Take some time to read audition update on backstage magazine and read what these actors are going through. It is heartbreaking but also very empowering to see them line up each morning in the freezing cold at 4 am to get their names on an audition list. Quite eye opening. My daughter like @eastchestermom 's graduates in three months. The reality is hitting her hard too.
To join in a bit with @EastchesterMom - believe it or not, this is only the 1st hurdle… And though I remember all too well how daunting and challenging it is - it’s just the warm up…
My D keeps saying the expectations for kids just keep going up and up to the point where no one can ever feel like they are “doing it right.” 
@bisouu - yup, and your brilliant D is in the mix,too, I suppose!
@MThopeful2022 and @bisouu thanks for the encouragement.
@artskids I’m sorry to hear you received the same letter. I am trying to put the same spin on it for my D as you are…
But isn’t it true that many of the colleges send their no’s at the same with their yes’s in March? That has me stressing even more. Ugh!
@actingdreams your statement about ‘others willing to pay the money to take the place of our kids’ (I’m paraphrasing) kind of affirms (to an extent) that this major is for kids with money. I am generalizing here.
As for the expense, it is what it is. I think most of us knew this going into it. If we didn’t, it’s our own fault for not researching ahead of time. It is a business, just like any college program (including state schools). And as @singoutlouise said, coming from the end of the schools, they can make us and our kids jump through hoops by requiring different things (song cuts, monologues, additional essays, etc). Again, it’s a business. It would just be nice if it weren’t so varied, you know? If anything, it teaches out kids that nothing in life comes easy (I think all of our kids going through/have gone through this) know this all too well.
Because she was in NYC and because she had befriended a bunch of students who were 2 to 3 years ahead of her, by junior year D got a dose of reality by hearing firsthand how her older friends were doing and what their lives as struggling actors was like.
Until then she had only known “theater kids”—the group of students who were her people from middle school through college.
But now through her friends, she was getting a glimpse of what life was like for theatre professionals—adults who were trying to pursue this in real life. No longer sheltered from the real world, no longer students, but adults trying to support themselves. She saw the choices they were making—going on the road, living on cruise ships, juggling waitressing jobs to make ends meet. Living a lifestyle much different than the upper middle class existence she was used to.
In high school, other than the ec’s they chose, the lives of many busy students were similar. Some were spending all their time in rehearsals, others in labs, others on a field.
In college, the crazy life of a MT students wasn’t that different than the crazy life of many other majors.
But upon graduation, and attempts at making it in the real world, the path of actors really begins it diverge from the oath of others.
Others began to get stable jobs with predictable salaries. She saw her college educated friends babysit and dress as princess for birthday parties but come up empty audition after audition. And after each successful audition and role, the cycle would start all over again.
This really impacted my D and led to her pursuing two minors— in the Business of Entertsinment, Media and Technology, and English—while she was still in school and had the opportunity to do so. The reality of 5 am open calls and the fact that she actually liked casting and the marketing side of theatre when she interned, led to her pursuing the business side of entertainment when she graduated.
My D still sings and still hopes to incorporate theatre into her life more, but realized she didn’t want it enough to lead a life with that level of uncertainty. She is pursuing her MBA now and back taking voice lessons with her undergrad voice teacher.
These are very personal decisions. Without a right or wrong path. But like others have said, it does not get any easier and it’s important for kids and parents to understand that.
I do not - my D had a few friends that auditioned for Hartt at NY Unifieds but they have not heard. Only one person that we know of, who auditioned on campus on her day (Jan 28) has received a no. The waiting is really tough.
I think Hartt might have their decisions because (most anyway), even though they have not yet notified students, one person we know did call to find out the results - and they told him over the phone he was not admitted.
That sounds so awful for your D. And points to the importance of asking about the showcase and what schools do to maximize the chance that their students are signed by an agency - programs like BW and others report that once you’re signed the waiting overnight for auditions ends and can schedule auditions - which enables you can do other work to support yourself. Schools who said “Oh, we don’t do a showcase because agents, managers, casting directors don’t show up” were eliminated from our list as quickly as schools with cut programs.
@mtmom911 - I don’t think having a showcase necessarily leads to an agent, not does having an agent necessarily mean you won’t be waiting at calls. At least, that is D’s experience from older friends who have graduated from many programs and are currently living in NYC (many of whom have representation, many who do not)
@EastchesterMom “There’s always law school” isn’t the best comfort. There are currently way too many people with law degrees in the U.S. (although admittedly not to the same degree as the over-abundance as 20-something girls with MT degrees in NYC, which is a staggering amount). In 2014 only 71 percent of law school grads found long term, full time work in the legal field; I suspect the ratio is even worse now.
