<p>Hi, I've posted on these boards a few times, but I'm still pretty new and have kind of a dilemma: I just sent my $500 deposit off to CalArts. Now a week later I'm sitting here with an offer of admission from DePaul. What do I DO? Thoughts?</p>
<p>Well...if you really want to go to DePaul, eat the deposit. That is life!</p>
<p>aljabeel, Congrats, but if you just found out you got in DePaul, does that not mean you came off the waitlist? Do you really want to go to a program that cuts half the class after freshman year when you weren't one of their first choices? Does CalArts cut? I don't know much about it except that it is a respected conservatory.</p>
<p>Yeah, I slept on it, and I think CalArts really is the best place for me. The thing that was giving me pause was DePaul's lower tuition...but, when added to room, board, and fees, CalArts is actually easier for my family to afford. Plus, while I think that I could make the cut at DePaul, I wouldn't want it hanging over my head the entire year when I'm supposed to be focused on just learning and growing...it's a fantastic school, and it was always one of my top choices, but in the end I like CalArts more.</p>
<p>Congrats on making a decision aljabeel.</p>
<p>In response to what Kellster said, it really really doesn't matter if you got in off the waitlist or not when it comes to the cut. An audition is just 2 min monologue and 5 minutes of improve, and my friend who works in the admission office said that the difference between waitlist and regular accpetance is like a coin toss it is so close. It's somewhat about type and also they see so many people they use the point system, and it is way to close for that to come into play. You have a year to prove yourself, and the fauculty will get to know you a lot better then during auditions.</p>
<p>Yes, we are going to visit Ohio-Wesleyan and Otterbein. We're also going to Muhlenburg, Ithaca, and are in the process of making arrangements at Marrieta. It'll be a whirlwind drive (but the gas prices are lower there :)).</p>
<p>these are both dream schools of mine (and many others out there): </p>
<p>Juilliard's Drama Division or the Yale School of Drama. </p>
<p>i know that both of these schools are widely considered to be "the best" actor training programs in the country, but which one is better? I already have a bachelor's and am 26 years old. and the Yale School of Drama is an MFA program. so i think i would feel more comfortable with peers closer to my own age and who already had the college experience under their belts (Juilliard is a BFA program)</p>
<p>but Juilliard IS in NYC and is also world reknown, and i imagine has stronger "connections" because it is in the city.</p>
<p>i know there is no guarantee especially when talking about an acting carreer, even if you go to one of these schools. </p>
<p>just hoping people out their would chime in and give me some direction/opinions--if not a definitive answer.</p>
<p>thanks!</p>
<p>From what I understand from all the info I've tried to gather on Juilliard, of their around 20 Acting BFA acceptees not all that many are 18 year olds. The representative I talked to said there was actually one 16 year old home schooled prodigy, a handful of those just out of high school, and a bunch of slightly older actors who either have already received a degree, like you, or who have been working professionally. So I don't think you'd be with many younger students there, probably not even all that many without previous college experience if not professional experience.</p>
<p>Yeah, I had my audition for Juilliard in early January and got to know the school pretty well (though didn't get in). It seemed to me that the only kids who get accepted right out of high school have either been acting professionally since a very young age and/or came from an intensive, selective performing arts high school. The rest of the class is mostly transfers/ older professionals.</p>
<p>Beesting81, Yale's MFA is a terminal degree and is the king of ALL terminal degrees. I say go there. You already have a Bachelor's. And CONGRATS!!! That's amazing! I wish I had that kind of choice to make! haha</p>
<p>When are college apps available? I know we have to get them in early to get the audition appointments...</p>
<p>Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
Ralph Fiennes Faith Healer Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (UK)
Richard Griffiths The History Boys - Stockton & Billingham College (UK)
eljko Ivanek The Caine Mutiny Court Martial London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (UK)
Oliver Platt Shining City - BA Tufts University w/ pro training at Shakespeare & Co.
