<p>I think what KEVP is trying to say is there are very strong, very academic programs that fit the bill for what your daughter says she wants that are not necessarily housed on the campus of a private liberal arts school. One that comes to mind immediately if film is her interest, is USC - its private, its BFA Acting program is small and very competitive to get in, and the university is academically quite strong. Being a part of a small program like the BFA Acting program makes a big school seem very small all of a sudden. If California is what she wants, and film is a strong interest, she definitely should look at USC. Another California school she might want to consider is Pepperdine. it seems to fit all of your criteria. And there is also Chapman in California. If California is not a must, Reed College in Portland is out west. However, I don’t know how strong its theater program is. But it is a top ranked private LAC on the West Coast.<br>
One thing she may want to consider – not all great programs for film and theater are located in LA or NYC. In fact, many experts advise students not to go the the big cities for college. If you all are willing to broaden your search, I would recommend many other places including:</p>
<p>Harvard - we have a friend who last year turned down Carnegie Mellon to go to Harvard for theater
Brown
Kenyon College in Ohio
Swarthmore
Skidmore
Bard
Muhlenburg
Barnard
Denison College in Ohio
Oberlin in Ohio
Vassar
SMU
University of Texas
University of Virginia</p>