<p>Hi. So I am in my third week at USC, and I am a BA acting major, and so far, nothing about this school and me go together. I am very artsy, and I very much want to learn as much as I can about the art of acting, as well as take classes in screenwriting and languages, so I thought USC would be good for me. However, people in the BA program seem more set on getting into the business than honing their skills as actors and appreciating the process and the work. Also, I thought I would be part of a nurturing, tight-knit theatre community here, but that is definitely not the case. And USC doesn't have a showcase for BAs, which I was unaware of, so now I am really regretting my decision to come here. Ever since I got here, I have been looking at other schools in the hopes of transferring either next semester or next year if USC continues to be a bad fit for me. I've been seriously looking at Northwestern, NYU, and CalArts (the school I almost went to over USC). The only problem with NYU and CalArts is that I would have to start over as a freshman next year, and five years of college wasn't what I had in mind; plus, actors should start young because it takes time to make a name for yourself and get seen. So I am very confused. As of now, the only thing that I am sure of is that I want a program that will let me study abroad my junior year, and that will be structured so that I will come out being a smart, well-rounded actor that knows about the world around them, not just the world of acting. I want to surround myself with individuals who are artsy and really care about becoming better actors and the art of acting, and I want a showcase. Can anyone help me out?</p>
<p>Lastly, I wish I had gone farther away from home (I'm from Northern California), and I think it would be so incredibly cool to go to school in New York, but will I be confined to New York after college? Ultimately, it is my dream to act in both theater productions and indie, film festival type films, so is NY better for me than LA? Or do a lot of actors go to school in NY and then come out to LA to do indie film work?</p>
<p>I’m sorry to hear that you are unhappy at USC. I am not at all trying to discount your perceptions, but I would urge you to give it a little bit of time to adjust before making any final decisions about whether USC is a fit or you must transfer. The first couple of weeks can be difficult. Also, unless you are looking at tranferring into a very structured BFA program, don’t think that you will be “starting over” by transferring. That may be the case with NYU and CalArts – I don’t know – but there are many other BA programs (and even some BFAs) where many of your classes may transfer. You will just need to be careful about looking at the requirements for your possible transfer schools. Also, try looking at other schools/programs within USC – maybe the cinema school? – to find other artsy students, as well as opportunities to explore your breadth of interests. They are there – you may have to look for them. Finally, are you looking for an audition or non-audition school? You have mentioned some of both . . . does that matter? And given your broader interests, are you still looking for BA?</p>
<p>I agree w/ Hopeful. It took me about a semester to “find my place” in college. Go ahead looking into the transfer process, but keep looking for new and interesting people where you are. What attracted you to 'SC in the first place? Maybe that is still there, hidden behind all the other freshman. I hope they have given you a mentor/advisor that can help you find your place.</p>
<p>Agree with most of the above…If you were my child, I would encourage you to speak to your advisor, is there a teacher that you admire? and call or visit this Tuesday, do not wait another day to seek other people THERE to talk to.College time is the time to be curious,to explore, follow your heart,it may take a while to find the gold either where you are or if not there, then the next place. You have time to consider transferring, would not put any energy in that pursuit now…reaching out here was a good first step.</p>
<p>Thank you guys for your help. But now I have another problem: Cal Arts might have a spot for me, and they start school this week. So I could potentially be going to Cal Arts next week. Cal Arts has everything I want in the way of training, but the school is very small and doesn’t have as many organizations or opportunities as USC. So I’m trying to figure out what will help me more in the long run: excellent training and minimal opportunities or good training and lots of connections and opportunities? I’m thinking the former, but switching schools scares me, because what if I decide that USC is the place for me after going to Cal Arts? Any suggestions? I’m having a really hard time right now</p>
<p>Oddly enough, a poster on another thread mentioned that her son was unhappy after his first day at CalArts! I can’t give you any advice on which school is “better” – but since you are already enrolled at USC, I would have to agree with the others who suggested that you give it a little more time before you make a decision. It sounds like you are pretty confused right now, and it seems like you need to figure out exactly what you want and whether you can find it at USC. It’s a big school – it may take some time to find your niche.</p>
<p>I would give it a bit more time. My D and I just visited USC the other day and both of us were impressed by how vibrant the campus seemed and how friendly everyone was in the theatre program. I don’t think you can really judge a place as a theatre student until you’ve gotten immersed in the process of acting, either in class or in a production. That is where the real bonding takes place. Since you are in the BA rather than the BFA program, transferring shouldn’t be hard to a place like Northwestern. And there are also great contacts to be made at USC. I’m not saying it’s all going to be great, and I agree that you should definitely look into your transfer opportunities, but I would definitely try and give USC a bit more of a chance before you make up your mind. Good luck.</p>