| sooievt,NMR cptofthehouseand DQ...thanks for your thoughtful replies. You all touch on the issues we have been pondering these last few weeks. I have just talked to my D by phone at her break, sharing all your comments. It was very helpful to realize she wasn't comparing apples and apples. This helped her see that her gut connection to Fordham was to the theatre program, to the kids that ushered her around to the audition rooms, and to her sense of the exchange between teachers and students...may also be true in the other areas but her love is with the theatre. She knows the acting industry is brutal...has experienced that on a high school level (even though she has competed well and won lead and supporting roles in musicals and dramas) and in hearing no to the schools she auditioned for...she told me she is young and wants to develop her acting and writing in a less competive environment. She is aware that there is competition for roles at Skidmore too but feels she will be at least on a level playing field. She appreciated the comment about transfering with an audition places her once again on a level field rather than hoping and waiting while at a school that she isn't in their theatre program.
sooievt, nice pick up on her school selection. As much as she loves NYC she looked at schools that fit her sense of her self. She will give Tufts careful consideration should she be offered a spot after May 1.
NMR, it was me that picked up on the teacher tensions at NYU. D was so focused on preparing for her audition, I don't believe she saw or heard much until it was over. She had the Experimental theatre teacher and the new admissions director sitting in on her audition ( director was a silent voice in the process since he was new...or so we were told). She didn't feel a good connection with the experimental theatre director but felt a good connection with the admissions director. The E.director made more statements or evaluations rather than asking questions...for example...he stated that NYU was the only musical theatre she had applied to...she tried to answer but he moved on quickly to wondering why she hadn't gone to Spain since she had 5 years in Spanish...she went to Rome with her Ancient History class. She tried to find a thread to open a dialogue but struggled with this. She wondered if this is an area in auditioning that she needs to work on developing. She also knew she was competing in all her auditions for a small number of spots with a lot of talented kids. Being around the kids at all the schools she auditioned for affirmed her sense of belonging with this group of artists. She found them fun and supportive as they waited to audition. As an aside, she found th auditions at BU to be the most laid back. I don't know how the faculty sorts through all the auditions...so many talented kids and so few spots. However, good experience for D and a taste of what is to come in the real world.
My role throughout this process has been to support this thoughtful child of mine's good instincts and thinking and to provide her with opportunities to visit the schools and to gather information for her from as many people I could. I appreciated her struggle since I felt the same split as she as we visited and talked with students and teachers. I appreciate so much all of you taking time to make such thoughtful responses. It has helped us both see the larger picture. Will post her decision when she makes it! |