Class of 2022 (sharing, discussing, application and audition season)

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
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I, too, was hoping D would get a leg up over the summer. Alas, she spent 6 productive weeks at CMU and did not hit the other milestones. Common app is mostly done, list is mostly done, common app essay is meh (being re-done), headshots done, 2 songs selected, 1 monologue. I suspect we will not be submitting prescreens before mid-October. She is at auditions now for fall musical for PA HS. The show will be her part-time job! We had her pull back to weekends only (on-call basis) for work so we can get her to focus on these tasks. She is also taking one more shot at the ACT. I am hoping for a 1-2 point bump to help on the merit side of the ledger!

I keep reminding myself it’s only August :slight_smile:

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Wait, so is it important to be submitting applications close to Sept 1? Help? Much of the Common App is ready, but not the essay, definitely still in the works. Please I really need to know WHEN we need to submit the apps in order to have some options for Audition dates. I thought late September would be okay? Lots of opinions are welcomed, I am sure the answer probably lies somewhere in the middle?

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We submitted all apps Sept 1st and got our pick of audition dates.

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We had no problem with audition dates and got all requested dates -we submitted apps by end of Oct (or first week in Nov). You do not have to have them in by sept 1. That is just when some
Open.

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We were done with apps for audition schools by end of Sept - had no trouble scheduling auditions. D had 1 prescreen (Ithaca), which we did not film until end of oct (may even have been 1st week if Nov), and that wasn’t an issue either.

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Can anyone chime in about on-campus auditions at USC? I can see the weekend dates they are holding them in January, but not the specific time periods. In a prior post, someone said they arrived at 1 pm and basically spent the whole afternoon there. So, are the available audition slots 9-1 and then 1-5? Thanks!

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@FourStars Most certainly not. You do not have to have all your applications submitted by September 1. None of my kids hit that deadline and they were not closed out of auditions dates. We set September 30 as a soft deadline since Oct-Nov get crazy with school/show commitments. What I was really pushing for by September 1 was a mostly finalized list and a really solid common app essay. The kids in our district write their common app essay a the end of junior year. D wrote it and recently decided she doesn’t like it and has been working on a new one while she crafts her “arts supplement” base essay. I think the essays will be in good shape after the Labor Day weekend.

Obviously, as @stagedoormama alludes, the earlier the better to have your pick of audition dates/times.

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Okay, that helps but we need to create deadlines for these essays. What exactly is the arts supplement essay? Is this like your artistic statement? What question are they answering exactly?

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I have another question (the first of many I am sure)! We have an early audition in a couple weeks at Muhlenberg (for artistic scholarship) and need to bring recorded accompaniment. We have a friend who can play the piano for us- are we ok to record the accompaniment on an iPhone? Is that sufficient? Anyone experienced with this and how it will work out sound wise? Any advice about logistics on how to do that / what app/ phone placement etc will be most appreciated! If we get a good recording of a few 32 bar pieces she could use those recordings at Unifieds as well so I am hoping to have it sound pretty decent. THANKS!

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@FourStars every school is different and they all ask for their own thing. This was the most challenging part. It’s all well and good to get the Common App in but nearly every school has some sort of arts supplement where they usually want another essay or artistic statement. Some schools even have an extra essay on their common app. It was a ton of work and I can’t imagine getting it all in anywhere near September 1! It was like an assembly line. I remember my D went to Ecuador for 11 days in November and I was still emailing her essay prompts that she had to write while she was there. It was never ending which is why she ended up scrapping a couple of schools because she had just had it by mid November.

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@FourStars - remember this whole thing is a marathon, not a sprint. Just keep working at it and it will begin to come together

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@FourStars yes - what @marg928 says! We did find for the arts supplement that the schools wanted different variations of the same topic. Both S and D1 chose the first school that asked for the arts supplement, drafted it, and basically used it as a 'base" going forward. They need to be tailored for each school but the base was usable for almost all of them. Some schools want to know what inspires your student as a artist. Some will ask why your student is interested in pursuing the arts. Some will ask why a conservatory (or why a university)? Also, like @marg928 mentions, this part seemed to drag on for my first two. They did the applications and common app essays done in a wave, filmed the prescreen material at the same time, but the arts supplements had to be done individually.

For D2, the goal is to pick the first school she is ready to submit to, and complete that arts supplement - and go from there. We are definitely playing the long game here!

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Hello, everyone! Happy start to the audition season!

