Catholic University has a highly regarded drama department; I'm always seeing CUA grad names in programs.

VCU

Emerson
Marymount Manhattan
Muhlenberg
Northwestern
Florida state
Nyu- tisch
Fordham
Hartt
Columbia college- Chicago
Univ of so. california

She will need to choose the BFA or BA route and most of these programs require auditions for entrance and the competition is fierce. These schools are on every serious theater students radar and they are all competing at the same schools.

Northwestern, NYU, Carnegie Mellon, SUNY Purchase, Ithaca, DePaul University, Syracuse, Juilliard, Rutgers.

I can't believe no one has pointed out that 9th grade is ridiculously early to be looking at colleges.

Ask these questions in 11th grade.

Indiana University

Anonymous wrote:No college is better for acting/theatre than NYU. None. And the child is in New York City. Even if he/she never makes it as an actor, it is a well-respected degree and can lead to hundreds of other entertainment related fields.

It is stunningly hard to get into -- you need talent and top scores and grades.

Someone I know got in, but turned it down to go to Cincinnati Conservatory b/c the price at NYU is THROUGH THE ROOF! She is very happy at CC and getting paid summer jobs.

Anonymous wrote:Any college not in New York City or Los Angeles (or closely surrounding areas like New Haven) is a waste of time and money. New York University, University of Southern California, Yale, etc. All of the rest - as good as they may be - are insulated and give a false security. Face the big dogs right away and audition and make contacts while you are in college.

Horse shit.

Depends on what you want to do. Not everyone who goes into theater necessarily wants to be on Broadway. More importantly, the programs in flyover country (there are good ones) all have internships/connections in NYC and LA if that's where students ultimately want to go.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tell your child to defer college for a year, go to a major city (NYC) and wait on tables while auditioning for parts. If s/he says that's too scary/tough/not fun, then you will know that you should not shell out major $$$ so they can be a theater major in college because they don't have the chutzpah. And if your child truly does want to do theatre, I think real life experience will be better anyway.

+1

+1

Anything can happen between 9th and 12th grade. If, at the end, she really does want to learn the art, make sure she doesn't graduate with a pile of student loans. She will not be able to pay them as a struggling actress.

A friend of a friend studied drama at University of Maryland on a full scholarship. Is she famous now? Nope. But she does regular work in the trade earning peanuts. Best of all: No student debt!

Any college not in New York City or Los Angeles (or closely surrounding areas like New Haven) is a waste of time and money. New York University, University of Southern California, Yale, etc. All of the rest - as good as they may be - are insulated and give a false security. Face the big dogs right away and audition and make contacts while you are in college.

No college is better for acting/theatre than NYU. None. And the child is in New York City. Even if he/she never makes it as an actor, it is a well-respected degree and can lead to hundreds of other entertainment related fields.

It is stunningly hard to get into -- you need talent and top scores and grades.

Anonymous wrote:I had a classmate who went to Carnegie Mellon for theater.

and is famous today?

Anonymous wrote:Tell your child to defer college for a year, go to a major city (NYC) and wait on tables while auditioning for parts. If s/he says that's too scary/tough/not fun, then you will know that you should not shell out major $$$ so they can be a theater major in college because they don't have the chutzpah. And if your child truly does want to do theatre, I think real life experience will be better anyway.

+1