Top musical theater colleges?

[broadwaybaby324]

Hello Broadway World!

I'm a junior in high school and I'm searching for colleges. I'm planning on majoring in musical theater.

My top picks right now are Syracuse University, Ithaca College, Pace University, University of the Arts, Elon University, and Belmont University.

Any thoughts on these schools? Are there other musical theater schools you all would recommend? There are SO MANY out there. It's hard to tell the good from the bad.

ALSO: Do you think you need to go to college in New York to "make it big"? I've heard countless people say that you do, but then I think of people like Kristin Chenoweth who went to school in Oklahoma and ended up on Broadway! Just curious :)

Thanks!

[supportivemom]

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/

No- you don't have to go to school in New York to "make it big".

[AC126748]

Actually, most of the best schools for theatre (just to name a few: CCM, Boston Conservatory, U of Michigan, Elon, Syracuse, NC School for the Arts, Carnegie Mellon) aren't in NYC. Or even close. Anyone who tells you that you have to train in NYC has no idea what they're talking about.

[Valerain]

Well, i heard that NY Film Academy has great Musical theatre department, and i'm planning to audition there but i don't really know.

[ChildrenwillListen]

Desales University has a fantastic musical theatre program

[nnuk23]

You defiantly don't have to attend an institution in New York City in order to succeed in theatre. I know when I was looking at colleges, I only wanted to be in NYC and then I just found that I didn't like any of the colleges there but still loved the city. Go to a school that you LOVE, you have your whole life to live and work in NYC.