My daughter finally received what we assumed to be a rejection from Pace today via snail mail. We were so surprised to find out that she is an alternate!
What a wonderful surprise @Gapyearguru! The Pace WL seems pretty fluid every year so BAL!
Me too, @bisouu ! Ask 1,000 theater people to make a list, and you’ll get 1,000 different lists. One person’s #1 is another person’s nightmare.
Not a big fan of lists myself, but now I’m curious what was school 13E? Hmmm…
@2lights are there alumni bfa in anything recent? I only know od Bradley Cooper
@2lights: Another thing about lists-our kids. They’re each unique. My D has released one school (that happens to be on your MT list), and is torn among 3 that are not on your list. Besides the money piece- some of us have kids that want stringent academics and some of us have kids who want minimal academics. Some want bright lights big city, and some want the true college campus experience. I am currently bracing myself for my D to pick a program that is not MY favorite FOR her-but we are very lucky that the financials are coming in so close (and good) among the final contenders that it’s truly up to her. The visits are scheduled. I really feel that it may come down to a hunch on her part. Who are her people (both professors and peers)? Lol- I visited the 3 schools that I was accepted to: School 1-cold, gray day. School 2-cold, gray day. School 3-unseasonably warm and gloriously sunny. Cute shirtless boys playing hacky sac on the big lawn, and boomboxes blasting from dorm windowsills (I’m dating myself). Shocker-enjoyed 4 fabulous years at School 3.
Yes, truly they all want different things. Although my daughter was rejected from one of your top picks, she did not like the location or feel of the campus or program. It’s a very personal choice for each kid and I do not believe a program will make you successful in this business. I believe hard work, determination, perseverance and ambition are far more important. And, a little luck!!
With all due respect to @2lights lists like these really aren’t particularly helpful or productive, and as you point out your list is your opinion only based on conversations you have had with people you consider in the know - hardly a scientific study. Here is something based on fact - a list of schools represented by the cast of the current National Tour of A Chorus Line which I had the pleasure of seeing just last week. These were the schools represented by the cast:
AMDA
Belmont
Boston Conservatory
Coastal Carolina
Florida State University
Hartt
Millikin
Montclair
NYU
New York Film Academy
Otterbein
Pace
Point Park
University of the Arts
UC Irvine
Wagner
And of course a few extremely talented cast members who had no college degree. Every single one of these young people were phenomenal and clearly the products of good training, hard work and likely perseverance in a very tough business. This kind of diverse list is common when you look at Playbills and a good reminder that there is no one path or guaranteed shortcut to success, regardless of lists, ranks or popular opinion. Just my two cents.
@actingdreams Are you talking about Georgetown or The New School?
@2lights Pace University seems to be on both MT and Acting List. I don’t know much about their program or alumni (if there is more than 1)
Sorry If I’m offending anyone. These lists are ridiculous. Most of these schools have alumni but they graduated a very long time ago.
I’m not sure why they are “Top”.
Smaller schools are producing just as many successful people than top tier. I appreciate Reach Schools etc but if you’re getting a class of 300 every year but you only know about 3 -5 actually “making it” within 2 years,the program is just as great as the one unheard of.
This goes for many of these schools (Even Juilliard has some struggling actors right now). I agree with whatever parent who said work hard, go where you want to have a great college experience and forget these lists. They mean absolutely nothing.
What means something is if you are ok or can afford the $200K college education for your child. Even if you can (I sure can not and if I could I would not…), we must remember that Art/ Talent is Subjective.
We may think that our kid is the most Talented and destined to be on a billboard and headlining a Broadway show or even plan on being the next lead in Parks and Recreation however the chances of any of this happening is less than 5%. I am not wanting to burst anyone’s bubble but being admitted into some of these amazing schools does leave you with a feel good moment however the bill and having your kid still struggle for something concrete is NOT what I’d want. I need results for the higher price. If it looks like my kid isn’t. I want my kid to just have a great college experience and hopefully obtain a great foundation so that he can not only work but be prepared if one lucky audition works out for him 
forget the list! they mean nothing. every year they change. Makes me wonder if they are paid for advertisement and whomever buys the most ads end up being #1 for the year
@actingdreams WORD! (or as the kids say nowadays) RETWEET!
