@jrydholm thanks! Daughter is still in school so likely hasn’t checked. I’ll let her know.
Yes, yes, yes - @newgirl17! I could not agree more.
@jrydholm @dontaskme1 My daughter just checked, she was also accepted!
@newgirl17 You raise so many good points here.
We are so not wealthy, and I am actually amazed that we’re not eating Ramen Noodles right now (with all we’ve spent on this process). But I see your point: if we were completely strapped for cash, this would have been a brutal process. As it is, I spent (too much $) on an SAT review for her (now truly knowing if the academics would have made or broke the acceptance process, as she is not an A student), and decided not to go the national audition coach route (she has been working with her private voice coach on multiple things, including her school musical solo songs, and is fortunate to have her drama teacher in school as an amazing resource/mentor). I am mad that I rushed to send in CSS profiles for schools she didn’t get past the prescreen for, and one that she got an early rejection to. But I was panicked; just wanted to get it in. She also ‘wasted’ a free SAT score submission to the same school (Syracuse), but thankfully she didn’t have to apply (saved an app fee there!).
Regrading the timing of things (early vs regular decisions), I agree. When reading last years threads, and seeing how some kids cancelled auditions, I now understand why. If my d gets any viable options before her last two scheduled auditions, we will likely do the same. She is tired, and so am I. The reason mine didn’t do any early decisions is because the schools she really wanted didn’t have that option (so she would not have made a decision until early April anyway).
What I wish was revamped for the future is the actual pre-screen requirements. 16 vs 32, contemporary vs classic, shakespeare or not, 1 vs 2 minute monologues, dance/no dance cuts, etc. My d almost goofed with the UMich requirement of a pre-1965 song. She had to go back in and record that one at the last minute. In hindsight, more organization would have been better on our end, but honestly, they are so technical with their requirements!
@collegemom2000 Congrats!! how exciting!
@jrydholm thanks! That makes three so far. Many more to go…
@collegemom2000 YAY! Thrilled for you and your D! Congrats!
@newgirl17 I agree completely…I’d also tack on the nerve wracking inconsistency of required materials! The cost is crazy ridiculous…
@collegemom2000 congratulations! @newgirl17 I couldn’t agree more. Every single word that you have said. I also regret paying for applications, auditions, css profiles that my son knows he is no longer interested in (and I had to force him to audition for 2 of them since I had already paid!)
I do know that they have waivers and I think some of these schools will see if you can really afford them and you may be rejected for this reason (although they will mever tell you this) college is in the business of making $$$ and unkess they have some ginormous endowments, they are looking for it
My D auditioned for 25 schools. Being from the West Coast, we packed it in with Unifieds, that was how she was able to do so many. And she did a combo of acting and MT so that contributed to a high number as well. She has one more to do this weekend which is 1 of 5 total on-campus auditions. I’m buying into the statement that they all wind up somewhere. This story about Samara Wiley is MUST reading for us and our kids: https://www.glamour.com/story/emmy-nominee-samira-wiley-rejected-theater-schools
oops, this was disembodied from the post I was replying to!
My D got her Rutgers rejection last week. Still waiting to hear from Hartt which was the Friday of NY unifieds. nothing in the mail today (west coast.)
Sorry to hear about Rutgers @fingerscrossedMT. I was expecting some rejection letters today, nothing yet. There is always tomorrow 
@fingerscrossedMT I could be wrong but I thought Hartt doesn’t notify until 1st week of April…looks like my D auditioned the same day as yours…so if you hear anything, please post if you can!
To play devil’s advocate vis a vis the process…While I am sure schools are aware that kids apply to many places, have coaches etc…wouldn’t their response be that you don’t HAVE to do any of that? What would the college gain by makings changes? If they don’t gain, why would they change? They have plenty of applicants the way things are
Look at the common app- suppose to bring uniformity, and it has in some areas. But there are still lots of individual bits (essays, red etc) that need to be done for may many schools- in fact, all but one of my D’s 12 schools had specifics. I mean, would it be easier if there was one set of requirements and a truly uniform system? Of course- but can you see colleges actually going for that? I can’t - b/c they have a vested interest in doing things their way
@newgirl17 , thoughtful post! My D doesn’t know anyone else applying to performance BFA programs. She is taking a year off and works in a college bookstore among college students who think this whole process is nuts! First question is “how to you afford it,” and basically, the answer is that we are very fortunate.
@newgirl17 and @DramaQueen219 - another thing to think about is that it just doesn’t end…we (parents from last year who now have a FB group) have discovered that the money and auditions continue. So regardless of whether colleges streamline the process (and why would they? each MT department probably feels they want to set their own requirements for what they are looking for…) the process continues once they are in their program! We all have freshman and they have to travel all over to audition for Strawhats and other summer stock companies. My daughter is fortunate to have many theaters come to her school but she still has friends flying to New York for auditions or traveling to the Muny and it all costs money (you’ve got to have somewhere to stay once you get there - so that is money too.) Anyway this first year is an eye opener as well - so get ready!!!
The MT process starting from being a “big fish” in high school theater through the applications/ prescreens/ auditions/ Unifieds/ rejections galore and acceptances… would make for an incredible documentary. I hope a talented young filmmaker is working on this concept! Most people i know had absolutely no idea what we would be experiencing when my daughter set off on this MT quest. People are always shocked/ amazed /intrigued… even a family member of mine who got her BFA years ago was completely blown away by what the process looks like now!!! Could be such a fascinating project!!!
@savedrama4momma we left Chicago Unifieds saying the same thing … the process would make for a great project for a film student!
I’ve been encouraging D to do just that!!