Melsmom

I am well aware of the "professional atmosphere" involved at professional auditions, having been a mom with an "Annie Kid," growing up. She has auditioned for, and has quite a few professional credits on her resume. Sometimes at auditions you were in a large group and you just stayed until the end...or you left early. Far more often you were asked to come back a second or even third time to reaudition for other people. (Thankfully the colleges know better than to do that!) Due to growing up this way, My D (and I) are really quite tough and she really had no complaint whatsoever about the way PSU ran their audition, or their cut policy.
My observation about PSU's "process" is that the school is not going to be paying my D for her time/choice to attend. She is paying them (30K?) for their services of educating her. Therefore, perhaps the school could be a little less obvious in the way they handle things, as this is truly not a professional gig the kids are trying for, but a shot at getting into a program at a well respected University.
Also, to make it clear that I am not a "stage mom" who hangs around wringing her hands while my D is behind the door. At PSU's audition I dropped her off, relaxed with my book elsewhere while the info session was going on, catching the last few minutes when a student found me and made me go! Straightened up my D's things, left, went shopping, came back and found the room where the kids and a few parents were, gave her a hug, put on her IPod headphones, and started packing. I couldn't help but notice though, the brave young men and women coming out of the room one by one with their heads down, grasping for their things, only to head for the door. It made me, and I'm sure everyone, very uncomfortable and sad.
College denial is par for the course, especially in this genre. My D and I have our eyes wide open about the odds of getting in. My take on the subject of auditioning for college stands, and it is that a college is not a professional gig, but a place to prepare the kids for one. Perhaps the lesson about callbacks would be better served when the kid is in the program as opposed to trying to get in.
As a MT parent, I love it when my D comes out of an audition with a smile on her face telling me that she did a great job and feels confident about how it went. Time of course will tell one way or another how she actually did "in there." But for all her hard work and preparation, plus the fact that she did travel, see a show, meet faculty & kids, she is entitled to a few moments to think she has a shot. I'm glad most of her auditions have given her that feeling. She knows when she's had a less than stellar audition though, and can prepare herself privately for the letter that may come saying "Thanks, but no thanks." (PSU does send one, even with the public rejection.)
Nuff said, I know in my heart that my D will have good choices at the end of this, and truly she has moved on from that one incident. The opinions here are totally my own, and she would be upset if she knew I even cared enough to write about it! She's so cool and I am so proud of her!

BiGismama

I feel I can be pretty objective about this as PSU was not on my daughters list of schools. D also has a lot of auditioning experience, professional and amateur and is quite familiar with "sometime you get the job and sometime you don't" and has NEVER been upset over not getting a callback or a professional gig. However, she would be EXTREMELY upset to virtually be told in front of a roomful of her peers that "she just didn't make the grade". College auditions ARE NOT professional auditions, and the auditors should be sensitive to that fact. And my kid has professional experience; I can only wonder what a deleterious effect that public humiliation has on the vast majority of the kids who audition only having done their HS shows!
Yikes, I'm aghast!!

soozievt

Melsmom, I agree that I felt uncomfortable and it was more tense because of it being more public than private. That's why I was saying, like you, I didn't really want to be around and it was awkward. I felt a weight lift, in effect, when in the parent waiting room later in the day when it was just parents/kids in callbacks. The other situation definitely was difficult. I do agree with all that you said. I haven't seen other schools do this. Like you, I have experienced it at auditions for theater, particularly at the "higher levels" of theater. It surely is way easier to deal with private notification. Even at school, I think it is easier when cast lists are sent to your email rather than posted on the wall and everyone finds out in front of everyone. I do have a heart about this. My preference would be in private, to find out. I know it isn't always this way but it sure is nicer when it is. And yes, the kids who did not get a callback didn't have those moments after an audition to feel, "that went well for me" because often it DOES go well, even when they are not admitted. I do understand how you feel. I personally do not find it humiliating but more having to face a disappointing moment amongst others publicly. There surely is nothing to be humiliated about because we know there are so many talented kids who are not going to get in. I know kids, for example, at so called "top BFA programs" who did not get into PSU. There surely is no humiliation in not getting in because it is not a commentary on their talent. It is definitely very disappointing, however. In many ways, it is better to have the audition day be positive and get the disappointing news after that day. Just to say I totally get what you are saying and feeling. I was pointing out what professional auditions are like and you already know what that is like. Clearly this is a tough thing to go through.