David Wilmot - The Lieutenant of Inishmore - ??? (Irish Actor)</p>
<p>Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Kate Burton The Constant Wife BA in Russian Studies and European History from Brown University and MFA Yale School of Drama
Judy Kaye Souvenir UCLA
Lisa Kron Well BA Theatre Arts Kalamazoo College
Cynthia Nixon Rabbit Hole BA English, Barnard College (Began professional career at 13)
Lynn Redgrave The Constant Wife None (From family of famous actors)</p>
<p>Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Michael Cerveris Sweeney Todd BA Music, Yale University
Harry Connick, Jr. The Pajama Game Hunter College and Manhattan School of Music (No Degree)
Stephen Lynch The Wedding Singer BA Theatre, Western Michigan University
Bob Martin The Drowsy Chaperone - ???
John Lloyd Young Jersey Boys BA Theatre, Brown University</p>
<p>Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Sutton Foster The Drowsy Chaperone Carnegie Mellon University (Dropped out after a year.)
LaChanze The Color Purple University of the Arts (Didnt graduate)
Patti LuPone Sweeney Todd The Juilliard School
Kelli OHara The Pajama Game Oklahoma City University
Chita Rivera Chita Rivera: The Dancers Life - George Balanchines School of American Ballet</p>
<p>Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Samuel Barnett The History Boys London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (UK)
Domhnall Gleeson - The Lieutenant of Inishmore - ??? (UK)
Ian McDiarmid Faith Healer The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Mark Ruffalo Awake and Sing! No College. Trained at the Stella Adler Conservatory in LA.
Pablo Schreiber Awake and Sing! Carnegie Mellon University</p>
<p>Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Tyne Daly Rabbit Hole - American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Frances de la Tour The History Boys - ??? (UK)
Jayne Houdyshell Detroits Academy of Dramatic Art (???)
Alison Pill The Lieutenant of Inishmore - None
Zoë Wanamaker Awake and Sing! Central School of Speech and Drama (UK)</p>
<p>Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Danny Burstein The Drowsy Chaperone BA Queens College, MFA UC San Diego
Brandon Victor Dixon The Color Purple BA Music, Columbia University
Manoel Felciano Sweeney Todd BA Yale University, MFA NYU/Tisch
Christian Huff Jersey Boys None (Started at the School of Creative And Performing Arts in San Diego in 5th grade) </p>
<p>Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Carolee Carmello Lestat BA Business Administration and French, SUNY Albany
Felicia P. Fields The Color Purple - ???
Megan Lawrence The Pajama Game - Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (Dropped out after a year.) Also dropped out of Towson State.
Beth Leavel The Drowsy Chaperone - ???
Elizabeth Withers-Mendes BS Berklee School of Music, Masters (?) NYU</p>
<p>Hey everyone- I was wondering if you guys could help me out on this- say I had the choice of going to Innerspark which is a vey competitve program in california for the summer with a major in acting- or going to North Carolina School of The Arts Summer program with a major in acting- which one should I choose? Innerspark is also knows as CSSSA or California state summer school for the arts..</p>
<p>One of my friends son went to InnerSpark last year. He said there was a wide range of abilities there. Some kids were very novice and he wondered why (with the video audition) they even were admitted. He did find the experience valuable.</p>
<p>There's a discussion about the various summer programs on the Musical Theater Forum. I remember that NCSA specifically was discussed by a few people with personal experience. Check it out over there.</p>
<p>anyone know anything about the theater program at Ursinus in PAIt's a BA program but the school has gotten some good reviews.</p>
<p>Any advice would be appreciated... My son is just an an OK student, with about a 3.0 gpa and not so hot test scores (will be taking SAT and ACT in the fall, only got 120 or so on PSAT). About 2 years ago he discovered an interest in theater and a talent for singing, and is now passionate about acting. </p>
<p>The hs drama teacher attended a selective LAC and is encouraging my son to apply to Tufts, Wesleyan, Oberlin, Whitman and similar. Seems to me he wouldn't have a snowball's chance of getting into these schools, but the teacher maintains that he does if his drama/music experience is strong, if he has good recs, and if he has a good audition. My son wants a BFA program because he really only wants to study theater, nothing else (hence the mediocre high school stats). </p>
<p>He's planning to go to a good theater camp this summer and take some private dance and singing lessons, also continue with fencing. Any suggestions about what his chances are, what schools might be appropriate to apply to, what he can do to improve chances would be appreciated.</p>
<p>One other thing I forgot to mention... money is definitely an object. Another son is only one year older and attending a very expensive OOS public school with no fin aid, so the younger actor son must go somewhere with an excellent aid package.</p>
