<p>Great story! What a journey. Congrats on reaching the “destination” - or really a way station as the journey continues. All the best to your D!</p>
<p>Awesome!! Congrats!!</p>
<p>Can’t believe I am about to post this. So excited the whole house is buzzing. Daughter is over the moon, posted on facebook and called her new theatre director to tell him the news.</p>
<p>Daughter applied to a number of schools. Started out the year with Elon high in her mind, but knowing that her grades may not make their cut (though she raised her SAT 240 points to try and make it happen.) Auditioned on site at five schools. Any prescreens were all passed.</p>
<p>Then she auditioned for six more schools at Unifieds in Chicago.</p>
<p>Almost all of these above, she did very early on and was extremely unprepared all around by college confidential standards. She had no coach, she had no summer MT program. We had no idea when we started about the level of competition. I personally believe very strongly that she had very bad strong choices. Like another mother said a couple of months back - not saying I am bitter. I’m just stating a fact. I don’t know why she chose them. Some kind of sentiment for her - wrong call. An audition coach would have guided her to sing some of her top songs - banned lists or not - to showcase her substantial talent (in terms of a voice.)</p>
<p>Her early experiences at auditioning shocked her - in that everyone was being run through, seemingly like cattle one after another. Her first audition, Elon, though she loved the campus, she came out of it saying I don’t know what I was thinking with all this talk of top choice and whatever. I’m just going to go through my auditions and stay positive and get to know the programs. She next had JMU and Shenandoah high in her mind (for one, because we are from Virginia.) She had met them both at a theatre conference, and felt a rapport with them that she had hoped to continue.</p>
<p>But no audition experience impressed her more than the time she spent with “BALL STATE BILL” and his crew from Ball State. She walked out of that Chicago audition room - and said, “Oh my God, I love them. I think I just killed it.” Then their dance faculty judge - Christie Zimmerman, came out of the room, following us down the hall and asked if she would also consider Acting - because they had another room for that with other judges. And my daughter, sheepishly answered, well…no…I’m strictly MT - it’s my life. (And she was very nervous to have not checked off the box for Acting, and gone into their acting room - but she had to say it like it is.) And then Ms. Zimmerman took her by the arms and said to her “Don’t worry sweetheart…we have seen everything we need to see…You were fantastic.” (We actually wrote that down in our little binder we made that we learned to do from all the wonderful people on college confidential.) Ohmigod, my daughter just about died with hope… And she told me that for the first time and really the only time in all her auditions, she actually let down her hair so to speak, and really let them get to know her. To hear her tell it, it’s as if she was putting on a one man comedy show for them. I told her after - you should become a comedian instead!</p>
<p>But then when we got home from Chicago, we read that last year Ball State auditioned over 900 students. And our hearts sunk! (It was all still the same lottery it was before…how on earth could she distinguish herself from that many? When they said they would have a class of 12 girls…) (We later found out they had over 1200 this year.)</p>
<p>So in the end - and by the way she applied to all kind of non-audition safety schools never planning to attend. Got accepted academically to all but Carnegie and Boston Conservatory doesn’t answer that question separately. Oh yes, JMU waitlisted her - so she’ll never know about the MT decision because they don’t tell a waitlist person what their answer would have been.</p>
<p>Accepted for BFA MT to Univ of the Arts, Ohio Northern and Ball State. (Also Santa Fe - but that’s another story…) </p>
<p>She was also surprised not to hear from U Miami because they seemed very impressed with her and even told her so “we are ‘clearly’ highly interested in you…” - but as we say, it’s a numbers game.</p>
<p>And she just decided that she will be attending:</p>
<p>Ball State for her BFA in MT!!!</p>
<p>She is so very excited. When we visited this school last week, we realized exactly why she had such a feeling with them. These are real people - very intensely focused on this craft. That school is absolutely amazing. My daughter felt like she was in a dream world there. She sat in on a class with a room that looked like the ball room in beauty and the beast. The kids were so unbelievably talented and focused - their singing which we heard while they were waiting for class - was out of this world - and these were only sophomores. They were also very friendly, nurturing - like a family. And they’ve got an intimate MT freshman class size of 15 (or so it looked by my count, this year anyway) which allows for a high level of personal training for an MT student. (Not to mention, the world’s coolest campus - no joke.)</p>
