Another thing that we found out by going through the process last year:
Not all high schools/ Community theaters are the same. So a few students were always leads at their hometowns but less prepared than other ones coming from other places. Some of thkse did not apply to “safety” schools, as they were sure they would be picked by the Top schools. It was heart breaking
We as parents had to reset expectations. It is not just about talent. Any of the 200 - 300 who passed prescreen could have been picked. If/When you think that your child passed those prescreens out of… maybe a 1000, it is incredible.
They are ALL talented, and who knows what is the deciding factor at the end. MY D’s counselor told her one time “you have 5% /7%/10%/20% chance of getting into these school…When you see the weather forecast and there is a 5%- 10% chance of rain, you don’t grab your umbrella. Do not get discourage by one of these rejections, they mean NOTHING”.
It breaks our heart when we see these rejections, but somehow it all will turn out to their favor. Hang in there. The wait is almost over and there is an exciting future awaiting.
I love the umbrella analogy, @DramaRama! It’s fantastic.
My D’s voice teachers in her youth/teen years, both of whom are connected to highly respected programs and are close to this process, told D years before she auditioned that, every year, they see extremely talented people receive no acceptances at all, and that she should not to take this process as a confirmation of talent level no matter how it turned out.
@FLtheaterDad My daughter switched gears after unifieds. She was BFA all the way and then the director of Emerson’s program explained the difference between a BFA and BA in a way that just resonated with her. On the ride home she said mom, I think I want a BA! I about died! We just spend all this time and money applying to only BFA’s. Quick redirect and she ended up at a BA school she loves.
@myloves YES! Last year, during the UM auditions, they read us the list of (now) celebrities that were turn down by them. Passing prescreens already tells you have the talent, after that sometimes it is just luck.
Coming back to the umbrella analogy, hang in there, you WILL get wet somehow.
@mumssm Yes, I’d say in that sense, networking is of course helpful. If I’m personally recommended an actor by someone I know – which happens all the time – of course I’ll take a look. Sometimes that’s just tape I can watch on my computer, sometimes it’s having them called in for an audition or at least have them seen in a pre-read (and yep, much like college prescreens, casting agents out here in California do “pre-reads” and make decisions on who to send through before producers/directors ever see anyone). One of the recurs in my last show was cast b/c she was recommended to my fellow EP by a friend, and we brought her in to read, and she crushed it in the room. Without that networking, we wouldn’t have known about her. Now, that said, I believe for college she went to some small school in Georgia I’d never heard of, and that specific network that brought her to us came from some other show she’d booked – but obviously, yes, a network in general is crucial to the gig, and if you can build that via your college/training, great – it’s a good base from which to start. Is it a necessary part? I don’t think so – but it can’t hurt. Again, with all other things being equal, add it to the equation and see where it lands you.
I guess the objective is what is most important. My D is not looking or striving for money and fame. She wants to be a “working” actres. That could be Regional to Regional, off-Broadway, on-Broadway, Indie films, and etc. She wants to train and continue training and developing to be the best. Whoever is in the audience will relive that “story” through her and the cast. She wants to tell stories and address issues through the power of theatre, so in the end, she wants to be inspired by others with the same goals and do what she loves. She wants to be a serious actor and learn from all who want to teach her. One day she will teach too! She has some great options but money will be the final deciding factor for us. God Bless us ALL!
My daughter feels the same way @nanamama She is an artist. However that plays out for her she is fine. Actor, director, playwright, SM all make her feel that she is a contributing artist. This feeds her soul and she can’t imagine doing anything else. She will make this life work somehow no ifs ands or buts.
@FLtheaterDad My daughter auditioned for MT BFA and BM Music Education programs in 2012, initially saying that she would choose MT over Music Ed. She gained admission to good programs for both but ultimately chose Music Education. She learned through the college audition process that she wanted a more stable lifestyle after college. She was very surprised that she came to feel that way, but it was definitely the right decision for her! She was also given the great advice of “If you can see yourself happy doing something else besides MT, then do it!” She shared her feelings throughout the audition process with her Dad and I so we weren’t surprised by her final decision, but many were. She is now gainfully employed as an elementary school music teacher and loving it! (I check in here periodically because my son is a MT senior.)
Here is an old thread that includes good questions to ask schools that you have been accepted to…its cumulative so worth reading all pages. Of course, everyone has different priorities so you may choose five questions to ask all schools just to narrow down which ones you will actually visit. And, I would include your waitlists in that list! But, First check websites for answers: http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1624534-questions-to-ask-during-the-campus-visit-p1.html
For Pace: Other than the phone call, email or snail mail, has anyone been able to find out their artistic decision via their portal? If so, where exactly in the portal? TIA
A comment about the BA route: the one major benefit my daughter got out of doing summer programs was that they ran the schedule similar to a BFA student schedule so she was able to know that she liked the intensive all day, every day MT curriculum, as well as not getting back to your dorm until 9-10 and still having “homework”. There were fellow attendees who discovered that schedule wasn’t for them.
Additionally, some BA’s are performance inclusive and some are more production/process of Theater. If you get redirected to a BA, no matter the name of the degree, read the curriculum…some fit in plenty of performance training while some are really more tech or dramaturg focused.
Thanks for the responses all. I am about 95% sure at this point that she will major in something else, perhaps more on the business/production side of things and still perform for fun (or wherever that leads) but NOT do the whole conservatory route. She’s a smart kid with plenty of time to figure things out. What did John Lennon say, “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans.” So true…
@loribelle and all others – this link is REALLY helpful with questions to ask when visiting a school after being accepted, especially if there is a choice. If I had time, I would start a new board for acting only kids for 2022. Probably should be a separate board because so much is getting discussed here.
@FLtheaterDad I shared this story way earlier in this feed but here is our story.
For our D, last year was a season of truly great auditions, one after the other, she was on a high. Then came a flurry of rejections and redirects, even in one case from a program that did everything but kiss her on the lips. She was in, we thought, and then they redirected her. In the end she did come away with two BFA offers. She narrowed down to one of them and on that campus, after a full day of observing classes, a voice lesson, and meeting with the department, she decided to take a BA redirect from one of the schools that she really liked all along. The BA gave her the ability to focus on performing AND playwriting AND select a second major in Telecommunications.
Neither our D, nor my husband or I saw this coming last year and yet it was the best decision she could have made. She is so happy in both of her programs and she loves her school. We had to trust her instinct and it proved right. Through the twists and turns of it all she found her place and her path as will your daughter.
@loribelle – maybe? I’m just looking for a board on the questions to ask when visiting for the decision making after admission process for straight BFA Acting.
