liberal arts vs. conservatory

soozievt
Mon, 05 Jun 2006 22:57:32 +0000

“However, also keep in mind that the better BA Theatre Studies programs offer enough acting, voice, and movement classes to roughly equate to the first two years of a lower intensity BFA. Would that make them somehow separate from the major? I think not.”

I think one difference in your reasoning than my observations is that you are talking more of ACTING programs and I am talking of BFA in MT programs which are not like BA degree programs at all. A BA in Theater Studies major is not going to get the same thing as the first two years of the BFA in MT training at a place like CAP. I have yet to find a BA in Theater Studies that involves 8 semesters of voice, 7 semesters of private voice, 8 semesters of tap, jazz and ballet, 8 semesters of voice/speech, 8 semesters of acting, and so forth as is found in a BFA program (going by Tisch’s curriculum but I am not just refering to Tisch here). The hours devoted to this training over 4 years in a BA Theater Studies program doesn’t equate to 2 years of BFA professional MT training, in my view.

“Interesting. There are a minimum of thirteen gen ed classes that need to be completed at Tisch to get a degree. At that rate, it would take a kid with no AP or transfer credit at least an extra semester (and an extra $25,000) to graduate. To finish on time, she would need to come in with at least five APs with scores of 4 or better. Remember also that one of the oft extolled virtues of Tisch on this forum is that students can and do double major. It doesn’t seem feasible at all for someone to do it that way and graduate on time.”

I don’t wish to focus on Tisch but since you are stating this, I think it should be clarified since the OP and other readers may be reading and considering the program. I don’t know what 13 “gen ed classes” you mean. Students in Drama must take two freshmen semesters of the “core curriculum” which are two (one per semester) writing courses related to the arts. They must take two courses in the Humanities, two courses in the Sciences, and two courses in either the Humanities or the Sciences. So, that is a total of EIGHT liberal arts courses that are NOT the Theater Studies courses (need to take seven of those, inc. two required freshmen courses) or the Professional Training. There are also electives but for CAP students, PRIVATE VOICE which is for seven semesters, ARE electives and use up the majority of elective points required, I believe. Each of my D’s semesters, for instance, in freshman and soph years, consists of: professional studio courses (ie., acting, vocal tech or vocal performance, ballet, jazz, tap, voice/speech and most also have music theory but she placed out), one liberal arts course, private voice (required for CAP but counts toward electives), and one Theater Studies (academic in nature) class. I’m not clear how you got 13 required “gen ed” classes but maybe I don’t get the requirements? By the way, all the graduate friends of my D graduated Tisch in four years. One was even pre med. My D, btw, entered with no AP credits. She will most definitely graduate in 4 yrs.

In any case, finding a BFA program is about “fit” and what criteria someone wants in their college. For some, they only want the professional training and for others, they prefer some academics with the professional training. Some feel strongly that an actor who has an academic background, can be a thinking actor. Some also want to be trained to go into the profession but also be educated, though won’t get as broad an education as in a BA program. Many of the most talented theater youth I know happen to coincidentally be very good students and many of those wanted a BFA in a college/university setting. Others I know do not care at all about academics. They are not necessarily more talented as actors but just are not too into academics. That’s why establishing one’s college preferences is crucial before selecting colleges to apply to. Many go after schools’ reputations, but truly need to step back and determine what they want in a college and then find schools that closely match that, even if the match is not 100% in every respect but enough that they like the school and can see themselves attending. An openess to exploring many possibilities is also necessary, as Ericsmom says, because with the high selectivity quotient at many BFA programs, one may not be handed their ideal/first choices and there are truly many programs where one can thrive.

When I am advising students in selecting colleges, I find that some students’ preliminary list that they created on their own consists of only “name” or “top” programs, and in fact, the “fit” is not a good one and in many cases, the student is not nearly qualified. As MusThCC mentions, that even if there are a finite number of BFA in MT programs, there are more than one would be able to apply to, so there IS an element of selection around “fit” and people need to really look at the many options out there and not just go after “names”. In some cases, the name school is not a good fit. In some cases, the student’s stats won’t put him/her in range, and so forth. While I don’t wish to discourage anyone from a “dream” school, I try to encourage students to find schools that can be a dream school that is more likely for them and even a better fit and one where they would be more in range for the applicant pool. Finding schools for students is rather a fun match making exercise, if the student is “open” to considering the many gems out there that they may not have heard of or know as well.