Musical Theatre College List

During the Drama Mamas Podcast - Episode 5, we chatted with another drama mama, Kat, about her journey through the college admissions process with her daughter. During this chat she mentioned a pretty great list of colleges that she acquired and has since shared with us that we believed others might enjoy as well.

Here's the key for the list below: * means it's dance-heavy, $ means there's aid/scholarships available, and ! means it's academic heavy/needs good grades and test scores. 

The recommendation was to use this list to select and apply to at least 15-20 schools: 7 from the "Extreme Reach" & "Reach" schools, 7-10 from the "Fit" schools, and finally include a couple "Comfortable" schools (at least 2) for a diversified application list. Break Legs!!!

The Drama Mamas

Extreme Reach schools are the most extremely selective/ acceptance rate (only 2 to 5% of those auditioning). BFAs, BAs & BMs. 

•  Carnegie Mellon (MT/A)
•  Cincinnati Conservatory of Music (MT) *
•  Elon University (MT/A) $*!  
•  Florida State University (MT/A) $*   
•  Juilliard School (A)
•  Northwestern University (MT) ! 
•  Otterbein University (MT/A) $* 
•  Pace University (MT/A) *
•  Texas State University (MT/A) $*  
•  University of Michigan (MT/A) !
•  University of Southern California (MT/A) !
•  Baldwin-Wallace College (A/MT) $* 

Reach schools are highly selective/ acceptance rate of less than 10% of those auditioning. BFAs, BAs,  BMs

•  Boston University (A) !$
•  Boston Conservatory/Berkless College of Music (MT/A) *
•  Emerson (MT/A)
•  Fordham University (A) !
•  Indiana University (MT) !*  
•  Ithaca College (MT/A)
•  New York University (Steinhardt) (MT) ! 
•  New York University (Tisch) (MT/A) !
•  Oklahoma City University (MT) $ 
•  Pennsylvania State University (MT) $!  
•  Rider University (MT/A) *$  
•  Rutgers University/Mason Gross (A)
•  Southern Methodist University (MT/A) $ 
•  State University of New York, Purchase (A)
•  Syracuse University (MT/A)
•  University of California Los Angeles (MT/A)
•  University of Minnesota/Guthrie (A)
•  University of Oklahoma (MT/A) $!*
•  Webster University (MT/A) $

Fit schools have an acceptance rate approximately 15% of those auditioning or more.

•  American University (MT/A) !
•  Azusa Pacific University (MT/A)
•  Ball State University (MT/A) *$ 
•  Baylor University (MT/A)
•  Belmont University (MT/A) $ 
•  Brandeis University (MT/A)
•  Brigham Young University (MT)
•  California State Fullerton (MT/A) $ 
•  Catholic University (MT/A)
•  Centenary College (MT/A)
•  Central Michigan University (MT/A)
•  Chapman University (A)
•  Cincinnati Department of Drama (A)
•  Coastal Carolina University (MT/A) $ 
•  Cornish College Of The Arts (MT/A)
•  Desales University (MT)
•  Hardin-Simmons University (MT/A) $ 
•  Hartt School/University of Hartford (MT/A) $ 
•  Howard University (MT/A)
•  Illinois Wesleyan (MT/A)
•  James Madison University (MT/A) $  
•  Kent State University $
•  Long Island University (A/MT)
•  Loyola Marymount University(A)
•  Manhattan School Of Music (MT)
•  Marymount Manhattan College (MT/A) *
•  Millikin University (MT/A) *
•  Missouri State University $
•  Molloy/CAP 21 Conservatory (MT) * 
•  Montclair State (MT/A)  $*
•  Niagara University
•  Northern Illinois University (A)
•  Northern Kentucky University $ 
•  Oakland University (MT/A)
•  Ohio Northern University (MT/A) * 
•  Ohio University (MT/A) 
•  Oklahoma City University (MT/A)
•  Pennsylvania State University (A) $ 
•  Pepperdine University (A)
•  Point Park University (MT/A) $* 
•  Roosevelt University/CCPA (MT/A) * 
•  Sam Houston State University (MT/A) $ 
•  Southern Oregon University (MT/A)
•  Southwestern University (MT/A)
•  Stanford University (A) !
•  State University of New York Buffalo (MT/A) $
•  State University of New York Cortland (MT/A) $
•  Temple University (MT/A)
•  Texas Christian University (MT/A) * 
•  Texas Tech University (MT/A) $
•  The New School (A)
•  Tulane University (MT/A) ! 
•  University of Alabama, Birmingham $ 
•  University of Alabama (MT/A)
•  University of Arizona (MT/A) $* 
•  University of Buffalo (MT)
•  University of California Irvine (MT/A) $ 
•  University of California Santa Barbara (A)
•  University of Central Florida (MT) $
•  University of Central Oklahoma (A/MT)
•  University of Colorado Boulder, (MT/A)
•  University Of Florida !
•  University Of Houston (A) $ 
•  University of Illinois/Chicago (A)
•  University of Miami (MT/A) ! 
•  University of Michigan (A) !
•  University Of North Carolina, Greensboro (A/MT)
•  University of Northern Colorado (MT/A) $
•  University of Tampa (MT/A)
•  University Of Texas, Arlington (MT) $ 
•  University of Texas, Austin (A) $! 
•  University of the Arts (MT/A)  $*
•  University of Tulsa (MT/A)
•  University of Utah (MT/A) $
•  University of Wisconsin/Stevens Point (MT/A)  $*
•  Virginia Commonwealth University (A)
•  Viterbo University (MT/A) $
•  Wagner College (MT)
•  Wayne State (A)
•  Western Carolina University (MT)
•  Western Connecticut State University  $*
•  Western Kentucky (MT)
•  Western Michigan University (MT/A) $*  
•  Wichita State University (MT)
•  Wright State University (MT/A) $*  

Comfortable schools accept over 25% of those who audition, sometimes no audition required, or audition needed for scholarship only. You must be certain that you will be academically accepted based on your grades, transcript and test scores!

• Bard College (A)
• Boston College !
• Catawba College $ 
• College of Charleston
• Columbia College 
• Connecticut College
• Dean College (MT)
• Eckerd College
• Florida Southern College
• Indiana University (A, not MT)
• Kean College, NJ (MT)
• Kenyon College
• Muhlenberg College !
• Northeastern University !
• Northwestern State University $ 
• Northwestern University (A) !
• Rhode Island College
• Rollins College
• Rutgers University (BA only)
• Santa Clara University
• Sarah Lawrence College
• Skidmore College
• Southern Utah University $
• St. Edwards University
• Stephens College
• Texas State University (Performance/Production) $
• Trinity University
• University of Kansas
• University Of Maryland (A) 
• University of Minnesota (BA only)
• University of New Hampshire
• University of North Carolina Chapel Hill (A) !
• University of North Carolina, Charlotte (A) $
• University of Rhode Island
• University of Washington
• Vassar College
• Wake Forest University