Transferring into theatre later

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>My daughter was wait listed for the BA in Acting at MMC but we know it's a long shot. She was not accepted into the only other theatre program to which she applied. Unfortunately she was unable to apply to a wide range of theatre programs (as we know many people do) as she had some school limitations. She was accepted into a few schools which only have theatre minors. Right now, she is most interested in attending the school where she was not accepted into the theatre major, and she realizes that she will never be able to major in theatre at that school. If she gets in the MMC program, she will go there.</p>

<p>So...if she is not accepted into MMC, can she go to another college and <em>not</em> major in theatre, and then transfer into a theate major later? Or is that not really possible...do you have to be accepted as a freshman, or have already been studying theatre?</p>

<p>Thanks for any advice on this.</p>

2

<p>I know of lots of students who have transferred into the theater program at the school where I work. I think it is definitely possible. Is she can take some acting classes or some type of summer theater program it would probably be helpful.</p>

3

<p>You can do a BA in drama at almost any school in the country. That’s my current problem. These forums are so focused on audition in BFA programs (which I would like, too) but at a certain point for me think the overall school reputation is going to beat the fact that someplace U has an audition. I just don’t know where the cut-off is yet. This is getting very confusing.</p>

4

<p>You may want to look at Community College too unless she really wants the college experience. Our local community college has a very well developed theater program and she could get a lot of the general education credits out of the way–saving space for electives in theater later. Then she can audition to programs again next year or choose a non-audition BA or BFA program somewhere.</p>

<p>Also, some universities allow anyone to audition for productions. Last year, a criminal justice major auditioned at FSU and got the lead in a production. He then auditioned and got a spot in the theater program the next year.</p>

<p>There is a thread on this forum about taking a gap year that you may want to check out.</p>

5

<p>There does seem to be a big emphasis here on BFAs and auditioned programs, I agree. I also agree that there are hundreds of wonderful non-auditioned BAs (and also BFAs). Someone certainly could transfer to a non-auditioned school and join in that theatre major, no problem. With most of those schools, you could do what any transfer student might do - go to another college, go to CC, take a gap year, etc. </p>

<p>I think the only real difference that comes out of the discussion on this forum is how a college program is focused and how that meets a student’s needs. What differentiates BA programs is whether they are primarily academic- or literature-based (eg classes about theatre) vs. experiential (classes that provide training). BAs can be all over the spectrum; BFAs, whether auditioned or not, are by definition going to be much more on the training end. Then there are the performing opportunities: at many colleges, even non-majors can have fantastic experiences DOING theatre, both in formal productions and in student groups. </p>

<p>I guess I’m a little surprised your D couldn’t find more schools that had non-auditioned BA Theatre majors, even if she had geographical or other limitations. They seem to be practically everywhere. But perhaps after this year she can transfer to a school that has one. Or maybe the minor will be just fine with her, once she gets there, at the schools she does have in hand. </p>

<p>The opportunities really are endless, and no one’s life in theatre is “ruined” or even particularly derailed by whether or not they get a theatre degree or what kind of degree it is. What’s important is that they find a school where they can do what makes them happy. Good luck to your D!</p>

6

<p>Just because she didn’t get into her first choice this year, doesn’t mean that she can’t come back next year and give an even better audition and get in next year. If she was waitlisted at her first choice, it does mean that she wasn’t “completely out of the running”, and with just a slightly better audition she could have made it.</p>

<p>Has she considered taking a gap year? Take some time to do something else while getting some more acting training or acting experience, so she will be even more impressive the next time she applies for her first choice school. College isn’t going anywhere, you can always go to college later (my life certainly illustrates that!). She might even find that she can get the career she wants without going to college!</p>

<p>KEVP</p>

7

<p>Thanks for the advice.</p>

<p>She doesn’t want to take a gap year nor go to a community college…she has been waiting a long time for this college experience and doesn’t want to wait anymore. There are some extenuating circumstances regarding this which I don’t want to share on the board, but I do support this decision and think it is the right thing.</p>

<p>One of the colleges, where she is considering going, will not let you re-audition if you are already a student there…they will only let you re-audition if you are coming in as a transfer. She loves that college and the campus, but does say that it will be very difficult to walk by the Performing Arts Center because she knows that essentially there is a wonderful club there that she isn’t allowed to join. (In addition, only theatre majors are allowed to audition for the shows.) The school has other things that are important to her, and is probably a bit of a better fit than MMC (which is why she won’t go to MMC unless she gets off the wait list), but it’s really hard to know what to do. </p>