First of all know what you are getting into and also understand that is okay if your goals change. I think if you really choose this field you should be in it for the long haul but with that said these kids are 17 and 18 years old. Maybe they will change direction and the way I see it there are tons of options for them - casting, coaching, marketing and media, becoming a manager or an agent, and that is just in the entertainment field. They could also go and get a masters and teach perhaps at the university level or they could leave the field altogether and go to law school (entertainment law?? or anything else) or even medical school (supposedly medical school has a very high number of people with backgrounds in English literature…so what’s the diff?). At any rate there are a million things you can do down the road. But if you don’t want to wait in audition lines - I say get out now! On the money end - yes it is a moneyed field (but less than figure skating…Lol). But I think there are plenty of programs out there that are affordable - it all depends where you want to go to school. My daughter sang last year in concert with Leslie Odom Jr. - he spent some time talking about how he ended up at CMU (and by the way - the CMU is very generous - our financial packet was testament to that and we are not a wealthy family). He said he has never seen a broadway show prior to going to college, that he came from a family with multiple kids and it was just too expensive. I know that at my daughters school there are many kids with strong university financial support and I think you will find that elsewhere. Schools want diverse programs and want to support the kids they believe in. Keep up the faith and cast a wide net - there are programs out there for everyone.
I started out in a performing arts conservatory, then transferred to a four year degree in something else. It was a pretty seamless transition and no big deal and I graduated valedictorian in three years in a completely different area. I think I was a lot more mature than most of my peers coming into college in this way. I had a better sense of myself and had gotten the performing bug out of my system. And as much as I want to discourage D from this path, I know it isn’t mine to choose for her and she will realize the reality in time. And I guess any college degree is better than none and there are many trajectories one can take (ie teaching, business, etc.)
@mtmom911 TooWonderful is right…having an agent is great but doesn’t guarantee work. My D21 graduated from Pace in May with her degree in dance and landed two agents from their showcase, one for dance and the other for theatrical/commercial. She had a bunch of auditions over the summer but most of the fall until now there have been few and far between. Then when she gets there she sees some of her friends/classmates who are auditioning as well. So far she hasn’t booked anything. She has an audition today as a matter of fact so fingers crossed. She has been making money waitressing on the weekends and just became a trainer with a company called DanceBody in NYC. It’s a workout program incorporating dance choreo and they are really taking off. Problem is that she has to travel back and forth from NJ to NY at $35 a pop so she’s pretty much making nothing! She feels there is a good opportunity here to work her way up even though at this point she’s in a hole for many hundreds of dollars from commuting during three months of training. I’m shaking my head and praying she is right! She gets a lot of calls from local dance studios to sub as well so that’s been supplementing her income…but she is still living home so she’s nowhere near supporting herself. She did minor in Arts Management but she is not willing to look for something in that field right now. I feel bad though because she really has been working her butt off the last few months but doesn’t have much to show for it.
@collegemom2000 @singoutlouise I wish that I could afford the “Dream Big, no matter what we will have your back” resources but we don’t.
College is expensive and this is an investment for us. We are also very realistic with our son’s goals and he knows that if it feels as if this isn’t going to happen for him (career bound in the arts), he will need a backup plan. This means going to get his masters no matter what. We don’t come from a wealthy family and we can’t afford to just see what will happen. We have to be honest. There is a LOT of talent out there. Unfortunately, a small percentage of the kids on CC will make headway in this field. We have made “just in case” scenarios.
I’m glad that some of these programs help you plan out a future once you leave their school (even Juilliard, another reason why I love it!) I’ve paid close attention to what the students are doing while in school or even their senior year. Many of these programs have students working in their senior year be it law and order or on and off Broadway prior to graduating. Our focus has been on schools that produce results because we can’t just toy around. The $$ just isn’t there for us. My son wants to get a financial minor and will probably take courses in the Summer to help with that degree (especially if it looks as if the success story isn’t going to happen for him. He knows and as parents, we know our kids too )
I want all of our kids to make it in this field but there really is just too much talent. If my kid appeared like everyone else, he would have to find a way to differentiate himself from the pool ( I still can’t believe Jennifer Grey got a nose job. it made her stand out 
Hoping your kids celebrate their quirks. It may help set them apart from the norm
@mtmom911 lol I’m afraid to call.
@toowonderful is 100% correct…having an agent helps but is not a cure-all. I know of one person, many years ago, who got a new TV show through his agent. He was just out of school and this was his first pro job. He was very excited about it, but his agent said, if you can get this one this fast, you’ll get even better offers, so hold out. So he listened to his agent and turned down the TV show - and never got another gig. The TV show became a big hit for its time. A sad but true story. Molloy/CAP 21’s showcase is in April. Since it’s their first one, I think The Biz will come, out of curiosity if nothing else. We’ll see what happens, but I’m not holding my breath. They are running the show three more times for the public. It’s D’s last college performance, and to me, that’s far more important!
@EastchesterMom I think I know someone in your D’s class who went to school with my daughter. I think she graduates this year (or maybe next?)
How important do you feel a NYC showcase is? Several of the schools my D applied to such as GMU, JMU, American, etc. do not have them and I wonder how significant that is in terms of future success, if at all?
@mtmom911 - I have told my D many times: always perform as if Hollywood and Broadway bigshots are in the audience - because you never know… they don’t always announce their presence.