<p>To answer some of the questions you proposed…</p>
<p>I am fine with either a BA or a BFA. The pluses of the BA is that fact that I would recieve more liberal arts eduaction–therefore being more of a well-rounded student. The plus of the BFA is that I would get to spend almost all day emersed in theatre and musical theatre!</p>
<p>Something that I’m kind of having a hard time grasping is finding the place that is a good academic fit as well. My GPA is a 3.86 and I got a 30 on my ACT!</p>
<p>I would like to have access, at least, to a urban city–that’s where I tend to thrive the most. I’ve come to terms with the idea that leaving good ol’ Greeley, CO and my parents would be hard…but it is something I need to do. My family lives in New York (Orangeburg, and the city. And in New Jersey), so if there was a way to easily get there over breaks instead of coming home, that’d be great!</p>
<p>I’m very nervous for this whole process! I’m scarred of not being admitted to a school…</p>
<p>I second the fact that Northwestern sounds like a really great fit for you, Dillbird. It’s especially great since your grades are high and you don’t mind a BA degree. It’s near Chicago, so it’s urban. Though, it’s a little far from NYC and your family if that’s a concern. Look into NYU as well-- I know their academics are higher than many BFA programs. I hear that Emerson in Boston also has strong academics, but I could be wrong on that.</p>
<p>And don’t worry about not getting in anywhere. If you build your list of schools carefully, with a mix of extremely selective schools, less selective schools, and safeties, you will have somewhere to go.</p>
<p>These are general comment not specific to Dillbird’s questions…</p>
<p>There are some non-auditioned BFA programs… I believe that Cawtaba may still have one… but it is worth checking on the school website. I believe there are a few others as well. Go to the big list and use this as a resource to check schools websites to find out the individual policies at different schools.</p>
<p>There are a number of auditioned BA programs… Wagner College, James Madison University (where I teach), American University, Temple University (I believe this is still a BA), Coastal Carolina, Plymouth State University, University of Northern Colorado (I believe this is still a BA)… are a few that come to mind quickly. </p>
<p>Some auditioned BFA programs have admit rates as low as 2% (I think CMU is in this range)… others are in the 15% - 25% range… I believe that Hartt and Shenandoah are more in this range. Auditioned BA programs are often in the 10% to 50% range – I believe – depending on the school. If you ask the departments at the schools directly you should be able to get this information. A balanced list will include at least one non-auditioned safety where you would be happy attending, and probably a range of auditioned schools where you would be happy attending. </p>
<p>A non-auditioned school is not a “safety” unless it is an academic safety school… Northwestern is not a safety school for anyone, since they turn away MANY academically qualified applicants each year. Muhlenberg may be a safety school for some, but I believe their average GPA for admitted students is around a 3.6 or 3.7, so not a safety school for all.</p>
<p>It is important to look at how much HS academic record and board scores are factored into the decision making process at your auditioned schools. Some will weight academics/ audition 50/50, others will weight the audition much more heavily than the academic record. Some schools will not let you audition unless you have passed an academic screening…</p>
<p>This site is a terrific resource, and it is also important to look on each of the individual school’s websites to get the complete picture of each schools policies and procedures. If you cannot find the information you need on the website, contact the department directly. Sometimes the general admissions office will not have the complete picture of the arts admissions process, even at their own school. </p>
<p>Hey I was so happy when I found this thread and I have some questions. So im a Junior in high school right now and I plan to go into theatre in college I’ve recently started looking for monologues that I would use for my auditions and I read somewhere ( can’t remember where now) that the monologues you use have to be from from published play and I was wondering if the play’s had to be formely published or if they could be independently published becuase i’ve found a few good dramatic one’s from one act plays that aren’t formely published.also i’ve been having trouble finding great comedic monologues so if anyone could help me out with any suggestions that would be greatly appreciated…I know I have some of time for this but getting into a good theatre program is really important to me so I just wanna be prepared becuase I know that the admission rates are low and so I wanna stand out</p>
<p>I’m not sure what you mean by formally published – but if it’s a one-act play that has actually been produced, you should be okay. What they DON’T want is “competition” style monologues, which have been written only as monologues and are not from a play.</p>
<p>You’re right, it can be tough to find good comedic monologues for young characters. I suggest that you begin with some monologue collections: there’s a good series of books called “Best Women’s Stage Monologues of 2007” (etc.). If you find a monologue that you like, then you can read the entire play, or research other plays by the same author. </p>
<p>Will you be a senior in the fall? If so, it’s not at all too early to be looking for audition material – you should plan to spend lots of time this summer preparing. Some auditions begin in the fall, and I always recommend going to some of the early ones if possible. That way you avoid the cold and flu season, and also the winter weather travel.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for responding I really appreciate your input I’ll will go out this week and get a good women’s monologue book. And yes I will be a senior in the fall so thanks so much for the advice.</p>
