<p>We are getting ready to visit colleges this spring. What are some important questions to ask that are pertinent to an acting/ theatre major? What should we be looking for?</p>
<p>It would help to know more about what your particular student is looking for. BA? BFA? Acting or other areas of theatre? What kind of size, location, campus life, etc. does s/he prefer? </p>
<p>Without those specifics, I would boil down questions to the following areas:</p>
<p>1) What kind of curriculum does this department provide? Are there training classes, such as Voice, Speech and Movement? Are there classes in Scene Study, Directing (if desired), and hands-on Tech (if desired)? What Acting techniques do they stress? Do they specify, or is it a “toolbox” approach? What are the non-experiential classes like? How many classes in Theatre History, Literature, etc.? Are there related classes like voice lessons, dance, playwriting, etc.?</p>
<p>2) What are the opportunities to perform? How is casting decided? Are there faculty- or professionally-directed productions? Are there student-directed productions? Can students be cast in class projects, senior projects, student films, etc.? Can students seek outside performing opportunities?</p>
<p>3) What will the 4 years there be like? Are the theatre students and faculty a cohesive group, supportive and cooperative, or do people pretty much work on their own (hard to get a straight answer on this - best to ask the students themselves)? Is there study abroad? How much time do people spend doing theatre (per week, per semester)? How many backstage assignments can be expected per semester? </p>
<p>4) What are the academics like? Are there many or few gen eds? Do they take APs or other placement tests? Can you double major or minor in another subject? Are there Honors classes (if desired)?</p>
<p>5) What kind of support is there for summer theatre work, internships, jobs? What kind of post-grad employment do grads typically get? What does the school or the department do to help them in this process?</p>
<p>If the school has auditions, ask questions about their requirements for that and how your student can best prepare for them.</p>
<p>I’m sure others will chime in with more ideas. Good luck!!</p>
<p>There’s a pretty helpful thread about this over on the Musical Theater forum–still on the first page–you may want to check it out! :)</p>
<p>Here’s the link Times3 mentioned:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1460670-hs-junior-visiting-colleges-good-qs-ask.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1460670-hs-junior-visiting-colleges-good-qs-ask.html</a></p>
<p>^^Thanks, austinmtmom–I gotta learn how to do that! :)</p>
<p>It’s easy Times3. Click on the thread you want to link to. Copy the link address from your browser. Paste it on your post. Voila!!</p>
<p>^^Oh goodness, I really should’ve figured that one out. Thank you! :D</p>
<p>Thank you. The link was helpful. EmmyBet, Those are great questions. Right now my daughter is interested in a BFA in either acting or musical theatre.</p>
<p>As I am currently transferring out of a conservatory style BFA for this very reason, my one regret was not getting an honest opinion from the current students and an honest feel for what the social enviorment is like. All the tour guides told me it was a huge love fest, only to find that it was an extremely competitive atmosphere, with constant favoritism in student directed productions, as well as very simple minded students who only thought of themselves. Back in high school, I would have sworn up and down that I would deal with any hurdle, like not being happy at a school, or being a lone, just to get the “best training” to become the “best actor” I can be. I never realized that being unhappy at a school can start to effect your performance as an actor, whether you want it or not. </p>
<p>Anyways, I really wished someone had sat my high school self down and encouraged me to consider the entire school, not just the Theatre program. So I would definitely recommend asking about social life (not saying party life, just social 
) and the overall atmosphere of the students in and outside of the program.</p>
<p>That is a great point, Oswin. It’s a hard question to get a good answer to, though. And I think sometimes you just never know how that experience will be. My D hung out with many students at her current school, both at a campus visit and when she auditioned. They were frank about a lot of things … but still she found out surprises when she got there. </p>
<p>I’m really sorry you had trouble with fit, and I applaud your decision to try to transfer. In general I’m a big fan of that. But also there are sometimes just emotional shifts people go through, whether because they are teenagers, or just in general. What someone describes as a “love fest” can be exactly what someone else sees as hyper-competitive. These are hard factors to examine.</p>
<p>The point is, do as much research as possible, and be willing to accept that things might not work out exactly as you expected. It sounds like you had done some really great thinking along those lines, even when choosing the “wrong” school, and you are still very able to switch gears and take risks to get what you want. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks EmmyBet! Going through the college audition process <em>again</em> (because 20 wasn’t enough for me apparently) was a little frustrating, but I’m so glad I transferred. Best of luck to everyone going through the waiting and searching process right now! :D</p>