Alright, I
return from Southern Methodist University a convert. I was so impressed with their program. In fact, I'll definitely be going there this fall.
The campus is beautiful, and unlike a lot of the other more conservatory style programs I looked at, it offers an honors program and any class you could imagine, even ones that have nothing to do with
theatre specifically. Also, unlike most of the other schools I looked at, you can take a minor.
Their undergrad design program is brand new. It just start last year and so far there are only 2 people in it. Next year I'll be one of the second class of five students. What's lovely about it is that it allows you to take basically anything you want and tailor your degree to your desires. They also have a very prestigious grad program and luckily, if you're good as an undergrad, you get bumped up to grad classes. They have beautiful facilities, 3 fully equipped theatres of different kinds and a ton of rehearsal spaces that are used for student projects. It's a really self-driven program and one of the things that I've noticed about SMU grads is that they start a lot of theatres. They don't have to worry too much about finding work, if they can't, they create work. Plus, they have a new dean that is doing really progressive things with the
theatre program including study abroad programs (impossible for
theatre at other colleges) including for techs, and integrating degrees across disciplines, like combining the design degree with a minor in film and tv. Plus, since the university has such a disgusting amount of money, they have all the amazing equipment. I can't even name all the different intel lights and boards they have. Classes are small and the professors are spectacular. Steve Woods, the design professor is still working in the business, in fact I just saw Neil Young's rock Opera Greendale, which will be going from Dallas to off-broadway New york in a few months which Mr. Woods designed. They're also bringing in another design professor, whose name escapes me, but he's just moving in to Dallas after a few years working huge shows in New york. Students get a lot of individual attention.
After I visited SMU, I could think of no valid reasons why Emerson would be better. I was thoroughly impressed and would highly suggest a look at it. I had reservations at first, but once I visited, I realized that it was neither as southern or methodist as would frighten me. Lastly, it is a rich kid school and the number of porsches parked around alarmed me a lot. But, that also means that they have a lot of money to give. I got 20 grand off, 10 for academics, 10 for
theatre. So in the end, it's about as expensive as going to my state university.
) don't feel your dreams of a great career in tech are out of reach. A budget education at a state school will work just as well. How good you are, how hard you work, who you impress, and a little dumb luck, are vastly more important in the long run than where you got your degree from.
