<p>My S just got accepted to Suny Purchase and Ithaca College for a BFA in technical design/ lighting design. We have visited both schools and he likes both. I was hoping that some of my learned colleagues here in this forum could tell me.... all things being equal which is the " better" school for a freshman theater tech?</p>
<p>Hi,</p>
<p>We never visited Ithaca because our son really wanted a BFA conservatory program. I think thats a major difference between the two - isn't Ithaca more of a liberal arts program? I remember it being compared to UConn and both were good programs. </p>
<p>Did he apply anywhere else or are you choosing between these two?</p>
<p>I cannot comment on the programs themselves,but I live about 15 mins from SUNY Purchase and can speak abt location if that is any help. It IS suburbia, but of course is near NYC. Ithaca is different, I think, for better or worse. If you have questions about the community, email me.</p>
<p>Just from what I know about graduates of these school actually "working", it seems that Ithaca has the edge in those programs, but as far as location....</p>
<p>mbryant27:</p>
<p>Both schools have a reputation for doing very strong work in design and technology. The fundamental difference is that Purchase has an MFA program in addition to its BFA program, while Ithaca has no graduate program. At schools with MFA programs, the graduate students typically do the design work, as they should. But this may mean that undergraduates find that they are spending most of their time working as assistants, or perhaps designing for productions in a small space with little or no supervision. In colleges with no graduate programs, on the other hand, faculty typically do the design work, with undergraduate assistants. Talented and deserving undergraduates are sometimes given design opportunities. So what's the difference?</p>
<p>MFA student designers have no obligation to mentor undergraduates. They have a difficult enough time figuring out how to handle the design responsibilities on their own. Full-time faculty designers have every obligation to mentor undergraduates, either when the students are serving as assistants or working as designers under faculty supervision. </p>
<p>SUNY Purchase has a large (their website lists 20) and outstanding faculty in design/tech, but if you look at their appointments, I think you'll find that there are only four full-time faculty. The rest are part-time. That's because they're working professionals. These people are unquestionably the best teachers for graduate students because they can give insightful critiques to help move the students forward. Often a single comment can be the key to something a graduate student has been struggling with for days or weeks. But part-time faculty cannot provide the day-to-day teaching of basic skills, mentoring, and personal advising which undergraduates typically need. Ithaca only has five faculty in design/tech, but they're all full-time.</p>
<p>I'm not at all saying that the full-time faculty at Purchase don't do this for their undergraduates. But it's a good question to ask, and I'd suggest your son phrase it as follows:</p>
<p>Who would be my mentor and what would our relationship be?</p>
<p>And another good question would be,</p>
<p>Will I get to design, and if so, when and where, and who will help me through the process?</p>
<p>At Ithaca, he should ask Lee Byron, the chair, or Steve TenEyck, the associate chair and lighting designer. At Purchase, he should ask Charles McKerry or Kim Schwartz, the interim co-chairs of design/tech. The answers should be illuminating. If you feel you can, please share them with us.</p>
<p>Hope this helps. Good luck!</p>
<p>Wow! That was probably the best piece of advice I've ever read on this site. mbryant27, you should be happy with that!</p>
<p>Dr. John,</p>
<p>I agree with Sarahsmom42 - great advice. We're making a similar decision between University of Cincinnati - CCM and NSCA. If you can compare these programs I'd really appreciate it. From what I know CCM has a grad program in lighting and NSCA does not. At least one of the faculty at NSCA is a working professional and travels with a touring broadway show in addition to teaching. I'm not sure about CCM. </p>
<p>Any thoughts?</p>
<p>I'm really happy to see this advice being shared on this board. It's a challenge finding information about tech theatre and it's great to be able to talk about it and ask questions. Thanks</p>
<p>DoctorJohn,
Thank you so much for your timely reply. Most people don't know that Ithaca offers a conservatory program for a BFA, much like SUNY's. I had heard that SUNY has a much higher rate of employment because of their "SUNY Mafia"... I had heard the same of CMU. My S has been accepted at Towson, Pittsburgh, Goucher, SUNY and Ithaca and we are waiting to hear from Carnegie Mellon. I am a professional Photographer so I know how important going to the right program is, to help start off your career. Today is the first time I heard my S say he plans to get his MFA as well. From a child that hates school but loves theater I was surprised. He wants to be a designer as well as a tech, I an proud of him for that and I find that I want to do right by him and give him the best advice I can. Your reply has helped. I met Steve TenEyck on our visit. Very nice man. As well as Kim at SUNY. Also very professional.
I welcome all input. I am glad this is getting a response because there is rarely anything on this site about the design tech kids.</p>
<p>techiemom:</p>
<p>You must enjoy watching aging men dancing on thin ice! Are you trying to get me in trouble?</p>
<p>But really, it's easier than that. Both NCSA and CCM have outstanding programs in design and technology. I've spent a few minutes looking at their websites, and it confirms my impression that there are not many apparent differences between them. CCM does a lot of musicals, naturally; NCSA doesn't. And there do seem to be some stylistic differences in terms of taste at the two schools, based on their production photos. CCM's productions seem brighter and more operatic, even the plays, than NCSA's. But again, I think that reflects the high status of musical theatre and opera at CCM, and the high status of drama at NCSA. But on the surface, the differences are not apparent.</p>
<p>That doesn't mean that they don't exist, but I think your son is going to have to discover them by talking to current undergraduates in the areas which he wants to emphasize. One thing he can do is to write to the respective department heads--Steve Waxler at CCM and Joseph Tilford (or Christine Turbitt, the asst. dean for academic affairs) at NCSA--and ask for the names and e-mail addresses and/or phone numbers of 3 undergraduates who would be willing to talk to him. How the faculty respond to this request, and how the students respond to your son's questions, will tell you a lot.</p>
<p>(Incidentally, any prospective student can write to any school with the same request, especially if she hasn't visited the campus and had a chance for some significant time with current students.)</p>
<p>Of course, he should also ask them the questions I posed in post #5.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>doctorjohn,
Thank you so much for your insight as well as your time. Sound advice that I will pass on to my son. Any comments on Carnegie and Emerson?</p>
<p>Diane:</p>
<p>I think most professionals would say that Carnegie has the better program in design/technology. The School of Drama was founded in 1917, and is one of the oldest theatre schools in the country. They've been doing this a long, long time and they have a track record of turning out graduates who have been leaders in theatre and film design for generations. Emerson's program seems fine to me on paper--I don't know the people there--but I do know the faculty at Carnegie and can recommend them with considerable assurance.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for your reply and wisdom!</p>