<p>Sorry for the super long title! As a good student who is also very passionate about theater, I was really hoping someone here could give me some insight about any (or all) of the schools I listed. It's very hard to get a good feel for the theater programs from the schools' websites and although I've poured over this forum, most of these schools haven't been mentioned too much.
So with that intro, if anyone has any opinions or insight about the theater programs at UNC, UVA, William and Mary, UC Berkeley, Washington University, Tufts, or Barnard, I would SO appreciate it. Thanks!</p>
<p>At Wash U (I’m assuming your talking about in St. Louis, so “WUSTL” is how it’s referred to!), my D sat in on an acting class and I just happened to meet a theater major in the cafe! My D thought the teacher was great – insightful comments and very warm person! (this was evident right from the greeting he gave her while she was waiting outside before the class began). She thought that the students exhibited a range of ability (but this will be the case at any school where students do not audition into theater classes.) </p>
<p>The student I met said that the theater community is very close knit (they have a “Focus” class (as I think it is called) for freshman in theater and she said they really bonded during this), and confirmed that the professors are supportive. I recall that the professor’s bio included current work as a director in theater in St. Louis, which I thought was great that the professor was a working professional in the industry. </p>
<p>Another school in the same vein as these others would be Emory. Similar benefit of being in a city with theater and Emory has a professional company on campus that the students can get involved in.</p>
<p>I went to the UC Berkeley theater department long, long ago. It was not a very strong department although I remember a few great teachers and some of the students who attended when I did went on to become working actors. There was not enough depth in teachers, facilities, or contacts, and the department had a strong academic bias. </p>
<p>I suspect much of this is still true because the school is never mentioned among the UCs with good theater departments. Those honors go to UCLA (which requires an audition), UC Santa Barbara, and UC Irvine.</p>
<p>Thank you for both of your input, it’s really helpful! I’m really looking into Wash U, I just wish I could visit because I don’t know what St. Louis is like at all, and same with Atlanta for Emory. Do you have any insight about Emory?</p>
<p>Didn’t visit Emory. </p>
<p>WUSTL is right near a major street with fun, eclectic shopping / dining and across from one of the largest metropolitan parks in the country - larger than NYC’s Central Park (we didn’t get a chance to see it) with museums, lakes, etc (maybe a zoo? I can’t remember all that was in it). The only part of downtown St. Louis we were able to get to was a visit to the City Museum. Wow! What a great place! It’s actually an indoor playground, but one of the most fun and creative spaces. At night, adults and college students go there.</p>
<p>All I know about UVA is that you don’t start taking any classes for your major until junior year, I believe. I’ve heard good things about Barnard’s program, but I don’t actually know.</p>
<p>I’m going to be biased and say check out USC. :)</p>
<p>Wow! Washington U sounds really nice, thank you! I had no idea St. Louis was like that! I have definitely added it to my list of schools I am applying to.</p>
<p>Haha USC is on my list, don’t worry. It’s just that I already know it is good, and I would also prefer, if possible, to go out of California.</p>
<p>
This is definitely not the case! There are students taking courses in their areas of academic interest in the first semester.</p>
<p>really? That’s so weird, my friend who’s a theatre major there told me that they don’t start taking theatre classes until third year. Huh.</p>
<p>I can’t believe there’s a school in the country where students can’t take classes in their major before junior year. That makes no sense whatsoever. You must have misunderstood your friend!</p>
<p>huh… I went back and reread what she wrote. She said that, “there’s not really a [theatre] program, we’re undeclared until the end of 2nd year anyway :)”</p>
<p>Now I’m so confused.</p>
<p>Undeclared does not equate with “can’t take theater classes the first two years.” At numerous colleges, you don’t have to declare your major until the end of the second year of college. However, during the first two years, you supposedly try out the major by taking some classes before committing to majoring in that field. That is the norm at most colleges. So, just because your friend may not be an official theater major until the end of sophomore year, it doesn’t mean she can’t take any theater classes until that time.</p>
<p>Example…I see Tufts mentioned on this thread. I went to Tufts. Declaring a major doesn’t happen until the second year but I took courses in my major my very first semester of freshmen year. (I knew I wanted to major in it before I got there and it was one factor in my choosing Tufts as they had this particular major).</p>
<p>By the way, Tufts is strong in theater. :D</p>
<p>oh, ok. 
That makes a lot more sense. haha I guess I’m just so used to my school already and how we do it!</p>
<p>wisdomsomehow, at UVA (and most other liberal arts colleges–probably all of the ones you’ve mentioned) you generally must declare a major by the end of your sophomore year. You have the option of declaring it sooner if you’re positive of your choice–my son, a first-semester first-year student at UVA, has already declared his computer science major. Most students, though, see no point in prematurely declaring even if they’re pretty sure of what they want to do. As a drama/theater major at UVA you’d spend your first couple of years fulfilling broad distribution requirements as well as taking some theater and acting courses and participating in some productions. This would likely be true elsewhere as well, unless you were in a conservatory environment rather than a liberal arts school.</p>
<p>UVA has a fine drama department with beautiful facilities, but I don’t know how it compares with the others you’ve mentioned.</p>
<p>Sorry, didn’t realize until after I’d posted that the OP was bubblewrapaddict, not wisdomsomehow.</p>
<p>The UVA drama department is completely outstanding, in my opinion, and I would be happy to answer any questions you have via PM :)</p>
<p>ah ha ha I forgot you’re on CC! Dreaming92 is actually the one who confused me in the first place. She can definitely clear up any misunderstandings. :)</p>