Directing Concentration Interviews

Interview Dates

Saturday, February 1, 2025 (New York, Fordham University Theatre)
Sunday, February 2, 2025 (New York, Fordham University Theatre)

Deadlines

First-year fall applicants to the Theatre major must select Early Action on their application and submit the Common Application on or before Friday, November 1, 2024. Late applications will be accepted, but only on a case-by-case basis.

Pre-screening materials must be submitted via the Fordham Application portal  by Friday, November 8, 2024 to be considered for an in-person callback.

Directing interviews will only take place in January on the above dates. Applicants will be notified of their prescreen result no later than Friday, December 2, 2024. Transfer applicants will be notified of their prescreen result no later than Friday, December 13, 2024.

The deadline for pre-screening materials follows a different schedule. Please refer to the Transfers page for more information.

Application Fees

There is a $75 application fee for all applicants to the Fordham Theatre Program, payable through the application portal upon submission of your Theatre track selection form. Upon submitting the form, applicants will receive notification of new activity on their applicant portal with an amount due and instructions on how to remit payment.

Fee Waivers

The inability to pay a college application fee should never be a barrier to applying to Fordham Theatre. Applicants who have received a need-based Common Application fee waiver will have their audition/interview fee waived, as well. Please visit fordham.edu/requirements (first-year applicants) or fordham.edu/transfer (transfer applicants) to learn more. 

First-time College Students

Fee waiver requests are available for first-time college students who demonstrate significant financial need by uploading one of the following to the application:

  • An official College Board fee waiver form signed by a high school guidance counselor
  • An official SAT fee waiver form signed by a high school guidance counselor
  • An official NACAC fee waiver form signed by a high school guidance counselor
  • A letter on school stationery from a college/guidance counselor stating that you qualify for the free lunch program
  • A letter from someone other than a family member that addresses your financial situation

Transfer Students 

Fee waiver requests are available for transfer students who demonstrate significant financial need by uploading of one of the following to the application:

  • If you are independent, copies of prior year tax forms
  • A letter on school stationery from your current college's Financial Aid Office stating that you have financial need of a fee waiver
  • A personal letter describing your financial situation

Fee waiver requests will be evaluated after you have submitted a complete application. If you are requesting a fee waiver, please submit your application (including fee waiver documentation) but do not pay the application fee.

Pre-Screening Requirements and Guidelines

Please submit the following materials in order to be considered for an in-person interview:

  • A photograph (headshot or other photo) and resume.
  • Personal statement: This can form as a written essay or as a video essay. If written, no longer than two pages. If it takes form as a video, no longer than 3 minutes. Your Personal Statement should address the following:
    • What three values drive your life?
    • Discuss why you are drawn to theater making.
    • Identify one or two artistic or intellectual influences that have changed your life. These could be anything: writers, plays, books, movies, TV shows, music, comic books, video games, social movements, experience, etc.
  • Pitch Deck: Create a pitch deck for your dream production. This could be your dream play, an original work, or an adaptation of an existing text. You deck should include the following:
    • A brief synopsis of the work. No more than one paragraph that succinctly describes the plot.
    • What is the core idea or question of the piece?
    • What communities do you hope to connect with or speak to?
    • Include at least 15 images that you think best represents your project.

To submit materials

You must submit an application for admission to Fordham University, in order to upload your pre-screening materials. Once you have applied, you will receive credentials to log into the Online Applicant Portal after the Office of Admission has acknowledged receipt of your admission application via email. Once you receive your credentials, please log into the Online Applicant Portal, find the section called Portfolio or Materials. This is where you will upload your pre-screening materials.

On Interview Day

If asked to interview, be prepared to talk about your Pitch Deck and what you hope to gain in your college experience. Also come prepared to ask three questions about the program, classes, theatre, or the faculty on the directing track. Interviews begin at 10 a.m.; interviews are scheduled every few minutes throughout the day. Please be early for your interview. We will make every attempt to stay on schedule, but please be prepared to stay later than your scheduled time should we run late. You should plan to be available for 30-45 minutes for your interview.

The day of the interview, you will also have the opportunity to talk with our Student Ambassadors about the program while you wait for your appointment time. The Ambassadors will provide virtual tours of the school, including the dorms, throughout the day.

Finally, you will also have the option to attend a Fordham Theatre Q&A session. The Q&A session will begin each audition/interview day at 1:00 p.m. and will be approximately 45 minutes long. During this time, the Theatre faculty will talk with parents and prospective students about the program, our community, and life at Fordham. A representative from the Office of Undergraduate Admission will also be present to answer any questions you have regarding admission, housing, and financial aid.

Questions?

Contact: [email protected] or 212-636-7562