Quality of undergrad programs at schools with a graduate program?

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>Specifically Brown, Yale, and Columbia. They all have undergrad and graduate programs, and I've heard great things about them, but do the graduate students overshadow the undergrad students? Do they get more attention and such? I'm thinking about applying to all of them through QuestBridge, so if I get accepted to one of them, admission is binding and I don't have the means to tour them. So if anyone has any information about their experience in the undergrad program please reply. Thanks!</p>

<p>Edit: I'd like to go into Acting & Directing or technical theatre</p>

2

<p>We were told specifically at our tour of UCI that the grad students were cast over the undergrads…which makes sense since they have had more experience. Hard enough to compete with your own classmates but to be up against the grad students seems to add an additional hardship.</p>

3

<p>I highly suggest contacting faculty and students in these UG programs. Then, you’ll get the direct information. I am not as familiar with Columbia’s programs, but I am pretty sure that the UG Theater programs at Brown and at Yale are quite separate from the their renown grad programs and there are LOTS of opportunities for the UGs to be in productions, etc. that I believe ONLY have undergrads in them. But please do check. These two schools are ones I think better known for theater than Columbia.</p>

4

<p>The graduate programs are separate from the undergraduate programs at these schools (and Harvard as well if interested), and all have lots of performance opportunities for undergraduates. At Columbia I believe that the undergraduate theatre program is through Barnard. </p>

5

<p>I checked with a couple of former students who went to Yale undergrad in theater studies, and they both confirmed the comments above.</p>

6

<p>Yes, all undergrad theater courses at Columbia University are taught across the street at Barnard College.</p>

<p>Yes, the grad programs at these schools are completely separate from the undergrad programs. Separate productions, separate faculty and separate students.</p>

<p>The undergrad experience at these schools will be quite different from any BFA or MFA program. You should read this - it’s also applicable to both Brown and Barnard/Columbia:</p>

<p><a href=“UP CLOSE | For thespians, Yale degree not enough - Yale Daily News”>http://yaledailynews.com/blog/2012/04/23/up-close-for-thespians-yale-degree-not-enough/&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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7

<p>Here is one recent example of the benefit of a graduate program to the undergrads:</p>

<p><a href=“Trinity’s Columbus comes up the hill for Sweeney Todd | News from Brown”>https://news.brown.edu/articles/2014/09/sweeney&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

8

<p>^^^That is a wonderful example! And it is even more amazing because Sock 'n Buskin puts on student run productions! </p>

<p>(I have a daughter who attended Brown, not for theater, and loved it)</p>