Throughout my college search, the biggest issue I’ve faced is that of which is better for an acting education: a close-knit, small community or a larger one where it’s more separated. I’ve especially faced this problem because I’m mainly searching for a BA education so there isn’t really that small 8-10 member BFA group in most of the colleges that I’m looking at, but even some BFA programs such as the one at NYU are a lot larger. I understand that it all comes down to preference, but I mainly wanted to hear from this community whether or not they think a BA program with around 100-200 kids in a large university is efficient.
To let you guys in on a little bit of my thought process and personal experience, I love the idea of a small liberal arts college when it comes to theatre because there’s usually a lot more one-on-one attention, kids can get to know teachers better, and there’s usually a small but loyal alumni network. However, I’ve spent a lot of my life in small private schools and although I understand that a private college experience will be different from a private high school experience, I’ve just never really liked small campus settings because I’m someone who likes change and meeting new people, and I feel that I’d get tired of a small campus really quickly. These small colleges also tend to be in small towns, and although there’s usually a large city around an hour or so away, I hate the trapped feeling I get when I visit these campuses. While with a larger university, I’ve felt a lot more comfortable on campus. There’s usually a big, sprawling campus with tons of student activity and things to do. These universities are usually located in or near a large city so there are plenty of outside opportunities for networking, internships, and just having stuff to do and explore. But I’ve read a lot of complaints about large universities when it comes to theatre BA programs such as there isn’t enough individualized attention, some kids begin to feel lost in their major, and the environment can begin to feel more cutthroat than supportive. I feel like there hasn’t been a clear answer as to what setting is best for me throughout my search because I like the idea of a big school with a large campus, but I also like the idea of a small theatre community with a safe environment where I could feel comfortable with failing and trying new things. I just feel like what I want in a school and what I want specifically in my major are clashing and it’s been hard to find a perfect, clear mix of what I want in a school :-? Any and all advice/experience is welcome!