<p>She almost had a tough time of it this past week, thinking that she might want to be in the city (u arts) or a small school (ohio northern,) but ultimately - nothing impressed her more than Ball State Bill - and his utter “realness”, “decency,” and the passion he brings with which he has built an intense and phenomenal program. (and those kids there…those kids! she was amazed by them.) She was literally sold on Ball State, hands down, in spades.</p>
<p>My daughter is freaking out with joy right now. And my husband is celebrating both for her, and for the fact that he can have a wife back, and our younger children - their mother… I am joyous because I was five minutes away from being institutionalized. My staff and my boss were amazing this year, dealing with a complete psycho.</p>
<p>This has been the most tiring (physically and mentally) experience of my life - and I have three other successful college graduates. Those application processes were nothing like this. The thing I am most proud of is that as I went through the year suffering from deep psychosis, I watched amazed, as my daughter grew and matured into someone I hardly know. Someone just as strong and confident as she was before, but no longer a “diva,” and someone who has learned to take it on the chin, stay positive, and simply live her life - knowing that whatever path forms - she will keep pursuing her goals no matter what it takes. She remained open and joyous the whole year. She would open a rejection and say, “too bad for them - they don’t know who they just walked away from…”</p>
<p>Thank you to all the wonderful college confidential folks who kept me just on this border of sane…</p>
<p>@goinplacesmomsD CONGRATULATIONS to you and your D!! I felt every single word you wrote to my core and I’m so very very happy for you all!!</p>
<p>Congratulations to you and your D! I loved, loved, loved your post! Made my day. 
</p>
<p>Awesome story @goinplacesmomD! Congrats on such a “right” decision for you D. I think for most of us, a year ago at this time we could never have foreseen what this journey would do TO us, not could we ever have guessed what we and our kids would RECEIVE from it. Much more than a"mere" college admittance.</p>
<p>So true mom4bwayboy - an experience so much more than a “mere” college admittance. It was as though they were in training for what they plan for their lives. A whole lot of rejection - and simply all have learned to continue shouting from a mountaintop, “I am here…I have worked for it…and I will not be denied.” We should all be so proud of our “performing artists” and I know we all are. Congrats to everyone on still being alive and kicking at this point of a fatiguing year.</p>
<p>Congrats @goinplacesmomD that is just awesome. I was with you on every word you posted. I have been a crazy person since November when this whole audition thing started. I am sure she is going to love it!!</p>
<p>One more thing - I hardly did my daughter justice in terms of her background. Like Doremi (I think it was) it was clear when my daughter was in 5th grade or so that this was her destiny…well, because of her voice. People were shocked to hear a child sing like that - as were we. But…she also wanted stage, not just singing. So it was seven years of private voice, she’s in her performing arts (school) academy, piano, and she was also selected and attended Governor’s school for voice. And of course she has performed in too many shows to mention and ironically, started her first lead as Marion Paroo in 6th grade in the Music Man, which incidentally her new “alma mater” Ball State - just did and regrettably we missed it because it was the prior week. And she just performed as Grizabella in Cats this past winter and brought many to tears with that voice. So I don’t want to sell her short in terms of preparation - it’s not like she just “started this career yesterday…” hahahha. She’s a force to be reckoned with and lucky and grateful to receive her training at a prestigious strong MT operation such as that of Ball State U!</p>
<p>@goinplacesmomsD and D…congrats!!! So very happy for you both. It is such a relief to get that decision made!!! Your D will be going to school with my D’s 2 best friends. I know they will all love it there!</p>
<p>Okay. goingplacesmomsD post just brought tears to my eyes. How am I even going to get through this next year when I am sitting here on a Saturday night blubbering about another parent’s child’s roller coaster ride. Congrats! Ball State is very high on my D’s list and your wonderful post just reinforced that! </p>
<p>goinplaces-- Congrats!! My son still hasn’t made his decision-- it’s agonizing. Question for you-- We are also in VA and my son attended Gov School for vocals this past summer. Was that when your D was there, too? If so, I’m sure they know each other. </p>
