There is some really valuable information here! Some experienced parents are contributing some seasoned and great perspective and advice! My S is a Class of 22 student. Going through this process a couple years ago, we did work with a coach and it was strongly advised to “cast a broad net”. We literally did exactly that… and trusted the coach’s opinion on different programs. We did this and the results came back with a good number of schools all over the country. It almost felt random and certainly beyond our control. His schools would be classified as competitive or reach(although most programs are pretty darn competitive) and they were all audition…with no safeties(only BFA). He preferred conservatory/conservatory style and over the course of senior year found he was much more drawn to screen acting over Broadway(although he would take either:) Pretty nuts when I look back! However, as the audition season came to an end and the accepted schools rolled in, he became acutely aware of what he really wanted. He thought he knew what he wanted until the actual reality of acceptances were in his hand. These were his options in the end. Some dreams ended and new visions formed. We visited schools all over the country. In the end, we looked incredibly closely at the faculty (and potential connections over the long haul), curriculum blind test, and location. These 3 components are what it boiled down to in the end. The blind curriculum test was the biggest piece. April was a hard month for him/us in choosing which program he would attend. He was in a number of group chats with the accepted students at different programs and building friendships and connections. In a few short weeks, he had to decide which “tribe” felt right. He was having conversations and emails with faculty at certain programs. It was a lot of pressure. Exciting for sure, but challenging. We left behind scholarships and a couple of schools that courted him very nicely along the way. This was tough. In the end, we have no regrets. There are many ways to go about this process whether a well honed list or a spaghetti toss to the wall approach. In the end, you either get accepted or not and it is pretty much out of your hands. Parents, you are all doing a great job!! Have an open mind and open heart and love the heck out of your child over the next few months!