Pre-College Drama prepares students for the college audition and interview process, illustrating the kind of creativity and discipline required of students studying a Bachelor of Fine Arts Drama curriculum. Classes are taught by accomplished Carnegie Mellon University faculty and adjunct professors.
Choose from one of our three options below to prepare for an education and career in theater:
Acting Option: Acting students will focus on audition preparation and classroom training rather than a production, allowing students to enter the college application and audition process with a repertoire of monologues as well as the skills needed to find material appropriate for their age and type. Along with the core classes of Acting, Audition, Acting for the Camera, and Dramaturgy, students in the Acting option will also receive training in Movement, Shakespeare, and Voice & Speech.
Design/Production (DP) Option: Students begin creating a cohesive portfolio upon which they can build for their college application process. They will be exposed to classes in Basic Design, Technical Production, and Stage & Production Management, as well as introductory work in Lighting, Sounds, Video/Media, Costumes, and Fabrication Technology. Additional supplementary subjects may be added and can change from year to year. All students in Pre-College Drama, including those in the DP option, will take Dramaturgy.
Music Theater (MT) Option: Students focus on audition preparation and classroom training rather than a production, allowing students to enter the college application and audition process with a repertoire of monologues and songs, as well as the skills needed to find material appropriate for their age and type. Ballet and Jazz classes will provide inexperienced students with a dance foundation, while more experienced students will be placed with peers of similar ability allowing for further development. MT students will also take classes in Acting, Audition, Acting for the Camera, Song Coaching, and Dramaturgy.
Location(s)
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Schedule
- June 21st - August 2nd, 2025
Cost/Compensation
- Residential Tuition (includes room and board): $11,887
- Commuter Tuition: $8,671
Eligibility Requirements
- Be at least 16 years old by the program start date.
- Be a current sophomore or junior in high school at the time of application submission.
Deadline
- Early Decision & International - February 1, 2025
- Regular Decision & Scholarship - March 1st, 2025
Application or Entry Requirements
- Completed online application
- Unofficial transcript
- Standardized test scores (optional)
- One letter of recommendation
- Responses to three essay prompts
Notifications of Decisions
- Rolling
- Scholarship decision notifications released on Friday, April 4, 2025
Financial Aid Details
- Full scholarships covering tuition, housing, and dining are available to students demonstrating financial need. You can elect to be considered for a scholarship within the online application.
- Scholarships will ONLY be considered under the Scholarship Application deadline of March 1, 2025.
Other Dates to Keep in Mind
Have other questions?
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university was founded in 1900 by industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who donated a significant portion of his wealth towards the establishment of the institution, and is known for emphasizing an interdisciplinary approach to education. CMU has consistently been ranked as one of the top research universities in the United States, particularly in the fields of computer science, engineering, and the arts. Carnegie Mellon is also well known for its robotics research, with the university's Robotics Institute being one of the largest and most respected in the world.
