For anyone interested in New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts/SFT.

twilighteclipse · 10-18-2008, 02:27 PM

I am a first-year student here and just wanted to let you all know that I would be glad to answer questions for anyone interested in the school. I am honest and un-biased, as well as someone who attended two "normal" liberal art schools before coming here. Feel free to ask me here or PM me.

ArmaniMan21 · 10-27-2008, 10:48 AM

Yeah I'm going to be attending this school in January. Now from what I have read it seems like a good school, but since you go there, is it all the hype it's lived up to be? I obviously wanna act but is this a good school to go to? Thank you

HoldYourHorses · 01-04-2009, 06:14 AM

My son was just accepted to the NYCDA Conservatory program after initial audition and two call backs. It seems like a very exciting opportunity, but we'd love to know any red flags before making such a huge committment. Anything we should be warned about?

Javon · 01-06-2009, 08:39 PM

You get call-backs at auditions for colleges? I did not know that.

missmckenna · 07-31-2010, 06:48 AM

I have been offered a place but I'm from England, i was wondering if there were many English students there and if so how they managed to afford it or get a loan to go there!?

NYCActor · 09-15-2010, 02:10 AM

NYCDA is a terrible school. I went there and now I regret it. All that money and no degree? Go somewhere else!! Lots of students drop out even before the first year is over! Also, don't get excited if you are "accepted", they accept anybody lol. From a former student, trust me, it's a joke.

bortiz15 · 05-01-2012, 07:21 PM

Hello!! My name is Britney and I need your help. Im currently attending Valencia Community College and My Major was Broadcast Journalism, But switched to performing arts Theater major! I dont know what steps to take in order to get into NYCDA. How should I prepare? I have like 6 or 7 More months. What should I be doing in order to make an awesome audition! what did you do! any recommendations? what scholarships should I do? thank you so much!

TheRealKEVP · 05-02-2012, 06:49 AM

What have you done so far, Britney?

Have you chosen your monologues? Is their someone you are working with to help you prepare your monologues?

KEVP

Retsyo · 05-12-2012, 09:10 PM

Hi, I am new here and is interested in applying to NYCDA. Is it hard to getting accepted and passing the auditions? I've never had much acting/theater experience. I only took a few courses in acting, probably 3 total in my entire high school and college career. I will be getting my BS in chemistry and physics this June. But I've been interested in acting for awhile, and I really really want to get some acting job opportunities, but that seems nearly impossible with no acting training or experience, so I'm thinking of applying to a drama school to learn about acting/theater. I just wanted to know what are the chances of people like me can make it through the auditions and they accept me? (I'm started to chose my monologues now).

Many thanks in advance, sorry if this sounds like a totally insane question.

ActingDad · 05-13-2012, 02:29 PM

You already have a degree. There are many options available in NY to get acting training. My suggestion would be to do a little research and I think you can come up with better options than NYCDA. I've mentiond this before on other threads but I'm always quite amazed how all discussions about alternative college programs seem to resolve around NYCDA. A short list of ones more highly regarded would include Circle on the Square, William Esper Studio, Stella Adler and Atlantic and I'm sure research would yield others. There are also many options in NY for shorterer workshop type things. You might explore those as well to decide is this is really something you wanted to pursue.

TheRealKEVP · 05-13-2012, 08:41 PM

I don't know about NYCDA specifically, but generally passing an audition is going to be HARD. That doesn't mean you can't do it, but it will take a lot of work. You will be competing with people who have had quite a bit more experience and training than you. Your goal should be to develop a knowledge of theater equal to these people you are competing with.

For a start, you probably will need to find someone to work with who can help with your audition, someone who knows enough to understand the difference between a "good" audition and a "bad" one, so they can tell you specifically what it is you need to work on.

I agree with ActingDad that you don't NEED a degree in theatre, there are many other types of acting training available.

If you want to be a professional actor, you are going to eventually need an agent. If you are in NYC anyway, you might want to begin contacting agents to see if one will take you, or if they won't, ask them what you need to do to become someone they would take.

KEVP