<p>Lists like this don't usually go over well on here and for good reason, but this one is from "The Hollywood Reporter" and was compiled off a poll that was taken of members of The Casting Society of America and "theater insiders," so I guess it has as much credibility as any that could be compiled. I see some real head scratchers by both inclusion and omission, but it is what it is ...</p>
<p>The</a> Hollywood Reporter's List of the 25 Top Drama Schools - The Hollywood Reporter</p>
<p>Looks like a good list of MFA programs</p>
<p>Sorry- but I don’t buy this list at all! Several really good programs are missing and some are overly inflated. A searched a bunch of other lists and they were all different. It’s all very subjective! Programs are changing all the time and professors are moving around all the time.</p>
<p>I think the list does include some head scratchers but the only Top tier program I see missing is Boston University.</p>
<p>Yeah, the no on Boston but yes on Pace is my biggest confusion.</p>
<p>Note these are MFA not BFA programs so it’s about The Actors Studio not Pace.</p>
<p>it’s actually a mix of MFA and BFA programs.</p>
<p>Actors Studio is MFA</p>
<p>Yes, many on the list, Pace included, they were referring to their MFA program.
These BFA programs were on the list (not including international ones):
CalArts
CMU
DePaul
Julliard
Northwestern (BA)
Tisch
Rutgers
Purchase
Syracuse
UCLA (BA)
UNCSA
USC</p>
<p>Which I think would be on almost anyone’s top 15 list. The only one I think that should be added is BU. It’s pretty funny, but this was my daughters starting audition list… until she realized she needed to trim it a little!</p>
<p>Some of the programs are BFA and some are MFA, very few are discussing BOTH the MFA and BFA programs (if a school even has both)… The Actors Studio program at Pace is the MFA program. </p>
<p>If you read each listing carefully/ look at the program website you can figure out pretty easily which are MFA which are BFA and which are both MFA and BFA. Some of the schools do offer both, but the programs are so separate that based on the quotes you can tell which they are talking about. This does not mean that the undergraduate program is not also very good… just not what appears to be discussed in this one particular Hollywood Reporter article. 
</p>
<p>ACT - MFA
Actors Studio Pace - MFA
CalArts - MFA/ BFA
CMU - BFA
DePaul - MFA/ BFA
Florida State - MFA
Guildhall School - MA/ BA/ semester abroad courses
Julliard - MFA [new]/ BFA/ Certificate
LAMDA - MA/ BA/ 2-year conservatory/ semester abroad courses
NIDA - BA
Northwestern - BA
NYU - MFA/ BFA
RADA - MA/ BA/ Study Abroad
Rutgers - MFA/ BFA
Purchase - BFA
Syracuse - BFA
Delaware - MFA
UCLA - MFA/ BA
UNC ARTS - BFA/ Diploma
UCSD - MFA
USC - MFA/ BFA/ BA
UT Austin - MFA
U Washington - MFA
WAAPA - BA
Yale - MFA</p>
<p>Of course, there are graduates of many programs (or no program at) who are very successful professionally, and graduates of these fine programs who are not as successful professionally. Just the same, an interesting list of opinions… very strong programs!</p>
<p>Besides BU, I was surprised to not see UM Guthrie. The biggest head scratchers for me, however, are the absence of the MFAs at UC Irvine, Brown/Trinity Rep, and USD/Old Globe given the presence of some others. I suppose they might be in there if it were limited to American programs with the three British and two Australian schools omitted. What kind of gives it more credence for me is the presence of the Delaware MFA given that they have so few graduates on the market since they only take a class every four years. I know some of their people and they are indeed very, very strong and exquisitely well-trained actors.</p>
<p>The one oddity I saw on the list was the exclusion of the Guthrie program while the University of Washington is included. UW used to have a decent acting program, but as far as I know it’s not remotely noteworthy now (and I say that as one who LOVES Seattle).</p>
<p>Florida State has a BFA in addition to MFA</p>
<p>But Florida State is on that list for it’s MFA at the Asolo.</p>