What school is CCM? Thanks!
@Mel2421 it’s the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati
Thanks!
@crc500 - that will be awesome!
Final final report here. When I last posted about this, my D had decided to put herself on the CMU Priority Waitlist, while basically thinking BoCo as CMU was still such a long shot. After a week or so of going back and forth we made the decision to go and visit as it was the one campus she hadn’t seen (auditioned at NY Unifieds). This in and of itself wasn’t an easy decision because (a) it was expensive to do and (b) of course the fear was that she would fall in love with it and then be deflated and less happy with BoCo. BoCo was kind enough to extend their deposit deadline by a week, until after CMU WL notification, so that we didn’t risk losing a lot of money.
But, late in the process because first she attended NY regional week for Young Arts (fantastic, amazing experience - apply!) – we went. And – she fell in love with CMU program, spending two full days observing classes, private talks with two of the three decision maker faculty members, all of which were encouraging - one of which was very much so and indicated she was possibly “next on the admit list” - it’s always hard to tell, exactly – seeing two productions and having lots of interaction with students, all of whom were very welcoming. As with their reputation at auditions, CMU was a class act in how they handle their waitlisted kids.
While regretting the potential loss of aspects of BoCo’s program (largely their incredible dance program) and, to a lesser extent, the BoCo vibe, my D definitively made up her mind that should she be offered a spot, she wanted CMU.
She didn’t waver during the excruciating 10 days or so between our return and the notification date.
As that date approached, info came trickling in that as many as 4 or 5 accepted students had declined, two of whom were MT (and their drama/MT programs are so intertwined that we didn’t even fixate on the division) - surely a record for CMU. Hopes escalated. Then the deflating news that all five of these were boys. (Would have even been 5 or 6 had the wonderful @complacent (go @complacent - who is anything but!) gone with his other choice - but I’m glad for him that he didn’t!! - and hopes were almost dashed. (In the end I believe 4 boys declined – 2 went to UMichigan, not sure about the other 2, one deferred for financial reasons).
Went down to the wire on the day we knew notifications would be posted (two days ago) - hoping against hope that they’d do a gender switch thing - which seemed perfectly reasonable to us (!) because they had 7 boys, 5 girls for MT! And, finally, a letter saying no spot was available.
We had already decided that, even though one could stay on the list all summer long in case a spot opened up, that the Priority WL deadline would be our deadline too, and there’d be moving on, as we couldn’t take the stress of uncertainly any longer.
I expected despondency, but instead, I think because that 10 day period between returning and finding out was so overwhelmingly stressful, there was just a giant stew of emotions on hearing the news, but the sobs turned into happy ones and “I"m okay, I really am” and she grabbed her BoCo sweatshirt, wanted the picture taken right away, wanted to FINALLY be able to announce where she was going to school on her FB page, etc. Although she definitely has pangs about not being able to partake of CMU’s amazing drama program, she is incredibly excited about going to a school where she has felt the love all along and which she loved every second of being in last summer.
This last stretch was absolutely the hardest of the whole shebang. Do I regret making the trip to CMU? Not a bit, despite the cost for no reward, because in the end it made my D feel very validated, in terms of their response to her, and also that she had followed everything through and that this is what is meant to be. Also, it gave her the tools to dedicate herself to getting the most out of BoCo that she can - so much of this is, after all, student dependent, no matter where you are - you get out what you put in. Now she’s eager to challenge herself more and dig deeper, in acting.
Yesterday, one day after hearing the news, there was an exceedingly well-timed BoCo dance class event for current students and alum in NYC, conducted by the faculty member who has been most behind my D all the way. D attended, loved it all, and came home late at night, tired but very very happy with where she’ll be for the next four years!
DONE!!!
@rampions, congratulations on having a Final Decision! And on your daughter’s obvious maturity in her reaction to disappointment. You’ve said from Day One that her heart was at BoCo, and while it must seem like a long and roundabout way of getting there, it’s clear that she’s thrilled with her choice. Way to go!
