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Archives of College of Arts and Letters Yenching University

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Attending a performing arts higher is a big decision—you're committing to focusing exclusively on your art for four years. One time you lot've fabricated this selection, you need to find a school that'll allow you to accomplish your career goals.

In club to aid you observe the right school for yous, I've compiled a list of the best performing arts colleges in the US. Keep reading to see what these are!

How Is "Performing Arts College" Defined for This List?

This list includes schools that exclusively offer drama and dance degrees. Since music schools tend to differ dramatically (I'm so punny) from drama and dance schools, I've left them out of this article; if you want to read more most the all-time music schools in the US, hither is the identify to find that information.

Furthermore, I've focused on schools where drama and/or trip the light fantastic is a priority. These schools only offering performing arts degrees or have specialized performing arts schools at the larger university.

Going to a performing arts college has many advantages for students. You lot will be surrounded by agreeing artists who will inspire you, help you with your creative pursuits, and also likely be your colleagues when you graduate. Additionally, you'll be at a school that doesn't view your art as a mere extracurricular activity.

Although it'south possible to become a performing arts degr ee f rom other colleges, this list of best performing arts colleges is designed for students who know 100% they exclusively want to study acting or dance and are looking for an environment that fully supports them in their ambitions.

How Did I Decide on These Top Performing Arts Colleges?

Don't ever take rankings of the superlative performing arts colleges equally accented fact—not even those from Backstage or The Hollywood Reporter. Instead, you should use these manufactures every bit a starting point for your own research. Whenever you look at a list of the best performing arts colleges, try to run across how the rankings were determined.

Here, I'll explain how I came up with this unscientific list of schools. I started by limiting my search to schools that prioritize dance and drama past merely offering performing arts degrees or by having a specialized program inside the larger university.

I then took the following three criteria into consideration:

  • Ranking: I used a diverseness of ranking lists from respected manufacture sources such equally Backstage and The Hollywood Reporter as a starting betoken for my enquiry.
  • On-Campus & Off-Campus Extracurricular Opportunities: Information technology'due south important as a performer to have the chance to actually perform. Does the schoolhouse provide opportunities? Exercise you have the pick to intern off-campus with a local theatre or dance grouping? Tin you lot study away at premier programs? Do you become to perform in an manufacture showcase?
  • Notable Alumni: How many alumni have risen to the top of their fields? If at that place are a lot of notable alumni, the programme they attended likely contributed to their success, either by providing them with superior skills or superior resources (such equally internships, industry connections, etc.).

I split up this list into tiers instead of rankings since rankings are ordinarily not that meaningful. Tier 1 schools are the cream-of-the-crop performing arts colleges; they provide students with the almost extracurricular opportunities and accept the longest lists of notable alumni. Tier 2 schools are notwithstanding excellent but don't have the same opportunities or as many notable alumni every bit the Tier ane schools practise.

Note that not all of these schools are excellent for both trip the light fantastic toe and drama. Really, some of these schools but offer a trip the light fantastic toe or a drama plan. Within each school description, I've noted whether it's a superlative school for dance, drama, or both.

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At Tier one schools, you can perform in first-rate productions.

Best Performing Arts Colleges: Tier one

We'll start our list with the Tier one schools, or the all-time performing arts colleges in the country.

The Juilliard School—Drama and Dance

Always listed nigh the superlative of both drama and dance rankings, Juilliard boasts an unbelievably long list of notable alumni who have won more than 105 Grammy Awards, 62 Tony Awards, 47 Emmy Awards, 26 Bessie Awards, 24 Academy Awards, 16 Pulitzer Prizes, and 12 National Medals for the Arts. That'due south quite a pedigree!

The school is extremely exclusive, selecting just eight to 10 students for the BFA Acting Program, eight to 10 students for the MFA Acting Plan, and about 24 students for the BFA Dance Program.

Outside the classroom, the dance program holds fifteen public performances each year, and the drama program puts on many plays and senior showcases in both New York and Los Angeles for manufacture professionals such as casting directors, agents, and managers. If yous're looking for a plan that can put you lot on the fast rails to an astonishing career, Julliard is an excellent choice.