Pace notable alumni from entertainment … Wikipedia
Michelle Borth - actress, known for Hawaii Five-0
Bradley Cooper '00 - actor [33]
Paul Dano - actor[34]
Meaghan Jarensky '04 - Miss New York USA 2005; Miss USA finalist[35]
Jarah Mariano - international model
Patrick Norton - host of Tekzilla and Systm; former host and managing editor of television show The Screen Savers
Vincent Pastore* - actor; best known for his role in The Sopranos as Salvatore “Big ■■■■■” Bonpensiero
Alfred Preisser - co-founder and director, with Christopher McElroen, of The Classical Theatre of Harlem[36]
Rachael Ray* - television celebrity chef, 30 Minute Meals[37]
Diana Scarwid - actress; Academy Award nominee and Emmy nominee
Glenn Taranto - actor; known for his role as Gomez Addams in The Addams Family
Dominique Fishback - actress and playwright
@sopranomtmom What you witnessed was one national tour show. A Broadway show obviously is a much higher caliber of talent than a national tour. Look at where those kids from. How about NYU? Ten years ago it was one of the best places to go but not now. Most of the top kids don’t even apply there anymore. Just saying. A kid from a better school just like sports has a better chance at succeeding. Usually but not always more talented kids go to better schools and better coaches and teachers go to the better schools. Trust me you won’t see too many Julliard, Michigan or Carnegie kids doing shows on cruise ships but you will see tons from the list you mentioned on them.
@2lights - Wow - that is quite a statement you just made. I truly have no words. I will just leave it at that.
@2lights you are mistaken in your assumption that a Broadway show is a “much higher caliber of talent” than a national tour. My daughter spent eight months on a national tour. She was on a production contract, the same contract that Broadway performers perform under. Many of the members of her tour floated back and forth between tour and the Broadway production of that same show, which was running at the same time. And your assumptions about the top schools and where kids are applying are way off, too. Most kids are applying at a HUGE number of schools, and trying to vary their lists.
Honestly, the more I look at your post, I’m sorry the more I see wrong with it. So many faulty assumptions. And for what it’s worth, my daughter’s idea of a PERFECT first job out of school would be a cruise ship LOL. She figures she could save up some money before moving to NY without living expenses. In a perfect world, that’s what she’d love to be doing.
Famous Broadway actors have done off Broadway shows…tours, Cruise ships… AFTER they were on Broadway…I think 2Lights is sadly misinformed…
thanks @Mom2E thanks! that’s 12 people out of perhaps a 12-15 years of graduates? I don’t know. The point i was making is, 1000’s are graduating each year and only a handful are actually making it right now. @2lights may be correct, you may not see them working on cruise ships but I was sitting with other parents during our kids Juilliard Callbacks and Many of those alumni were just doing small works. a Play here, a script there, nothing grand. One alumni came in late to speak about her experience and she isn’t doing much at all. she had graduated 2 years ago. Good training is everywhere, Things have to just click for the program and the student. You never know where you’d end up.
I was telling my sons Dancing GF that I couldn’t believe so many of her friends aren’t going to college for dance. She said it’s because they have the foundation of dance, now they are going to college for maybe sports medicine and will be able to treat dancers or work for a dancing company. Since they know how their bodies move, they are more in-tune with how they may feel after an injury. I never thought about this. Not everyone is destined to be a superstar
My kid’s school is on that list, and I still find it, and every list like it, ridiculous.
I don’t get the point. I don’t want to offend you, but you have no credibility posting a list like that. “Talking to people for five years” and collecting anecdotal evidence does not give you the credibility to claim these are the best schools - and in that order! (smh) If you were a CD from Telsey with years of experience, it might be a different story; but then again, if you were a CD from Telsey, you would never post something like that in the first place.
@CTDramaMom Right! Travel the world, hone your talent performing tons of different styles and dancing too! All the while having your food and lodging provided so you can save every penny. We know a young man who did just that and is now living in NYC and already landed a fantastic Off-Broadway show and a terrific agent. And he was able to make that transition using the money he saved up from doing two Cruise Ship contracts. Oh, and he went to a no name program here in CA that isn’t on any list anywhere.