Got Western Michigan as well (delayed). Plus email from Emerson saying basically “your decision isn’t ready yet.” Whattttt?
We emailed Emerson last night and today we’re told you were late getting in all docs so your decision might come out mid-summer. What?!?
Is anyone else’s kid looking at the current circumstances and finding a gap year more appealing as a result?
@Sitzprobe Just wondering if the competition will be even MORE extreme if so many choose a gap year due to being unable to visit/compare their acceptances or finish up auditions.
Can it be more extreme? There are already exponentially more students than program slots if the BFA MT is the goal. A proportion of this year’s students taking a gap year and jumping back into the process next year is like dumping a bucket of water into the ocean and calling the ocean wetter because of it.
@GeddyMcNutty - I could see that happening for sure. I know the idea of D committing to a school site unseen, is a very tough pill for her to swallow. I’m sure she’s not the only one.
Here’s a thread about taking a gap year from 2017 though still applicable:
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1978488-gap-year-antecdotes.html
@MTMamoo - that is the thread that helped my two students decide to take a gap year. That plus @owensfolks experience helped provide fantastic information for them to create a new path for themselves! And it has turned out to be very successful for them!
If many choose to take the gap year then those on waitlists may find they will come off waitlists of preferred schools and then not have to consider a gap year.
@flippedout - That’s exactly what I said to D to get her to consider hanging on and see where the colleges are able land with all of this.
Take it all one day at a time. That’s what I say to her at least. When I’m alone, the idea of not having a solution to all of this until Fall or beyond has my heart breaking in a million pieces for her and all our kids.
@onette -Your students’ journeys are exactly what I envision a Gap Year would look like for D. It’s been a huge benefit that you’ve shared. D would even have her “stage partner” to do it with as they are a year behind.
I know it’s not just about school for D. Spring musical canceled and her role was THE Dream Role. Add the possibility of no Prom and Graduation and I think she’s just spent. This is the one thing she can take hold of and try to control right now. Sorry if I’m being a bummer. I know we are far from alone in these scenarios, but man, what a kick in the teeth. Remember when our biggest concerns were weather at Unifieds?
@Sitzprobe I know!!! I can’t believe the world can change so abruptly.
It truly helped for the two of them (who often are cast together) to go through gap year “together.” They helped keep each other motivated. Sometimes we had sessions at my house where I made them work in front of each other. And they each kept their spreadsheets with school lists, checklists, etc. in the same Google spreadsheet doc so they could share information (like school SAT and ACT codes, deadlines and due dates, etc.) and see how much more the other person had done…LOL. Both are competitive and it helped to keep some fire under them! (Besides me nagging going "have you done this yet? Don’t forget the Dec. 15 deadlines? etc.)
Another thing that helped was taking ALL THE SCHOOLS they were interested in and making a master deadline “list” that was separate. When things got crazy, it helped to know when something HAD to be in to a particular school. Sometimes finding that quickly is crazy and x 25 or 30 is worse! Plus Honors applications…
I created this for them so I had access to it and I could nudge them when I saw something not being checked off.
This is an example of it (but you can’t see how it’s color coded). I hope this helps! It really helped them with their organization!
Application types:
School accepts Common App and another app (colored purple)
School does not accept Common App (colored red)
School only accepts Common App (colored green)
PLEASE CROSS OFF THE ONES BELOW YOU HAVE DONE:
Apply to:
BY DECEMBER 1:
Western Michigan
Ball State (for full scholarship consideration)
Coastal Carolina (for non-audition BA Priority Consideration)
Florida State - ASAP - there is a cutoff (inc Coalition)
LIU Post - oddly does NOT have a due date on their site
Point Park - December 1
CAP 21/Molloy (rolling admission - but you need to get acceptance ASAP to schedule audition for Unifieds)
Samford (for biggest scholarships)
Texas Tech (for biggest scholarships) (inc ApplyTexas)
Ohio Northern (for max scholarships)
UT Arlington (for presidential scholarship) (inc ApplyTexas) (by Dec 3)
BY DECEMBER 13:
University of Alabama
University of Central Oklahoma
Otterbein
Texas Christian University (Jan 25 audition)
University of Arizona
The Hartt School
University of Northern Colorado
BY FEBRUARY 1:
Emerson (+ Honors College)
Temple
BY FEBRUARY 1:
TCU Honors College
Financial Aid Deadlines:
BY DECEMBER 1:
Ball State
Florida State
LIU Post
Texas Tech
Western Michigan
Samford (for biggest scholarships)
UT Arlington (by Dec 3 for Presidential Scholarship)
Ohio Northern
BY DECEMBER 13:
CAP 21/Molloy
University of Alabama
Otterbein
BY JANUARY 1:
Coastal Carolina
University of Miami
UT Arlington
University of Central Oklahoma
Point Park (honestly no idea but to be safe)
BY FEBRUARY 1:
Hartt
Temple
@Sitzprobe I literally just stated all you did in the 2025 venting thread & some how I became the bad guy…now I realize why most people drop off this site once their kid in done, very rare the people who stick around like @CaMom13 @soozievt @vvnstar @lovetoact and many others who I appreciate tremendously
@NYYFanNowMTdad I’ll be here for awhile 
I have two more MT (supposed to come through next year but may take a gap year based on the results of their friends this year!) plus at least one Acting major next year (who I don’t think will take a gap year?) and a few that are incoming hs freshmen after that (one of them is the cousin of the girl this year and fairly certain she will follow in her cousin’s footsteps)! I have learned a lot from the parents that came before! If it hadn’t been for them, I would have not known how to help these kids.