<p>EmmyBet, it’s possibly that we missed some schools when evaluating what would work for her, but I think we were fairly thorough except that we forgot about PACE. It’s too late now, unfortunately.</p>

8

<p>Why would she not want to major in theatre? Your daughter can still take acting and other such classes while not being a performance major yet still being a theatre major. Or, at least, that is what Theatre Studies majors can do at Ball State. I am a freshman, and I took a ballet and acting class my first semester as a Theatre Studies major. Now, as a Theatre Education major, I am still taking an acting class. So don’t necessarily shut yourself down because your first choices didn’t work out!</p>

<p>I would also discourage your daughter from going to a school where there is a theatre department that she would like to be involved with but is unable to, because this is certainly a sign that she should after all major in theatre. If she would be heartbroken to walk by the theatre daily, is there another option for her to major in that she would enjoy?</p>

9

<p>I don’t know about gap years, when I auditioned last year I wasn’t that into it only did six auditions got into two schools and decided to take a gap year so I could possibly have more options this year.I thought I was sooo much better prepared this year did nine schools got into one in England only, got a few callbacks and am wait listed. So looking back I should have gone to one of the first schools but, at that time I did not want to settle because they were not my dream schools.</p>

10

<p>As of now I am thinking perhaps pick a college as a BA theatre arts stay a year get my twelve credits and transfer.</p>

11

<p>I’m sorry if it sounded like I was chiding you, RtR - I am sad for your D and wish her the best. It seems like rotten luck that so many of her safety schools don’t have theatre majors.</p>

<p>I agree not to go to a school where she can’t participate in theatre at all. That seems like a recipe for major unhappiness. If she is keen on being in school, I would say a nice, basic theatre department where she can get some performing under her belt and take some foundation classes, even if she does decide to transfer later, would probably be the most practical and make her happiest.</p>

<p>My D only got into one auditioned BFA last year, and she looked very seriously at her BA options up until the very end. You can have a really great experience in a nice BA with varied, interesting classes and good performing opportunities. That is plenty for many people, even if they do have auditioned acceptances.</p>

<p>typecast, I wish you all the best - you are definitely a strong voice of experience here.</p>

12

<p>One thing I am becoming acutely aware of is that there are many paths to a career in theater/-re Every time I read a Playbill I note that many of the actors have degrees from non-BFA programs. During the Juilliard info session, 7 young actors spoke to our group at the Q & A. Two had been admitted as high school seniors. The other 5 had all been rejected as high school seniors and gone on to get degrees from other colleges in fields as diverse as political science, English, and even theater. These BFA programs are so tiny and the auditions are so brief and stressful-- I don’t think you can read nearly as much into the admissions results as some think.</p>

13

<p>All the above are right! My neighbor’s daughter went to the performing arts high school in our city. They told her that she was not good enough for a BFA program (in slightly better terms). She chose to go to a major state university and get a BA in theater. She now works in Chicago fairly steadily on stage, doing commercials and shot 2 pilots for TV series. So, you never know…</p>

14

<p>I 100% agree that there are many different paths to a career. I do think, however, that attending a university where non-majors can NOT actively participate in class and performance opportunities may be HIGHLY discouraging. </p>

<p>If she truly wants to grow as an artist, regardless of major, does she have a school or schools on her admitted list that would allow her to train and participate regardless of major? Has she decided that she would rather pursue theatre as an avocation rather than a vocation?</p>

15

<p>She definitely wants to major in it and is disappointed that she cannot. At the schools to which she applied, one only offered a BFA (to which she was not admitted, and cannot be ever if she goes there) and the other one (MMC) has her waitlisted for the BA. </p>

<p>We did not find any schools which fit her parameters that offered a non-auditioned BA, so unfortunately there is nowhere she could go for that. As I think I mentioned, two of the schools to which she was accepted have theatre minors and she could then audition for shows, but she strongly does not want to go to either one. One is a Jesuit institution and we are Jewish, so I understand that (there are crosses and saints everywhere…and very few Jewish people attend that college), the other is too far for her. </p>