<p>$$$ OMG, your screen name says it all.</p>
<p>The LACs you list don't have BFA programs (as far as I know). My son also has a 3.0 ish gpa and will be taking SAT on June 3rd. We're not considering super academic schools because of this. The BA programs have much more general ed classes and so the kids will have to hold their own academically. The BFA programs are different. </p>
<p>Go back to the 1st page of this thread and you'll find links to all of the previous versions of the thread (part 1, part 2, etc). Read through the posts and you'll have a much better feeling for this college pursuit. It's tough to provide a lengthy response to your question as it keeps coming up as new people join . . . so just do your research on the early threads. Then you'l have new questions and we can go from there.</p>
<p>BTW, my son is interested in acting performance, not musical theater. There is a separate muscial theater thread and I spend lots of time over there too because it's a very active thread. At the top of the MT thread there's a FAQ's link and other resources that are very helpful describing various BFA programs, what the cut system is all about, etc. etc. Really a must read for you as well.</p>
<p>Happy reading~</p>
<p>Need2leave07 </p>
<p>I agree with elliotsmom. If your really serious about your acting the NCSA summer program is the superior choice. Our daughter will be attending there this summer. </p>
<p>Two summer programs I would recommend that I have never seen on this site is the Columbia Gorge School of Theater (CGST) and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF). </p>
<p>CGST is pretty intense yet laid back at the same time. Its outside Portland Oregon in the mountains on a120 acre ranch with a swimming lake, gorgeous! Very safe and encouraging environment. They will have kids from 30 states and a few countries this summer. No audition needed. Audition for placement in the first few days. Probably could still get in this year. <a href="http://www.cgst.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.cgst.com/</a></p>
<p>OSF has a two-week institute just for high school juniors. No acting but an exception look behind the scenes of a large (and very good) acting company. You see like 10 plays! Selective entry with essays and stuff but no audition. May 1 deadline</p>
<p>3incollege; </p>
<p>I am sitting 4 blocks from Whitman College (on your list) and based on your details would not recommend it. First he doesnt have the academics to get in unless he would meet their criteria for diversity. Second the theater program is not that great. Good facilities and it is improving but our local HS has a stronger program. Lastly he would need to complete GE stuff. </p>
<p>Dont overlook the thought of a Community College for a year if he is unable to get into a program that is a good fit for him. I have seen kids with worse records than you son start at a CC with a clean slate, buckle down, get a 4.0 and have many more doors open. Save some money, get some GEs out of the way, a little maturity and not necessary to stay two years and get an AA. And, Some CCs have decent theater programs.</p>
<p>A couple of further thoughts. The good news is that you dont have to have a super academic record to get into a super ATP BFA. I will tell you what we have done to improve out daughters chances of getting in to a top program. </p>
<p>First take elliotsmoms suggestion. Print this whole forum and read it. (Or have your son read it)</p>
<p>Beyond the obvious stuff here is what I would suggest;</p>
<p>Have your son create an actors resume. (If you want to see our daughters PM me) Take a hard look at it. Is it impressive? How can you make it more impressive? We have spent the last year focusing on that. D is a Junior in HS. In addition to her school plays she auditioned for a bunch of stuff outside school. Ended up getting the lead role in a Shakespeare play at Whitman College. So, college acting experience as a HS Junior looks good. A variety of summer programs including NCSA and OSF this summer will also look good. </p>
<p>The resume itself, no matter how strong, will not get him into a top program. However a good one helps but more to the point the experience gained by building it is key.</p>
<p>Lastly, through building the resume we have been making contacts to use as references. We now have people at some recognized institutions/organizations to write letters, which is much stronger than the plain vanilla hs teacher. </p>
<p>We also hired a professional acting coach for about 6 hours which improved her monologue/audition abilities exponentially. I also think you have to ask the hard question to anyone with industry knowledge that meets your son. Do you think he has what it takes ..? If they say yes, it will encourage everyone. If they equivocate then? Its a difficult balance to be encouraging and realisitic especially given the costs and effort involved in this persuit. The number of hs kids with a passion for acting who end up doing it professionally is pretty small.</p>