Just got into CCM! Now I’m only waiting on Webster! Can’t wait to be done and just decide!
This thread has been an interesting read for me. I am trying to help a friend’s daughter gather some info regarding college opportunities for Theater Tech. . She’s definitely an art/book type kid and her extra curriculars at school are chorus, dance, theater, and has worked costumes in the drama program. She’s already mentioned Music Therapy and Librarian ( I’m not sure she is not quite 100% sure of her major yet) so I am trying to come up with some ideas. She is mostly interested in costume design, especially for women of “size”. She comes from a low income home, so I think she will need Florida instate tuition where she can use Bright Futures. Does anyone have any experience with either Univ of Central Florida or Florida State Univ? Any ideas would be appreciated.
@redbug119 I don’t know anything about FL programs, but I do know that you could also add UofF and USF in Tampa to her list of instate publics offering Costume Design as a major. So very nice of you to help her get started.
Congratulations @Ashley102399!!!
@redbug119 We met with the lighting design professor for ASU last year, Jennifer Setlow. She was leaving ASU to take a position with the University of Florida- College of Arts. We were very impressed with her.
My D has been accepted into 5 BFA programs with varying levels of scholarship/aid. Favorites are SUNY Purchase, DePaul, UIUC and NIU. We are residents of IL so IL schools are cheaper. It’s a stretch to go out of state. What are anyone’s thoughts about these technical theater programs? Rate of employment and opportunities/connections? Conflicts where there are MFA programs? Your thoughts?
Congratulations, @evigneaudimick! So wonderful to have fabulous choices! Any chance you could be put in touch with some of the programs alums to get a better sense of employment support?
Congratulations on your D’s choices. My S17 is a tech BFA major at a different SUNY school; we are in state NY. My feeling is that in state options are the best if you can emerge with little or no debt AND if the program meets your child’s needs and their desires for type of training, etc.
I can’t comment on any of your choices specifically, except that my son applied to Purchase, visited and liked the campus but was turned off by the requirement of reading a play before the interview (he’s dyslexic) so he never followed through with the application. He was accepted to the non-audition theater BA but has no interest in performing. Once we learned enough to understand, he also decided against Purchase because it’s acting only (no MT) and the material is more edgy and modern while he prefers musicals and classical type stuff (he even enjoys some Shakespeare), as he thinks that stuff is more fun to work with.
One other thing to compare is the strength of the sub-specialty within tech your child is looking at. My son wants to do lighting design. There are a couple of required courses and then several electives in the area. In addition, S17 and a friend have been “hired” to do lighting for some senior recitals for dance majors, so they get some practice. The other day, a bunch of the lighting and other kids went to Buffalo to help set up tech for a traveling production of Phantom. An alum called S17’s advisor and suggested he send some kids down to help and learn. The kids who went were given excused absences from class. For your D, look at how much training is available in her area of concentration, how much opportunity to try out their skills, etc.
Good luck with your choices.
@evigneaudimick The only experience I have with any of the schools you mention is attendance at a DePaul visit day. The school seems to be very well connected and tied-in with the Chicago theatre community at-large and their MFA program is limited to Acting, Directing, and Arts Leadership, so no competition for tech assignments. Best of luck with your D’s decision!
@evigneaudimick I have also been accepted to the Purchase tech theater program, and I toured and really enjoyed the program. They have excellent facilities and a well known program
Anyone know of any waitlist movement for tech theater??
@Ashley102399 my D will be requesting removal from CMU waitlist tonight for costume, though I don’t think that helps you any. Fingers crossed that you hear soon!
We toured Purchase and really liked it, but we are from out of state and tuition is significantly higher for her so the choice will be difficult.
I am trying to choose classes for my rising high school senior who wants to major in lighting design. Since we homeschool, and he is dual enrolled at a local university, we have a fair amount of freedom/options in what courses he can take. Did anyone forgo math and science senior year (he already has 4 math credits and 3.5 science credits) in favor of more fine arts courses? We were advised by a conservatory program professor to do that, but I wonder if it would hurt his chances for admission to any non-conservatory style programs. How important is academic rigor when applying to BFA programs?
For many BFA programs, academic rigor is not important. If you’re looking for academic merit scholarships in those colleges though, strong academics will improve your chance. Also 4 math and 3.5 science is a good, solid academic record.
That being said, there are some outliers that may place stock in academic rigor as well (UMich is a performance BFA that I can think of that also holds academics in high regard).
Would love to hear feedback on any of the following schools for theatre tech; D19’s interest seems to be in scenic design but this may shift. (I’m on the 3.0 - 3.4 Class of 2019 thread so you have a sense of her academics.)
Thoughts about academic rigor requirements are especially welcome - thank you!
(in alpha order by program)
BFA programs:
Montclair State University
Ohio University
Otterbein University
SUNY - Fredonia
University of North Carolina School of the Arts
University of Rhode Island
Virginia Commonwealth University
West Virginia University
BA programs:
Christopher Newport University
James Madison University
McDaniel College
Old Dominion University
University of Mary Washington
University of Maryland Baltimore County
@OrangeFish It is my understanding that for most BFA programs, the applicant’s academic record is far less important than their portfolio review/interview. One exception to that is OU, which has open acceptance to the program for anyone academically accepted to the school – and I’m guessing your D should have no trouble gaining admittance. Of the BFA programs you listed, I believe that Otterbein and UNCSA would be the most challenging to get into. Don’t know much about the others because our general area of focus is the midwest.
Thank you, @Bubblewrap666 – appreciate your feedback!
@OrangeFish - suggest adding Ithaca College to your list for tech theatre. Outstanding training and solid academics.
Thanks, @coronado !