<p>Hello. I have been accepted to and narrowed down my options to: the Stella Adler Acting Studio at NYU, the BFA Acting Program at CalArts, and University of Cincinnati CCM for drama. Does anyone have info on these programs and which is the best? My long term goal is to go into film and television, but I still want to do theatre as well. I have no idea which school to choose....</p>
<p>Anyone have any answers or info?</p>
<p>Well it’s you decision so go for what’s best for you! In my opinion NYU is way too big…plus auditioning for a showcase isn’t the best, you shouldn’t have to compete for that. CCM is great though, but the MT students rule the program and you feel it on campus.</p>
<p>Each studio at Tisch is small. It’s not like you’re going to have 50 students in the class. They also offer Stonestreet for film acting in the advanced studio. Of course, I’m very partial to NYU! My son has matured so much as an actor and a person and he wouldn’t trade his experiences for anything! Remember though, NYU is also half academic and freshman year is very challenging. For opportunities and exposure, NY can’t be beat-IMO! Good luck with your decision. Maybe you should compare lists of pros and cons and go from there. Don’t know if finances are a problem but NYU is your most expensive choice.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the answers. I feel that I am leaning more towards NYU, but have no idea how to pay for it. How are you going about doing that “Supportive”?</p>
<p>Cal Arts is also pretty pricey and of course, it’s a conservatory with a emphasis on edgy or experimental works. Very different, but good, especially if you’re interest if film and television. I know nothing about CCM but have visited Cal Arts and NYU. I’d pick NYU, too but they are total opposites in every way. And, I also have no idea how to pay for college.</p>
<p>TheatreLady- we’re doing it with student loans and Parent PLUS loans. He also qualified for an interest free loan through an outside organization. My son was the salutatorian of his high school class and was able to earn some good scholarships. This fall, he will be an RA at Weinstein- so free room and board! This will help A LOT! Sure, we will have some debt but he has also worked with award winning actors, Tony nominated and Drama Desk/Obie winners, and has been able to see many shows for free. It’s not going to be easy with two kids in college this fall but I’ll deal. My kids are worth it!</p>
<p>Thanks “Supportive” for your response. If you don’t mind me asking, which studio is your son in and what year?</p>
<p>I am interested in becoming an RA. I will be transferring into NYU as a junior (credit wise), but a first year in the Tisch Stella Adler program. How long would I have to wait to apply to be an RA? And is it a competitive process to be selected as an RA?</p>
<p>You’re welcome! My son is a sophomore in NSB/Acting. When he applied for the RA position, over 750 people applied. I don’t know the requirements for how long you have to wait to apply. He will be the RA in the Laughing Matters Explorations (was called LOL when he applied) floor. That program focuses on trips to see improv shows, comedy shows, late night television comedies such as Letterman and the Daily Show, etc. It’s a great program! Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Supportive- I feel that if I am an RA, I could make the tuition of NYU work. I was curious- outside of the NSB Studio, what classes is he required to take? Just the NYU general education classes? Or are there other Tisch theatre classes he takes outside of NSB Studio?</p>
<p>I ask this because I am a transfer and all of my general education classes are completely done. That being said, would I be paying $44,000 a year to be taking only 1 or 2 classes at NY, and all the rest at the Stella Adler acting studio? If this is the case, hypothetically I could just sign up for the acting program independently at Stella Adler studio and only pay around $15,000 a year. I would get the same training, just not the BFA degree certificate. Sounds like an awful lot more money to pay for a piece of paper. You know what I mean?</p>
<p>Please correct me if I am wrong and my assumptions above are incorrect.</p>
<p>^^Sounds like a good plan to me, if you don’t mind forgoing the BFA. Especially if you’ve already completed your gen eds, and you know they’re going to transfer. As so many others advise, it’s not at all wise to carry a great deal of debt after you graduate! Unless your parents are going to help you repay it, that debt (which, in your situation, having no guarantee of an RA position, would end up being A TON of $$$ --added to any other debt you may have already incurred) could really hinder your ability to work in the business later on. Same goes for CCM or Cal Arts, if you’ll have to spend 4 more years in either of those programs, paying the full tab.</p>
<p>Well- I’m not a counselor but I will say that in the freshman year, my son took his studio, Writing the Essay (req. for all freshman) and a theatre history class his 1st semester. That’s 16 hours and I do believe if you’re a full time- 12hr student, you pay the same for 12, 16, or 18 hrs. His 2nd semester was pretty much the same except he had to take a theatre production class instead of the history. Last fall, he took his studio, a jazz guitar elective, and a computer web design class to satisfy his science credit. This term, he’s taking his studio a theatre history, and a computer web design class. He has 8 hours of AP credit and I don’t know what else is required for his gen eds. Remember, even though studio is just one class- it counts for 8 hours. I can’t say much about the cost difference but I think there’s a thread- maybe on the MT Tisch studios sub-forum that address this. I also believe a BFA is more than a piece of paper. It is a degree and you may need that for a job outside the industry if you have to.</p>
<p>TheatreLady: If you’ve fulfilled both the credit hours and distribution requirements for your Gen Ed, then you might be done there, but you still need to take seven semesters of Theatre Studies; don’t know how many of your credits would be applicable there. </p>
<p>I’d be surprised if you were able to apply or be considered as an RA until you were a senior. I don’t know this, but I would imagine that they’d want someone familiar with NYU and the city in this position.</p>
<p>I just want to correct the direction this thread seems to be going. It is a misconception that CalArts is more expensive and to be honest it’s roughly the same price as far as tuition. NYU turns out to be extraordinarily more then Calarts. Think about the locations. One is in a suburb just outside of LA making the costs of living lower, food lower and still near places. NYU in a bustling city which is a great place to live as well costs almost double in expenses. Just preparing you. I grew up just outside of NYC and everything is 25-40 percent higher in general.</p>
<p>All very true, living in NYC is going to be much more expensive.</p>
<p>However, the OP needs to decide whether living in NYC is going to help her achieve her goals better. New York is one of the major theatre cities in the USA (its only real challenger for this position is Chicago). If the goal involves theatre, the stage, then NYC is a great place to be, despite its high costs. The reason it is so expensive to live there is that everyone wants to live in NYC.</p>
<p>The Stella Adler studio is one of the best known acting schools in the world. People in other countries, people who aren’t even theatre people, will respect someone who has studied there.</p>
<p>On the other hand, if the OP’s goals are film, then living in the LA area does make more sense.</p>
<p>KEVP</p>