<p>My daughter auditioned at NYU this weekend for MT. She absolutely loves their program, and would want to attend even if placed in one of the acting studios. What appeals to her is the flexibility NYU gives in terms of minoring in another area, allowing semester abroad, etc. There are other schools which also allow this, of course. So my question is, and perhaps Soozievt can weigh in here, is NYU worth the steep tuition? Do the training and the contacts made while a student there make it worth the sticker price?</p>
<p>I’m not sure that there’s an easy answer to your question. 
My D is a Tisch grad and her education was extremely expensive and that was several years ago. For us, it was worth it because we could afford to pay for it. For most families, that isn’t an option. I would not recommend that a student be saddled with big student loans in any type of arts major. It will impede their ability to make the most of their education and to be able and available to pursue booking work. </p>
<p>My D’s training and education at NYU was excellent and she was employed from the time she graduated until today with no break. The contacts she made while in school, both at Tisch and in NYC, are largely responsible for that. Her particular path is unlikely to have happened as it did if she hadn’t been where she was for those four years. </p>
<p>Thanks for your response, alwaysamom! I know there is no easy answer here. We too could afford to pay for it, with some careful budgeting. I guess I’m just looking to hear from some folks that have been down this road already to get some perspective on this. </p>
<p>Well I’m not down the road, but I’m in the road. My daughter is a sophomore in the MT program at Tisch. </p>
<p>I think “is NYU worth the sticker price” could be the wrong question if by it you mean, “in comparison to other MT and Theatre programs out there.” Because if that is your question, the only way to say “yes” is if in your gut you think it is the best fit for you and you can pay for it without going into major debt. </p>
<p>NYU is expensive because NYC is expensive. Which means real estate is expensive. Which means housing is expensive. Which means salaries for the faculty have to reflect all of that. Now is NYU more expensive than some of the other schools like Pace that is also in NYC? I think maybe a little bit but not a ton (4-5k ish?). So what is the difference that allows NYU to charge more? I don’t know really. I only know about NYU.</p>
<p>I will tell you what I believe we have “purchased” at NYU:
- amazing faculty. The credentials of some of these folks would blow you away
- the chance to study theatre in the theatre capital of the world (my opinion anyway)
- academic selectivity. The chance to live and study with students that had to have demonstrated academic capability in order to be there. (Not just talking about the theatre students.)
- reputation. And please folks don’t jump on me for that one. I’m not comparing it to any other school and I also don’t care if people think that Tisch’s reputation isn’t what it used to be because I don’t know anything about what “used to be.” I’m describing what WE thought we purchased. And WE had heard of NYU/Tisch. And WE thought it had a great reputation for teaching theatre. And WE, really thought it would be cool if our daughter ended up there. And WE still do.
- Contacts. It’s a big program. Big peer group. Large number of faculty that one comes into contact with.
- The chance to crack the code of surviving NYC early. It’s not easy.
- Academic options. The ability to minor etc. My daughter was always an excellent student and wasn’t ready to go entirely “all in” on theatre. (Actually that is wrong… maybe we weren’t ready. In any event, she’s all in now.)
- Studio system. It’s pretty cool to think you could do MT for 4 years or do MT for 2. Then do classic studio, or film tv studio or any combination… or do semester of that and then return to MT. It’s hard to know as a freshman what you will feel like you need more of by the time you are a junior or senior. It’s cool that there are options at the end to mix things up if you want to and many do.
- The degree is a BFA in drama. Acting is front and center. </p>
<p>OK that’s it from me. I admit I do a big gulp every time I write the check but I know our daughter is in the right school for her. No regrets whatsoever.</p>
<p>Best of luck!!!</p>
<p>Halflokum,
Thanks for your detailed response! It must feel so good to know your daughter is in the right place. I hope that mine will find her “perfect fit” at the end of this process too.</p>
<p>I think you have already gotten excellent replies above. Also what is “worth it” to one person differs from another. As well, ability to pay is a big part of it. NYU or not, I do think it is worth paying for a great fit for one’s kid in terms of their college education. If you see NYU as a great fit for your D and it is her first choice and if she is admitted, and you think you can make it work financially, those are good reasons to do it. I agree with alwaysamom that I would not want my KID saddled with huge debt, particularly for an arts major, but it doesn’t sound like your daughter will have to pay it herself. I also think halflokum outlined many things that NYU can offer your D that are, in part, specific to NYU, and of course, SOME of those things exist at other programs. </p>
<p>On a personal level…my D was on financial aid at NYU. It so happened she got some generous scholarships from them for four years. That still left a LOT to pay (just not the full price tag). We have a lot of loans for some of that. In fact, I just wrote a check for one of them to NYU tonight! I feel it has been worth every penny and any hardship to pay it. </p>
<p>Tisch was my D’s first choice. It was the right fit for her which doesn’t mean it may be for someone else (though it sounds like it meets some of your D’s criteria too). Like alwaysamom’s D (though mine is younger than hers), my D has been employed since graduation day in theater and music and has supported herself in NYC entirely in her field. I believe a big part of where she is at today (4.5 years out of school) is due to what she did at NYU, who she met while there, and how one thing led to another. She truly got everything she could out of NYU (she attended two studios, btw). I don’t think she could have had quite the same experiences at other schools, even though other schools are wonderful. She was able to piece together what she wanted to do for the four years. She met extraordinary faculty/professionals and her fellow students. So many of them continue their connections with her and are also faring well professionally. Before she even graduated, I feel she was building her network in NYC. In any case, she loved NYU/Tisch. It was everything she hoped it would be and more. As a parent, that is priceless. I don’t really care which school my kids choose, but am quite grateful that both my daughters chose and attended (and got in) to perfect fit schools for them. That doesn’t make these the “best” schools necessarily, but surely these were fabulous experiences for them. </p>
<p>Only you can decide what it is worth to you. For us, it was really worth it, even if we’ll be paying it off for a while. </p>
<p>Thank you, Soozievt! It’s the network that students build at Tisch that I think is most valuable in the long run. For now, I will work on the FAFSA and wait until April 1st!</p>