<p>Sdoncc glad you are happy with it, our 2nd year is still as enamoured as ever</p>
<p>My s is a Playwrights grad (08). He has multiple instructors from the studio who still make it a point to attend his productions. Amazing, continued support.</p>
<p>But…I see that this is not exactly on point to the question. If you can afford either, and get into both, pick the one that that most excites and inspires, puts you daily in close contact with diversely talented peers, and values your creativity and persistence. If you attend with the passion to get the best training you can from the experience, you can’t go wrong!</p>
<p>The programs at Purchase and NYU are so different, it’s like comparing apples and oranges. Both taste good, but depends what you are looking for. </p>
<p>At Purchase, academics are not emphasized at all and at Tisch, well, they count for 50% of your admissions. The two days worth of academics you will take at Tisch are at a pretty high level of rigor: they expect you to be a good to excellent academic student.</p>
<p>I agree with NotMamaRose. Although Purchase does not have an emphasis on the liberal arts education, the five days of conservatory classes is a major draw for some. I’m sure it’s the same at NYU, but when it comes to your conservatory classes, it is demanded of you to be an excellent student here.</p>
<p>Purchase is definitely very different from NYU. I do happen to know quite a lot about both programs however… My best friend is an NYU drama student at Atlantic Studio and I am currently a BFA acting major at Purchase. I visit NYU pretty much every weekend and know many people from her group in her studio. She also knows the members of my acting company at Purchase very well. I can say that I have a pretty good idea of what goes on in the studios at tisch. NYU focuses on producing scholarly actors. This is why they give them the two days per week to focus on academics. If you are someone who doesn’t want to give up your daily math and science classes I would recommend NYU. I can say that I am actually a little bit of a math geek and it is a little sad to not have it in my everyday life anymore. But with the intensity of the program that I am attending I know that having all of my focus on acting is what I need to truly grow as an actor. My friend who attends NYU was on the fence about choosing between a bfa or ba acting program last year when she was deciding where to go. I think that is exactly why she chose NYU. After hearing her personal stories and three of my other NYU acting friends’ stories, I found that NYU is a balance between a BA and a BFA training program. This was perfect for her at the time but as time went on during her first year she quickly realized that she wanted to go deeper into her training. She is currently still attending NYU but she is now also in the audition process for Purchase. The reason why she feels that NYU isn’t going deep enough for her is the fact that many of her classes just brush the surface of the material. She didn’t say that it felt that way for all her classes but for most of them she felt like they were just skimming. With an incoming class of 70 students at Atlantic studio alone making the entire freshman class of Tisch Drama School around 350 she felt that she was just one small fish in the sea. She said it did help a lot that the studios were broken into small groups of 14-20 kids though. However when a school needs to provide that many teachers for that many groups you can’t always guarantee quality. She said that out of all her teachers over her first semester there was one that she really enjoyed that she felt that she could really connect and learn with. What do you know but that teacher happened to be a Purchase BFA Acting alumni.</p>
<p>Purchase provides teachers that all care deeply about your growth as an actor. They wont let you drift under the radar only doing “good” work. They know that it is not going to help you if they give you an A in their class for doing “good” and then you go out into the real acting world and find that “good” doesn’t get you noticed and "good doesn’t get you jobs. Purchase trains their actors to be outstanding. They mold the program to you to help you grow the maximum amount possible. They adjust the curriculum based on the current company. Every company is different and therefore can’t all be forced into the same cookie cutter shape. This does not mean that different companies learn different material but it just means that they learn it in different ways every year. Purchase encourages exploring the individual unique actor that you are and the curriculum supports that exploration. The individualized attention from the professors goes above and beyond any typical college experience. They get to know who you really are and most of the time they know certain parts of you before you’ve even discovered them yourself. They will take money and many hours out of their personal lives to help you, whether it be buying you equipment for your studio or giving you a one on one session outside of class. Sometimes even over break through Skype. It is important to know that many of the professors don’t make that much of a profit at all from working at Purchase after traveling to and from and putting their personal time and money into their curriculum. This means that every one of them is there because they want to be and because they care about the students and upholding the very high purchase acting training standards.</p>
<p>Very very very long story short…NYU can be very good for some people. If you want that perfect balance between BA and BFA I would say go for NYU! It is a wonderful place for that! But if you are looking for a very intense BFA program that will help to grow as an actor in a much deeper way, I’d say Purchase is the place for you.</p>