actingreacting1

I did a walk-in audition for Penn State at the LA Unifieds and later that day completed my application for admission. I was wondering if anyone knew how soon after the audition one recieves a decision.
Thanks

bdwaymom

The final PSU audition for MT is this coming Saturday. After that, the faculty sits down and makes their decisions and will send their recommendations to the admissions dept within a week or so after that. Once a student gets the go ahead from admissions, they mail out the program acceptance letters. They are also offering a waitlist option for the first time this year as well. Since you just applied to the university as well, you may have to wait a bit longer than usual while the admissions dept reviews your application. Good luck...wonderful program, university, faculty and students!

actingreacting1

Okay, so I guess I'll find out from Penn State around the same time I hear from all of the others.
Thanks for answering my question.

Melsmom

Hi actingreacting1,
You will be hearing any minute, if you haven't all ready. Good luck! From what I understand, the best you can hope for is an invitation to come to the campus and audition again, with the next wave of hopefuls. As you may have noticed "acceptance numbers" are VERY competitive (and low)!! It will be interesting when this is over to see how many from the Unifieds made it...Don't give up, hopefully you will hear good news soon!

soozievt

I have heard from one person from LA Unifieds and one from Chicago Unifieds who were "called back" but had to go to campus to do that, which I thought was surprising as it kinda defeats the purpose of Unifieds, nor did they know ahead of time that this was a possibility or they may have gone to campus in the first place. I realize that the entire auditor team is not present at LA or Chicago, nor are there dance auditions. My D's friend got accepted at PSU from NYC Unifieds last year but opted to not attend. That Unifieds does not have a callback ON campus.

psucat

There was a boy from LA Unifieds that was at the audition last weekend. He did a callback in which I think he did all of his material for the entire faculty and then had an interview. The NYC unifieds don't have the callback on campus because there are dance auditions and more of the faculty is present. Spence, one of the dance professors, said she danced on carpet all day in the hotel and was exhausted after the weekend )

Melsmom

That kind of spells it out for the young lady above from LA unifieds then. The callbacks were sent fairly quickly by email and since the last audition is this weekend, it doesn't sound too promising. Unless...they really feel compelled to have a few come down after auditions? I really doubt they will have the need to look any further than the many qualified already deferred though. Well, hopefully some will be as lucky as Soozievt's D last year, on the last audition, with an outright acceptance!
We are lucky to have you here psucat, to help our kids. Thanks!

soozievt

The boy from the LA Unifieds had been a walk in and hadn't yet applied.

Melsmom, I don't know how it works at PSU but maybe they fill as they go but leave slots available for that last weekend of auditions because there were a LOT of kids there last year on Feb. 28. I have no way of knowing how many others got in the day my D auditioned. The only other kid I know who got into PSU last year was from NYC Unifieds. A lot of my D's friends didn't apply to PSU. A couple auditioned and didn't get in but ended up at top programs. Whatever happens with the PSU decision, it is just ONE school and keep an eye on the bigger picture. Lots of successful kids did not get into PSU and that is true at all these programs. The admit rates are so low and so you just can't weigh in too too much on one singular outcome.

alwaysamom

Susan, I also heard of a student from the Unifieds who was 'called back' for an on-campus audition. I was mystified because I don't remember this being the process before this year. This particular student was also not aware that this was a possibility or the choice to attend Unifieds may have been a different one. You're right, it just sort of negate the purpose of the Unifieds. I can understand it, maybe, for people doing walk-ins but not for those who have scheduled appointments. I don't understand why PSU wouldn't advise students ahead of time that this could happen, it certainly sounds like no one knew about it. I know that there's been a lot of bad vibe/publicity/word-of-mouth about the way they conduct the on-campus auditions as described earlier in the thread, and I think that this is just going to add to that.

