with regard to A: I agree. A lot of kids that are getting MT degrees of some variety with little or no hope of ever becoming an MT star, or supporting themselves by performing. But how does this differ from a History major, political science major, etc? Most History majors do not become Historians, write books, teach, or otherwise employ their knowledge (save winning Trivia Crack) to make a living. Why single out MT’s as being subject to the BIG rip off?
With regard to B: I do believe auditors can tell alot about what you DON’T have in a 5 minute audition: They can definately tell if you don’t have classical voice training, good pitch, good taste in clothing, good grooming, or the ability to know what you can actually sing, as opposed to what you actually can’t sing. You’d be surprised how many students make this basic mistake. And if there is a dance call, they can certainly tell if you don’t have ballet training, coordination, flexibility etc. Really, there is a wealth of information in those minutes!
I am more concerned with what they cannot necessarily see: perseverance, teamwork, compassion, etc. That comes by way of your resume, your grades, your EC’s and your letters of reference. It is imperfect delivery, but I do believe a lot of info is before them if they take the time to really evaluate it.
And as far as the good auditioner having an “unfair” advantage, that doesnt go away. Good auditioners continue to have an advantage throughout their careers. Why not choose students based on this skill? That’s how they will be chosen for a job. In fact, that is their job.