<p>I just wanted to mention two things. </p>
<p>One is following up on DoctorJohn's wonderful post. I had mentioned that someone might minor in theater in the BA level before doing an MFA. I meant to also say that the student could major in something other than theater but be heavily involved extracurricularly in theater at the college level before going onto an MFA. So, some involvement in acting/theater on the undergraduate level in some form might be good before pursuing an MFA. As mentioned on many threads, there are some liberal arts colleges and selective universities where there is a wealth of things going on in theater that nonmajors can partake in. I have seen this at places like Brown, Yale, Tufts, Vassar, Conn College, Cornell, and others. That is one route to take for some students who then might opt to go for an MFA degree later. For those who opt not to commit to a BFA program for whatever reason, doing a BA either in theater or doing another major but particpating in an active theater culture on campus and then going for an MFA is a very good option. Like Thesbo says, however, most MFAs are in Acting/Drama, not MT. </p>
<p>The other thing I was going to bring up is that I think if someone is debating whether to do a BFA, it might be a good indicator to NOT do a BFA. A BFA is a big commitment and is an immersion and intensive type of college training. You really have to be certain you want to do it before embarking on such a program. It is not for everyone. For my own child, we never even discussed BFA or BA because she was certain she wanted to pursue this field this way because she had been dedicated to it for her life to date and just knew inside this is what she wants to do. I think it is perfectly FINE to be unsure but if unsure, then commiting to such a specific kind of college degree at this age might not be best. My child was not questioning whether or not to do such a program. It was a very commited desire early on to do this. </p>
<p>I liken this kind of choice (BFA or BA) to a corollary with my other child who is just finishing up her freshman year at Brown. She is not going into theater by the way (though has done a bunch of it). Unlike her younger sister who has KNOWN what she has wanted to do for many years (and can safely say so, having done it for a while), my older child has many interests and was not yet sure what she wanted to major in at college when she was an applicant. This is very normal and fine. The majority of college freshmen tend to be "undecided". However, she was/is thinking of going into architecture. Unlike theater, that is a subject that is hard to say for CERTAIN she wants to study and have a career in because it is not like she has been doing it her whole life like her sister with theater. So, she began to explore this field by doing a yearlong independent study in her junior year. She followed that by an internship with an architect. She thinks she may want to go into this field but was not yet ready to make that commitment at age 17. The options in studying architecture are kinda like with theater. One option is to enter a five year BArch degree program which you commit to upon applying (like a BFA program) and you sometimes even have to submit a portfolio (like an audition for BFA) and the program is 3/4s of your curriculum (like a BFA) where it is all laid out for you and less choices. She was not ready to commit, nor wanted the majority of her curriculum to be in that one area as she also wanted liberal arts. The other option in her field is to do a BA in architecture like any other college major in a liberal arts setting and then go onto a MArch degree (kinda like 4+2 years rather than the 5 year BArch). She has opted for that option. She has been taking related courses her freshman year and has more lined up next year and a course at RISD as well. This summer, she is doing a six week intensive immersion program in architecture at Harvard Design School which is meant for someone like her who is deciding whether or not to pursue this field as a career, so she will know whether she wants to go onto a MArch degree or not. </p>
<p>Both these paths are valid ones and it is all about the individual. My child opting to do a BFA is certain she wants to do this. If she was not, then a BA option would have been a better choice. Also, a BA allows for even more liberal arts. I also am behind the option my older D picked because it allows her to explore many subjects and not yet commit to architecture, yet study architecture as a BA major if she decides to but no commitment before she entered college. </p>
<p>That is why, for someone like MegsMom60's daughter, who I think was contemplating entering a BA or BM program, that might be a good option for her if she is debating this because I think a BFA is for someone who is quite certain they would not want to do ANYTHING else (no matter the career prospects). Just another way to look at it. </p>
<p>Susan</p>