Hi, I have another question specifically about American. (checked the American thread and I’m still unclear). So in my acceptance letter it said I was accepted as a Theatre Arts major. Is that separate from Musical Theatre?
“All of these are intellectually understood, but until your heart is living it, it is not something you can truly wrap your head around”
@gingersnap97, what a perfect way to describe the process!
Good luck to you and your D as you make decisions. Here’s hoping the waitlists will work in your favor.
Ditto what @Bogeyw wrote, @gingersnap97. I think even the most informed, realistic applicants, like your D appears to be, still experience disappointment in their souls. It is only natural, even if one understands the odds going into this. That said, your D is approaching her outcome in a good way by embracing the two birds in the bush and exploring them deeply and in person. Meanwhile, there are the wait lists including said “dream school,” and while she has to realistically move forward as though they won’t come through, there is still a possibility that they might. One thing I can say is that right now, the kids have just been through an emotional roller coaster ride, but all the angst of this process and its results really do fade, especially come fall when they are happily engaged at their ultimate college and the feelings about college admissions become a distant memory and truly no longer even matter. They just feel like it really matters right now in the thick of the experience.
Gosh, this is the third place I’ve posed this question, so I hope I’m not being too annoying, but does anyone know how rare it is to “escape” the wait list for Directing at Carnegie and gain an official acceptance? I know it happens frequently for MT and Acting, but, since the directing program is even smaller and since there are so few directing programs for BFA students in the country, I don’t know if I should hold my breath and hope for an acceptance, or if I should just think of this as a nice compliment and move on.
I know this is the the MT forum, but, as a directing applicant, I tend to float back and forth between here and the straight Theater forum, which is primarily geared towards Acting applicants. Just wondering if anyone here had extra insight!
@gingersnap97. Thank you for putting to words my exact feelings. Even though I have been reading this forum since my daughter was a sophomore, the difficulty of this process still is daunting. I have certainly succumbed to the negativity that I thought I was too wise to feel. But your enthusiasm for the Hartt school is uplifting! That is my daughters one admission. My daughter is presently at UHartford accepted student day to check out the campus and dorms. There are many positives about this school that can escape you when you are reeling from 10 rejections! Thank you for your wisdom this morning!
^^The things I liked about Hartt were the closeness to NYC (so the kids can make a day trip to go in and see shows, etc.) and its connection with the Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod, that allow the kids to see that whole “summer theatre” experience.
@PsychDancer7352, My D’s American info listed Musical Theatre as major. I think Theatre Arts is probably separate. The nice thing about American, though, is you can re-audition each year.
We’re visiting a school this weekend, and one of the girls here just got the CMU MT call this morning.
@marbleheader, @gingersnap97 one question I had about the Hartt school is if they have graduates that have achieved success. i know that Christina Dwyer is very successful, but are there others that have done well?
That is the one sticking point i have… Other than that I love the location, the Monomoy connection, and the local theater scene. And they seemed to “get” her!
I don’t think who is successful coming from a school is all that important. I think there is some merit to that but I think if one is going to succeed they will succeed any where they go to school or if they don’t go at all. Some schools certainly have some prestige that might get you seen but that’s it. I wouldn’t let that deter you from Hartt or any school. If a school “gets” her - that’s a huge plus.
Well put @Raam1012! Thanks for the correction ! I think you are right and I am going to go with that thought! I tend to over think things and look for problems when there aren’t any!
@raam1012 I need to respectfully disagree with regard to the fact that it doesn’t matter where they go. I don’t think it is about prestige of a program, but it is about the training the students receive during the program. That training should equate to more success after graduation - granted there are always exceptions and some students will succeed no matter where they attend. I don’t mean this to be a negative reflection on Hartt at all (I’ve only heard positive things about the program and my son was really impressed with Hartt). I’m just disagreeing with the notion that where they go doesn’t matter. I think the training they receive while in college is a factor, and I don’t think that only the top tier schools mentioned on this board provide decent training. There are a lot of schools that provide great training.
My son was looking into a school that is relatively selective in a major metropolitan area. I know someone in the city that runs a theatre. I reached out to that person to find out what they knew about the school and program. They didn’t know much about it, but did some research for us. A casting director in that market told her “I don’t see much talent coming out of that school.” While we take everything with a grain of salt, that was somewhat of a red flag to me about the training the kids may be receiving in the program.
All that said, if a school “gets” your kid that may be worth more than anything else in his or her happiness and success in college.
@echowits - I will correct myself and say that I made a very general statement that stands to be corrected. In my opinion Hartt is a really good program and I think one would get great training there. If someone told me that a school didn’t produce much talent I would wave the red flag too. So…I will modify my statement and say I don’t think it matters where they go as long as they get good training - I think there are plenty of schools (Hartt included) that will provide great training that are not among the top tier. I also agree that if a school “gets” your kid and your kid “gets” the school (in my opinion, this is more important) then your kid will likely find happiness which is a huge part of success. Thanks @echowits.
17 applications, 2 redirects, 2 acceptances, 2 waiting lists. silly me, I thought my son could actually make a decision after April 1.
15 applications, No=3, Waitlist=2, Yes=8, Withdrew=2. Closure is not in our immediate future either!
As of now: Officially done with college auditions! Ahhhh. I’m not sure how to feel… Relieved, regretful, happy, content or all of the above? Crazy experiences and a true example of how much control we do NOT have over several things in this world of MT.
With us the waitlist thing caused what I not-so-lovingly refer to as the “10 month pregnancy.” You soooo want it to be over!!
It is soooooo all about the training, the individual, and a fair amount of luck. Agree with lots being said today. With the plethora of excellent programs today, not just the top tier, I am sure we are in store for many success stories coming from many different schools soon. The excitement is just around the corner. 
@Momofnine - Phillip Boykin is also a Hartt Grad, (VP though) and we know of several recent grads who are working steadily in MT, just not currently on Broadway, but have made their living in the business since graduating. I look at the resumes and backgrounds of the faculty at Hartt, it is impressive and I do believe they are providing high quality training. If you want a glimpse into what the Hartt kids are up to, check out the The Hartt School Theatre Alumni Association facebook page.
Just saw a lovely interview with a young MT talent that folks here may enjoy reading. http://www.broadwayworld.com/houston/article/BWW-Interviews-LMNOPs-Madeline-Trumble-Talks-MARY-POPPINS-Actors-Survival-And-The-Importance-Of-Being-Nice-20150327#
I was particularly struck by this…
… and I think it applies equally to Theatre parents.
Congratulations to everyone who is coming to the end of this stressful milestone in an MT’s life, and particularly to those who have navigated it with generosity, grace and good humor!