<p>I’m not sure why to compare the two schools you have to put one down to raise the other up. They’re different. NYU is a BFA with three days of studio and two days of academics. I don’t know how Purchase works, but clearly the academic portion is not the same. At Tisch, a portion of the academics is liberal arts, but Tisch has its own portion of the academic curriculum as well, and it encourages the student to look at the world as an artist and a critical thinker. </p>
<p>My D feels like part of a family with her studio at Tisch. Her teachers know her well, and she adores them all. While she is learning specific techniques, she is also exploring her own creativity, personal growth and theater as a means of artistic expression. She is challenged and stretched physically, emotionally and intellectually in her studio work- what better training ground for a life in theater than that?</p>
<p>I’m sorry I didn’t mean to put down NYU, but looking back I can see how it could sound like that so I’m sorry. All I want to say is that from what I’ve heard from my close friends at Tisch is that NYU is a wonderful program that offers what I personally consider to be a perfect balance between a BA and a BFA Acting program. I’m not saying that the rest of the world should agree with me, obviously I’m biased as a student at purchase. But I’m just putting my opinion out there.</p>
<p>One thing to mention is that with such a large body of students graduating at Tisch, students will have to compete aggressively against each other for job opportunities. A student who graduated from Purchase is more unique professionally.</p>
<p>all these actors are competing against each other… I really doubt that casting directors think that because now they’ve taken a graduate of one school, they now have to pick one from another! </p>
<p>you might also say that the kids who graduate from Tisch have a ton of friends and connections in the industry. I think alot of them go off an form their own creative projects together, too. I think Soozievt can attest to that from her daughter’s experience.</p>
<p>The Tisch students have an opportunity to make friends with (and perhaps work with? My D is just a freshman, so I don’t know) kids studying other disciplines in theater and film as well (directing, writing, production), important for future connections. This may also be the case at Purchase, too, but again, I don’t know.</p>
<p>Julia, I agree with SDonCC about your first post. I think you would come off more credible if you spoke about YOUR program, SUNY Purchase, without being negative about NYU, with which you have no direct experience. There are a few things you wrote about NYU that I don’t find so valid. And for those that do not know me, I will mention that my kid graduated from NYU/Tisch and so my perspective derives from that. I realize you have a friend at NYU who has completed one semester there. </p>
<p>First, my daughter never took a math or science course her entire four years at NYU. The liberal arts requirements are broadly defined in general areas. For “sciences,” my D took one Political Science course and one Sociology course. As far as liberal arts requirements, it basically involves taking six courses in broad areas of liberal arts, two writing courses, and seven courses from an array of Theater Studies. So, about half the non-studio courses are still in the area of theater. It is not a “balance of a BA and a BFA.” It is a BFA like most other schools and has conservatory training. SOME BFA programs have more liberal arts requirements than others. NYU does have them. Some schools mix the liberal arts and conservatory training classes throughout the five days of the week and NYU concentrates the conservatory training into three full days of approx. 9-6 and then the other coursework is on the two other days. Just because conservatory training is over three days, doesn’t make it “less” but one needs to add up the hours of class time to make a fair comparison. </p>
<p>My D was not in Atlantic studio, though it is known to be a demanding studio. She trained in two studios at Tisch and did not ever feel like she was “skimming the surface.” Your friend has gone to school for one semester and I’d like to hear from those who attended for 8 semesters. My D’s training classes did not go over 16 students. While Tisch overall has more students than most programs, the class size is what matters and the individual attention and relationships with faculty and that is achieved when classes are this size. My D forged close relationships with faculty and has worked professionally with a few of them outside of school as well, including since graduating. You mention that when the school has a larger faculty, it can’t “guarantee quality.” Sorry, but this makes no logical sense! No matter the size of the program, selection of faculty involves certain criteria. I know that the faculty my D has worked with are all professionals in the industry, many with significant achievements.</p>
<p>Your second paragraph which is all about Purchase (which was worth sharing as you have direct experience), comes across, however, as a COMPARISON/CONTRAST to Tisch (as if Tisch is not these things) and frankly, much of what you wrote about Purchase, could be said of Tisch…such as…faculty who care deeply about your growth, wanting students to strive for work beyond simply “good work,” do not train “cookie cutter actors” (oy vey, if I read another post on CC about programs who train “cookie cutters”…it won’t be too soon), care about the students, individualize, will help you grow as an actor in a “deep” way. </p>