NYU Tisch School of the Arts—Drama and Trip the light fantastic toe

Similar Juilliard, NYU Tisch is likewise ever near the top of the rankings for both drama and trip the light fantastic toe. And for expert reason: the school has a long list of notable alumni, many of whom take performed on Broadway, at Radio Metropolis Music Hall, and in movies and on TV. While the list of notable alums is long, some names you may recognize include Lady Gaga, Elizabeth Olsen, James Franco, Spike Lee, and Kristen Bong.

Tisch offers many different degrees in unlike artistic fields, including drama, operation studies, movie & television, dramatic writing, and cinema studies. The school is likewise branching into different operation media, including music production and video game production/design. The school also takes advantage of its NYC environment past partnering drama students with professional acting studios where they can perform in a wide assortment of productions led by world-famous theatre artists and faculty.

Carnegie Mellon University—Drama

Carnegie Mellon has a long history of height-notch drama education: in fact, it was the first caste-granting drama institution in the US. More than importantly, Carnegie Mellon is a drama powerhouse with a faculty of working theater professionals and well-known alumni, including Holly Hunter, Billy Porter, Judith Calorie-free, Ted Danson, and Zachary Quinto. This school offers split up acting and musical theatre degrees as well, giving students the choice to specialize in different types of performances.

The drama section offers a unique, easily-on didactics that gives students plenty of on-stage opportunities. The department puts on xx shows per yr, allowing for many operation opportunities. Additionally, the schoolhouse cancels classes for a week each twelvemonth to let students engage in performances of any kind (such as original works or adaptations of movies). Seniors get to perform in showcases in New York, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh in front of industry professionals.

Additionally, Carnegie Mellon offers students a chance to engage in interdisciplinary studies through The Studio for Creative Enquiry and The Center for Arts in Society. If you lot're interested in seeing how drama can affect the earth both on stage and beyond, then Carnegie Mellon would be a neat fit for you.

body_medieval-1.jpg Theatre school has fun costumes!

Boston Conservatory—Trip the light fantastic toe

One of the top trip the light fantastic programs in the United states of america, the Boston Solarium boasts a faculty of world-class artists who have worked with notable choreographers such every bit Antony Tudor, Robert Joffrey, José Limón, Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey, and Agnes de Mille, and with dance companies such as Boston Ballet, Joffrey Ballet of New York, and Limón Dance Company.

There are many performance opportunities throughout the year, the near prestigious existence the ability to perform as a member of the Boston Conservatory Dance Theater. Alumni perform with dance companies around the earth as well as on Broadway. Go along in mind, however, that the Boston Solarium specializes in gimmicky trip the light fantastic toe...so if y'all're looking for classical training, you should consider a different programme.

Yale University—Drama (MFA)

No best performing arts colleges list would exist complete without the Yale School of Drama. This schoolhouse is globe renowned for its MFA Interim program; even so, I'd advise against doing the more general BA program, which doesn't give you access to the aforementioned faculty or performance opportunities.

The MFA program offers programs in every aspect of performance, from on-phase acting all the mode to technical blueprint and stage direction. The School of Drama also boasts a long list of famous alumni, including Meryl Streep, Angela Bassett, Sigourney Weaver, Paul Giamatti, and Lupita Nyong'o. The schoolhouse also invests heavily in students' networking opportunities; students in their final yr act in showcases in both New York and Los Angeles in forepart of manufacture professionals.

In the by ten years, 100% of graduates have landed agents or managers within the first month out of school. So if you're serious about having a career in the performing arts, you should definitely consider Yale's MFA program.

Northwestern Academy—Drama

Northwestern is one of the few drama schools that doesn't crave an audition for access. However, getting accustomed is tough considering drama students are held to high bookish standards, and the current university acceptance rate is around viii%. It's not surprising that many of the plan's alumni become on to have illustrious careers. Some of the school'south near notable alums include David Schwimmer, Stephen Colbert, Anna Gunn, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Zach Braff.

Undergraduate students at Northwestern have many opportunities to perform in both schoolhouse-sponsored and student-run shows. As many every bit 40 shows a yr are staged at the Wirtz Center for the Performing arts, and another xl pupil-led shows happen across campus. Additionally, seniors are invited to participate in showcases in New York and Chicago in front of industry professionals.

body_dancenative.jpg Limited yourself.

