<p>This will be my fourth time in the process, and one thing I’ve learned is that you absolutely cannot make any predictions at all. Please consider very seriously the wisdom that no auditioned BFA program is a safety or even a match. This is a very competitive and unpredictable process. It’s already unpredictable for BA non-theatre majors. My older non-theatre D was rejected by some schools that were definitely safeties and matches, and accepted into a couple of far-reaches. </p>
<p>I’d recommend strongly having as large a pool as your time and pocketbook and sanity will allow and to be as prepared as possible at the audition (including preparing for the interview). Also, make sure to include non-auditioned safeties. You can often get a wonderful theatre education in such schools. If your S or D absolutely wants a conservatory experience, consider a non-BFA conservatory such as Circle in the Square or Stella Adler, which do have a higher chance of admits. </p>
<p>It may look as though you can calculate odds, but those odds are averages and anyway, some BFA programs stack the stats to make it appear they are more ‘selective’ than they actually are–for instance, they include general unified auditions into their total (so if a student auditions at unifieds and y college is there, even if the student is not specifically auditioning for y college, that college will include the audition). Also, please remember that most BFA programs include gender as a factor (so girls have a statistically lower chance than boys) and that some BFA programs also include type and looks and height to match their own aesthetic or balance, and that these factors are out of your control. </p>
<p>The other thing I’d say is that ‘selectivity’ and yield, although sort of trendy to consider, most certainly do not necessarily reflect the excellence of the program or its match <em>for you.</em> As you visit and explore, you will find programs unexpectedly opening up – I’d suggest keeping a very open mind. Sometimes gems crop up where you least expect them.</p>
<p>Finally, I would certainly not dismiss a school like Marymount Manhattan just because someone said once that it is ‘like high school.’ Don’t get me wrong, I am just as influenced as the next person, and have been known to avoid a college just because someone told me it was bad, or suggest a college just because someone said it was good. This is just something I’ve learned as I’ve gone through this—one person’s ‘yuck’ is another person’s treasure. It’s really, really individual. Especially for a BFA program. Anyway, Marymount is a well regarded program that has a great track record, and yes, it is difficult to get into.</p>