<p>Hi all! I was just wondering if anybody had some advice for me. I was recently accepted to the BFA MT programs at Florida State, Penn State and Syracuse. All three are the big university, small conservatory style training program that I'm looking for. So I was just wondering if anybody had some advice on any of the schools? Thank you!</p>
<p>I got into Penn State also, and I’m thinking of going there! I love it!!! Are you a boy or a girl?</p>
<p>Penn State has a great reputation and costs less than Syracuse, Florida State is in Florida, great weather.</p>
<p>Great choices!! Did you get to sit in on any classes or see any productions?</p>
<p>What wonderful choices to have!!! I graduated with a BFA MT from Syracuse and an MFA Directing from Penn State. I am also fairly familiar with FL State. All terrific programs. </p>
<p>Are you IS for either Penn State of FL State?</p>
<p>Please feel free to PM me any specific questions you may have. all are wonderful programs, just different. If you can visit all three that would be ideal.</p>
<p>I’m an alum of FSU and the school is gorgeous! None of the schools you listed are close to a major theatre city. They all have good MT programs and I believe FSU is the least expensive. I guess it depends on where you are coming from. FSU is the only place that won’t have snow though-lol!</p>
<p>RSP – I sent you a PM.</p>
<p>My D is at Syracuse and loves it and guess what hardly any snow this year. Sunny & 80 today! But probably the most expensive choice unless you got money from SU.</p>
<p>I think people are going to be reluctant to publicly recommend one program over another. I can tell you that my D is at Penn State, now in her 3rd year, has had a great experience, and is totally convinced she made the right choice. She didn’t apply to Syracuse or Florida State, but chose PSU over Emerson and Boston Conservatory. In my opinion Penn State is right up there among the very top MT schools, after the trinity of CMU, Michigan, and CCM. </p>
<p>I’ve visited campus many times (it’s beautiful), seen a bunch of productions, and chose Penn State to do a staged reading of my own musical last summer and could not have been happier with the result.</p>
<p>Not to take anything away from the other two schools, which also have great reputations. My D’s friend is at Syracuse and loves it there.</p>
<p>But it’s probably clear where I (admittedly with bias) stand!</p>
<p>Congrats RSP and qjo on all your great choices! I, too, am a bit biased towards PSU, as my daughter is a senior there. Penn State has been the prefect training ground for her, receiving individualized training, enhancing and growing on her strengths and digging in deep and working on her weaknesses. The feeling of family in the PSU MT program is really a wonderful thing to see. It is indeed a small conservatory program at a large university, and you get the best of both worlds. Besides the incredible training, you have the opportunity for performance at so many levels. My D was honored and thrilled to have been able to be a part of Cincopedia’s staged reading, as well as being a part of mainstage shows, grad directed shows, student directed shows, outreach opportunities, etc. PSU MT a great, vibrant, exciting, positive place to be.</p>
<p>At PSU, is there any opportunity to take other gen eds, or could that be part of your minor???</p>
<p>Yes, indeed. You are required to take core academic classes; math, science, english, etc. and you can certainly take more if you like. It’s a rigorous program, but double-majors are not unheard of.</p>
<p>Great! Thank you so much. I’m still waiting to hear back from one college, but PSU is right at the top of my list. I felt so welcome when I auditioned, and heard back within a few days!</p>
<p>I’m with cincopedia and sualabama… biased toward Penn State! D loves it there. Challenging program, wonderful faculty, family like atmosphere amongst the students in the program. All the benefits of a small tight knit program in a large university setting! Gorgeous productions! D enjoys her gen eds too. Although she is not minoring or doubling, it’s possible. Have you visited yet?</p>
<p>So I’ll go ahead and provide the great selling points of Syracuse. One of 4 programs nationwide that is affiliated with a LORT equity theatre, Syracuse Stage. So the students learn, work and perform (if cast) from the professionals every day of the year. Your classes are literally in the Syracuse Stage facility as well as your performing spaces.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Great new department chair, Ralph Zito, who comes from Julliard and Harvard. Excellent Artistic Producing Director of Syracuse Stage – Tim Bond. </p></li>
<li><p>AMAZING semester program in London at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. The kids take most of their classes there, learn from the esteemed faculty and perform on the Globe stage directed by some very talented professionals in London. </p></li>
