At the beginning of each new school year, we here at OnStage Blog like to announce what we feel are the best performing arts for the coming year. For those of you wondering how we select these schools, it starts in the previous spring.
Starting in April, we tasked a committee of just over 20 people to research these programs. They consisted of theatre educators, students, alumni, and parents. We wanted people who knew how to evaluate a performing arts program and what questions to ask. This is what we feel separates us from every other college ranking article, these folks know what’s important in theatre education.
This year we based our criteria on a number of factors including Cost vs. Scholarships, Quality of Facilities, Performance/Production Opportunities, and Post-Graduate Support. We also asked questions about the diversity of students as well as the faculty. We considered not only BFA degrees but also B.Mus and BA’s as well.