<p>It’s easy to say (or think) that if she wanted it that bad, she would just suck it up and attend one of the “theatre minor” schools, or take a gap year or go to CC…but it’s a bit complicated. I will say that I think she is fairly good and has been cast in many large roles, but she is more of a character actress (she is overweight, so does not get cast as the ingenue) which could have played a role in her not getting in…although it’s so competitive one never knows. </p>

<p>She has been studying with someone in New York City who owns a repertory theatre. She could continue to study with this person although it is costly. The coach recommended strongly that my daughter attend the Jesuit college because she thinks the theatre program there is good (even though there is no major)…but all of us don’t feel so great about that option.</p>

<p>Realistically, it would be great if she could be comfortable with majoring in something else and then performing during the summer or studying with this theatre owner when possible. And the college that is the best fit all around is the one who rejected her for the BFA (there is no BA). I’m afraid if she goes to the Jesuit school she will be very unhappy…I mean, there is still a chance she wouldn’t get into a show there, right? And then all of the other parts of the program aren’t a great fit…except she could minor in theatre. It’s really hard to know which way to steer her.</p>

<p>If she makes it into the MMC program, then she will go there. Honestly, I don’t really think a New York City school is so great for her…I think she would be happier and more comfortable with a campus, but that is the plan. She went to admitted students’ day and really liked it, but not enough to go there if she doesn’t get into the major. It’s a long shot though. I think she could also go to the other school and then audition for MMC (and maybe other programs) again the next year, but have to check that out, which is part of why I started this thread.</p>

16

<p>So there seem to be a lot of “factors” for your daughter, some of which you don’t feel comfortable sharing with us.</p>

<p>It seems to me that she is being distracted by a lot of not-very-important details, and is losing track of her goal. Does she know what her goal actually is? Does she want to have a career in theatre, or in some other field? At my age, I have come to believe that college should never be a goal in and of itself, it should just be a stepping stone to somewhere else, which pretty much puts me at odds with many of the folks here at College Confidential.</p>

<p>When I discovered that the program I wanted to be in–and which would accept me–was in Chicago, I just “sucked it up” and moved–alone–to a strange city that I knew nothing about, learned how to find an apartment, use public transportation, etc. And yes, in recent years I also have become “distracted” and am now trying to get back on track, and will probably be moving to some other theatre city.</p>

<p>EVERYONE faces obstacles, maybe not necessarily ones identical to those your daughter is facing, but many have faced similar ones. The succesful people do find ways to overcome those obstacles. But maybe your daughter doesn’t really want to be succesful in theatre.</p>

<p>KEVP</p>

17

<p>KEVP, my daughter very much wants a career in theatre, but could not apply to or attend certain schools due to extenuating circumstances that are completely out of her control. To infer (and state) that this means she “doesn’t really want to be successful in theatre” is pretty harsh, but I’ll forgive you as I expect you are still a kid. :)</p>

<p>I’m happy to share the circumstances through private message if someone feels they can help guide me.</p>

18

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<p>KEVP, the point of College Confidential is to talk about college admissions and other college-focused topics. It’s not that the folks who post here see college as “a goal in and of itself” (that would be silly) but rather that college is the topic of these discussions. </p>

<p>Your use of scare quotes around the word “factors” and your statement that ReadyToRoll’s daughter is being distracted by unimportant details seems insensitive and unhelpful.</p>

19

<p>I’m not a kid, I’m 42 . . .</p>

<p>I was indeed raised to essentially see college as an end in and of itself, which I now know is completely wrong.</p>

<p>When I was a young person, I did indeed worry about “factors” that now I wish I hadn’t worried about. Because I let those “factors” hold me back, so that now I am not where I had wanted to be when I was 42. The “factors” that seemed to be a big deal when I was young, turned out not to be such a big deal, and I wish now that I did not let them stop me from pursuing my dreams. I am not sure whether it is too late for me to pursue my dreams now, maybe it is. But I don’t want to see other young people make the mistakes that I made.</p>

<p>If someone feels like "PM"ing me, that’s okay. But of course I have no idea whether the “factors” that impacted my life are anything like the “factors” that are impacting ReadyToRoll’s daughter. If they are similar, I will happily let you know what worked for me, and also what mistakes I made.</p>

<p>KEVP</p>