Melsmom

I feel bad for the people traveling there this weekend, I'm sure our discussion here is doing little to calm their nerves. SO regarding Soozievt's above post, just remember they they are only one school, and that, "You are there to check them out, as much as the other way around!" (Sorry I wish I could remember the auditioner's name from NYU that I'm quoting here.)
Alwaysamom, this is the place to talk about our experiences, and our feelings about them. It is unfortunate if they are not of a good vibe, but perhaps that is because they are honest, and not always impartial (boring.) My hope is that people will, not be turned away from auditioning at any college they are interested in, but go into it with their eyes wide open, and knowing exactly what to expect. That way they can head off the chance that they will be too disappointed when what could possibly happen...happens.
And who knows? Many programs change their audition formats all the time, sometimes for the better!

alwaysamom

Melsmom, I agree with you totally that this is the place to talk about our experiences! I, too, feel that sometimes things are sugarcoated a little too much in many discussions on the forum and I've never been one to think that that is the best way to communicate information to kids and parents who are in the audition process. This is why many of us have 'stuck around' long after our own kids have gone through the process, to offer our experiences and observations about the schools with which we're familiar, and there are a few of us who are still peripherally involved in the app/audition process with younger kids, both our own and friends'.

I guess my point about this latest issue with PSU is that it does not appear that the students were aware of this possibility prior to auditioning at Unifieds. Certainly, it is any schools prerogative to ask that a student come to an on-campus audition prior to making an offer of admission, but they should definitely TELL applicants that when the audition is originally scheduled, in my opinion.

soozievt

AlwaysAMom, yes, the student at Chicago Unifieds was not a walk in and had no idea that a callback on campus was one of the possible outcomes (nor did I know that). I think someone in that position very well may have opted to audition on campus had they known it was possibly going to be needed anyway. The way this was done was with last minute notice to have to travel to campus. It seems, therefore, that this school may be using the LA and Chicago Unifieds more for "screening" but not in the usual way we think of for Unifieds which is meant to be an ALTERNATIVE to ON campus auditions. The NYC one is for this school but apparently not the LA or Chicago ones. They may want to publicize this more because some were taken by surprise that a second audition on campus might be required.

Melsmom, like you say, while the auditors are in the driver's seat during the admissions process, ultimately the students are the ones in the driver's seat as far as selecting where to attend once offers are made. Unfortunately with the high selectivity for these BFA programs, students have to cast a wider net and look at many programs. Lots of times, no single program fits every single one of their "ideals" but if they are fortunate to have a choice, they need to find the program/school that most closely fits what they want. My own daughter, upon being very aware of the tough odds, tried hard not to key in on favorite schools too much because she didn't know what would be her outcome and she came to like things about every school on her list. It is natural to like some things more about one school than others but in the meantime, fully explore each one because you don't know what you'll get in the spring. Then, if you have a choice, clearly go for the school that fits your desires and needs the most. I observed good things in all of these programs. Some had more appealing aspects than others. They all differed. They all were good in some way. They also all ran auditions a little differently though I would not judge a program too much by their audition day because it is what happens after you get there that matters the most.

Also, I have now attended 8 different college auditions and in some ways, I see which worked well and which could use improvement. I wonder if these schools are interested in such feedback. Again, the program is more important to consider than the actual audition day. Still, schools may not realize how much people put stock into what they see on a visit or audition day, whether justifiably weighted or not.

Susan

Edit...AlwasyAMom, my post crossed with yours because I wrote it before you wrote yours but didn't "send" it as I was interrupted by a phone call from a friend helping another friend's daughter (who I don't know) who needs an interview for the college I interview for, some mix up thing, and she is leaving the country today, so I'm off to help one panicked family out, LOL.