@squirk Lots of good advice on here. I would definitely echo what @jupdancemom said happens quite a bit. Kids go to an audition at a school that is not high on their list or even on the radar and fall in love and it shoots to the top. So an open mind is key. Also knowing what type of college experience you want is as important to what type of training and everyone is different there. My D could have cared less about sports, but really wanted a true college campus feel. She figured out that as much as she loved NYC, urban campuses were not really her thing. Others I know realized that they really wanted to be able to have those sports or social club experiences while others just want MT all the time. So getting to really look at what she wants from the entire college experience, rather than simply a rating or a location is so important at forming your list. So starting early allows the applicant to really take the time to really think about what they want out of all four years of college. And I would also echo @speezagmom that if you are already visitng NYC it is worth a look at Molloy and both the Cap21 studios in Manhattan and the campus on Long Island as if nothing else it can give you another “type” of college experience for her to take into consideration! Enjoy all the moments of the journey…you will blink and she will be graduating before you know it!