<li><p>Sorkin Week: spend a week in LA with Aaron Sorkin (Syracuse Drama alum) and be introduced to the entertainment industry, make connections and learn how to launch there.</p></li>
<li><p>The Tepper Semester in NYC during spring of senior year. Founded by Tony award winning producer and Syracuse alum, Arielle Tepper Madover, this program helps launch the kids in NYC as they prepare to graduate. As another Mom on this board once said, this semester is worth the price of all 4 years at the school. It is simply amazing with all of the current industry people the students work with, the shows they see (over 30), the people they meet and the incredible education they receive. Most of us have to pinch ourselves when we hear the stories of the people and opportunities they are exposed to during this semester in NYC.</p></li>
<li><p>Nice Senior Showcase in NYC.</p></li>
<li><p>LOTS of working alum!!!</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Yes, weather is generally crap in the winter – but no one really notices because you are in a cocoon of amazingness whether you’re in Syracuse, London, LA or NYC during those 4 years.</p>
<p>Great post NewbieMTMom!</p>
<p>You mentioned that 4 programs are LORT affiliated…i know Webster is, which is where my daughter attends, Syracuse and i would guess the Guthrie program through the University of Minnesota…but i couldn’t figure out what the 4th one was?</p>
<p>This was never a selling point for our D when she was choosing Webster, but she has already seen what a great thing it is…</p>
<p>For the OP, you have GREAT schools to choose from, i bet you can’t go wrong!</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Wonderful post NewbieMTMom!! These are all the reasons my D chose Syracuse!!!</p>
<p>When I go to the theater, I always read the bios and check out the universities where cast members received their training, for those that went the 4 year, BFA route. I am amazed at how many times the same three programs are listed: NYU Tisch, CMU and Syracuse. As we have all said, there are many, many routes to a career in theater and the professional actress in my family did not go the BFA route. But from your choices and NewbieMT Mom’s post, sounds like Syracuse has some amazing opportunities!</p>
<p>I am a Syracuse MT alum, so I am a HUGE Syracuse fan! </p>
<p>As of very recently not all of the graduating seniors are given the opportunity to participate in the showcase. This would be worth exploring to see if this is still the policy. In the past interested graduating students auditioned for the showcase.</p>
<p>The Tepper semester is a terrific program. Students from other institutions may also apply for this program (obviously preference is given to Syracuse students). I have a student there this semester and two students from the college where I taught previously have done the program. Both the Syracuse students and the non-Syracuse students who have participated in the program have raved about the experience. it may be slightly more expensive for that semester than or a semester on campus… I am not sure. Two of the external students I have known to go were paying in-state tuition at their home institutions, so the private school semester in NYC cost increase was large… although, well worth it for them. :)</p>
<p>All three schools (PSU, Syracuse, and FSU) offer terrific training, and industry connections. I believe that FSU and Syracuse have stronger study abroad opportunities, and that studying abroad is part of the drama school culture. I do not remember if undergrad MT students studied abroad or not when I was a graduate student at PSU. The graduate students do as part of the program, just can’t remember about the undergrads. </p>
<p>PSU is also affiliated with a professional AEA theatre… PA Stage. This work is primarily in the summer, I believe. </p>
<p>Can you visit all three schools at this point, talk to teachers, and visit with students? If you are truly torn in three directions with the decision, campus/ program vibe may be the best way to make a final decision.</p>
<p>The weather in Syracuse is pretty awful in the winter… I can’t say I did not notice it (even being from NH), but you get used to it! And it makes it pretty easy to focus on work… no great weather distractions! 
</p>
<p>Congrats on having terrific choices!</p>
<p>Yes, not all the students get to participate in the Senior Showcase at Syracuse and not all get to study abroad anymore. This year’s Sophomore class has kids on the waitlist for London for the fall. My friend’s son is one of the waitlist kids. The Sophomore class is very large but the Freshman is much smaller so hopefully not a prob in the future. And as for the weather, not much winter here this year!! 80 and sunny all week in March! I’m sure this won’t happen again though ;)</p>