From An Actor's Point of View

Introduction
I have just spoken with two high school students who were auditioning for the acting program at SUNY Purchase. The first thing I told them was, "This is not a normal college. If you're thinking sorority, football team, and lots of free time... then this is not the place for you." The acting conservatory takes up 98% of your time. I go to class during the day and rehearsals at night. The campus itself is very small, with a student body of about 4,000. Most of these kids are conservatory students (Visual Arts, Theatre and Film, Dance, or Music). It's a very "artsy" school--you get to see and experience different mediums of performing arts.

Campus Life and Social Life
The best part about campus life for me is that I get to watch dance, plays, and opera and listen to jazz, orchestra, etc. As an artist myself, it is good to be exposed to other media of art. There is also the Performing Arts Center, which features internationally-renowned musicians, circus groups, theatre companies, and many more. I know very little about the sports and clubs on campus because, like I said, I have no time for those. There are always parties at the apartments but sometimes they get old because I always see the same people. Advertisement
Academics
As an acting student, I don't get to choose the conservatory classes I need to take, not even the required Liberal Arts classes. Acting teachers who have been teaching here for a long time are really good. So far, I have been fortunate to work with guest directors. Most of my acting professors are working professionally in New York City. As for my Liberal Arts classes, I had great History and International Relations professors. I always have a heavy workload--not only do I need to rehearse for my classes during the day, but it is required to rehearse for our production from 4pm-11pm on weeknights and 6 hours on Saturdays. I also have to keep up with my Liberal Arts classes.

Student Body
A "typical" student at my school is an artist of some kind, even if he is a Liberal Arts major. A lot of people are from New York State. Students tend to be very liberal.

In Closing...
For the ladies, there aren't a lot of choices. Most men are gay.