NYU Tisch vs. Northwestern

College Search & Selection
1

Clearly, I’m down to the wire with this one:

I’m going to college to pursue a major in theatre/acting. I’ve been accepted to both Northwestern for a BA in theatre and NYU Tisch for a BFA in drama.
I may want to double major in something else - not sure what, and/or minor in music.
I’m not sure if I’d miss having a campus - right now I don’t think I would.
Northwestern would be around $8k, while NYU would be around $28k. I can afford both of those costs, and wouldn’t be taking out loans or anything for either school.
I guess my main concerns would be:
Chicago vs NYC theater scene - I don’t know if Chicago would have a better theater scene for straight plays - I’m not a musical theater performer at all. Also would Chicago be a better place to start off and form connections (less saturated theater community, etc?)
Cost - Though I can afford both, Northwestern is less expensive. And acting isn’t exactly the most high paying career. Would I be better off saving that money by going to Northwestern and being able to use it after graduation?
Training - Northwestern, being a BA, does seem to have more of a general theatre focus, learning about different aspects, while NYU is a more acting focused BFA. Would I be missing out on training if I didn’t go to NYU?
Professional connections - NYU seems to have more of a connection to the business than Northwestern (but then again - I’m not sure).

In general I had the gut feeling to go with NYU, but the lower cost of Northwestern has me re-thinking if that’s the right choice. (Am I just blinded by thinking NYC is going to be a better experience?)

My main goal is really to get a strong foundation/connections to start an acting career. I would like the school to be well-regarded for things outside of theatre as well (which is why these are my top two).

Any insights?

2

YES. $80K is a ton of money for an aspiring actor/actress. Not to mention that it would be much easier to double major at NU (how easy would it be to double major at Tisch?)

And IMO, Chicago, which has 250 theatres, is 1 of the 2 theatre capitals in this country (along with NYC).

2 Likes
3

Let’s see - the better school costs less?

Is this a trick question?

Only one NYU advantage here - NY PIzza crushes the horrible deep dish.

Good luck to you - hope to see you in a tv show one day (whoever you are!!)

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4

Nonsense. Have you ever tried Lou Malnati’s?

I like good NY pizza too, but you have to go to New Haven for it.

5

If you want to double major (wise choice), then Northwestern.

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6

Do you know what studio you have at Tish? They might be very different acting programs based on that. Really look at the curriculum for each, including required gen eds. Those are very different choices.