College 3 x 5: Bachelor of Fine Arts Drama Programs
Colleges and universities that grant a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in drama are serious about their graduates finding jobs in the entertainment industry. That is why the most elite drama programs admit less than 5% of applicants, rivaling the acceptance stats of Harvard and Stanford. If you are a student with a burning desire to succeed on stage or in films, television, and web programs, your college search will begin with a lot of research, preparing for your auditions and traveling to regional or campus auditions. According to Mary Anna Dennard of collegeauditioncoach.com, all audition-based drama programs are reach schools. Here are a few to consider:
The Theatre School at DePaul offers twelve undergraduate majors, including acting, set design, set technology, playwriting, theatre management, sound design, and more
Chicago’s vibrant theatre scene provides internships to DePaul students at venues such as Steppenwolf, Second City, and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
Notable alumni: Gillian Anderson, Kevin Anderson, Judy Greer, Karl Malden, Elizabeth Perkins
The Institute of Performing Arts at Tisch offers comprehensive conservatory training in acting, directing, musical performance, production, design and stage management
The curriculum for all drama students consists of NYU general education classes, professional training, theatre studies, and electives such as stage combat and audition technique
Notable alumni: Alec Baldwin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michael C. Hall, Jeremy Piven
The BF A program at Rutgers accepts less than 10% of applicants, all of whom spend their third year at the Globe Theatre in London, studying Shakespeare
All students in Rutgers’ Mason Gross School of the Arts function as a theatre company, sharing classes and production experiences together
Notable alumni: Calista Flockheart, Sebastian Stan, James Tupper, Kristin Davis
An excellent source of information and advice about preparing for highly selective drama programs is I Got In! by Mary Anna Dennard, and her website, College Audition Coach.