very competitive BFA programs (Ithaca, Emerson, UofArts, Marymount) but our deal is that she also apply to Acting BA at LACs. Any ideas for our list? Her GPA is 3.4 with non-stellar SATs (1200), counselor suggested Drew as safety. Also are there any programs that if you’re not accepted into BFA you can still be considered for other BA majors?</p>
<p>As for BAs with her stats, Drew is a good place to start. Other B-B+ students here have looked at Muhlenberg, Goucher, University of New Hampshire, SUNY New Paltz (auditioned BA), and many others. If her SAT is 1200/2400, I would suggest she try the ACT, which might give her a score more in line with her grades.</p>
<p>There are schools that have a non-auditioned BA in theatre as well as an auditioned BFA in theatre. This is often at public schools with large departments. For example, Montclair State in NJ has both degrees in the same department. It does an interview for the BA (I’m not sure what the admissions stats are, but probably a bit less competitive than the BFA) so you can apply to both that and the auditioned BFA and see where you get in. In that case, the students in both programs tend to spend time together, just in different tracks. A different example is UMinnesota. There, the BFA is completely separate and auditioned, but there is a BA with its own department that only requires academic admission (and your D would have a good chance of that). </p>
<p>Going to a school with an auditioned BFA that you wanted but did not get into is a tricky thing to deal with. Sometimes a student really wants to be at that particular school; sometimes they are interested enough in another major that they would perhaps minor in theatre instead. Some find that the audition and admission process for theatre programs shows them that they want something very different than what they expected, and they choose a school for very personal reasons.</p>
<p>I would advise anyone who goes to a school where they were rejected from an auditioned program and then has to watch the kids who got in enjoying that privilege to think long and hard about how they would feel about that. I think generally it’s best to have applications to schools where you can get what you want and not feel like your “failure” is constantly staring you in the face. </p>
<p>Right now making a list is the most important thing - make sure there are options of any kind, and deal with those trickier questions later when the results are in. Good luck!</p>
<p>If money isn’t an object, you might want to consider Eugene Lang College/New School for a BA program, or Pace (where you can pursue a BA if you aren’t accepted into the more competitive BFA program). Both schools are in Manhattan, with loads of opportunities to make contacts in the NYC theater world. Temple University in Philadelphia is less expensive, but might be more competitive academically.</p>
<p>Neyvp - uc irvine has a bfa and a ba program, my friend went there for the ba and did not have a great experience, she felt because she wasn’t in the bfa program she was kind of swept to the side. That was just her individual experience though. I don’t know how difficult it is to get into irvine’s bfa program though.</p>
<p>UC Irvine’s BFA is VERY competitive. They only had 5 BFA seniors last year. It’s still in my tops though because even if you don’t get the BFA you can still take most of the classes and they’re very good. Lots of talent at this school. However, it is a large public university so I’m sure it takes some effort to stand out. I can easily imagine people feeling swept aside.</p>
<p>FYI - UCI’s BFA is in musical theater. There is no acting BFA, for drama it BA only. Although I have heard talk about upcoming entrance auditions.</p>
<p>First, please educate me about CC etiquette; I don’t want to hijack neyvp’s thread but do want to pose some more questions about BFA vs BA theater. Should I start a new thread?
BTW Thanks, EmmyBet; you make a great point about being happy at a school where you didn’t make the BFA cut; could I ask you a follow up about that?</p>
<p>I’m reasonably new here but I’ve never seen anyone get upset at hijacking a thread to discuss something that came up in a post. Thats just a healthy way to have a conversation. </p>
<p>However, on the BA versus BFA issue, there are many very good threads discussing this isssue so you might want to take advantage of the search feature. </p>
<p>In a nutshell, the BFA is more akin to a professional acting degree. You’ll spend 80% or so (varies depending on progam) in a studio doing things like movement, speech, scene study, etc. and 20% in a class room. A BA is more a “normal” college path. You can major in theater for 30 or so credits but the bulk of your program is a more traditional liberal arts studies. If my daughter was more academically minded, I would have encouraged her to do a BA and then go for a MFA, which then provides the professional training on top of a liberal arts education. To me, its the perfect balance of a well rounded education plus professional training. However, she’d have been peeling her skin off sitting in a classroom for 4 years. The BFA is for the kid who thinks 7 hours of training in a studio followed by 4 hours of play rehearsal = nirvana.</p>
<p>newbie - go ahead and ask questions AND start new threads. It’s a free world! </p>
<p>In my opinion, threads on CC are started by an OP (original poster) but then they take on a life of their own. And if the OP doesn’t keep contributing to the conversation, then no one should worry about their questions becoming the main topic. The main reason to start a new thread would be so that the title would lure people to answer your specific question.</p>
<p>ActingDad, good job defining things - although I will point out that not all BFAs are made alike. My D’s ~120 credits of undergrad could be split about 50-50 Theatre and other classes. Of course she can take more electives in theatre, but at a number of BFA schools there is time to do a minor or even a second major. </p>
<p>I think it is more common that BAs will require more than 50% of your time in requirements outside of the major, although APs and other credits can reduce that. What distinguishes BAs in theatre, in my opinion, is whether the coursework is focused on the academic side of theatre (its literature, history, etc.) as opposed to training. Some BA schools don’t really have any training, or design, directing, writing, or tech, so it is important to look at the course catalog to see if they are appropriate alternatives to BFAs. BFAs all have significant training, although even they have wide variations in what and how much they offer.</p>
<p>Most of the BAs mentioned on this forum are reasonable training programs. Practically every college will offer a Theatre BA, so it is important to ask and read about each one you are considering.</p>
Hi, you seem super knowledgeable about colleges and theatre programs, I was wondering if you could point me in a good direction. Would you know of any BFA programs (excluding the start as a BA then audition for BFA programs) that have high admission rates and strong programs or smaller LAC’s that have good BA theatre programs that don’t require an audition for admission? Also, I have a few already on a list from both categories (Muhlenberg, Northwestern, DePaul, USC, Vassar, Wesleyan) but I just don’t know how to learn more about their programs. Do you know of any resources where I can learn about the quality of their theatre programs, (all of their websites seem to say very similar and glorified things). This website has been a godsend for college research!