@MThopeful99 Congratulations! Love hearing your story!
@mtmom3girls Congrats to you and your daughter!
@MThopeful99 Congrats!! Welcome to the PPU family, you’ll love it!!
@mtmom3girls Congrats and look forward to our D’s being Bronc’s!
@minicp Congratulations so happy for you and your D!
@MThopeful99 what a terrific story. I love hearing from the students themselves and your story was so engaging! Congratulations on many good choices and finding your perfect fit!
Congratulations @mtmom3girls!
@mtmom3girls congrats to your daughter ~ our kiddos will be baby Broncs together @ Rider, along with some other CC’ers. I’m sure we’ll meet in person eventually!
@MThopeful99 Congrats and welcome to the PPU MT Family!! 
@MThopeful99 COngrats - 2 years in the making!!
@mtmom3girls congrats!!
@mtmom3girls My son had the same experience as your D on going to Nexus and not passing the prescreen. I agree that it was kinder that way. It was painful in our house because his twin sister passed the prescreen and auditioned on campus - then was a priority hold, then a WL and finally a “no.” Just another layer, here. But, props to Kaitlin from not stringing the Nexus kids along if they didn’t think they were a fit.
@BrennaK (and all. I am wading thru pages of exciting decisions since I last checked in) CONGRATS, and welcome to the ShenCo family! My D landed there after a gap year and is so very happy and challenged!
@minicp YAY, congrats! Another Hornet!!
@owensfolks thank you! She’s in love with the program. Thank you for all the info you shared!
@owensfolks Your daughter’s path was such an encouragement to us! I’m so happy your daughter is happy there and my daughter can’t wait to start!!
Congratulations to everyone on your/you child’s acceptances!!! I’ve been off the boards for awhile, and its so exciting to read of your successes!
So excited to finally share my S’s story!
Programs Applied to: Baldwin Wallace, Ball State, Illinois Wesleyan, Ithaca, U of Oklahoma, Pace, Penn State, Rider, Webster, TCU, Viterbo.
Prescreens: Passed all.
Artistically accepted to: Ithaca, University of Oklahoma, Rider, TCU.
Redirect: Ball State, BA Theatre
Rejected from: Penn State, Illinois Wesleyan
Wait-listed at: Baldwin Wallace
Alternate: Pace
Withdrew: Webster, Viterbo
Coach: N/A
Summer Programs: Regional Theatre.
Background
My S was involved in sports from an early age. Soccer, baseball, football. He loved it all. In 7th grade he told us he was doing sound for his middle school’s production of The Princess and the Pea. The following year, he auditioned for for the Wizard of Oz. When he got the part of the lion, my husband and I were shocked. We had no idea if he could sing! Well, much to our surprise, he can sing and he was hooked from then on. In high school, he played football and tried to be as involved in drama as possible, but was limited in the amount of time he could dedicate. During his junior year, football finally gave way to theatre completely and he got the part of Enjolras in Les Miserable. A private voice teacher saw him at a preview of the show and sought him out. We didn’t even know voice lessons were a thing, so we were grateful he came to us. S became very involved in his high school’s theatre and speech department as well as theater in our area.
Since we came into this later in the game than most, when his senior year came around, we had no idea how things worked. My son’s high school does a fall musical and his time was consumed by that production. He didn’t even start talking about auditions until well after Christmas. At this point, most were full, and I had never heard of Unifieds. We did go to St. Louis and he auditioned for Webster, but did not receive an offer. Our alternative was a non-audition school. So, he decided on Millikin’s BA Theatre program as we’d been told he could try to get into the BFA at the end of his freshman year. In June we went to registration. As we were leaving Decatur, he said something like, “if I stay here…” and that started a conversation about what he wanted to do. In the end, he decided on a gap year. It was at this point that I discovered College Confidential and realized how far behind we’d been his senior year.
This fall, we were more prepared. Prescreen video’s were filmed. We had a spreadsheet with audition requirements and deadlines. We decided to go to Chicago Unifieds. As you all know, it was a crazy busy week, but we survived. My son enjoyed the experience but was exhausted. He particularly enjoyed his auditions with Ithaca, OU and TCU. As we were finishing up with Unifieds, he received an email from Baldwin Wallace that a waitlist spot had opened up for an audition the next weekend. So, a week later we jumped back in the car and made the 8 hr trek to Cleveland. He really liked the people and the program at BW. Two weeks after we made our final trip to Bloomington for his Illinois Wesleyan audition. He didn’t connect in the audition room, so he wasn’t surprised to not get an offer.
Finally, auditions were done and the waiting began. His first acceptance was University of Oklahoma, then came Rider, TCU and Ithaca. The BW waitlist and Pace alternate came later. Once all decisions were in, we planned some visits. Our first trip was to Ithaca. S liked the school, the students and faculty. He knows someone in the BFA program, so he had a connection instantly. We had a great visit. Ithaca is a very nice town and is somewhat reminiscent of where we live, although smaller.
A week or so later, we planned to visit both OU and TCU, but S made the decision to eliminate OU in order to spend more time in Fort Worth. This was another great visit. TCU has an amazing campus and Fort Worth was a great town to visit. The weather was great, too, for us midwesterners. TCU also offered a very attractive financial aid package.
I thought the visits would bring some clarity, but alas, no decision was in sight. I wanted to talk things out, but my S seemed set on making the decision on his own. We tried pro/con lists. I tried all the tricks you all offered, but nothing seemed to work. I had a gut feeling where he wanted to go, but he was not willing to pick.
Final Decision
As S was getting ready to leave to go to a show with friends last night, he announced he was going to decide before he left the house. This was the most productive 30 minutes we’d had thus far! I encouraged him to go with his gut. It wasn’t until just a few minutes ago that he said, “let’s submit the deposit.”
So, final decision? Ithaca College! My S really felt at home there. The program has everything he wants, the people were great and we’re from the midwest, so the winters are nothing new!
I’m so thankful for everyone on this forum. Like I said, we were clueless about this process and everyone here is so helpful and supportive.
Wow! Two very different schools / locations - so glad your son’s gut knew which one was right for him! Love to hear the gap year success stories, good for you for supporting him through it!
Congrats @klrbee16 ! So glad your found his home.
@klrbee16 Congrats, amazing options!