Best Performing Arts Colleges: Tier 2

In this section, we take a look at other not bad performing arts colleges that we've classified as Tier 2. These schools are still first-class, just they aren't quite as prestigious as those listed in Tier i. Having said that: you're still setting yourself upwards for a great career if you earn a caste from whatever of these universities!

UNC Schoolhouse of the Arts—Drama and Dance

UNCSA is dwelling to exceptional drama and dance programs. Alumni of the dance program have gone on to perform with the American Ballet Theatre, the New York City Ballet, the Pacific Northwest Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, the Paul Taylor Trip the light fantastic Visitor, Alvin Ailey American Trip the light fantastic Theater, and the Martha Graham Ensemble. Others accept danced with performers such as Lady Gaga, Janet Jackson, and Beyoncé. UNCSA's notable alumni include include Mary-Louise Parker, Lucas Hedges, Anthony Mackie, and Dane DeHaan.

Drama and dance students at UNCSA have many operation opportunities including a senior showcase for industry professionals in New York. Drama students as well perform their showcase in Los Angeles.

California Institute of the Arts (CalArts)—Drama and Dance

CalArts is considered the best dance school on the Due west Coast and one of the acme drama schools in the country. The School of Dance boasts distinguished kinesthesia and brings in guest artists to give students industry and adept perspective. Some recent visiting artists include Gerard & Kelly (mixed media performers) and Benjamin Millepied (onetime principal dancer with the New York Metropolis ballet and Natalie Portman'due south husband).

The schoolhouse too offers several operation opportunities, such as in American College Trip the light fantastic toe Festivals; information technology as well has an International Exchange program with the London Contemporary Trip the light fantastic Center which allows students to gain international dance feel.

CalArts also boasts a meridian-notch drama programme every bit well. The drama school is a slap-up choice for actors who know they want to pursue film or television acting since, during the final yr, students enroll in Acting Studio for the Camera. This grade specifically trains students for acting and auditioning for film and Telly. Additionally, at the end of the final semester, students go to perform in an industry showcase in Los Angeles. The drama school has a bunch of famous alumni including Don Cheadle, Ed Harris, and Alison Brie.

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Take the spring and apply to a performing arts schoolhouse!

Rutgers University—Drama and Dance

Rutgers' Mason Gross School of the Arts has world-course drama and dance programs. Thanks to its proximity to New York City, the dance plan offers students opportunities for master classes and workshops in world dance forms with international artists. It also has ii tremendous programs abroad, DanceJerusalem in Israel and the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Trip the light fantastic toe in London.

Rutgers' drama program is unique and well rounded. Classes run the gamut from Shakespeare to modern Boob tube. Students spend their 3rd twelvemonth at the Rutgers Conservatory at Shakespeare's Globe in London, which culminates with a operation on the Globe stage. The final semester is focused on an constructive transition into the professional person acting world with classes in On-Camera Technique, Auditioning, and Introduction to the Life of a Working Player. The drama plan has some famous alumni, including Kristen Davis and Calista Flockhart.

Fordham University—Trip the light fantastic toe

Fordham is located in the Bronx, which ways students will be steeped in trip the light fantastic culture and history from the moment they step on campus. Known primarily for its partnership with the Alvin Ailey American Trip the light fantastic toe Theater, Fordham offers students a liberal arts education and collaboration with a world-famous modern dance company. Additionally, the program and visitor call Lincoln Center home, which is pretty astonishing!

Many alumni proceed to perform with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater after graduation, while others have gone on to trip the light fantastic for prestigious companies and on Broadway. Some of Fordham'south incredible trip the light fantastic toe alumni include Ephraim Sykes (who performed in Hamilton on Broadway), Anne Souder (Martha Graham), and Victoria Guajardo (Momix).

Syracuse University—Drama

Syracuse offers separate degrees in acting or musical theatre, allowing students to specialize in a particular field. Students too have the opportunity to report "abroad" in New York, Los Angeles, and London, which are some of the best cities for the dramatic arts in the earth. The program has developed a number of famous talents, including Taye Diggs, Jerry Stiller, and Vera Farmiga.

