The American Musical and Dramatic Acasemy

[pulsedancer]

Posted: 2/20/11 at 7:06pm

I have a lot of questions. Like for one, do they really kick people out the second year if they aren't good enough? I know that I am good, but that seems a little mean to those who don't have as much experience. Second, is it because they're a private school and need to pay their own bills the reason why they accept so many? And Last, why is it that so many people say that they've had a bad experience? I'm sure that all of these people couldn't have hated it. I cant be as bad as people say.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/20/11 at 7:09pm

Oh. My. God.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 2/20/11 at 7:12pm

"I cant be as bad as people say."

Yes, you can.

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 2/20/11 at 7:32pm

Here is my experience (I went to the LA campus for the BFA program).

1- They accepted too many students, because the school (not all involved- but most) don't really care about the students or where they are headed in their career, they just essentially look at you like a price tag.

2- The teachers, and administration pick a handful of students and give them incredible preferential treatment (I admit at times I was one of these students, but it never quite made anything easier). These students will be able to get away with murder and suffer no consequences. They will also be the only students you see perform in most anything they offer.

3- Because the school is private and mostly funds themselves the price tag is absolutely insane. $30,000 a year is a little steep, and when a Musical Theatre school costs more then Harvard you know you have a problem.

4- 99 percent of the time the highest scholarship they will "bestow" upon students is $2,500 a year. Yes, that's right....$2,500 a YEAR!

5- Housing costs $1,100 a month when you actually add it all up. I ended up getting my own beautiful apartmet in the Hollywood Hills, and only paid 600...and I didn't have to share A STUDIO WITH 5 PEOPLE!

6- FAFSA does not offer a lot in the way of help for AMDA anymore, and it can be very difficult to find the money you need to get through the enitre program.

7- They will NOT kick you out. My entire time there only 1 student was kicked out...we will get to this later.

8- There is no financial aid department to really speak of. They have 1 woman in LA, and a few people in NY that are so hard to contact, and you are lucky if you can ever get a phonecall back.

9- I used to hate the term SCAMDA, and now it is definately something my friends and I use most often when referring to our "education" at this "school"

10- Their policy on missing classes can become quite obscene. In the August of 2008 about 50 kids from AMDA suffered from a massive outbreak. I was one of the 10 or so that got Swine Flu, others got Bronc, Strep, etc....we all missed school for a good week easy. We were told there wouldn't be reprecautions...however when we all returned to classes we had to deal with the fact that the school let our teachets lower all our grades because we were in the hospital, and it took the rest of the semester to try and bounce back from all of the crap they put of through. This is just 1 of HUNDREDS of examples about how backwards, sneaky, and how often the administration flat out lies right to your face.

11- So many people have had a bad experience because honestly a good thing never quite lasts for long. We I started the program we had over 150 incoming freshman. It is now going into the 8th and final semester for the group I started with, and they are down to roughly 18.

12- I've seen some of the most talented people who went under the radar there get ignored and NO help from the staff, because really- as I've stated before they just don't care. BUT- if they DO pay attention to you, and think you're gonna make it...you can get away with murder. Like:

13- Last month when a 7th semester beat up and assaulted a student, and then resisted arrest. The owner of the school JAN MARTIN bailed him out with a 25,000 price tag...for the SECOND TIME. The first he suffered NO consquences at all. The second he was kicked out of the school- FINALLY, they do something right. This has caused quite the uproar on campus...and the school needs to be careful, because they are looking at having a student revoultion. I know local papers have been contacted on doing a piece about all of the shady business that goes down there.

14- I throughly enoyed my first 3 semesters, but after that the classes are no longer geared for the student. They are geared for you to sit there and listen to teachers who have given up on their careers and are bitter. It's true. My first teachers were wonderful, but after awhile you find that the majority of they don't really want to be their, or are so bitter about how their careers turned out that they begin to take it out on the students. 2 different occasion my class had to rally to protect ourselves from the teachers we had. Both of those teachers were fired. This was not fun to deal with.

