TXKatsmom

Thanks for the update, music_is_life. And onmyway83, thanks for the feedback. We are strongly considering this program for our d. It simply sounds fantastic! Except, like notmamarose says, it is just soo darn expensive!!!

TXKatsmom

notmamarose, your d attended last summer, right? Did she take private voice lessons? If so, what did she think of them? (I am assuming that she loved the overall program).

NotMamaRose

Yes, my D attended the Precollege program last summer for musical theater. And yes, she took private voice. She LOVED almost everything about the program (wasn't too crazy about the cafeteria food, though she and everyone else loved the unlimited soft ice cream/frozen yogurt there).
Re: private voice. Frankly, I had heard in years past from parents whose kids did not find the private voice experience worthwhile, but my kid was fortunate enough to get a great teacher.

TXKatsmom

Music_is_life, when you said you talked to the admissions person at CMU and then came to the conclusion:

"from the way it sounded, it's very competitive"

In what way do you mean? The number of diverse students applying? Financial need? Grades? I am just curious. Thanks!

music_is_life

She told me that the Programs for Diversity are very competitive. So I'm assuming that a lot more people apply then they have spots for. Since it's free, I'm sure a ton of people are going to apply, and I have a feeling they aren't going to admit TOO many people with no charge.

I think that answered your question.
Let me know if I can offer any more help!

Wheresmyvoice

Hey all,
I'm a new guy to this forum and I'm currently a Junior in High School. I have been looking into the CMU Summer pre-college program for this year and I was wondering how competitive is it? It sounds like a great program and I would love to do it. Is there anything they really look for in an application?

Thanks!

singactglass

ughhh im freaking out. i applied to syracuse , emerson, northwestern and CMU for programs this summer, but im like dying to go to CMU butttttttt i didnt have my psat scores since i was sick the day it was supposed to be taken (even though its not mandatory to take them, unlike the SATS), and CMU asked you to send in your PSAT score. Hopefully they'll be ok with it!
Btw, can anyone discuss who knows of, or who has been to the program how they work the whole audition thing for the actual MT program at the school at the end of the summer. Supposedly i heard they audition everyone at the end of the summer and sometimes take kids for the MT program!

gjordan

Northwestern is AMAZING!!!! I did it this past summer....DO IT!~

forevaeva23

They do sometimes accept a person for any of their programs at the end of the summer. No one was chosen for the MT program the summer I went, and I'm fairly certain that it's a REALLY rare occurance. So don't go to the program expecting to make it into the program from the end of the summer audition. And it doesn't help your chances of getting into the school the next year, either.

Regardless, it's an amazing program!! I came out of there so much more confident and prepared. I'm sure I wouldn't have had any idea what I was doing if it wasn't for my summer at CMU.

TXKatsmom

Has anyone received acceptance to pre-college 2008?

racmom

TXKatsmom - my d. applied and hasn't heard anything yet.

cawrd

We're waiting as well. The CMU web site says "You will be sent a letter of confirmation within a few weeks of our receipt of your application materials." and "Admission is on a rolling basis. Applicants will begin to receive notification of our admission decision in early March."

D hasn't received confirmation of her application (D's application should have arrived to them early Feb and according to UPS tracking, it was delieved to their building) nor have we heard anything regarding acceptance. D has e-mailed twice to check on it's arrival and there's been no response to her inquiry.

Has anyone heard from them--either a confirmation of the application packet or an acceptance to the program?

soozievt

I would call them to confirm that they have received all the materials and if her file is considered complete, as well as ask when you should expect to get a decision given the time of her application (since it is rolling). I recommend with any college to call to confirm that a file is complete. But in the case of CMU, which I know is a really really great summer and college program, I find they have more organizational "issues" that people (including ourselves) have run into than some other places. So, this is something to call about. I am sure your D will get in given the timing of her application but I do think you should call to check on things. I have had situations there where they have had no record of things. Always check on it. The emails have not been effective....time to call. Best wishes to your lovely daughter!

PS....I think hearing of the decision in April from CMU is rather common and so I just want to mention that nothing is that unusual in your case, I don't think, but do check.

NotMamaRose

Definitely call and check to see if the files arrived. I am a big fan of CMU, but the process of my D's application to their summer program was, um, messy. She sent everything very early and by certified mail, and got notification that everything had arrived. Later, she got a postcard saying that they had her application AND NOTHING ELSE. I called and they said to ignore the postcard, they had it all and a decision would be coming at such and such a time. No decision arrived. More weeks passed. Ignoring my trepidations about bothering CMU's admissions office, I called again, and was told that a decision would honestly and truly be coming. Again, it did not come. I called AGAIN and was told to hold on. I could tell something was wrong. Turns out that my D's file had, um, been misplaced! It was, as I recall, late March at this point and I was not happy, as they said that if they couldn't find it, they would have to have us recreate the whole thing. I was trying to imagine doing that and hold onto my temper at the same time (it's good practice for the college admissions process, ladies and gents!) when the woman on the other end asked me to please give them 24 hours to locate the file. I said that was reasonable and hung up. Four hours later, the admissions office called to say that the file had been on an adcom's desk and they found it and my D was accepted! They were nice and very apologetic. Long story made longer: make sure to follow up. Don't be too timid about checking. Stuff gets lost and no one cares as much about your kid's file as your kid and you.

racmom

D. called the other day. The person told her all material was in, but they haven't reviewed them yet. She was told the deadline was May 1.