School Suggestions? [LACs with Good Theatre Presence]

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

Hi! I’m a rising junior, and I’ve recently begun my college search, as my school matches us with college counselors during our junior year, and they expect us to have a working list ready for them to see.

I’m rather firm in pursuing a major in theatre (with a focus in writing and/or directing, not performing), with a possible double major in another area of interest (most likely Spanish Language or Biology), so obviously a school with a BA program would be preferable, but I’m open to more conservatory-style schools if they seem to be a perfect fit. I’d like to stay in the Northeast US, hopefully within 2.5 hours (three at most, unless the school is in another theatre-hotspot, like Boston or Chicago) from NYC – though, anything closer would be a bonus.

I’d like a smaller school, but once again, if the school seems like it could be a good fit, I’d definitely consider bigger ones. To get really specific and choosy, I’m really into schools with weird vibes – you know, quirky traditions, overdramatic school spirit, personable professors, that kind of thing.

My one must, so to speak, would be for the school to have a very active theatre scene. Any place you know of that there are a lot of student-run productions, that’s my top priority. The best example I can think of is Wesleyan’s Second Stage theatre group: it’s completely student-run, and they put on over 20 shows a semester, plus they popped out half of Hamilton’s creative team, so it must be rather good (you could probably guess what the one school I’ve visited so far is, haha.)

As far as academics go, I'd like something that's more rigorous, as that's what I'm used to, but allows flexibility on what courses you take.

Probably Useful Info:[ul]
[]GPA: I don’t have a superb GPA, but I expect it to range from somewhere between a 3.4 - 3.6 (3.3 at worst…hopefully) by the end of my first term senior year. I know it’s rather low, but, luckily, I have the advantage of going to a well-known and academically rigorous college prep school in the Northeast, and students from my school have a habit of getting into top schools with lower GPAs (For example, I have a friend who was accepted into NYU with a 3.2 or so because NYU knows our school.) I do have a clear upward trend with my grades – going from B’s in freshman year to B+'s and A-'s sophomore year, and on my track to get A’s for my junior/senior years.
[]PSAT Scores: I’ve only taken the PSATs so far, at the beginning of last year, and scored a 1280/1520 (Eng: 670/720 Math: 610/720.), which puts me at the overall 94th percentile for sophomores. I’m projected to get at least a 1400/1520 next year if I kept on track this year, and I’m also taking a SAT Prep course, so I do expect (knock on wood) for my scores to be rather good!
[]Class Rank: School doesn’t rank.
[]APs: AP Music Theory, AP Environmental Science, AP Statistics. (My school doesn’t offer APs before junior year, and generally only allows you to take two a semester.)
[] Awards: I’ve won/placed in some national/international writing competitions throughout high school.
[]Affordability: Unfortunately for me, my family’s main source of income is a family-run business, which doesn’t work out particularly well with the online calculators. Regardless, affordability isn’t a major concern for us currently.
[]Gender: Female
[]Race: White

[/ul]

ECs:[ul]
[]Drama Club – I’m basically living in my school’s theatre atm. I do somewhere between 5-7 shows a year, sometimes more, and I do everything from performing, stage managing, directing, writing, lights, sound, even makeup crew. I expect a very good rec from one of my theatre teachers. I’m also most likely going to be president my senior year.
[]Student-Run Productions – Extension of the Drama Club that focuses on student-run work. I’ll probably be president of this, too, senior year.
[]Student Council Officer – There’s a chance I’ll be VP, but even if I’m not, I’ll still be one of 5 students in my class on it.
[]American Sign Language Club – President
[]Interact Club – President
[]School Newspaper – Journalist
[]Satirical School Paper – Editor/Founder. Basically, imagine The Onion, but for a high school. That’s what it is.
[]Student Ambassadors – It’s possible I’m going to be the President?
[]Racial Equality Club
[]Dance Crew
[]Informal/Recreational Squash Player
[]Yearbook Club
[]School Tour Guides
[]Piano
[li]I write my own plays/music independently. I’m developing a project right now that I hope to stage either this year or next.[/li][/ul]

  • Community Service: 200+ hours working at a local library in the children’s section, fundraising/orchestrating many events for raising money for our state’s food bank, and various other jobs – volunteering at my Church and such.

-I also work part-time as a cashier at a local business.

-Summer Activities: I take courses at my high school to advance my curriculum along. I’ve taken Math and History, mostly, for example. I’m also probably going to apply to a summer writing program at Wes or UCLA next year.

My Current List:
Mostly Unrealistic Reaches (Dreams, really, I wouldn’t take these too seriously if I were you): [ul]
[]Wesleyan
[]Vassar
[]NYU
[]Hamilton [/ul]
More Realistic (if there is such a thing) Reaches: [ul]
[]Connecticut College
[]Trinity
[]Oberlin (My one, current exception to the close to NYC rule)
[]Fordham [/ul]
Matches/Low-Reaches (I think. I’m really bad at this entire classifying thing. These are probably high reaches, gah. If you have any suggestions, please help.)[ul]
[]Sarah Lawrence
[]Emerson
[li]Ithaca [/ul][/li]Safeties (Or Matches. I don’t even know.) [ul]
[li]Wagner [/ul] [/li]

(PS: Obviously, I'm not applying to all of these, because of application costs and all, so if there's any you think I should remove from the list – except Wes—I know it's unrealistic, but I still really want to try – please tell me.)

