Thought this might be helpful…
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2015/01/the-truth-about-admissions.html
When researching schools for my daughter, I tried to find programs that looked like they were in need of her particular “type”. I admit, I searched the various colleges’ MT Facebook pages to see their demographics. Also, my daughter has many artistic talents so I also advised her to apply to theatre programs with different concentrations (film, tv/commercial acting, etc), along with the usual musical theatre major tracks. She also had several non-audition programs to round out her list.
The plan worked. She was accepted to 4 out of 6 audition programs and every non auditioned one. The two audition programs that she was denied were her very first audition (she was extremely nervous) and what I could consider her biggest reach (or most competitive for her particular type). To be honest, I expected a no from the latter.
My daughter is a good actor, has a good voice and moves well. I can’t say that she is excellent at any of the three, but I knew that there was a need for her type out there so I had no problem with her pursuing this degree.
She was accepted to her number one audition school and is deliriously happy there.
“Type” is SO much more than the picture on a Facebook page. There is height, weight, voice type, personality, voice characteristics, etc…none of which you can gleen from a FB HS. And since the vast majority of kids take their YouTube videos down prior to college auditioning, and what the school is looking for that particular year is a complete unknown, I highly doubt that your “plan” was what worked. More likely, it was just a coincidence.
@monkey13, type is much more than the FB picture, but for my daughter’s particular type, all that I needed to see was the picture.
People admit that for the most part, boys are in greater need (not everywhere, but overall there are more female applicants) so when looking at pictures of college MT Facebook groups, you can tell from the picture whether the previous years are more boy or girl heavy. No need to know personality or voice type when you can easily see that the Class of 2017 had 12 girls and only 3 boys. I would think that the particular school would be very interested in getting more boys in the class of 2018.
I could tell from the pictures that those particular schools were quite hungry for my daughter’s particular demographic. The reach school wasn’t, which is why I was not surprised that she was denied.
I was pretty confident that she would be accepted into one school’s program in particular. It was fairly new and her type was extremely underrepresented in this specific genre. They called her the very next day after her audition.
You can call it coincidence. I feel that strategic planning assisted in her success.
Very wise strategy, @exitstageleft.
A school’s need for type or overabundance of a certain type is the one thing you can’t control in this crazy MT Audition Twilight Zone. No matter how talented you are! I dare say it trumps everything and makes all the difference in the world in the selection process.
I’m curious, how is being accepted off the wait list perceived once the student arrives on campus in September. It appears from CC that everyone knows who was accepted, basically in what order and then off the wait list. I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who was in the situation for different schools. For kids off the wait list, are you always considered/treated/feel like a “B list” student where as all the kids that were accepted strait up and with scholarship are the “A list”?
@monkey13, it appears that my daughter is probably in category “5” on your list in the other thread. So with careful selection, she was able to hone in on the schools that were most likely to accept her.
We have several friends attending programs for which they were initially wait listed. Not one of them has mentioned feeling or being treated differently than others. This includes students at CCM, Texas State, Ball State Because this process is so competitive, even being wait listed and never getting in is still considered a badge of honor for many.
@vvnstar - agreed 100%
My D knows friends in a program where the head actually makes a speech to the incoming freshman class specifically stating that the order they were admitted in has absolutely no bearing on how they are viewed, or how they should treat each other. That the reasons for the order of offers doesn’t necessarily equate level of talent, but rather, need for one type over another, and how many candidates for each type they had to wade through, etc. Once all candidates have accepted their spots, everyone is equally as valued and important.
My D is attending a school where she was WL and then offered. She has never felt like that is a “status” that hangs over her head, or that she is a second class citizen in any way. She is at BW… And her experience is that once she was admitted… She was just another BWMT18!
When they take so few, I would think any offer, no matter when or how it came, would be considered an affirmation.
The depth of talent out there likely means that the school’s top choices plus their wait list plus probably a bunch beyond that are all of A List quality. 
Wait list doesn’t mean less.
Anyone have a shenandoah audition feb. 7th???
My S does!
@kategrizz in fact, if she didn’t tell her classmates she had been waitlisted, I doubt they’d know! They certainly don’t care – they have a terrific class! They are going to be really fun to watch for the next 4 years!
Break a leg in the Windy City! Hope the weather cooperates. Go Class of 2019!
Traveling nightmare of a day. So glad my kid has a great sense of humor and sees everything as an adventure! Looooong story short, circled the Chicago airport but were not able to land, diverted to St.Louis. 12 hours after leaving home, D has taken a bath, eaten room service, and fallen asleep exhausted. Will try again tomorrow!
Any of you that are doing auditions on site for Ball State, look for my D. She is a sophmore MTO (Music Theater Option) and also works as a tour guide for the university. She’ll be happy to answer questions and show you the campus.
Great place, great faculty, great program.