Way to go @rampions! Talk about down to the wire. . .
What’s a priority waitlist as opposed to a regular one?
CMU has a priority waitlist and a regular waitlist. As you would guess, the priority waitlist kids get the first offers if anyone declines. They also provide the priority waitlist kids a financial aide offer in advance because as a priority waitlist kid, you get only 72 hours from the time of offer to accept or decline. My S was on the priority waitlist for CMU for acting this year and got the same email Thursday that no spots were available this year. I certainly have not studied that stats but I think it is reasonable to believe you have a very slim shot of getting in if you are priority wait listed at CMU and no shot of getting in if you are on the regular waitlist based on the acceptance rates.
@VaTheatreMom2020 sometimes I think a wait list or priority wait list is more difficult than a rejection. I was grateful we didn’t get a wait list. Hope your son landed in a place he’ll be happy.
@Ducky312 Thank you! It was oddly not hard for my son at all - he felt so at home at Otterbein that he never looked back. He was very indifferent about CMU from early on and totally at peace with never knowing if he would get off the list. If I am truly honest with you all, I was the silly mom who had to know how the story would end if he were faced with the choice. Maybe not my finest moment - smile.
@VaTheatreMom2020 congrats on your sons acceptance at otterbein. I am beginning to think that school is a harder admit then those others!
Yay for your daughter, @rampions! She has come full circle to a school she truly loves where she is destined to thrive!
The CMU priority wait list, while a stressful situation, is, in the end, an affirmation.
@VaTheatreMom2020 Congrats to your son as well! My D was on the Priority Waitlist for CMU in her year too, but like your son, felt indifferent about being on it because she was thrilled to be admitted to and enroll at NYU. It didn’t really matter how it turned out. But it was affirming and is certainly a great program. My D opened in a show tonight and a castmate with a similar role as hers is a fairly recent CMU grad.
I am so enjoying this discussion and check it everyday! The thing is that I feel it is much more geared towards MT as opposed to straight drama and I’m learning that the schools that are great for MT don’t necessarily have the same reputation for acting. I thought maybe my D would consider applying MT as well but she has made it clear she doesn’t want to so I really need more info on straight acting programs. I have a list of about 45 schools (many of them I learned about from here) but after consulting with MTCA yesterday many of them the coached deemed “not good”. Some of them she knew nothing about. I had already started a discussion a couple of weeks ago but haven’t gotten many responses so I’m going to start a new discussion called “Best BFA and auditioned BA Drama/Theater/Acting Programs”. I would love it if some of you from this board would head on over and help a girl out! Thanks so much!
Dealing with our own waitlist wait, for BoCo. The original notification said we’d have a final answer by May 6, which has now come and gone with no answer. Sigh …
Best of luck @Fotokat! I’ll be thinking BoCo thoughts for you. I haven’t heard anything yet about the #s re acceptances and since it’s a large program it’s impossible to tell from even the committed students FB page, especially as that one includes quite a few grad students as well. If I learn anything I will message you.
We’ll have a final decision story some day! Lol!
@rampions, congrats on your final decision and welcome to BoCo!
Yesterday, one day after hearing the news, there was an exceedingly well-timed BoCo dance class event for current students and alum in NYC, conducted by the faculty member who has been most behind my D all the way. D attended, loved it all, and came home late at night, tired but very very happy with where she’ll be for the next four years!
@rampions What a gift having that event! Best wishes to your D and family as she begins this very exciting journey. The journey that’s just ended was exhausting to the point of tears, I know, but it has brought you all to this wonderful place!
Thank you so much @Bogeyw and @letterhead. And a Mother’s Day toast to all you amazing women who haveshepherded your kids through this insane process over the course of the past year! I shouldn’t even be on this site today, but have to work (and hence procrastinate by visiting CC) because of the time off I took doing that last college visit. Something which I’m sure will have the ring of familiarity to most of you.