BrownSugar106

I've seen a thread on this before in the archives, but most of the advice on there focuses on answering this question in the course of the audition (or post-audition interview). Buy what is the prevailing wisdom about responding to this question on the printed application itself?

freedom_fri911

Roosevelt University
UArts
BoCo
Point Park
Elon
East Carolina University

nydancemom

When this question was asked on the application, D followed the same wisdom as if the question was asked at the audition. Advice I had read here on CC. She answered with several schools she had applied to, but not all. She tried to keep them in a similar type (BA vs. BFA for example) or perceived level of competitiveness. She listed them alphabetically so there would be no hint of which school might be a first choice. Seemed to work fine for her.

colegePLEASE

^^ i would go with that.

BrownSugar106

Thank you all! How many of the schools would you list?

KatMT

I would follow the advice above in terms of alphabetical order. I also might not list all of the schools to which you are applying (you certainly are not required to).

I can give a perspective of why one school (the one at which I teach ) asks the question on the audition form. (1) I like to get a sense of the kind of program a student is auditioning/ applying. It allows me to ask questions in the interview. For example.... If I notice that none of the other schools to which a student is applying offers musical theatre, I may ask what they plan on studying at that school, why they have decided to audition for MT here. If I notice that all of the other schools are BFA programs, I may ask why we are the only BA school on the list, and make sure that they understand the differences between the BFA programs and our BA program. This gives me a point of discussion with the students, and gives me another chance to talk with them about their goals. (2) If I notice that we are the only BA school on a BFA list, I might gamble that we are more of a back-up. This information helps me make a guess at "yield". The same is true if we are the only MT program on the list, I might gamble that there is a good chance that they may choose to go to another school to study a different interest.

I have read some discussion on this board of schools using this information to NOT accept students to the program. That doesn't make sense to me. If I see a talented student who I think is a good match for the program I am going to accept them even if I think we are a back-up. I may assume, however, that they will most likely go to one of their BFA options, and this allows me to accept a few more students in order to reach the desired yield for our program. I cannot speak for other schools (obviously), and I have a tendency to be a bit naive about "ulterior motives". My program is also not as big as many of the BFA programs to which many on this board are applying... Just thought I would offer one perspective.

BrownSugar106 -- If you do not feel comfortable listing all of your schools I would list at least 4 - 6. Fewer than that may make it more obvious that you are not listing all of your schools. Which you are not required to do -- but you want to be perceived as being cooperative.

NotMamaRose

KatMT, thanks so much for giving us an insider's perspective. It is reassuring to hear that you approach this information with what seems to be good, common sense. However, I have to say that, nevertheless, the presence of this question causes applicants quite a bit of tension and anxiety, as they try to "suss out" what those of you in charge of admission are trying to ascertain and how that info may be used for or against them (admissions-wise) in the end. I am happy to hear that those of you at JMU do not ask students to rank their schools in order of preference, as some places do. According to NACAC, that is against good practices:

<<NACAC Principles of Good Practice
B. Admission, Financial Aid and Testing Policies and Procedures
Postsecondary members agree that they will:
1. accept full responsibility for admission and financial aid decisions and for proper notification of those decisions to candidates;
2. not require candidates or the secondary schools to indicate the order of the candidates’ college or university preferences, except under Early Decision plans;
http://www.nacacnet.org/NR/rdonlyres...FE8/0/SPGP.pdf >>
Nonetheless, I understand that instructors/adcoms at several BFA programs in MT *do* ask kids to rank their schools, which puts the students in a horrible position. If the school in question is NOT their first choice and they admit it, that could be used against them. But if they say the school *is* their first choice and it's not, the students are lying. Not a good situation; I think we can all agree on that.
Back when I was applying to college (in the Flintstones' era!) we were not asked this question. I wish schools would go back to that. After all, then admissions personnel could just make their offers of admission based on whether or not they thought a student fit their program. Period.

tashmu

I would suggest that you speak with your students, and educate them that they do not need to answer this question, and why.
My daughter decided to be vague about it, that she was applying to other schools, and leave it at that. You can expand on that in any way, but I frankly don't think it's in the students' best interest to be asked this question.

ttmom

I have to agree with tashmu. My D chose to not answer this question on her apps, and it did not come back to "bite her in the butt" at auditions.. However, some schools that did not ask this ? on the app did ask it during the audition, so I would make sure your S or D is comfortable with an answer so as to not get caught "off guard" as the interview during the audition can be unnerving as it is. ;') Good luck.

NotMamaRose

ttmom, how did your D respond in interviews when schools put her on the spot like that? Did she verbally slide out from under by saying something such as "Well, the reason I am auditioning for you is because such-and-such reasons make this program a good match for me"?

cartera45

I was going to post a question about this on the Music Major forum, but see if is here so I'm glad to see responses. My D's apps are for vocal performance, not MT, but only one of her apps have asked her to rank the schools. Fortunately, that school is her top choice right now so she was able to truthfully put it at the top. Her top choice tends to change from month to month though so if she's asked at the audition, the answer may not be as clear. I think it can be used against kids if the list clearly suggests that a particular school is a safety among all the rest matches and reaches. She sent her first two apps off last week and the first one asked which schools "have you applied" to. She could have been coy and truthfully said none, but she listed the ones that she planned to apply to. Are some of you leaving that question blank?

Singersmom07

DD had that question on a lot of her VP applications. She answered it more or less honestly for the time period asked. Never indicated a top preference though. I don't recall that being the question asked. She got varying responses, the funniest being at her safety when she was asked in audition why on earth she was applying there But they came through with huge scholarships, even though she did not go there. I believe the list in the end helped us negotiate better merit offers. I do not know if that is the same for MT instead of VP. But you indicated VP not MT.

cartera45

The preference question only came up on the application to a university but was not on the music school part of the app - that part just asked for a list.

nate

CCM
Syracuse
Ithaca
Roosevelt
Kent State
University of Hartford
Emerson

*possibly NKU*