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Old 06-26-2009, 04:42 PM   #16
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Central CA
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Hi NKLOU!
Several kid were from the UK in Brooke's division. She loved them! Good luck to you! I am sure you will be welcomed with open arms! Brooke graduated and got accepted to The Company so you guys may meet! We actually lost our store in an earthquake in 2003 and qualified for a Cal Grant which paid for half of her first year! And also her second year. She got a writing scholarship through AADA explaining why she thought she should receive a scholarship both years... Jorge Ramirez is very helpful! He was our financial advisor at AADA.
Welcome to California!
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Old 11-03-2009, 12:57 AM   #17
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If there is anything you can tell me about AADA, brookesmom, I'd love to hear it. I've been looking at the website but I'm just not sure what they are all about. How are the teachers? How is the program? Does your daughter recommend it? Are you required to take any regular classes?
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Old 03-05-2010, 01:46 PM   #18
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Aada

Hey everyone! I just recently auditioned for aada on feb. 25. Its only been ten days haha but I am beyond beyond nervous about this! If someone could let me know how long it took them to find out that would be comforting =)
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Old 03-07-2010, 08:57 PM   #19
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dmila11, i got my acceptance letter in 2 weeks.
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Old 03-18-2010, 12:27 AM   #20
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I auditioned for AADA almost exactly one year ago. I was accepted, but decided not to attend. I opted for a different conservatory that I felt would bear more fruit for me. After one year, I feel like I made the best choice possible. Speaking from my own personal experience with searching for alternative programs to college training, I would strongly recommend AADA prospectives to look elsewhere.

As I understand it, AADA was the first true drama school founded in America. And it had loads of prestige back in the day. Its golden era was in the 50's which was a different time and taught a different approach to acting that was appropriate to that era that what is done today. It took a while for AADA to accept its current program of Method influence. Most of their greatest graduates come from that time period. Because of such a long gap between then and now, I don't think you should put much worth into their long list of alumni from back then.

That being said, the question is if they offer quality training today. I am absolutely certain that the students do not recieve poor or even mediocre instruction, but for the price they ask you to pay, it is most definitely not worth it. I urge you to seek out other places unless AADA offers a big fat scholarship.

From talking to former AADA students, I gather that it is a hit or miss place in terms of how much growth they got out of the program. AADA is more forgiving when it comes to accepting less developed actors. I do not mean to speak negatively about these persons, but the prospectives to AADA are not yet at the same level as those accepted into Julliard, CMU, BU. That's OKAY, everyone has to start somewhere! It takes time to grow and develop in every endeavor.

But don't expect the reputation of the school to impress people in the industry when compared to other programs like Julliard or even conservatories like the Atlantic Theater Company. It would be more on the field of AMDA and the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts. I would rank AADA at the top of those three in terms of quality.

AADA training begins with an introduction into Meisner work and then as I understand it, becomes a bit more eclectic as you progress through the upper stages of the program, and it depends on which teacher you are assigned.

If you have the money to somehow justify the costs of the school, then more power to you. But you can easily find quality schools outside of AADA in terms of time spent training and the cost of said training. The counter argument at AADA is that you will earn an AA degree, with the possibility of continuing on to a Bachelor's degree in the future at their affiliated schools. That was a nasty joke to me, as it costs almost the same amount of money to attend those schools as it does at AADA, and you will spend an additional 2 years working towards that degree. And in the industry, even an Acting BFA does not hold much weight in getting a part. It all boils down to what you can do, and that comes from the quality of your training.



TL,DR

Is AADA a bad school?
No!

Is it a good school for me to study at?
If you do not have much training, you will definitely learn a lot and create a foundation of technique for yourself.

I'm going to be paying at least $28,000 per year to study here, so how does it compare to other quality programs?
You will find yourself in utter disappointment with how much you put into the school if you expect it to be at the top tier levels of other Acting/Drama/Theatre programs.

AADA's training is just not worth what it costs to attend. There are so many better alternatives in both NYC and LA.
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Old 10-22-2012, 08:03 PM   #21
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What is the audition process like? I am a student who has only done cold readings, never formal auditions. Aside from the information on their website, what should I do to prepare for this audition?
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Old 10-23-2012, 12:01 PM   #22
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There are lots and lots of websites, and even books, about how to audition. It is a lot of work to choose your monologues and then prepare them. There's too much to explain in just a single post like this.

It's kindof like a cold reading, only you are expected to choose a monologue (not a scene), and have it memorized and fully worked on before your audition. But prepared for an "adjustment", where the auditors say "Okay, now do that monologue again, only this time change it so that . . ."

Always follow the instructions of the school.

If you had more specific questions we could be more helpful. "How do I prepare for and audition" is not specific at all.

KEVP
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Old 11-01-2012, 07:11 AM   #23
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If you're looking to go the non-scholastic route in New York, these schools are less expensive and have better reputations than AADA or the other four and five letter acronymed two-year conservatories ...

Stella Adler Studio of Acting
Atlantic Acting School
Circle in the Square Theatre School
William Esper Studio
Maggie Flanigan Studio
Michael Howard Studio
The Neighborhood Playhouse
T. Schreiber Studio

Tom Todoroff has a two-year program that he's apparently just getting off the ground, too.

There's a list that goes around a lot on the Backstage.com forum that I'm not so sure I agree with having audited a couple of the recommended classes and come away thoroughly underwhelmed, but some two-year Meisner and Adler programs worth looking into are ...

Art of Acting Studio
Stella Adler LA
Elizabeth Mestnik Studio
Ruskin School of Acting
William Alderson Acting Studio
Joanne Baron/D.W. Brown Studio

Last edited by fishbowlfreshman; 11-01-2012 at 07:19 AM.
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Old 11-01-2012, 07:41 AM   #24
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Oh. To clarify, the second list is for LA. Early morning internet writing ...
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