<p>My son is patiently waiting to hear whether he got into USC's theater program. Today, he received an invitation to USC's School of Dramatic Arts Open House on Saturday, April 13. I wonder if this invitation means anything? It does say at the bottom that the invitation does not constitute admissions into the University or the School of Dramatic Arts, but I do find it odd that he received it and that the deadline to RSVP is April 5th, after the admissions decisions are mailed. Did anyone else's child receive the same thing?</p>
<p>I got one too. I’m not sure what to make of it.</p>
<p>It would seem a little cruel to send something like this if the child was not going to be admitted.</p>
<p>My S got the same…</p>
<p>We didn’t get one. Or at least, not yet. We’re on the East coast, where are you?</p>
<p>My son got one too and he got into the BA program.</p>
<p>Prodesse, we live on the East Coast. Hopefully yours will arrive soon. Muttle1, how did your son hear about his acceptance? I didn’t think they came out until next week.</p>
<p>As you’ve guessed, this invitation should be filed under Really Good News! My son was admitted to USC BFA Theatre and received that invitation two years ago. It is sent to all who are admitted to Theatre BFA and admitted early for top scholarships to BA. I’m not sure if it gets sent to admitted BA Theatre students who are notified with regular pool. </p>
<p>The event is terrific as it includes a performance of the musical and since that’s the first week in April, those invitations go out now. Pretty big hint, because as you all surmise, it would be horrible to invite students to attend a big all-day event at a school they will soon be rejected from!! </p>
<p>In my son’s case, btw, he had listed the Theatre BFA as his second choice major since USC has applicants list them. He was (hooray!!) admitted to his first choice film school major which was listed on his admissions certificate in the nice (hooray!) big packet that came in the mail. However, there was no mention of his Theatre major and by that time he was determined to double major if possible. When he called the Theatre School he was told that he was on their Admit list, but it turns out the main Admissions office sorts through all admissions lists from their different Schools and only notifies the student of their first choice major. </p>
<p>Hope this isn’t too confusing. Just trying to explain a bit about those mysterious invitations. </p>
<p>And congratulations to all those getting these hints.</p>
<p>Well, since we didn’t get a mysterious invitation, I will take the hint – fortunately we’d already decided against USC.</p>
<p>My son actually got into the BA theatre program before his Jan audition in NY. At the audition they were surprised he was already accepted because the BA also requires an interview. He got an academic scholarship the dean one. Anyway they said they would notify him soon after re: bfa if he got into the BFA. They didn’t so its just the BA theatre offer I believe. He prefers a BFA though especially in a school that offers both. He just got into Northwestern tonight though so he’s in happy place after a bummer of a weekend.</p>
<p>Looks like congrats to all the invitation-getters.</p>
<p>And to you too Muttle1 - congrats on Northwestern!</p>
<p>So is BFA Theatre their BFA Acting or are these 2 different programs?</p>
<p>I’m from California, and received the invitation yesterday. I interviewed for a BA degree</p>
<p>We are on the east coast. Auditioned for bfa in ny in jan. Got the invitation today.</p>
<p>Muttle, to my understanding the folks who select the top candidates for academic scholarships are not the same as the BFA auditors, and yet the scholar applicants are notified at the end of January. But, I believe the indication for whether your son (or any applicant) was admitted to the BFA program will not be a certainty until the official admissions packet arrives, as that clarifies the major. Hence, our slight confusion when my son’s admissions letter came and listed his film school major only. </p>
<p>I’m hoping those who have received the invitation are feeling guardedly optimistic. The BFA decisions get announced in the admissions packet. And those on the east coast, you may want to give the US mail a chance to get to you in case good news is still coming.</p>
<p>And Muttle1, double congrats to your son. Did Northwestern results just get posted?</p>
<p>Congrats to all those who received the mysterious invites and Muttle, yay for Northwestern!!!</p>
<p>Can someone please tell me how the BFA and BA work at USC? Can you apply to both and does the BA allow you to take movement, voice and acting classes? Also I’d love know the stat range for your kids if you applied. Did your kids take most honors and AP classes? You can pm me if you want to share this sort of info. My son is in 10th grade so he is working towards the right stats for this school. Thanks!</p>
<p>Oh and I hope to be saying congrats! and Congrats Muttle!</p>
<p>shacherry, USC’s School of Dramatic Arts (SDA) offers undergrad degrees in several specialties:
B.A. Theatre
B.A. Visual & Performing Arts Studies
B.F.A. Acting
B.F.A. Design
B.F.A. Sound Design
B.F.A. Stage Management
B.F.A. Technical Direction</p>
<p>More info here: [url=<a href=“http://dramaticarts.usc.edu/undergraduate-programs/undergraduate-degrees/ba.aspx]B.A.[/url”>http://dramaticarts.usc.edu/undergraduate-programs/undergraduate-degrees/ba.aspx]B.A.[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Click through and you’ll see the courses required for each. Generally, BA students take 17 units (or more) in upper division courses of their choice and have access to most voice/movement specialty classes. You’ll get the details by checking that list.</p>
<p>As for strategies in applying, it is generally believed that actors who audition for the BFA Acting are being considered as much for their talent/potential as shown in the audition as for their academic accomplishments. This favors students with slightly less rigorous HS schedules and so on. However, USC’s top academic merit scholarships go to kids with the GPA and SAT, so while audition gets you in, to some extent, top academics gets merit $$. I will point out, USC had excellent finAid, too. But don’t get me started on FinAid.</p>
<p>OTOH, the BA has been regarded as an admission that weighs the student’s academic history a little higher, as there is no audition to be factored in. This year, for the first time, there is a required interview for BA candidates, so we cannot tell you how that will be weighted with no history to go on. For very strong academic kids, the BA is a good point of entry to the Theatre major and bypasses the audition uncertainty.</p>
<p>Just sharing a few anecdotes, there are several working actors/actresses and quite a few offspring of working actors/actress/directors etc who choose to get the BA in Theatre for many reasons. It is, for instance, the degree that allows actors to take work and Hollywood is right here. It also gives the student the room in his/her schedule to take a double major. I also know of several young women who wanted the sorority life, and the BA is Greek-friendly with its less intense workload. I’m not sure about BFA and Greek, so I don’t want to give the wrong impression of that. My son and his friends are not into that, but everyone gets along really well in SDA.</p>
<p>For parents who are looking to future years, if your son/daughter is thinking about maybe doing the BFA or maybe the BA, I really recommend they audition for the BFA. It is a) easy to change to the BA after admission if you want, but not possible to change to BFA, b) nice to get to meet the auditors for further impressions of the program and show them your stuff, c) a bit more forgiving on GPA, etc. And, should the student be in the right range of stats, and yet not find a spot in the BFA class, USC SDA will admit that student to their BA major… so you don’t give that up to try for BFA. Of course, students who are more interested in the BFA degree may not be happy with that, but it’s another option.</p>
<p>Unless it’s changed, when my daughter applied 5 years ago she had to go for the BA in order to combine it with the music school to basically have a MT program.</p>