<p>Yes, she did! I sent you a PM!</p>
<p>LoveMyMTGirl - D</p>
<p>Applied - (18) Ball State, Boston Conservatory, Carnegie Mellon, Central Michigan, Hartt, Long Island University, Marymount, Montclair, Northern Colorado, Otterbein, Rider, Roosevelt, Shenandoah, Texas State, University of the Arts, Viterbo, Western Michigan, Western Kentucky</p>
<p>Prescreens – Marymount Manhattan (passed); Texas State, Otterbein, Shenandoah (did not pass)</p>
<p>Chicago Unifieds: Ball State, Boston Conservatory, Carnegie Mellon, Hartt, Long Island University (walk-in), Montclair (walk-in), Northern Colorado, Rider, Roosevelt, University of the Arts, Viterbo (walk-in)</p>
<p>Auditioned on campus – Central Michigan, Western Michigan </p>
<p>Rejected - Ball State, Boston Conservatory, Carnegie Mellon, Hartt, Montclair, Northern Colorado, Otterbein (prescreen), Rider, Roosevelt, Shenandoah (prescreen), Texas State (prescreen), University of the Arts, Western Michigan </p>
<p>Wait list - Marymount Manhattan (video audition), Viterbo</p>
<p>Accepted – Central Michigan, Long Island University, Western Kentucky (audition after 3rd semester)</p>
<p>Final Decision – Western Kentucky</p>
<p>Coach: MTCA</p>
<p>Summer Program: 2 years at YoungRep, a local regional theatre group.</p>
<p>Community Theatre: StarStruck and Town Hall Theatre</p>
<p>School: High School has no musical theatre or choir program.</p>
<p>Vocal: 4 years with private teacher, 2 years with competitive children’s choir</p>
<p>My daughter decided 2 years ago that she would like to try Musical Theatre. We immediately signed her up for training in acting and dance. She spent the summer of her Junior year at an intense regional program focusing on acting and musical theatre. She fell in love with the art and started auditioning for roles in local youth theatre productions. She was successful early on in auditions landing the role of Luisa in The Fantasticks and then Madame Thénardier in Les Misérables. </p>
<p>My daughter then decided 1 year ago that she wanted to get a BFA in Musical Theatre. This is the career she wants to pursue. I started researching what she needed to do to be successful and found this site. Reading everything I could get my hands on, I realized that she should have started training for this about 10 years ago! She has a naturally beautiful voice and her acting was a pleasant surprise. Her dance skills, however, are pretty non-existent. She has taken ballet and musical theatre dance the last couple of years fitting it in between performances. </p>
<p>So, learning how competitive this process is, we knew it would be even harder for her with her lack of experience, and we were right. However, we did have a good broad list of schools with different levels of competitiveness. We also hired MTCA to help with song and monologue coaching. </p>
<p>She ended up with acceptances from a couple of colleges that are not well known on this forum plus her safety (Western Kentucky). However, her safety was one she would be happy to attend, in fact, she picked it over her 2 auditioned acceptances. We visited Long Island and Western Kentucky last week. She auditioned at Central Michigan so we didn’t need to visit again. When people talk about fit, they know what they are talking about. She knew after meeting with the Theatre and Dance department, that this was the place for her. Their BFA program plus the big campus with a traditional campus feel is just what she was looking for but she really didn’t know this until we visited. They also offer American Sign Language that she can take as either a major or minor. She will take it as a minor. This is very important to her as she wants to be an interpreter for plays and musicals as her survival job. </p>
<p>We are all very excited, not the least bit disappointed. We all fell in love with Western Kentucky.</p>
<p>I have a lot of information on the BFA MT program at Western Kentucky if anyone is interested. Also, they have rolling admissions into August for Fall 2014.</p>
<p>Awesome story LoveMyMTGirl. Congratulations to your D!</p>
<p>That’s great @LoveMyMTGirl my D has worked with a community theatre that always uses an ASL troupe for one of their performances In fact a couple of these kids involved have gone on to study ASL and work with a troupe</p>
<p>Congratulations!</p>
<p>I am normally over in the theater forum, but you all have been so wonderful and supportive I just wanted to quickly share with you that my daughter has decided on attending Drew University in NJ. After auditioning she has decided that a BA program is a better fit for her than a BFA and she wants close proximity to NYC for obvious reasons. Thanks again for all the love and support you showed me during this crazy process <3</p>
<p>Congratulations- all the good wishes in the world</p>
<p>Congrats Bisouu!! </p>