<p>Joehascol…your point about Tisch graduates competing with one another for job opportunities makes no sense in the world of theater. This is not like college admissions. It is not like recruitment for I-Banking jobs either. When you audition or apply for any theater job, you are up with graduates (and non-grads) from around the country and no casting director or theater company gives one iota how many they take from one college. When you hit the theater work world as a non-Tisch graduate, you too will be competing against a LOT of Tisch grads, as well as zillions of others. Those in the theater industry do not care about the “uniqueness” of your college. Actually, some might say that going to a theater program that is well known, such as Tisch, might even be beneficial. But nobody cares how unique your degree is or how many have one.</p>
<p>I have to agree with SDonCC that due to the size of Tisch, the network among fellow graduates and the many faculty is huge. By the time my D graduated, she was already somewhat established in NYC with a very large network. Many (not all) of the jobs she has held since graduating are due to networking with peers from Tisch or faculty in some fashion. Two shows she is currently in, as well as two professional jobs she has at Tisch right now, are all connected in some way back to Tisch. Also, fellow graduates have become directors and so on. My D has worked continually since graduating day in the field of theater and musical theater in several capacities and again, many of these jobs, though not all, are connected through her Tisch network. My D has also hired fellow Tischies in professional capacities and gotten her friends jobs in the field. The connections she made at Tisch continue for her in a big way and I believe always will.</p>
<p>Lastly, SUNY Purchase is very well regarded. I don’t have first hand experience there but have only read good things. I also have a nephew at Purchase in another arts field who loves it so far.</p>
<p>Julia112 - I didn’t read your post as putting down Tisch at all. I think these parents are just too defensive. I am surprised more didn’t pile on like they usually do when someone says something even slightly critical.</p>
<p>tenyearplan, I don’t think that SDonCC or myself “piled on” julia. This is a discussion forum. She wrote a post contrasting two programs and spoke with inside knowledge about one of the programs, the one in which she attends, SUNY Purchase. What she wrote about Tisch is second hand. I think that parents of Tisch students and alum are justified in writing what they know about Tisch to balance another person’s opinion and second hand information, some of which is not entirely accurate information. It was not an attack of Julia. Please notice that both SDon and I didn’t write about SUNY Purchase as we don’t have first hand information. We spoke about a program our kids attend. I wish Juiia simply spoke about the program she attends, SUNY Purchase. That would be quite valid. If a member is going to contrast two programs and one is a program which they do not attend, it is understandable that those with more intimate knowledge of the program might speak about it and also clarify some things. That is hardly a pile on. </p>
<p>For example, if I were to post that SUNY Purchase trains cookie cutter actors, and I don’t attend and my kid doesn’t attend, I would expect someone from Purchase to respond about what they think or know about the program first hand. Now, I would not have even posted that in the first place as I don’t think I should give an opinion about a program I haven’t attended or am not the parent of a student who attends/ed. I think one can speak of their own program and its merits without having to indicate that in some way it does whatever it does better than another program. Let it stand on its own merits. As well, some information about another program may be incorrect or misguided information and it behooves those familiar with the program to set it straight. Many are reading these posts and I think that second hand information should be clarified by those more familiar with a program or else the second hand information stands as fact.</p>
<p>Another example…if I were a newbie, and read julia’s post, I would assume a Tisch student must take math and science. This is not true. There were other inaccurate points made. What’s wrong with someone well informed about a program clarifying these things?</p>
<p>Admittedly, you’ve brought up some good points. But I believe SUNY should be given at least a chance on a board like this, whose main demographic is parents who have sent their children to NYU. When I started lurking here, I was initially misled into believing NYU was worth the debt, and was an absolute dream. I was fed an idealized fantasy of what NYU was like from this board. Now we all like cheering each other on and patting each other on the back, but let’s face it: Purchase is a more selective, more affordable, conservatory-style training, whereas NYU has a “Conservatory within a university” feel (Which is completely different). Now that I’ve had to audition several times for universities, I’m looking for more reasonable options than NYU, which may destroy my financial life in the future, though would still be an excellent school. Each have their pros and cons, and it’s good that we are refuting each others’ points. After all, who can truly agree on anything. People on this board should not be afraid to voice their opinion just because they down want the wrath of parents coming down on them. Agree to disagree.</p>
