<p>If a student has received formal evaluations and/or grades from pre-college theatre programs, is it beneficial to include those with the application package? Is there any reason this should not be done? Thanks!!</p>
<p>I may be wrong here, but I don’t think that’s “done.” I remember some of my D’s classmates at CMU Precollege asking about this before they left, and they were all told that no, they shouldn’t include the evals they got from CMU teachers in their applications to other colleges. What’s more, I recall several kids asking some CMU teachers if those teachers would write recommendations for the kids and to my knowledge, they were told “no.” </p>
<p>At CMU, the audition is THE defining factor. Grades count for very little. It’s what the student does in the rooms at the audition that count for the most. Like all excellent programs, CMU has a very definite idea of what they want in a performer, and they know it when they see it. Hearing that a teacher or teachers at another precollege or summer program thought the student was great is a nice thing to pass along, but I seriously doubt it would influence things at CMU (or other programs) at all. </p>
<p>I know a kid who auditioned for CMU who had a recommendation from a VERY big name producer, composer and writer and that kid didn’t get in. Why? Despite that student’s quite considerable talent and extensive professional experience, the student apparently did not fit CMU’s ideal.</p>
<p>Bottom line: try not to stress too much about things like recommendations and so forth. Follow the directions given to you by CMU’s admissions dept and the drama dept to the letter, but remember that the most defining aspect of admissions at this school is the audition.</p>
<p>Thanks, our college advisor told us to include them and it didn’t feel right (especially if, as you say, it’s including them in the application to a different school).</p>
<p>And if a kid went to precollege at CMU, then the admissions office/dept of drama office already has that kid’s eval on file. :)</p>
<p>Best of luck!</p>
<p>So true NMR…the records would already be in file if they want to go back and check them. I would also say do not include them in your application. My daughter did not include them in hers either. I think the deciding people have a pretty good idea who was at pre-college and like NMR said, they could easily access that information if they need to double check something! Good luck!</p>
<p>I’m not positive about this, but I think I remember my daughter saying they told her if she auditioned after pre-college the evaluation would automatically be included.</p>