Which College is better for Directing

Sooo hi! I’m Liv and I’m a rising senior looking to major in sooomething related to directing/stage directing. I have a couple of colleges that I’m looking at: NYU, PACE, CMU, and UMICH. I just wanted some opinions on the schools, maybe some advice on which ones I should prioritize (OR if I should look at any different schools) . I’m pretty new to the CC community so anything would help really.

Welcome, Liv! Could you please tell us what state you are from and your academic stats? Also, if you can, it would be helpful to know how much your family can afford for college.

Yeah! I’m currently in Northern Virginia, I have a 3.94 GPA and all of the schools I’m applying to so far don’t require the SAT anymore so I haven’t taken it (…yet). And I asked my parents and they said it depends but probably around 50K at the max, and that’s without factoring in finiacial aid and (hopefully) scholarships.

Congratulations on maintaining a high GPA!

Is that $50,000 each year or all 4 years?

Thank you!! That would be would be 50K for each year

Hi again, Liv!

The reason I asked about finances is because NYU, which would be a great choice for a high academic achiever like yourself, is also notoriously expensive, especially without a merit scholarship. Also, NYU is woven into the city and does not have a traditional campus. Nonetheless, the university is in a really cool area of Manhattan.

My sense is that of all your choices, Pace is the least academically rigorous, while your other colleges are more challenging. It is the school that I know the least even though I researched it when I was in high school (long ago).

I had recently learned about University of Michigan’s programs through my daughter, who loves drama but has chosen to major in another field. It sounds like they have a superb program, and Ann Arbor is a nice place to live. We have been watching StarKids videos during the pandemic; the group originated at U of M.

Carnegie Mellon is an academically rigorous school also with a great diversity of majors. A lot of people think of CMU and STEM, but their writing and theatre programs are outstanding! I have not been near Pittburgh for a long time, though. It would be worth a visit. Also, I would look at student reviews for CMU and any college on Niche to learn more about the overall social and physical environment.

Consider what type of environment you would like. Urban, suburban, or rural? Small, medium, or large campus and student body? Diverse course offerings or a laser-focused program?

A few other eastern colleges that popped into my head are Barnard, Vassar, Oberlin, and James Madison. I am sure there are many other lesser-known colleges with very good programs, but I have not researched any of these.

Wishing you the best with your research and applications!

Thank you so much!! This really helps out a lot; I’ve been completely stressing even though it’s still early, so thank you thank you thank you!