<p>Joehascol…of course SUNY Purchase should be “given a chance” on this message board! It should be given MORE than simply a “chance” as it is a superb program that is highly regarded. Those who attend or their parents, should share what they know of the program and many have! I’m so grateful that they have shared their experiences as I want to know as much about it myself! And so do prospective students. I applaud and encourage such sharing of first hand experiences at an acting program! I also encourage differing opinions, both pro and con about any school! What is not as appealing, however, is contrasting opinions about two schools in such a way where one has no experience at one of the schools (this is different than comparing facts about two schools) or else one is championing their school to be “better” than another. For example, I would not give an opinion about Purchase as I don’t have first hand experience there, though would provide factual information about it. I also would not say that NYU/Tisch is better than any other Acting program because I don’t believe it to be true. I can share what I know about it and think of it in ways that don’t make it better or best. It can stand on its own merits for its own sake without opinions about other programs.</p>
<p>In any case, I agree that SUNY Purchase is more affordable than NYU/Tisch. This is an important factor in college selection for lots of applicants. As well, Purchase is more of an arts college, whereas Tisch is a conservatory that is part of a larger university. Yes, these are different! And yes, each school has its pros and cons and most importantly, it is a matter of which school fits one’s own personal selection criteria. Not everyone wants the same thing in their college experience. It isn’t about which program is best but about which fits you the best (and that you are admitted to of course). I also agree that large student loans for a potential actor are not wise. Some students, like my kid, got a combination of scholarships and loans but we (the parents) are paying the loans, not the kid. </p>
<p>Nobody should be afraid to voice an opinion, including a negative opinion, about any school. There is no “wrath” that I have observed here by the parents. I see parents setting the record straight or clarifying misconceptions about a school they are familiar with when a student speaks about the school who does NOT attend that school. That is a valid response, in my view. I also think the stance that one should share about their own school without being negative about another one in order to do so is valid.</p>
<p>soozievt - Don’t worry. I think it is funny, but there is a long history on College Confidential of a HUGE Tisch bias coming from you and others. People who read here laugh about it. Like on the old threads, a woman who was also an acting teacher’s daughter left Tisch. She said why and you and some other moms piped in with looooooooong posts about how wonderful it was. There was a guy on the mt part last year who was leaving Tisch and it was the same thing. There are lots of other examples. To someone reading for the first time, it really does look like there is a College Confidential rule that you can’t say anything even slightly critical of Tisch. </p>
<p>I don’t like the cookie cutter connotation because there is no such thing as a cookie cutter actor but I don’t think that is what Juila112 really meant. I think it was more about how at Tisch you are married to one technique for two years while it is more varied and crafted to the individual student at Purchase. </p>
<p>The bottom line is Purchase is a conservatory. Tisch is not. EVERY day is a studio day at Purchase with only one liberal arts class per term. There is a huge difference in studio class time and that is why they get to go deeper into the craft. It only makes sense. The only school that rivals them for that is Juilliard. Some think that is a good thing. Not so much for those that want lots of liberal arts.</p>
<p>I looked around and saw that large numbers of Tischies still feel like they need to go for a MFA while I could not find one Purchase graduate who did that. Some think that is okay. Others not so much.</p>
<p>Some think being with the same 18 people all day every day for 4 years like at Purchase is a good thing. Others not so much.</p>
<p>Some think it is okay to let students slide through with Cs like you can do at Tisch. Others not so much. </p>
<p>There are good things and bad about all these schools. Purchase is one of the three schools I finally decided to audition for, but there are some things I don’t like about it. Like the campus is butt ugly and being tripled in a small dorm room would suck. I can also tell that their preparation for the real world of the business is lacking from looking at some of their graduates websites but I have seen just as bad from Tisch graduates.</p>
<p>People are free to say critical things about Tisch. As it is a discussion forum, if one comes upon an opinion and in many cases, erroneous information too, others familiar with the school would have an inclination to post clarifications or other opinions since many are reading here (not just those involved in the conversation). For instance, if someone were to write that at Tisch, you have to take math, and that is incorrect, why would I want that to stand for impressionable prospective students? If one writes that the selection of faculty is not has high quality because the school is big, and I have a different perspective, why not put it out there so that those who are reading can come upon various perspectives? Ya know, when my kids applied to college, they chose to speak to MANY who attended and not just one or two people, in order to garner various perspectives. What one kid doesn’t like, another finds just fine. Hearing from many perspectives would help someone who wants to learn about a college. Further, I think it is necessary to balance “accounts” of a school that are put forth by those who DO NOT attend, by those who do attend or have a child who attends or attended. Those who read the posts above can see opinions by someone about Tisch who has a “friend” who is in their first year or information from a parent of a graduate and weigh what they think. A message board is a way to get a variety of viewpoints.</p>