@onette im sure you presence will be much appreciated, someone just irked me today…ii need a break from CC, actually need a break from this process. but im still rooting hard for all those waiting for that first yes…it would suck if I bailed before the final thread started filling up, but sheesh…
Hang in there, all! @onette Again, thanks for all your wisdom.
@NYYFanNowMTdad
It is good to take a break, but I’ll bet you’re back next year to cheer on and give good advice. Lots of us from past years still lurk, i still learn a lot and find it quite entertaining, especially when the discussion becomes…spirited. And you gain humour and perspective that you lost days of your past life researching what the best vocal steamer is. I remember nerves being pretty shot at this point. But when the discussions on the board get fired up, I pop the popcorn and sit back, it is a good spectator sport. Looking forward to hearing yours and other final decisions, even for those who choose a gap year or a different path.
@CanaDad
What you say is true! I stepped away for a while after S was done, but found that I have come back and read through quite a bit. I am definitely re-living the positives of this process (time w S, travel, etc.), and find myself cringing, and wishing/ cheering on with everyone here who’s students are going through the process this year.
Please try to stay healthy (& sane!) during this crazy time!
@lithpool @CanaDad definitely needed a break. I don’t think I even did a “final choice” post, but that was more because I didn’t feel that it is my place to share my son’s specifics. I came back about the time of Unifieds. Trying to send all the positive energy for the class of 2024.
Also, during the fall, I was focusing on my daughter’s college applications (Engineering is SOOOO much easier than MT). Once that was all taken care of, I had more time to see how you guys were doing.
Regarding a gap year - I believe I have shared this on other threads but it’s worth sharing again - My d has a very good friend - white, male, singer and dancer who applied to the top 10 or so schools last year - made the priority waitlist for Pace - called every single day to see if the other boy accepted - and he did - it was heart-wrenching and ended up not getting in anywhere.
This year he is KILLING IT!!! I asked him to write something up about what he did differently - obviously, the first thing was to cast a wider net - he applied to more than 20 schools and I swear he got into more than half of them. His very first audition was Indiana and they offered him acceptance on the spot!
He just committed to Texas State - but he also got into Elon, Point Park, Shenandoah - the head of the department also offered him acceptance on the spot and SM stalked him :). Webster - there were others but you get my point. Anyway, if this is something you are considering I would highly recommend it. He said his parents were so emotionally drained from last year after he got his Indiana acceptance they encouraged him to take it and be done.
Other things he did differently - he worked with a coach (from MTCA), he chose songs he related to, he got in front of people before the audition (like in MTCA workshops) and I think from going through the process he went in with a different attitude.
Anyway, if this is the path any of your kids choose I wish them as much success as this boy had. BAL
I think there are lots of valuable things you can do to prepare for different results the 2nd time around. However, I also think it’s not for the faint of heart. As we all know, this process is draining, both physically and mentally. If you choose to do a gap yr, the prep really needs to start right after graduation (if not sooner), so that you eliminate the stress during the season. Among the most important things to consider (with or without a coach) is your material. Is it really right for you, what you want to portray, who they see you as, etc. With such tremendous talent int he room, my guess is many shoot themselves in the foot with material choice. My D is a good example. She was told early on to change her songs for a variety of reasons. She didn’t take that advice until later in the audition season (and not for the reasons mentioned but simply because she heard school X was looking for more of a Y). Per D, her best auditions were her last few and they were the ones that got her admitted into a few highly ranked programs. I can only imagine what her reality would be if she started off that way (but she does have some nice choices). If she didn’t make the necessary changes, she would likely be looking at a gap yr.
I’ve told her not to go anywhere just to go. Go because you really want that program, think it will give you what you need, etc.