Any info on these programs or schools? Thanks you!!
UCI has more difficult admit standards than CSUN which is a state school. Both have great reputations. We toured UCI as one of our possibilities but ended up not applying when our docent said that the MFA students were cast in all the productions and the BFA students had a very difficult time getting stage time. That was important for my daughter. They also hold one mass audition for all shows at the beginning of the school year (which frightened my daughter but now that is what her current school does and she says it’s no big deal). LOL
@bisouu Thank you for the info…that is a major difference. My D would definitely not like the MFA’s getting cast and one audition?? Glad to hear the Northridge had a great reputation. Hope others have more comments/info…
The auditioners come into one large room with all the directors of the season’s plays and musicals sitting at tables and the students audition for the entire season at that one time. It scared my daughter because she felt if she had a bad day that would mean she would blow the entire season. But her current school does this at the beginning of each semester and she says it’s not really that scary. UCI’s campus is gorgeous and I have several friends who have graduated with their BA’s in theater from UCI. They are local working actors. CSUN is closer to LA (UCI is nestled in the OC and very bucolic). The BFA is auditioned after the student’s first year. Teal Wicks graduated from UCI 
Many schools have combined one-per-term auditions. (CCPA RU for one, and I believe also Northwestern)
I’ve heard both described as commuter schools. I’ve also heard that since neither are audition schools (although you may audition into MT programs/classes later), since they are large public universities, getting into the classes you need may be difficult. Not sure if dance leveling or private voice is offered for first two years either.
I live in southern California and am a UC Irvine grad (poly sci, not MT haha). I can tell you UC Irvine is in Orange County, it is a highly competitive school to get into and very academically demanding. UC I has an excellent dance department as well. I must be honest, I have never heard one word about CSUN (short for Cal state northridge) and MT. I have heard many things about CSU Fullerton, which has an audition program second year. I would take UCI out of the three if you can get admitted – tough academic school. Feel free to im me with non-mt questions about the campuses
Beware of CSUF…pm me if you want the skinny. I graduated from UCI as well and took classes at CSUF so I am familiar with both campuses.
My daughter has friends pursuing MT at both UCI and CSUN. At UCI they do offer a BFA, but you audition after your freshman year if you have completed certain program requirements. There are also auditions to get into those required prerequisites. For those who advance it seems like a great program but she does know a couple of people who ended up transferring out because it just wasn’t a great fit for them. At CSUN the program is a non-audition BA in Theatre with an MT emphasis. It appears to be an up and coming program and there is also a very strong Vocal Performance program at CSUN which really benefits the MT majors. However, it is a little lacking in the dance department. She also has friends pursuing the BA Theatre with MT emphasis at Cal Lutheran who are thriving as well.
Be sure and read the individual threads on UCI and CSUF in the school forums at the top of this page. There is a lot of info that is relevant, even if old.
Thank you all for the info…looks like I have to do a lot more research on the Cali schools.
People from california don’t call it Cali – you are either northern or socal ;)) Also check out UCSB UCFullerton – I have heard good things about those programs. All the UCs are very competitive academically and i think most of them (other than UCLA) have auditions after the first or second year.
Just to clarify…Fullerton is a Cal State school not a UC school
lol @astute12 you are very astute indeed! I am a Northeast coast gal…
For OOS students the tuition is going to be very high-$55,000+ for any UC- with no scholarships. CA is not known for its’ MT programs. Among the UC’s , UCLA is the only one that uses an audition program for initial admissions. The others admit by academics with some holding auditions for MT 2nd or 3rd year. When my D was auditioning for MT years ago, we looked at programs here and she decided that none of the programs had the same focus that schools in the East have. She did audition for UCLA and was very impressed with their program but ultimately decided to attend an east-coast school. In all honesty, at the high cost for OOS students, I can’t imagine that any of the programs here offer enough to draw in an OOS student except possibly UCLA. The UCLA program is highly competitive for admissions.
@takeitallin I really appreciate that feedback. We really are looking east coast, but since my older D will be moving to LA within the year the younger D figured we’d get some info on schools out thereso she could possibly be near her sister.
She might want to look at Chapman and USC – neither has a true MT program, but they do musicals and are very good, audition based programs. And I made an error, Fullerton is a CalState school!
CSUN is our local CalState campus and has a great MT program, which is considered a “minor” that can be combined either with BA theatre or BA Vocal performance. The program operates within the Mike Curb College – read about who Mike Curb is and you’ll know why this school is great for performers. There is a very well-connected group of theatre alumni, many of whom work all the time here in LA – both in theatre and in TV and Film. Look up Diane Ketchie – she is the VP Professor who heads up the MT minor. She is fantastic and has a background in MT – was in the SF Company of “Phantom” and is a well-respected vocal teacher in this area. She and her husband are active performers and well known in LA and beyond. In this past year, the new dean of the Curb College has taken an active role in allowing the GORGEOUS Valley Performing Arts Center on the CSUN campus to be used for student productions – not just as a touring house. This past spring, the school mounted “The Drowsy Chaperone” in the VPAC and it was a pretty spectacular production – I enjoyed it immensely. I noticed this past year several CSUN groups had shows in the Hollywood Fringe Festival and one girl we saw several times in school productions seems to be launching a pretty successful career, appearing in several local musicals. Among my sons’ high school theatre peer group, there were many many talented kids who went to CSUN for theatre, VP and MT for a variety of reasons. Some couldn’t afford to attend out of state MT programs and/or didn’t have a lot of parental support for that particular major so they compromised by staying local. Some need to live at home to save money. Some didn’t understand the audition process for the larger BFA schools and/or got a late start into theatre world. Others didn’t have the academic qualifications or test scores to get in elsewhere. And there were a few others who really just wanted to go to CSUN – there is a strong middle-school and high-school summer musical theatre/theatre/improv program on the campus, called the Teenage Drama Workshop at CSUN, that helps flow theatre students into the university. One caveat regarding all CA public universities – our state has constant financial issues and many campuses and majors are considered “impacted”, so it is worth your while to ask the department specifically what you can expect in terms of getting the classes you need to graduate on time. Many of our friends have taken 4-1/2 or 5 years to finish.
I agree that CSUN is definitely one to keep on the radar. My daughter’s friend who is currently in the program has flourished there and she has another friend who will be starting the program in the fall. This particular young lady had other acceptances, including Marymount Manhattan, but decided financially and geographically CSUN was the best fit.
@MTTwinsinCA Wow such a great and detailed response!It is great to get info from a local with so much information. I will look into Mike Curb and Diane Ketchie for sure!
Also thank you @sopranomtmom love to hear about those enjoying the programs!