<p>My daughter is applying to summer acting (not MT) programs as a rising junior. For the past two summer she attended Stagedoor, but now she is looking for more of a college prep experience. Her plans are to apply next year to BFA and BA programs as an acting or theater major. I would appreciate any input into these programs (or others). </p>
<p>Carnegie Mellon
NYU/Tisch
Boston University
Northwestern Cherubs
BADA
Yale Summer drama
Brown Theatrebridge</p>
<p>My questions is: is it more advantageous to go to a summer program at a college where you plan to apply for the BFA program? She plans to apply next year to CM, BU, Tisch, and, of course, others that don't have summer program (or maybe we don't know about them). We are less sure about Northwestern. As for Brown and Yale, I don't think she will be going in the direction of the academically competitive Ivy League schools. </p>
<p>I went to BUSTI (Boston University’s Summer Theatre Institute) in summer 2009 and absolutely loved it. At the time I was a rising junior and am currently a senior. I can tell you becasue of BUSTI BU is at the top my list.</p>
<p>We had classes in Dramatic Literature, Movement/Design, Acting, and Singing. Acting class was 3 hours I believe and every afternoon (except wednesday when we had all-program meetings and fridays when we had master classes) the mornings alternated the other classes. Our Master Classes were in Auditioning, Shakespeare, Stage Combat, and Props (this may change year to year I’m not sure). Classes went from about 9-5 each day (with a break for lunch!) and then rehearsals for a performance project 7-10. Our performance projects were not published plays but rather ensemble-driven pieces we developed with our director around a concept. My group’s base concept was red-nose clowning so we got to do a lot of mask work and I even learned to juggle. Our classes were taught by teachers in the CFA, the only exception to this is ETL (Experimental Theatre Lab) every Friday night we would have ETL with a small group and a TA. </p>
<p>The TAs are wonderful. They live with you in the dorms and are very helpful with any questions you may have about the school, material being covered in class, college auditions, or anything really. </p>
<p>Honestly I can’t say enough about BUSTI. I was in classes so many hours a day and would stay up late in the dorms hanging out with friends and yet I never felt really tired. I was having too much fun to notice. The friends you make at BUSTI are great too, I’ve stayed in touch with friends and still see them even after almost two years. Today I just missed a friend from BUSTI at an audition! </p>
<p>Since BUSTI I have seen teachers at BU shows, visiting days, and college fairs. Everytime they remember me and always ask how I am doing. I have my BU audition in a few weeks and I feel comfortable knowing the place I will be auditioning in and that a BUSTI friend (and current acting student) will be there helping out.</p>
<p>Since I have rambled for quite a while I will sum myself up; BUSTI was amazing and highly suggest applying. I can answer any other questions you may have!</p>
<p>The conventional wisdom is that attendance at a summer program can provide wonderful opportunities in terms of the training, experience and also the chance to see how you stack up against other very talented students from around the country but does not give you a leg up for admissions purposes at that school. My daughter’s experience in having attended 2 college summer programs at different schools would seem to bear this out; many of the students who attended these programs with her applied to the schools and were rejected.</p>
<p>Having said that, however, I think the issue has some dimensions to it that are more nuanced. First, attending a summer program at a school to which you intend to apply gives you the opportunity to experience the environment at the school and (hopefully) the same faculty who teach the BFA program. As a result, you have a good opportunity over a protracted period of time to get a sense of whether the school is a good “fit” for you. In addition, attendance at the school’s summer program can give you insight into what the program will be looking for at an audition and how to tailor your audition for the priorities and viewpoints of the school. Finally, I can not help but believe that if you make a positive impression on faculty who teach in the summer program and who serve as auditors for the BFA or BA program, particularly with respect to your work ethic and attitude, that these things will be remembered if you happen to have a misstep in the audition or the auditors are looking for a tie breaker between you and another applicant. I don’t think it was sheer coincidence that my daughter was accepted to 2 BFA programs at which she attended a pre-college summer program. At one of these programs, my daughter felt she had a big misstep and one of the auditors, who had been one of her instructor at the school’s summer program that past summer, came up to her outside of the audition and told her she had been just fine and not to worry. But again, my daughter was just one student and many if not most of the students she had attended summer programs with were rejected from the school where the program occurred.</p>
<p>Glassharmonica - My S applied to 3 of the summer programs in your post and was accepted at all 3 of them for summer 2009. I suggest that you take a look at the courses that your D would attend, (Sunflowerandsnow has great info on BUSTI), the activities that they offer, and the aim of the program. It also may be worth talking to the summer program coordinator to get a better sense of the program if you feel that the brochure-website info doesn’t provide you with all the info you need to decide. My S had a great experience at the summer program he attended. He enjoyed his acting classes immensely, but also really liked the experience of being with other kids from around the country who are serious actors-in-training. You also may want to take into account whether your D is interested in a program that offers college credit (some on your list do and others do not). There were a few rising juniors in his program but almost all were rising seniors. If you want particular info on the program he attended, please feel free to PM me.</p>