Strong Theater & Academics

@peyre1 - so Elon is actually the kind of place I wouldn’t want a kid double majoring in theater (acting) to end up. Why? Because their acting program is so good and they offer a highly-regarded BFA so the competition for priductions is at a level that pretty much excludes non-bfa students from participating fully. Not to pick on Elon, which is a wonderful place, but this article from one of their students was very influential on the plan for my D’s applicaions. She applied to BA programs and BFA programs - but no BAs where a BFA is offered. Feeling like you got the second class track in a school you otherwise love isn’t a happy place to be. .

https://www.theodysseyonline.com/majoring-in-theatre-ruined-me

Tufts has a strong (and inclusive) drama program and strong academics
http://dramadance.tufts.edu/drama/undergraduate.htm

NYU and Northwestern also have strong drama programs (not as sure how easy it is to double major)
http://tisch.nyu.edu/drama
https://communication.northwestern.edu/programs/major_theatre

@KatMT You suggested
“Williams, Vassar, Skidmore, Kenyon, Wesleyan, Muhlenberg, Connecticut College, Northwestern, Brown.”

I’d heard that all those schools have strong theater and strong academics, except I hadn’t heard that about Connecticut College before. I literally just got back last night from a long college tour trip that included four of those schools listed, for my LAC-seeking, theater-loving D19, and realllly want to be done with college tours, but: what is it about Conencticut College that makes it hit both those requirements? Thank you …maybe I don’t actually want to know!

Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois–which is an upscale Chicago suburb located right on the shores of Lake Michigan. Easy to double major, but not so easy to be admitted as a theater major. Unfortunately Northwestern’s admit rate was 8.39% last cycle so you need to consider schools with higher rates of admission.

Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio has an attractive theater & is a liberal arts school, but it is small & rural though charming. About 1800 students. The admission rate is above 25% to the best of my knowledge.

I agree with others who advise to think carefully about what student is looking for. My D just graduated from Bucknell as a theatre major. Perhaps not a school that comes immediately to mind as super strong in theater but I think pretty respectable for strong academics. The benefit of a place like Bucknell with a small program (usually under 10 majors in each class including tech, acting etc) is that there are tons of opportunities to get involved in whatever capacity one wants starting right away. Both majors and non majors are cast in faculty productions (which have been of very good quality) and the community is very close. My D is on first name basis with every member of the theater and dance faculty and has gotten LORs etc. so have her non major friends who have participated in productions alongside the majors. Students can direct, choreograph etc. and I think that can happen at many LACs or smaller universities. Sometimes the competition at programs that are larger and/or filled with BFA candidates makes it very tough for non majors to participate and/or feel truly part of the community.

BTW. My D also was considering Connecticut College as a place with robust performing arts.

Wesleyan of course is known for film and the performing arts as well as strong academics.

@jenjenjenjen - Connecticut College of Women was founded when Wesleyan stopped admitting women. It went coed in 1969. It has strong academics, and is known as one of the more artsy NESCAC schools. Vassar and Skidmore were also all female schools that went coed at about the same time. Wheaton College (in Norton, Mass) was another all female school that went coed in the 80’s.

https://www.conncoll.edu/at-a-glance/history-traditions/

We had a friend whose child was an accomplished performer in high school. He attended Conn College and liked it.
They have a relationship with the National Theatre Institute.

https://www.conncoll.edu/academics/majors-departments-programs/departments/theater/

@JenJenJenJen@Mastadon touched on much about Connecticut College. The relationship with NTI, the location in relationship to NYC, Hartford, New Haven… even not too far from Providence and Boston. As @momofzag mentions… strong performing arts culture.

Another to consider is Boston College.

Muhlenberg College. Prestigious theater arts program and a tremendous portion of the student body double major because the curriculum is set up in a way to allow you to do this. Great school for chem, bio, neuroscience, psych and a few other majors. You’d find these majors to be, among maybe a few others (Not business majors) to be the most challenging, but this is the case for numerous of colleges/universities.