<p>And as I wrote before, one can share about their own school without having to put down another school. I have shared about Tisch but have not put down another school in order to do so. As well, I don’t believe that Tisch is better than other schools. I just know that my kid had a fabulous experience there and it fit what she wanted in a college. Since graduating, she has worked continually in theater. I don’t apologize that my kid was a happy camper. Someone else may not like the school and I have no issue with that. I do hope that information put here is accurate and that a variety of viewpoints can be shared.</p>
<p>By the way, thank you for telling me what CCers laugh about in my posts as you have been a member for 8 months. I have been a member for almost nine years. Indeed, I do have a long history on CC!</p>
<p>By the way, in an effort to set the record straight, at some studios at Tisch, actors do NOT learn just ONE acting technique. For example, my D studied in ETW studio and they teach a variety of techniques. Further, at Tisch, you can study in two or three studios during your four years of college and so by the end of college, have studied many techniques, which is true at Purchase.</p>
<p>Statement from ETW: “Our curriculum provides a wide range of voice, movement, and acting methods, so that students can choose the techniques that will best serve them and develop their own artistic vision.”</p>
<p>I did NOT mean people laugh at ALL your posts. That would be stupid because you are usually very kind, knowledgeable and helpful. It is only the Tisch bias. It’s okay. We all have our biases. :)</p>
<p>I know you think I have a bias toward Tisch. In my opinion, I am not biased in thinking Tisch is better than any other BFA program. I don’t think that at all. Simply, I have the most experience with that school in terms of theater than any other as my kid attended and so I think I can offer some information about it and her experiences. I certainly don’t think it is the best. I do think she chose a school that was an excellent fit for her and she had a great experience. I don’t consider that biased. I can’t give opinions about schools that I don’t have a close ofan experience with. For other schools, I can give information due to my own research but not so much an opinion about them. It only makes sense that I share more about the program my own kid attended. If she had attended Purchase, I’d be sharing about that school!! (she didn’t apply to Purchase as she was pursuing musical theater). I also guided my nephew’s admission process and as I said, he attends Purchase in another arts field. Obviously I think well of that school given the experience I had with him on his admissions process there. It is only natural that a parent speak of the schools their own kids attend as they know the schools the best but it doesn’t mean we think these schools ARE the best. I know I don’t. I just know my kid found the best fit for her which may not be for someone else. So, if you consider that biased, you do, but I consider it logical for parents or students to share about the schools to which they have a personal connection. I know when I read posts, I’d rather hear about a school from a current student, alum, or parent (or faculty member) associated with that school than someone who just heard about the school. And that was what I was responding to earlier on this thread. I love reading what Purchase kids are sharing about their OWN school, but not so much what they heard about another school. It makes sense for those connected to Tisch to share about Tisch on this thread and those connected to Purchase to share their experiences with Purchase. That’s just how I see it.</p>
<p>I am an Acting Student at Purchase, so I’ll put some facts on the table about my program. As I don’t go to Tisch, and only have information from close friends that do attend the program, I will keep my comments on that program limited. </p>
<p>Purchase - Narrowly focused training program, full days of conservatory classes five days a week, with one gen ed a semester. Core classes for all four years: Acting, Voice, Movement, Speech. </p>
<p>Other courses throughout the four years include Lecoq, Stage Combat, Script Analysis, Dramatic Structure, Theatre History, Improvisation, Stage Makeup, The Business of Acting, Acting for the Camera, Etc.</p>
<p>Small companies: Admitting a class of about 18-20, graduating between 12-15. There is no quota, or specific number of people that need to be “cut.” Evaluations 4 times a year. </p>
<p>During your third and fourth year, you are constantly in fully mounted productions in the Performing Arts Center. We share guest directors with Juilliard, in fact I met the head of Juilliard at one of our shows this year. </p>
<p>Another good thing about BOTH programs is that they have great film conservatories at each school, and there is a lot of collaboration between the actors and film students.</p>
<p>Also, an IMPORTANT IMPORTANT note that we sometimes forget when strictly talking training programs: Go see shows in the city. Look in the playbills and find out where the actors are from. I have consistently found in the productions that I have seen during my time in New York that the actors working in straight plays are from Juilliard, Yale School of Drama, Nyu MFA Graduate program (not undergraduate), and SUNY Purchase BFA alumni. Again, obviously I have not seen every show in New York, and this is just my own personal experience (and I am CERTAINLY not saying that these are the only working actors), but I do find that those schools tend to be represented well in the Broadway/Off Broadway/Lincoln Center venues.</p>