<p>Hi all
I bet it is here somewhere and I am just not finding it, but does someone have a list of the schools that offer a BFA in acting performance and are also a true conservatory? By true conservatory I mean 75-80% of classes in studio, in acting class and not in liberal arts classes.
I am finding that quite a few schools say they are "conservatory" style when in fact they are almost half and half, as in half acting class and half liberal arts classes. My DD does not want the liberal arts classes. (She can handle the classes; has great grades, but just wants her college years to be almost all acting based.)
We are looking at the northeast, down to North Carolina and out to Chicago but not the west coast.
Thanks</p>
<p>Will your daughter be okay with taking more academic classes within the major? Most programs require dramatic literature, history, etc… within the major course work.</p>
<p>I am not sure whether there is a comprehensive list… but, off the top of my head, the following programs do not require many courses outside of the major:</p>
<p>CMU
UNC Arts
Julliard
Shenandoah Conservatory
Boston Conservatory (musical theatre)
Syracuse (approximately 30 credits out of over 120 total credits are outside of the major)</p>
<p>She also could look at 2 year conservatory programs.</p>
<p>I am sure others will chime in with other schools as well.</p>
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<p>We just did this, so I will start a list and others can add:<br>
Julliard
SUNY Purchase
Syracuse
Hartt
University of the Arts
Shenandoah
UNCSA
Cincinnati-CCM
^^ these are true conservatory programs with only the least focus on liberal arts-- and, in some cases, very few liberal arts courses available. (I hope others will add some from the midwest.) </p>
<p>Boston University-- yes, it’s a university program but it’s VERY heavy on theater and a lot of leeway with liberal arts courses.</p>
<p>So a bit farther south, but Coastal Carolina University might fit the bill. I believe the core curriculum is 34 credits out of the required 120. Especially for a student going in with AP tests and/or dual credit classes, quite a few of those core credits can get knocked out that way. My D usually takes a core credit class online through our local community college. She gets the class approved in the spring, takes it distance learning over the summer, then gets her credit when she gets back on campus. She even managed to take one this summer and still work her summer stock job. The community college classes are very inexpensive for us. Spring semester this allowed her to take an extra dance class. Just another way to make things work.</p>
<p>Perhaps also add Columbia College Chicago as a safety?</p>
<p>Thanks all. We just got back from Boston and she really liked BU. They fit the bill. We went to Emerson too and they seem to have quite a few of the classes “within the major” but that is not really what she wants. She wants acting classes with the various techniques.
I will take a look at some of these others. Thanks</p>
<p>dramamom… check out Depaul U and Roosevelt College in Chicago. I am pretty sure they both would fit the bill. BU is one of my S’s top favorites at the moment too. Haven’t visited yet though.</p>
<p>How about Mason Gross (Rutgers)?</p>
<p>Right now we have this list of what we are defining “true” conservatories for acting:</p>
<p>Julliard
Carnegie Mellon
Boston U
Cincinatti Conservatory
SUNY Purchase
Rutgers
North Carolina School of arts
University of the Arts
Syracuse
Ithaca
DePaul
Northern Illinois</p>
<p>Shenandoah, Hartt, Coastal Carolina I will take a closer look at. If you think one of these doesn’t fit or have another to add let me know! Thanks!</p>
<p>That’s funny… that is almost my S’s list as well, but he also has some BA LAC’s on there, and USC and UCLA as we live in So Cal. I happened to just take a peek on Julliard’s website today and it was probably the most intimidating thing I have ever seen. Maybe they do that on purpose. Does anyone on this thread know of ANYONE who has gotten in Julliard? I would be so interested to hear of their audition process first hand.</p>
<p>It’s unusual for students to be accepted at Juilliard right out of high school. Most of their theatre students are older.</p>
<p>Somebody my son met in 2011 at the U Minn summer precollege program was accepted to Juilliard this year–I’m pretty sure he was at Interlochen (2012 grad). I’ll ask my son to see if he can get details!</p>
<p>Yes, I have seen the posts about Juilliard and the older students. But we visited this summer and were blown away. We have to try. One of the things we liked best was the fact that they bring 40 students in for that final weekend, and the entire drama faculty works with them all weekend before they choose the 18. At least if you made it to that point you would feel you had been given a very fair shot. I am certain this results in Juilliard getting the best students too. No other schools spends so much time from what I have heard so far. Most schools give you 10-15 minutes with one faculty member.
My D has had lengthy acting classes with college professors already so she would be comfortable with the work they do on that final weekend too. If she can get to that point, at least it would not be a completely foreign environment to her. So, we will just try our best and know it is a long shot. We won’t wait until she is older to audition though. Juilliard is a great school but she wants to get on with her life and career!</p>
<p>My D has 2 friends who were accepted to Juilliard right out of high school. One is a rising junior there. The other just graduated and is now on Broadway in the Streetcar revival. Best of luck to your D!</p>
<p>One of my daughters goes to Juilliard (in a different discipline) so she knows quite a few actors, some of whom were accepted from high school and many of whom were accepted after completing a BA or more at other schools first, often not in acting. This year for the first time they do offer an MFA acting degree. I went to an info session for D4 when she applied. There was a panel of Acting BFA students who spoke. All but one of them were admitted after doing another degree first, and said that they got into Juilliard the 2nd or 3rd time they applied. That doesn’t mean that some students don’t get in straight from high school-- they do.</p>
<p>Why am I not seeing NYU Or Fordham on these lists? </p>
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<p>^Because the OP was asking about programs where there are a very small number of general education classes outside of the major. Fordham and NYU require a larger number of geneds than other schools mentioned on this thread. :-)</p>
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<p>Oh thanks </p>
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<p>Yes, thanks KatMT, that is why NYU and Fordham aren’t on our true conservatory list. They are on our apply list. But NYU is only in studio three days a week, as opposed to Juilliard which is 6 days or CMU and BU which are 5 days for example. My D wants to be in studio all the time basically, from the first semester. So I am trying to separate schools out in this way. My thread started because some schools classify themselves as “conservatory style” even if they aren’t all day every day conservatories. I’m finding you really have to ask questions and study the curriculum to determine the difference. </p>
<p>This doesn’t mean there is any problem with the schools that are in conservatory less. It is just different and not exactly what my D thinks she wants right now. Thanks all</p>
<p>^great plan to keep a few schools on the list that may not currently fit the bill of exactly what she thinks she wants, but offer strong training. Kids learn so much throughout the audition process that sometimes they adjust what it is they think they want in an educational environment. It is great to have choices in April! </p>
<p>Does your D have a safety school plan that she feels good about? Finding non-auditioned programs with 75% - 80% of the course work in the major can be more difficult. :-). I am sure that parents and students on here can make suggestions that could fit the bill. Bumped an older thread that lists schools that could be possibilities. Good Luck!</p>
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