<p>Another suggestion - check out what the requirements are at the different schools where you plan to audition. Some require a “classical” monologue. My D ended up choosing a comedic Shakespeare - that way she could use it for both the comedy reqirement and the classical requirement.</p>
<p>By the same token, many schools do not want a “classical” monologue so, as suggested by xatty, checking out the specific requirements on a school’s website is critical. My D ended up preparing 2 comedic and 2 straight monologues, including a “classical”, (as well as 2 legit and 2 belty songs) so as to have all bases covered and to also have additional audition ready material in her repertoire in case she was asked to do an additional piece of a particular type. Also, if a school does not specifically ask for a “classical”, you probably do not want to do Shakespeare at your audition because of the difficulty and specialized training needed to really do it right.</p>
<p>MichaelNKat’s suggestion of having numerous monologues ready is the way to go. I do think, however, that if you are trained and can do Shakespeare right, it can be a bonus. My D used a Shakespeare monologue for all her auditions that wanted two monologues - even if they did not ask for classical - and it was really well received. If you can pull it off, it sets you apart from the hundreds of others. But, if you are not able to do a good job with Shakespeare, I totally agree that you should stay away from it unless it’s asked for.</p>
<p>^^Some schools specify that the monologues be contemporary so in that case, it would be a mistake to do a Shakespearean monologue. It’s important for applicants to check the requirements of each school on their list and it’s always wise to follow the requirements stated.</p>
<p>Dramamama2010 – Keeping the audition requirements straight is difficult, because they can vary a great deal. Each will have specifics on type of song or monologue, and also lengths – you will probably have to make multiple cuts in your material to meet the requirements of different schools. Be sure to research each school carefully! Many schools don’t post the information until mid-summer.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for all of your suggestions and comments I will definitely look into each schools requirements before i pick the monologues I’ll use and I did shakespeare in school plays before but I don’t particularly feel that comfortable with it so I’ll see what each school requires so that if I did have to do shakespeare I’ll definitely need the whole summer to prepare</p>
<p>What are some of the other schools that typically are at unifieds but are not actual members of the unified auditions, e.g., Carnegie Mellon, NYU, UCLA, etc., and which cities do they usually attend?</p>
<p>Hi, I am new to this and for a few weeks have been reading the threads and all the lists that are posted here - so many of you seem to really have it together! I have done so much of what is here and feel good about that, but so much still to learn. My D and I have narrowed down our list to 12 schools - and as many have pointed out, there is no such thing in this major with so few accepted as a safety school. We are not only looking at ‘big popular top schools’ but ones that she feels are fit.<br>
My biggest concerns and maybe someone can help is how to find the “right” monologues - ones that fit here age and look - I do not want her to ready thru tons of plays to try to find the right one. He acting coach agreed to work with her once she found the play - this is not really a help -
can anyone suggest how to start this search
how to identify a “safety school”</p>
<p>I see that some schools say MT, but when I go to their website, like Marymount Manhattan, they say it is a minor only.</p>
<p>The big list was the best - thank you for that!
It confirmed so much of the work I had done to research where to apply.</p>
<p>She is working on the Common App and now working on getting the others together to see what she can do to get the apps in early -
so many schools need you to apply first, then will set the audition dates.</p>
<p>Thanks to all for the knowledge you have left here for us to read - there is so much I still have to read thru and so much to know.
Glad to have joined, hope to see someone can help… with the monologues!</p>
<p>One last question…
We learned from many that unifieds just do not give you the same opportunity that being on campus for the audition offers -
do you find this true? that at Unifieds you are only a number with a terribly limited time period yet at on campus auditions, you have the chance to show who you are and they have the chance to ask more of you, not to have to rush you thru.
please let me know your thoughts
thanks again!</p>
<p>Everyone has different audition experiences and opinions about on campus versus unifieds. My son’s experience was acceptances from Unifieds. He had both kinds of auditions and the actual audition experience itself was not that much different at either. You are still a part of a large group auditioning on campus and there is still a schedule to keep. The one benefit of on campus auditions is the actual campus visit itself. Financially we were not able to do a lot of on campus auditions and Unifieds was perfect for us. We had decided early on that after acceptances were in hand, then we would visit the school. Worked wonderfully for us, but others have different opinions and experiences. There are a number of Unified vs. on campus audition threads; do a search and they may help you.</p>
<p>We didn’t go to Unifieds at all, so I have no personal experience there. We got a great deal out of visiting the campuses and tried to see productions there whenever possible. It enabled us to meet students as well as faculty, and get a feel for the atmosphere on campus and in the department. That became very instrumental when it was decision time; my D chose to attend Syracuse because of the very welcoming feeling she got when auditioning there.</p>