15- One thing that always bothered me was that on both campus' there is NO health care, or nurse on staff for injured or sick students. They don't offer a health care plan or student insurance of any kind. They also don't offer a meal plan, and if you choose to eat in the cafe, on avergae you will spend about 12 bucks per meal...which is rather an insane price tag considering how much the school is charging for tuition.

16- The dance department is absolutely the worst department I've seen at any school period. The classes are bad, and remedial. They do not help you propel further. You only get 1 a semester, and unless you are their favorite you will not get any special instruction or personalized instruction during class. If you are going their for dance you won't be happy.

17- They don't want to hear how the students feel about anything. 3 different occasions a teacher has stood up for the students, tried to help give them a voice, and each time the teacher was rudely fired. They don't care.

I coud go on and on and on, and feel free to message me if you want any other details....but I'm sure this message is already long winded enough.

I enjoyed parts of my time- but not because of the school. Because of the amazing friends I've made. However, my highest recommendation would be that you do not attend the program. If you're going for the conservatory 2 year, why waste so MUCH money for a "certificate"? Just go do a few summer programs and you'll have the equivalent, and you won't have spent 1/4 of the price of AMDA.

And if you want to attend for the VFA program, go somewhere that is more qulaified. Their BFA is still not accredited yet.

(Sorry for any misspelings)

Updated On: 2/20/11 at 07:32 PM

[IAMmyownMUSICAL]

Posted: 2/20/11 at 7:32pm

Double Post

Updated On: 2/20/11 at 07:32 PM

[pulsedancer]

Posted: 2/20/11 at 7:51pm

Well the first two comments are rude. I was rushing, hence the mistakes. But thank you for your time in writing that very detailed message

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/20/11 at 8:03pm

I think you should start another thread.

[Teacup]

Posted: 2/20/11 at 8:29pm

Dude, if you're so concerned and worried then just apply to another school! I'm sure there are a lot of colleges that offer good dance programs that are better and cheaper than AMDA. Find one and stop worrying so much.

[singtopher]

Posted: 2/20/11 at 9:31pm

Let me offer two pieces of advice.

1) Next time, keep all of your questions on a topic to one thread. It reduces clutter, and keeps other posters blood pressures at a healthier level.

2) You are clearly apprehensive about AMDA. Don't spend a fortune on something you are not sure of. Why do you want to go there in the first place?

3) Do what I did: Find a good program at a state sponsored university so you can get in state tuition. I'm not sure where you live, but even if you go out of state, applying for instate tuition (at least where I went) is pretty flippin' easy. All you have to do is prove that you lived in that state either taking classes or working for 12 consecutive months. I started to look for a job around spring break of my Freshman year, got hired, and worked all summer. I turned in transcripts and pay stubs, and boom I was considered in state. Financial aid is pretty easy to come by at state schools as well (at least in my experience).
Off the top of my head, some good schools that fit this bill: University of Michigan, Western Michigan University, University of Oklahoma, University of Northern Colorado, Cal State Fullerton, Florida State, and Penn State.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 2/20/11 at 9:48pm

If you're as talented as you say you are, I'd imagine schools would be clamoring for you.

[ahhrealmonsters]

Posted: 2/20/11 at 11:52pm

You should send AMDA this post, as well as your other one. Address it to the Acasemy.

[Teacup]

Posted: 2/21/11 at 12:19am

If you're talented, why not try Juilliard next year?

[perfectlymarvelous]

Posted: 2/21/11 at 12:49am

Ultimately, only you can decide if a school is right for you. Several different people have weighed in on AMDA, but if you really feel that apprehensive about applying, don't apply. Auditioning doesn't hurt you...it isn't like you're bound to go if you get accepted but if you really are leaning away from it, don't do it.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 2/21/11 at 12:56am

yes, the first two posts were rude. They were meant to be. You started a second thread about the same thing. So you are asking the same people to tell you what they already told you. They were honest with you in the first place -- what did you expect to happen?

It doesn't sound like you want the truth, it sounds like you wants someone to tell you to go there.