I just wanted to ask if Otterbein added their dance component to the pre-screen this year only? If I remember correctly, they didn’t have a dance audition at all for their MT applicants; only those who wanted to have a dance minor.
Additionally, I know a few people who have had kids go or have gone themselves into the arts at U of Mich and have reported an abnormally competitive school environment that, some worry, inhibited some students’ growth and confidence in during their careers. Does anyone know to what extent this is true? From others, I’ve heard that they’re a very positive, albeit challenging, program! Thanks!

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@Positivity2018, I checked the pre-screen directions, and dance demo is required for MT. but optional for BFA Acting and BA Theatre. My son is now a Senior BFA Acting major at Otterbein, but auditioned for MT. The dance component and the Shakepeare monologue were not required when he applied. Chris Kirk took over as Department Head when Dr. John retired, so perhaps the requirements changed then.

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Random question for my fellow parents in the trenches… some of the applicaions have an optional “ZeeMee” account on the applications to “get to know you better”. Omigoodness I am going to be totally honest- between the applications/ figuring out prescreens/ preparing for auditions/ and the supplemental requirements we are so overwhelmed!!! Can my daughter just blow off this ZeeMee thing? or is that a bad idea? (oh and PS- my list of "to-do"s does not even include her schoolwork, school show rehearsal, part time job and marching band). I just have to laugh. So- hit me up with your ZeeMee opinions. THANKS ALL!!!

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@savedrama4momma It is nuts the amount of work to do, for us, we are not doing any “extra” just focusing on getting the needs met and doing it well (we hope).

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thank you!!! @DoinResearch that makes me feel a whole lot better! Slowly but surely she is checking things off the to-do list. It is A LOT!!! WOW! I will happily cross ZeeMee off that list! :slight_smile:

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Hi all! I am consolidating some answers to previous questions here: My D is a junior at a known MTBFA. We didn’t’t use a coach and only applied to 7 schools (not enough). Passed 6 prescreens, 2 acceptances, 2 wait lists (at schools where no one declines, so actually rejections) and 2 outright rejections.

Summer Programs: Doesn’t really help with admissions. My D applied to hers and was told in the room, “see you in the fall.” Guess what? rejected. Stories from other parents, the same, didn’t factor in admissions.

Union/Professional status: Didn’t matter. Know plenty of AEA/Broadway kids rejected. My D is eligible for her card and won’t get it tip she absolutely has to. Too many great non-union tours.

Dance: Many MT schools do not level dance classes so if dance is important to you, ask. Great dance schools level kids and allow them to take classes in the BFA dance program. Some that come to mind are BOCO, Point Park, Marymount Manhattan, Uarts…

In our experience Uarts did not require a prescreen. However, if you plan to audition on campus you should do it because they cut after singing. You will not get to do the rest of the 3 hour audition process if you are cut and will have wasted time going. Prescreens get bumped into the advanced auditions.

About prescreens: Of course, it is better to pass than not, but it doesn’t mean much. For example, my D’s year, Pace passed 800 prescreens for 25 spots.

Experience: My D’s roommate had only done high school shows. No voice lessons, no coach. She is amazingly talented. The only thing that matters is the audition. Don’t listen to other parents talking about how many great shows and training their kid has done.

Cost: Look into it now. CMU, NYU over 60 K a year, at least. There are many, many wonderful programs that your child will love that will not break you. Let’s face it, our kids are probably not gonna make a ton of dough, so debt should be avoided if you can.

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Continued:
I think that there are a TON more kids trying for MT than in the past so the competition is so much bigger. Having said that, if you make a good list your child should get at least one acceptance. One is all it takes. Keep saying that to yourself. Over and over. I recommend trying to get at least one audition at a school that has rolling admissions or apply EA. Having one acceptance will make the whole thing so much easier. Perhaps other veterans can identify those schools.

We preferred on campus auditions. My D went to NY Unifieds and it was not a good experience for her. We only had to fly to one school so the cost wasn’t too bad. Many schools had weekend dates so she didn’t miss too much school. The problem was that my D fell in love with every school so the rejections were hard. I hear Chicago Unifieds are a better bet.

Good luck to everyone. I know your child will end up where they are happy. Remember; it only takes one.

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Although if you qualify for need-based aid, Carnegie will provide it. (A lot of conservatories don’t). I know two different people who got priority waitlisted for CMU and had FA estimates and it would have been their most reasonable offer…because they had a low EFC.