Suggestions for BA schools for Acting?

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
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<p>This statement was made about Northwestern, but it is certainly true of other schools like Boston University, where my son attends.</p>

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<p>Emmybet was, I believe, not talking so much about student-devised work per se as about devised work in general.</p>

<p>“Pre-professional” and “bohemian” may apply more to campus vibe than curriculum. However, I think it is still useful to note the emphasis versus lack of emphasis on devised work at various schools.</p>

<p>I have seen it pointed out that both CalArts and BU, for example, encourage students to learn how to devise their own work, whereas more traditional conservatory-type programs focus more narrowly on actor training.</p>

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<p>I really didn’t want to pigeonhole any school and am sorry to have seemed like I did. As I said at the beginning, I’m wary of calling this a set of absolute distinctions. Most places have a combination of aspects. I do think that because BAs by definition allow for more openness in curriculum (because BFAs usually require an enormous number of courses), there is more variety in the kinds of experiences you can have - including variety within the same department. My goal was to paint a picture of how you might decide which BA programs to look at, not to list schools that were more one kind or another. I had second thoughts about posting the last bit that actually named schools (I only did so because it was the actual question asked) and it’s clear now why.</p>

<p>I think campus vibe comments can lead to just as much controversy as trying to characterize programs with one vague term. General impressions of a school are going to be quite subjective. Probably most people would agree that a school like Hampshire is “bohemian” - but you’ll still get people on CC who would debate that, based on their personal experiences. Someone referred to my D’s program recently as “edgy.” I really don’t know if I think that - or whether I think that is good or bad - or whether I really care one way or another. It was just an impression that someone had. </p>

<p>I’ll stick to my usual policy of trying to refer to specific facts and leave off broad labeling of schools. My main point about researching BAs is that it’s important to look at the courses offered and how the major requirements can define a 4-year experience. That will give an excellent picture of whether a school appeals to you or not. And if you’re looking for a certain overall vibe, you probably should visit the campus yourself, or talk to someone you know who has first-hand experience.</p>

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<p>@EmmyBet - I certainly agree and I think it’s great that you brought up the various approaches to teaching Theatre – whether primarily learning by doing or by being trained in classrooms! Until D was in a program we’d honestly not given that distinction enough thought, so she almost accidentally landed in a place that offered both.</p>

<p>I do think some highly respected programs are structured to the point that kids are, as they say, “given fish” rather than taught to fish. Fishing (and creating theatre from scratch) can be messy while you’re learning, but in my experience performers who learn to take risks and collaboratively create new work will find opportunities that those only trained to perform may miss.</p>

<p>While devising is not our D’s “thing” I think it’s playing a bigger role in professional theatre than it did when I went to a conservatory (Peter and the Starcatcher and Spring Awakening come to mind) so I’m glad she’s learning devising tools. </p>

<p>I also agree that spending time on various campuses is the only way to feel a school’s vibe, though in bigger programs if you only spend a day you need to know you see only a small slice of what is happening. There might be 3 performances, 20 rehearsals and 20 classes on campus the day you visit, but you see only one or two.</p>

<p>Given the complexities of evaluating programs I’m amazed that such a high percentage of our kids seem to land in places where they thrive. Maybe it’s a testament to how adaptable out actors are. :)</p>

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<p>Thanks, MomCares. I’m glad - and not surprised! - your D is having a rewarding experience!</p>

<p>I think figuring out an appropriate BA is at least if not more complicated than deciding on the BFA that fits you best. They are so different, probably more different, for the reasons I described above. Visiting and researching BA schools was an incredibly important opportunity for my D to learn what she wanted her college years to be like. She needed to find the right balance between academics (which are very important to her), training, opportunities to explore and be creative, and personal style/vibe. She considered lots of BA schools - UMinn (which really has a fantastic BA, totally separate from the Guthrie program), Northwestern, Vassar, Brandeis, Bard, Sarah Lawrence, Hampshire, Goucher, Drew, and others. She saw that in BA programs she not only had to think about the mix among theatre courses and other subjects, but how the theatre program blended “book learning,” theory, training, and creative/experimental learning. </p>

<p>About the only thing I can say that seemed true was that at a smaller school, there are just only so many courses they can offer. So sometimes she did find gaps at the LACs - for example, there were no design classes (at that time) offered in Bard’s course catalog. We’re sure students got a chance to DO design, since there are many productions, and I’d say Bard has a pretty strong overall emphasis on experiential learning, plus there are always opportunities for independent study. BUT it was noticeable that the dept didn’t/couldn’t/wouldn’t offer classes, where other schools did. Another school might not have had as much availability in Playwriting, or Directing, for example. Other schools might not let students get their hands into making their own projects right away. There are so many things that do and don’t appeal to a given individual. And until you can visit, I believe the course catalog is the richest source of information.</p>

<p>Four years of college ends up being kind of a short time, when you’re actually there. Usually you can get what you really need, almost anywhere, and often you can’t know until you arrive. Considering how much my D learned and changed through her senior year in HS, and then how much more she has learned and changed in two years of college, I think it’s pretty safe to say that giving the search and selection process your best shot is the most you can hope for. </p>

<p>Many, many college kids find that their school is just fine. Many others realize they need to change schools, change majors, change plans completely. I’m sure all of us can think of lots of examples, and we see plenty of it here.</p>

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<p>Thanks all for the great comments, pointers, considerations. They’ll help inform our hunting. We still have some delving to do, and now we’re going to include questions of whether there are opportunities for devising. It does feel overwhelming sometimes, but I think we have to remember we’re building a list of good (if not perfect) possibilities, we’ll try for some variety in location and type but keep our eye on the program, opportunities (and make sure some have the potential for granting financial aid. We’ve visited several out west, we’ll do a Chicago trip this spring (U-Chicago, NU), and squeeze in a couple more by this time next year. Summer’s a great time to travel, but we find it’s really instructive to be there when the students are.</p>

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<p>mcpmcp- Specifically about Temple, if $$ is an issue, it might be a great option. It is a state school and even it’s OOS tuition is very reasonable. Plus they offer merit aid which brings the OOS tuition down to the instate cost. They are not as academically rigorous as other schools mentioned but they do have an honors program which also offers honors housing. I suspect between the theater program and the honors program your daughter would find an intellectual atmosphere. And Philly is a great city.</p>

<p>Also, if she is willing to consider a women’s college, Smith is part of a consortium including Amherst and seems to be pretty generous with aid. We have a friend who is a theater major planning to be a stage manager who is very happy there and is receiving significant aid.</p>

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<p>There have been some very good, helpful posts here. A good example of two opposite BA programs with high academics is Yale and Northwestern. As EmmyBet suggests - Yale is much more theoretical and academic in its approach to acting where NU is much more “hand-on” or “training focused” or “pre-professional” in its approach. Also as EmmyBet mentions, most kids on this forum are looking for the latter not the former, as was my daughter, which is why she chose Yale over NU many years ago. Like MomCares, we did not even think about the two differing styles until it became obvious with these two programs. (She had other choices, just these two were the most diametrically opposed.)</p>

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<p>I think you meant this in reverse… she chose Northwestern over Yale, true?</p>

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<p>Oops! Sorry about that - MomCares is correct, she chose NU over Yale! (Must have been channeling my husband!)</p>