Choosing Where to Get Your Degree
Heidi and Cynthia independently sing about the stress of being mothers to teenagers and wonder if they are doing it right in “Anybody Have a Map?” This song from Dear Evan Hansen illustrates these two characters asking if there is a right way to navigate this part of life. Choosing a place to attend college or a university and get your theatre degree is a big deal, and it can be easy to feel lost with so many options. We are going to address some of the things you should consider and research when investigating and choosing where to go to school.
Location
Where the school is located may be something important to think about before you go. Some people prefer or need to stay in the area they are from. Some people want to go somewhere away from what they are used to and get a new experience. Obviously, there are other factors that play into why people choose to stick around or go elsewhere. Remember that wherever you go, you won’t only be going to college. You are going to be living in that place, shopping and eating there, and having a social life so take that into consideration.
Price & Scholarships
Money can be a big factor in how people decide on a university. There are plenty of schools that give an incredible education that also cost a pretty penny, and there are also plenty of schools where you can get a wonderful degree that aren’t quite as expensive. Consider whether you will need to take out a student loan and how long it could take you to pay that back and decide how you feel about that. Whenever possible, look for scholarship opportunities because getting a bit of assistance with tuition can make such a difference. Also, in-state tuition can be a good reason to go to a local school.
Degree Type
There are a few different kinds of degrees as well as different majors you could go into that might vary depending on the school. If you want to get your main degree in something else you can minor in theatre, which requires less time to get your theatrical degree. You can major in it and get your bachelor’s degree, and under that umbrella, you might have the option to get a BA or BFA. A BA will help you develop skills not only in your area of focus, but also in subjects surrounding it or related to it; it could be considered a more well-rounded and diverse education. A BFA tends to concentrate solely on the technique and practical application of only your focus, as well as being a program that you have to audition for in many instances. And of course, there is always the chance to get a Master’s or PhD, but that would be down the road. Some schools have a general theatre degree, where you learn about all areas of theatre but have an emphasis in acting or directing or design, etc. And some schools might have specialized programs specifically for acting or musical theatre or design, etc.
Previous Seasons & Awards
If you can, you want to find a school that has a good program for you. Somewhere that cares about giving their students opportunities, that has sufficient funding for the arts, and puts up good work. Now you don’t need to end up at Tisch or Juilliard to get a good theatrical education; there are plenty of other schools where you can thrive and learn. One thing to research is the previous seasons. Look and see if the shows they’ve done interest you and if they are doing shows with variety and diversity as far as time period, style, and casting are concerned. You can also look into whether or not their school has received awards and positive reviews. A lack of awards is not a sign of a bad program though. It may simply mean they don’t participate in competitions or things like that.
Ask Around
Everyone will have their own opinion that is shaped by many different factors, which is important to remember, but asking people who attended the school or have seen shows at the school you’re thinking about is helpful. You will have to decide whether or not you think those opinions make a difference in how you pick.
There are many things that factor into an important decision such as this, and there are many resources available to give you important information. Ultimately, the choice is yours. Only you can decide where the best fit for you is, but hopefully some of these ideas have given you a place to start your investigation. Best of luck!