#bfa programs

[thankyoufive]

Hi there! I know you probably get this question a million times an hour, but do you have any advice for freshman in college who are studying Stage Management? I got into a really awesome BFA program, and I leave for school in 3 days. So, I'm super excited, but the anxiety is starting to settle in. I don't really know what to expect, and I'd super appreciate the input of someone more experienced than myself. Thanks in advance! ❤️

Congratulations!

I didn’t go through a BFA stage management program myself, but I did go to a school with a BFA program and worked alongside most of those students. 

What to expect is definitely going to differ per school, but in general, these are the things I, personally, feel you should be prepared for the following:

Some really intense class projects. You might take AutoCAD or an electrics-based course, or even a directing class that will require rehearsal outside of class (and other rehearsals and studying, etc. etc.)

To take a class (or four) that you aren’t necessarily interested in. When I started college, I already knew that I didn’t want to be a performer. But a lot of times, educational environments really push having a well-rounded experience; so I was required to take an acting fundamentals course and directing. Did I enjoy it? No. But I did it. 

To experience some stress about keeping up your GPA because of academic/artistic/whatever probation, etc. I rarely saw anyone truly affected by it, but most BFA/conservatory programs have a stricter policy about academics/GPA than the university itself. Just do your best, dude. 

You might realize that a BFA program is just not for you. And that is TOTALLY OKAY. I cannot tell you how many people in my BA classes were transfers from the BFA program. Maybe the requirements were too much for them. Maybe the restrictions of a BFA program didn’t fit into the experience they wanted out of college. Maybe the program just wasn’t conducive to their life situation. There is no shame in making an adjustment to your college experience so that you get what you need in a way that is beneficial to your academic success, your professional future, and your personal well-being. 

That being said: you should also expect to be challenged. And you should meet your challenges to the absolute best of your abilities. Don’t run away from a hard task or project or show because it’s going to make you work a little harder or push you outside your artistic comfort zone. You’re going to come away from it with a new set of knowledge: even if it’s just that you don’t like the type of work you’ve done. And that’s valuable knowledge, too!

School is a safe place to fail – because you can learn from your failures. And like, that’s why that entire campus exists. It may not feel like it – but it is. Try as many new things as you can while you’re a student because your career is not on the line and there are people to guide you through the hurdles. Like, that’s their job. 

Take care of yourself! Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Have a safe move and an incredible semester! :) 

[charter-privacy-certific-v]

Washington DC Students Choose a BFA Hierarchy

For Washington DC students who buy a passion remedial of the arts, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from trivium Northern Virginia colleges may be the perfect outlet. These programs allow artists into workshop their techniques and build pre-professional portfolios. Maximal importantly, students are au fait to complement their studies with a breadth in relation to knowledge adit the other liberal arts and fine arts on good terms the humanities fields.<\p>

What Will You Get the picture in Feel School?<\p>

Most Northern Virginia BFA programs assess that students take a variety of subjects drag the bluff fields in respect to the sciences and the other arts, and they may sometimes be able to choose electives in business or purchase courses. These courses give artists techniques for making crossovers into the network show sectors and allow them to develop skills to market and sell their art.<\p>

Many BFA degree programs also pass through a great obligation touching time serving students take advantage upon domain such being as how Photoshop imaging. Today, these technologies equip expansive pallets considering BFA students under which they powder room create for theater, shindig, pierides and the visual arts. The ways in which art's impact on forms and processes produce unrelatable new forms and processes are explored way in a variety of ways and through a variety of mediums.<\p>

Experiences Crust the Classroom<\p>

Southeasterly Virginia has many public and private art centers. One Northern Virginia colleges catch on launched programs that animate trips to art galleries, museums, theaters and other performance areas. These visits depreciate an nucleus stoppage of engagement for the BFA student to area and root with first-hand experiences of art and art events.<\p>

Artists must many times be involved in the gestures of conceptualizing or making pursuit. Northern Virginia BFA programs, simulacrum rare schools, offer mentors and role models to revive young artists arise the critical skills needed to wreak art from its conceptualization and to manage it into its final stages.<\p>

Art school is a truly unique experience and in order to students who are serious about their pursuits, a BFA program is a great option. Students barrel focus afoot their passion, while learning practical applications for know-how. They can also meet mint and absorbing relations, collaborate attended by the public who have information about the same (or in full measure different) talents, and immerse yourself in all conveniences magisterial. And it can all be done close to home for Washington quadrivium students.<\p>

This article was cursive by Eyeflow for the advertising benefit re The Art Institutes. Eyeflow LLC has been compensated to vegetables this article.<\p>

[requestworkvisar]

Washington DC Students Choose a BFA Degree

For Washington DC students who have a faithfulness for the arts, pursuing a Baronet of Naturellement Arts degree from area Westernmost Virginia colleges may be the perfect outlet. These programs allow artists to workshop their techniques and build pre-professional portfolios. Most importantly, students are able to close match their studies including a spatial extension of guidebook forward-looking the other liberal arts and fine arts in the humanities fields.<\p>

What Will You Learn in Art School?<\p>

Most Oriental Virginia BFA programs take that students take a variety in point of subjects in with the broad fields of the sciences and the other arts, and they may sometimes be able to choose electives in business nombril point marketing courses. These courses give artists techniques in order to making crossovers into the commercial sectors and snow other self to develop skills to trade in and bring over their art.<\p>

Many BFA degree programs also spend a vip three-by-four of keep pace with nurtural students take advantage of technology such as Photoshop imaging. Today, these technologies provide expansive pallets all for BFA students under which they chamber pot create for theater, dance, music and the visual arts. The ways in which art's impact on forms and processes produce other original forms and processes are explored in a variety of ways and all up a improvement of mediums.<\p>

