AMDA LA or NY?

[Reno4Life]

Posted: 3/15/12 at 5:32pm

I have been accepted to AMDA's 2 year Integrated Musical Theater Conservatory for summer admission with a $5,000/academic year scholarship. I know it's not the best scholarship OR the "best" school, but it's a scholarship and a school nonetheless.

Let me just say that I am still waiting to hear back from other schools with a much lower acceptance rate, and a less contravercial opinion on the quality of musical theater education.I am FULLY aware of AMDA's mixed reviews, and I am also a strong believer in the fact that your education is what you make of it.

THAT being said... If I end up attending AMDA (which I would be very excited about regadless of the mixed reviews), which campus is "better"??? I applied for the LA campus since I live in LA and I figured I could transfer to NY half way through. But then again, I am hearing that the NY campus is more intensive and rigorous (which is what I ultimately want out of my conservatory experience)... Is this true? Does anyone know? I don't want my experience to lack just because I spent my first two semesters in LA.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[siena07]

Posted: 3/20/12 at 2:15pm

I was a student in the Integrated Program at AMDA New York a few years ago. I think this is an easy question; if your goal is to be in Musical Theater, you should go to NYC. The people you will work with are much more connected to the theater community and yes, I think it is a more rigorous program(especially if you do not have a dance background). It is an ok program, although I decided to leave the program for personal reasons. This school wasn't for me, but if you work hard, you will learn what you need from it. Yes, there are better programs out there. I think overall it is not the best program, but the teachers are amazing, so there are parts of it that make it worth while. Since it is a short program, it would be useful to make the most of your time in NYC. Hope this helps! Good luck!

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 3/28/12 at 2:23pm

It's not called SCAMDA for nothing. Avoid it like the plague and work your way into a better conservatory program (in NYC).


BN

[BKInvincible]

Posted: 4/4/12 at 2:31pm

I agree if you are focused on musical theater I would go to the New York campus. And LA I would go to for summer classes.

[Sinfonia2001]

Posted: 4/10/12 at 10:57pm

@benjaminnicholas, if you are not capable of answering Reno's question, then go and show your uneducated and rude manners on another thread. The question was LA or NYC. Idiotic and rude answers weren't an option, I'm sure. Especially since you were basically giving a negative opinion which was unnecessary since Reno mentioned specifically that he/she already was aware that people don't think highly of AMDA. Stupidity isn't something you should show off.

[Reno4Life]

Posted: 4/11/12 at 3:08am

THANK YOU, @sinfonia2001. I haven't repsonded to any of these posts yet because, praise the Lord, I got accepted into The Boston Conservatory after all! However, I was highly considering AMDA in the event I wasn't accepted to BoCo and the negative comments were not what I was asking for. Ultimately, I just wanted an intense conservatory program with an environment that would allow me to grow, explore, and learn.

@BKInvincible and @siena07 , thank you for your opinions and genuine remarks.

[Reno4Life]

Posted: 4/11/12 at 3:09am

THANK YOU, @sinfonia2001. I haven't repsonded to any of these posts yet because, praise the Lord, I got accepted into The Boston Conservatory after all! However, I was highly considering AMDA in the event I wasn't accepted to BoCo and the negative comments were not what I was asking for. Ultimately, I just wanted an intense conservatory program with an environment that would allow me to grow, explore, and learn.

@BKInvincible and @siena07 , thank you for your opinions and genuine remarks.

[someone.else's.story2]

Posted: 4/22/12 at 3:44am

Congrats, Reno! Boston Conservatory is a really wonderful school.

[JamesBroadwayWiner]

Posted: 6/5/12 at 5:51pm

I'd go with NYC. Of course, that is just my biased opinion as I would love to have Broadway at my fingertips!