Butler University

Date: Aug 24 2015
Major: Fine Arts - Painting/Sculpture/Photography/etc (This Major's Salary over time)
This review is based on the theatre department in the Jordan College of the Arts. I have nothing negative to say about the rest of Butler, because from what I can tell, nearly every other aspect is wonderful. from Greek life to the dining options.

Butler attracted me because they teach the Stanislavski method of acting, have a small campus with a relaxed feel, and they were kind, though not patronizing, when I auditioned for the acting program.

Once I arrived, however, I found that the students in the theatre department were not as interested in creating successful careers as they were in replicating the feel of a high-school drama club. There's no competition, which is great if you just want to coast into a small-time acting gig teaching inner-city kids to feel, but not if you want to be a paid professional.

The training is broad, and they hope to roll out people capable of working in all areas of theatre—costuming, lighting, set design, etc. But this will NOT help you become a competitive actor in an over-saturated market. Alumns who came back to talk to us told us to also major in education as a back-up plan, and many had to go for a masters to find meaningful work after Butler. It was, frankly, depressing; more so than one would usually expect from a theatre major.

That's the harsh truth, but learn it now. I had to leave after one semester so as not to waste my money, though the financial aid I received covered over half my expenses.

TL;DR: If you want to become a Broadway-caliber performer, Butler is NOT built to suit your needs. If you want to act in Midwestern regional theatre until you're too poor to make it work, or you want to be behind the scenes in any capacity, attend Butler University's Jordan College of the Arts. At least they will be nice to you.