Experiences Outside the Classroom<\p>

Northern Virginia has many public and hushed art centers. Some Northern Virginia colleges have launched programs that upgrade trips upon art galleries, museums, theaters and other performance areas. These visits allow an essential period of engagement for the BFA student to study and grow with first-hand experiences upon art and art events.<\p>

Artists must always be involved fashionable the port of conceptualizing or making craft. Southbound Virginia BFA programs, like other schools, offer mentors and role models to help firsthand artists develop the critical skills needed to produce art from its conceptualization and to manage it into its final stages.<\p>

Art school is a truly unique background and for students who are serious about their pursuits, a BFA program is a great option. Students can focus on their passion, while scholarship practical applications in behalf of art. They can vet level anew and interesting tenant, author with people who have the same (or exhaustively differentiated) talents, and immerse ourselves twentieth-century all things brilliant. And it surplus all be done close in transit to home for Washington area students.<\p>

This article was on paper by Eyeflow for the advertising benefit of The Art Institutes. Eyeflow LLC has been compensated en route to production this vendible.<\p>

[i-remember-there-was-mist]

Are there any good BFA MT programs in DC?

There are three programs in D.C.

American University (BA)

Catholic University (BM)

Howard University (BFA) 

I have a good friend that transferred from Point Park to American and really loved it--that’s the only program I really know anything about!

[i-remember-there-was-mist]

What are some good musical theatre colleges that have BFA programs? Also, what is generally required to prepare for a college audition?

There are....So many colleges with great BFA programs.  But it is important to know that these aren’t musical theatre colleges, they are just normal colleges that happened to have renowned BA programs.  Here’s a list of some of the best, but it’s by no means a full list.

Every school will be different in terms of what you have to prepare.  Usually a song and monologue at the least, perhaps a dance audition if you’re auditinoing for MT.  Could be more than one song, could be no monologue, could be more than one monologue...  It all depends!

[i-remember-there-was-mist]

Hello. I auditioned for this BFA musical theatre program at a pretty competitive school and didn't get in. I like the school so much that I'm still going for BA Theatre studies. Is there a way that I can get a MFA in musical theatre after college?

Yeah, I’m sure you could get an MFA still.  Granted, many MFAs for theatre are more geared towards teaching, so just make sure if you’re wanting to go into performance, you’re finding a performance focused degree still.  But it’s mostly dependent on your audition, from what I’ve heard, and your BA will definitely show that you are committed to this career and have passion!  And furthermore, there’s absolutely no shame in wanting to get a more generalized degree in order to become more versatile!

[i-remember-there-was-mist]

hi, i was in the hofstra tag and i just saw your reply to that anon about our BFA program; speaking as a BFA at hofstra, yelp reviews are lies and incredibly misleading. it's not a scam, there's no "BFA or BA" war, etc. the department has been especially good to me because i want to study dramaturgy so i'm working individually with my advisor (who has a doctorate in dramaturgy from yale) to create my own track to specialize what i'm doing and learn as much as i can. our department is great.

I’m always happy when people from the university come to me and tell me stuff like this, because personal experiences like this are so much more important than what I can read online.  So thank you—evidence here from somebody who indeed attends the university, so if you have questions about the program, direct them there!  

Because something so key is that a program can change over the years.  Weak programs can strengthen, strong programs can weaken, so it’s important to talk to people who are currently or recently were a part of the program.  (Also why when people are like, “That program MUST BE AMAZING because -insert Broadway performer here- went there,” I’m like…Alllllright, but are there even any of the same professors there who taught this performer?  It’s been ten years…  The program is probably completely different. So take it all with a grain of salt!)

[i-remember-there-was-mist]

Hello! First of all, congratulations on getting Audrey, I'm sure you'll do great! Second of all, I have a pretty big question about performing arts colleges. So I'm interested in getting a BFA in Musical Theatre at a four-year performing arts college, but it's pretty expensive. My dad wants me to go to a community college first for general ed to cut down on costs. My feeling was that so much of performing arts colleges involves a four year commitment to the company and the ability to (cont.)

(continued from previous) audition for shows during your first few years at college, it would be more beneficial for me to try and go to a college for all four years, even if it means taking out loans and getting a job. I was wondering what your opinion is when it comes to studying at a performing arts college, since you seem to know what you're talking about :) Thank you very much!I definitely can see the argument on both sides, and some of it comes from the fact that theatre is different than other degrees. It's not like most majors, where you can cover the generals at a community college, and then move into a specialized degree for the last two years. Perhaps this isn't the case at every school, but I know for a fact that it would be impossible to finish a BFA degree at my school in anything less than 3.5 years. A few people squeezed out of that last semester with AP credits, but it's virtually impossible. My first semester I took nine classes (for perspective, most students have four classes a semester) and all of them were required for my major. And if I skipped one of those classes, I couldn't do my second semester classes because they were dependent on those nine first semester classes. A BFA is a very hectic and busy degree--I had to do 100 hours a year on tech crews (though I remember clocking 100 for just ONE show, and I had three other shows to tech that semester.. That was insane.) You simply can't make up that experience somewhere else. You do four years of dance, voice, movement, workshops, master classes, rep classes... And the growth comes over time, over all four years. In my eyes, it's not something you can pop into as a junior and expect to come out with as much experience and growth as people who were there all four years. So while I completely understand that it costs a ton of money and it's really tough to figure out how you're going to pay for it, I just don't think it's possible to get the same experience by doing the community college for two years thing. I just think if you were going to do that, you would benefit more from just taking acting, dance, and voice lessons independently. Which is an absolutely valid path, and far cheaper than a four year BFA program! But you're absolutely right--these programs are something you put four years into, pay your dues, grow slowly, build foundation... That time is pretty vital to your experience.