Yes! MT programs are often far more competitive than any other school or major - even the so-called “safety” schools have a 15 to 20% admit rate. Most of these programs know they could admit any number of subsets of kids and still have a stellar class.
Same!
@mtmom911 Sorry to hear about CCM and I love your screen name!
I agree with you. At Chicago Unifieds (Palmer House specifically), It seemed that most of the people there were MT students (even the majority of the boys) I saw how they all tried to stand out with perhaps red shoes or a bow in their hair. All of it caused me to wonder if a girl needs to dye her hair like Cruella de Vil just to stand out (joking here). The best part for me was hearing these girls belt their songs while thinking “Wow she sounds Amazing!! So many talented girls. I can see why MT would be the ultimate goal for most performers
@MTMOM17 I think she auditioned at NY Unifieds but am not certain
thank you @mommafaria.
My D auditioned on campus at the University of Miami last Friday so I’m sure it’ll be a while before she hears anything.
Just heard a yes from George Mason University BFA MT. Auditioned 2/17. Does anyone have info they can tell me about the program?
@dontaskme1 congratulations on your acceptance (and so soon).
@dontaskme1 that’s a quick turnaround! I don’t have any info, just wanted to congratulate 
congrats @dontaskme1 !
@actingdreams @DramaQueen219 @MTMOM17 Thank you! I so appreciate how kind people are on here. We all know how relieving it is.
I have heard that Rutgers acting BFA has sent out some rejections (from NY Unifieds) but have not heard about acceptances or holds. And that Hartt BFA MT is starting to notify auditionees from Jan 27/28 weekend. Just FYI for everyone.
@mtmom911 do you know about hart bfa mt NYC unifieds?
Rutgers has its callback weekend March 2-5, so they won’t be sending out acceptances til that’s over.
My D just got word on being accepted at GMU also. She is very excited as this is her first notification (and it is always nice that it is a yes the first time.) It is a new program so I don’t know that much either but will be looking into it more.
@jrydholm so exciting! Congratulations!
@actingdreams I think I just took my first deep breath and exhale in several months. I had not realized I had been holding my breath all this time. A nap is in order for me.
I made the mistake of starting to add up what I have spent for the BFA college application process. I honestly don’t think that most kids and families can afford to apply to BFA programs with all the fees involved. I’m not talking about hiring a private coach either. The entire system is now organized around the assumption that parents will pay whatever it takes to get their kid admitted to certain colleges and, in our case, BFA programs. I heard a few years back that acting and musical theater BFA degrees are now self-selecting (for the most part) among the wealthy. I now understand why. I know kids and parents that can’t afford the ACT/SAT test fees beyond the one free test given at public high schools each year, let alone the uber expensive Private Test Prep Fees by Huntington etc.
But, even putting those “standard” requirements of all college students these days aside, for BFAs, the requirement by most of the “only 10” schools my daughter applied to that she apply academically to the school and pay fees (application fees, test score report fees, CSS Profile Fees, and if they have prescreens, then the prescreen fee) BEFORE she auditioned and receive(d) or (s) an admission decision from the Theater Department is maddening.
Its hard enough to pay the $$$ to travel to some schools for campus auditions (those that do not attend unified auditions).
I understand the rationale for on campus auditions, and I generally think it provides the student with a more informed view of the program when it comes time to decide, if there are multiple offers. I also understand that academic institutions need to vet applicants before the Theater Department considers them for admission, because the student will be attending the institution and not just the BFA program.
However, there must be a better way than to charge for these applications and require test score fees and financial aid fees for BFA students who believe, sincerely, that they need to apply to 10-20 schools to have a chance at not being shut out due to small program size and very few programs.
I know some schools ask the applicant whether they still want to be considered for admission academically even if they do not receive admission to the BFA program. From the institution’s end, that helps streamline the process. But, what about from the student and parents’ end?
By the time Unifieds came around, my D had already applied to 10 schools because even her “early auditions” (September) did not notify her of her acceptance to the BFA until just before Christmas. When most programs have admission deadlines for the programs (and the School) of December 1 (if not earlier), then the kid just has to apply to multiple places even if their first or second choice, early admission offer, comes through! Then, of course, all the Unified auditions are planned and scheduled and it seems like a waste of money and effort not to go through with all of them.
My D, however, once the first week of February Unified Auditions rolled around in Chicago, cancelled her auditions at NYU and Ithaca (pre-screen) and Illinois, because she decided to focus her efforts on her Michigan, Minnesota and BU auditions (knowing that she would go to ELON before the schools with the audition spaces she had reserved but cancelled).
I validated her for her focus, but kept thinking about the waste of money and time (writing essays, getting a special pre-screen filmed that I paid for) that went into applying to those 3 schools simply to not audition. I also felt “bad” that my D had taken a pre-screen audition spot at Unifieds at Ithaca that some other student didn’t get because they passed her instead.
In short, I think this entire process needs serious revamping and I just don’t know how to advocate for a change to deadlines for auditions.
Seems to me that prescreens and auditions should happen the summer before Senior Year, with decisions made prior to admissions deadlines for the schools. If the Theater Dept. says yes, then the Institution should have the final say, not the other way around. And, financial aid application fees should be pushed to after admissions decisions so that people don’t have to pay unnecessary fees to send information to 10-20 schools, most of which they know their kid won’t attend because they can only choose one.
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@dontaskme1 how did you find out? My daughter auditioned there on 2/17 as well.
@jrydholm you deserve that nap! Congratulations to your daughter!!
@collegmom2000 GMU sent an email with the letter attached to it.