So, yep, that’s about it. I wasn’t exactly sure how much information to put, so I apologize if I put to much, and if there’s too little, please ask away.

Thank you so, so much for any help or information! I’m really open to anything right now – since, as a rising junior, I have the benefit of a little extra time – and am totally cool with looking into anything you could come up with!

2

Skidmore, Kenyon ( outside your geographic range but worth looking at), muhlenberg…also try the drama/theatre major forum for suggestions

3

Look at Skidmore and Muhlenberg. SUNY Purchase may be a good financial and academic safety.
I believe Fordham’s theater major is by audition.

4

I agree with Emerson; I was going to suggest it, but thought it may be too expensive.

Skidmore sounds perfect!

-College of the Holy Cross (Low Reach)
-Dickinson University (High Match)
-Gettysburg College (Match)
-Hampshire College (Low Match)
-Mount Holyoke College (Low Reach)
-Smith College (High Match, sounds perfect!)
-Villanova University (Low Reach)

5

@kam314, Williams has a small but robust theater department, excellent performance facilities, and interaction with the Summer Theater Lab and the Williamstown Theater Festival. The department stages multiple performances throughout the year. Double majoring in theater and just about anything is common. There’s also a good deal of synergy with their excellent music department.

Though your grades might be on the low side for Williams, your extracurriculars and high school’s track record may compensate. Your diverse background in all aspects of theater will be a plus, and the upward trend in your GPA is a plus. Your junior year grades will be critical. I’m sure your counselor could tell you more about your school’s relationship with Williams.

It’s hard to put reach, match, safety into black and white categories. LACs really do admit holistically, and schools that have vibrant theater and music programs need to admit students who will commit time and energy to the performing arts community. Be sure that your essays, resume and supplemental materials reflect this.

Again, your counselor could help you with this, but I think you should consider two strong academic recommenders in addition to your theater teacher. If appropriate, submit supplements in both acting and music performance as well as writing examples. Visit as many as you can so that you can write those “Why X?” essays from the heart.

If you really don’t need to compare and negotiate financial aid offers, you might consider applying ED to Wesleyan or whichever school ends up as your top choice.

I think you’ve received some good suggestions and would particularly second Skidmore, Kenyon and Smith.

6

Thanks so much for all the replies! I’m definitely going to check all these schools out, especially Skidmore, as everyone suggested it! I’m probably going to visit quite a few schools this and next year, so this is all very helpful.

7

@momrath Williams definitely sounds interesting – I perused their website and some other online information. My only question is if they have any program that allows student-written work to be produced (I saw student-directed, but not written), as I’m primarily a writer and need a place that will put on my work. Otherwise, though, it definitely sounds like a great fit, & all of the other information you gave me is very helpful, too!

8

This may have too much of a performance component, but check out the Contemporary Theater degree at Boston Conservatory.

9

@kam314, I think that you need to address your writing question directly to Williams’ theater department. Williams has a strong tradition of creative writing with several highly regarded fiction and poetry writers on their faculty. They appear to have 1 or 2 classes each term taught by a practicing playwright as well.

10

Outside of your geographic region (6 hours from NY, 2 hours to DC, 4 hours to Philly), and a little larger, but James Madison University in VA may be worth a look. Active writing program, opportunities for student written work to be workshopped, and produced. Successes for student playwrights at the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Lots of one-on-one mentorship. Guest artist writers come to campus and lead workshops. Hollins College in Roanoke, VA also has a very active writing program, is two hours further south, and a small women’s college.

11

Drew in NJ. Commuter train from New York. Home of the New Jersey Shakespeare theater. Woody Allen’s daughter/wife went there. My son’s friend goes there for chior and tours with choral group. Charming suburban NJ town of Madison

12

My daughter attends Drew if you have any questions

13

Sarah Lawrence, also.

Emerson has a good financial aid package for those who apply to and are accepted to their Honors program. Your stats seem to be in that range. My daughter has quite a few friends in non-theater programs at Emerson who love it. They have a variety of theater programs in addition to solid writing programs. They have some good abroad and Los Angeles campus opportunities, also. I think if my daughter could go back in time, she would have dropped her Hartt audition and explored Emerson more instead. I know a few people professionally who attended Emerson and they have all spoken highly of it.

My daughter is in the Contemporary Theater program at BoCo. It’s quite unique and there are opportunities to write/direct as much as perform. Everything is approached from the ensemble perspective, so it’s not like there’s a play or two each semester and everyone auditions for parts in a traditional sense. Last semester, they produced the Odyssey with no props and no costumes and the director assigned parts based on what he thought was “best fit” for the students. My daughter liked this approach more than she thought she would. Like you, my daughter had won a number of playwriting and other writing competitions throughout her high school experience. The acting training is quite movement based, and my non-dancing daughter has actually grown to love that focus. My daughter has loved her liberal arts classes, but you only take one per semester. You can take liberal arts classes at other schools through the Pro Arts consortium. The Contemporary Theater scholarships have been offered at much higher amounts than what most musical theater majors report, so your FA package could be quite good. The head of contemporary theater really works to give outside opportunities to explore for the students, and several of them took advantage of really great internships and other theater work this summer. Overall, it’s still a new, growing program and figuring itself out.