CMU Drama is very good and also has strong academics all around, but I believe they require an audition.
Emerson College, Boston is strong in theater. I do not know if they require an audition. Boston University is another Boston possibility.
I doubt CMU or BU Drama majors would received need blind FA.
Check out this link. See https://www.backstage.com/backstage-guides/25-acting-colleges-you-need-know/
@retiredfarmer - FYI, CMU drama is one of the most competitive audition programs in the country… it has an incredibly low acceptance rate. Last year, over 2000 kids submitted prescreens, less than half were invited to audition in person, and approx 12 were accepted.
@lucete as you may already know the schools @retiredfarmer is suggesting are auditioned BFA programs not BA programs.
Another intense BA program is Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Be cautioned the open curriculum is rewarding, but challenging. There is only a loosely prescribed program. The student is responsible for designing their own education. The resources are there for a great theater program, but you have to navigate it yourself. As a result, the Brown TAPs concentrators (usually about 25/class) each have very different college experiences. Also there are a lot of non TAP’s concentrators who are deeply involved in the Brown theater community. It’s not unusual to have a STEM concentrator who is writing, acting or directing, and who is talented.
Highly diverse, interesting and friendly students at Brown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP9T5VeJeuE
https://vimeo.com/193571238
Thanks for all the helpful replies.
What do you guys think about Yale undergraduate drama major? I do know that Yale School of Drama for graduate students are great but I’ve heard that the undergraduates don’t benefit much from that.
5 years ago we were given a list of theater BA programs for my daughter to research from a BU theater professor who was a Yale theater undergrad, and I was a bit surprised that Yale was not on his list. He told us he had concerns about the faculty turnover and inconsistencies in Yale’s undergrad program, but he did say Yale’s theater MFA program is one of the best in the world.
A bit dated, but an interesting article: https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2012/04/23/up-close-for-thespians-yale-degree-not-enough/
I think you should explore USC further. They give merit aid to students with high stats (not sure how much to international students- but take a look). Their BA program has a MT minor and also offers MANY internships. It is much more focused on the business aspect of drama than a typical conservatory.
@lucete I will message you about Yale undergrad theater. I have a ton of info.
Northwestern University is what you seem to be seeking. Although you think that financial aid is unlikely for a Korean national, you won’t know for sure unless you apply.
My daughter is a BA drama major at USC and loves it. It gives her the flexibility to minor in another field that she has used to get great internships in the entertainment industry. The contacts in the L.A. arts and film community are incredible. I am also a 4th generation Tulane grad and while Tulane is great at many things, its drama dept and the opportunities afforded pale in comparison to USC and many of the other schools you’ve listed. New Orleans is also not a great theatre town, though it is getting better.
Michigan, Northwestern, Emerson all require auditions and are some of the hardest to get into… FYI.
@Knowsstuff Northwestern does not require (or offer) an audition for the Theatre major, although there is an optional Musical Theatre supplement.
@elsacc thanks for the correction. I know someone in musical theater and you audition for that at the end of your first year.
@Knowsstuff Yes, you can audition for the MT certificate at Northwestern freshman year.
They are actually offering a pre-screen for the Northwestern MT supplement this year. https://communication.northwestern.edu/programs/certificate_music_theatre/supplement
@afterp89 Yes, Northwestern has offered the option of the MT supplement for several years now, and it’s a great idea to submit one if you are at an auditioned BFA MT level, but it is not a prescreen. The materials they ask/allow for are similar to a BFA MT prescreen, particularly Michigan’s.
If you are looking for a strong Liberal Arts education with a BA in Theatre, the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA has a great reputation for strong academics and has a fantastic theatre program (I am a staff member here). If you are looking for a smaller school, the student body is about 4,000 and the theatre program has about 65 majors currently. We do not require an audition for majoring in the program, and you may double major or minor in a variety of combinations.
Hey, guys! I know this thread was such a long time ago but I just wanted to give an update on my college decisions (and ask some questions ahaha) since you guys helped me so much. In fact, I applied to Williams College after seeing @arwarw 's reply about how Williams has a great BA theatre program (for your record, I visited Amherst, didn’t get to know a lot about their theater program, but didn’t like their vibe). And…I GOT IN TO WILLIAMS WITH A GREAT FA PACKAGE! I’m unbelievably happy but at the same time, I was wondering if you guys could give me more info on Williams theater program! I know that they host the Williamstown Theatre Festival and has the AWESOME '62 Center but I’ve seen reviews that said that the extracurricular theater is not so active(in fact, Caps and Bells is said to be the only theatre troupe). I was hoping to get to know more about curricular and extracurricular theater productions and perhaps study abroad opportunities, etc.
UConn has a great BFA Acting program!