Students can also perform with the Syracuse Stage, an outstanding Equity theater visitor, and gain Disinterestedness points while even so in school. Equity points are i way performers can earn membership into the Actors' Equity Association, which is the union for professional person stage actors and managers. In other words, graduating with a degree in drama from Syracuse gives yous a leg up in the theatre world.

University of Southern California—Drama

The University of Southern California is known for its film program, but it has a fantastic drama program also. It's probably not a huge surprise given that the school is located in Los Angeles, the heart of the film manufacture. Considering of that, the school invites many visiting artists to work with students to develop their arts and crafts. Former visiting artists include Lisa Kudrow, Bryan Cranston, and Tony Shalhoub.

The program prides itself on tailoring programs to fit each student's private needs and goals. While all students get a solid foundation in the dramatic arts, they too get to take highly specialized classes like Stand One-act and Medical Clowning. That allows students to focus their studies to fit their time to come careers. Famous alumni from the USC School of Dramatic Arts include Woods Whitaker, Troian Bellisario, Deborah Ann Woll, and Beck Bennett.

Oklahoma Urban center University—Trip the light fantastic toe

Oklahoma Urban center Academy is well-known every bit an arts school, just its dance program stands out from the crowd because of its focus on American dance forms. The schoolhouse teaches tap, jazz, and musical theater dance at the highest levels. Students can likewise major in arts direction, a unique degree that teaches students how to be professional person managers that assist direct performers' careers. Famous grads performing on Broadway include Sara Edwards (dance captain, Foilles) and Marie Danvers (Christine in Phantom of the Opera). If yous specialize in American trip the light fantastic toe, Oklahoma City university would be a smashing fit for y'all.

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So many schools, but where should You use?

Which of the Tiptop Performing Arts Colleges Is Best for You?

But because Juilliard is an incredible school doesn't mean y'all should want to go at that place. Information technology'due south a tiny school with a very intense program which might not exist the all-time fit for all students. Here are some questions to ask yourself when trying to pick one of these best performing arts colleges.

What Do You Want to Specialize In?

If y'all're interested in dance, exercise you want to practice ballet or gimmicky? If yous're interested in interim, do you want to perform in plays, musicals, television, or film?

Wait into the programs and meet what courses are offered. Endeavour to avoid picking a school specializing in ballet if yous want to practice contemporary dance. Similarly, avoid picking a musical theatre plan if y'all desire to act in Idiot box (and vice versa).

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Hip-hop is crawly.

What Opportunities Are At that place Exterior the Classroom?

I touched on this above, but be sure to go to a performing arts school where the opportunities align with your interests. For case, if y'all want to exercise Shakespeare, then Rutgers—which offers a year abroad in London working at the Globe Theatre—might be a improve fit for y'all than CalArts or Northwestern would be.

Extracurriculars are where you get your feel, so make certain you'll be getting feel in your chosen specialty.

What's the School Like?

Is it a big schoolhouse or a small schoolhouse? Is it a conservatory or is it at a larger university? If you detest large schools, just don't choose 1. Y'all don't want to dread existence surrounded past tons of students or being forced into cheering for the basketball team.

If yous become overwhelmed by intensity, a conservatory (such as Juilliard or the Boston Solarium) might not be a dandy choice for you since they're both small-scale programs where contest is trigger-happy. On the other manus, at a schoolhouse like Syracuse, you could take breaks from your theatre community by hanging out with other students who are majoring in journalism, engineering, pre-med, etc.

In brusque, option a school where you will be nearly comfortable so that you tin can thrive.

What'south Side by side?

Are you interested in pursuing a performing arts degree in a specific region? Check out our lists of performing arts colleges in New York and performing arts colleges in California.

Most of the schools above require ACT or Sabbatum scores with your application. Get assist studying for these tests with our ultimate SAT/Deed study guides.

Taking the Act or Sabbatum actually soon? And then take a look at our guide to cramming for the SAT or our guide to cramming for the ACT.

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Equally an SAT/Human action tutor, Dora has guided many students to test prep success. She loves watching students succeed and is committed to helping you become there. Dora received a full-tuition merit based scholarship to University of Southern California. She graduated magna cum laude and scored in the 99th percentile on the ACT. She is as well passionate almost interim, writing, and photography.

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