<p>Just curious if prospective students are ever told they will be accepted to a selective school prior to a formal audition? I know sometimes students have exposure to faculty of schools in various ways and was just wondering if it happens. For clarity, perhaps limiting this to schools indicated as being selective on the big list.</p>
<p>Never say never… However I do not believe this is a common practice. I do know of a program that used to “actively recruit” - getting familiar with known quantities from high schools with excellent programs and encouraging some of those students to audition (like scouting in sports) - but the admission was still based on the audition. This was a way to avoid needing to have throngs on auditions to yield a quality class. Really sort of a step beyond pre-screening videos or inviting students to audition after collective auditions at a convention or unifieds.</p>
<p>Our D knows a guy who said he was told he would be admitted to one of the tip-top programs at a coffee meeting after attending a summer program. He was later actually accepted to that program, so we have no reason to doubt his word. Needless to say, he is very experienced and talented… and did I mention he was a guy? 
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<p>D also felt that several people arrived at a summer program already known by the instructors with the assumption that they would be admitted. A couple of them were, but a couple weren’t. I’m not sure if any of those kids were ever actually told they would be admitted, but I assume maybe not.</p>
<p>D did an audition at a local high school with a very highly regarded theatre department, and some of the college folks who made her offers there said they purposely come to recruit talent from this area before they enter the bigger talent pool at Unifieds.</p>
<p>The finalists at YoungArts were told they would be admitted to a few select schools, or be given preferential audition status. D didn’t audition for those schools but knows several YoungArts folks who were accepted, some without going through the regular audition process.</p>
<p>I assume the admissions process is much like regular casting. Some directors go into the process having pre-cast some roles, while others keep a completely open mind throughout the audition process. At some schools individuals are authorized to extend offers of admission, while at others a team makes all final decisions.</p>
<p>In the end it doesn’t really matter, as in either case all you can do is prepare and show the auditors who you are and what you can do.</p>