Just want to share a little word of empathy to parents trying to strike a balance between nudging your kid into action for their own good, and making sure they know you believe in them.
(especially when they, or even you, thought you had it all figured out until the rejections started coming in)
Delivering a “let’s add more schools” message is tough to keep from sounding (to your kid) like “let’s add easier schools because you are not good enough for these.” The message you want them to hear is probably more like, “Since we started this process we’ve learned that there are a lot of different kinds of schools and the criteria extend well beyond talent to the program’s need and fit with you. We have a limited window of time to get you in front of as many programs as possible so the ones who need what you have a chance to see it.”
@ CentralOHmomof4 Thank you for the advice. I am finding being a positive and supportive parent is taking a LOT of effort on my part right now. Mine still has to write some essays and film prescreens while she is trying to juggle school and everything else.
@CaliMTdreams, now why would they want to do that!!! That would be one less hoop to have these poor kids jump through. These college programs can’t possibly ask any more of these kids because they do double the work of any other college applicant. It’s truly nuts…
@CaliMTdreams I am a HUGE advocate of the “common prescreen”! It would be fantastic to load songs and monologues (and maybe a dance reel) into Acceptd and invite schools to watch.
These numbers are boggling my mind, My S (2018) had 7 schools on his list - mostly because we didn’t know what we didn’t know - but he ended up with multiple offers. D1 (2020) and D2 (2022) both ended up with 18 +/- (including safeties) - and some of those from walk-ins. S did 0 walk-ins. Both Ds received offers from walk-in schools. My nephew’s list (2023) is considerably shorter and very targeted. When I told my brother in law some students had over 30 schools on his list, I thought he would have a heart attack! My HS freshman is watching with interest as her show friends go through this!
Artskids I seriously have no idea how you have managed to ride this rollercoaster multiple times. While I lament the fact that 2 out my 3 kids have little interest in the arts in general, I just do not think my poor heart could withstand the pressure of living through this ordeal more than once.
@artskids Are you saying you are going to have to go through this process again in 3 years? Does that make four times- well 5 times counting your nephew? I’m not sure I’m going to survive going through this once! Hats off to you and all the parents of multiple kids who choose the arts!
@artskids How does the walk in process work exactly? One more unknown to figure out… Thanks for the insight!! I can’t believe you’ve gone through this so many times!!!
Walk-ins…so basically, at unifieds, schools who are accepting walk-ins will post a notice on notice boards in common areas on each floor. In addition, some schools that don’t post notices might allow a walk-in. So, you locate colleges that you’re interested in doing a walk-in for and ask if they are taking walk-ins. If the answer is yes, you then try to schedule a time that works. Sometimes schools have cancellations too. You just want to check in at their table. Check the notice boards each day as sometimes new schools add times later in the week.
Here’s how walk-ins work. During Unified Auditions a small number of schools will offer walk in sign up times. At Chicago Unifieds last year the Palmer Hotel would issue out the list the morning of. One could go and sign up. Parents often signed kids up if child was busy in a scheduled audition. Last year Ball State, Vitterbo & Cornish had walk ins at Chicago. NYC had slightly different option. But can’t recall the schools. I think OU offered walk ins, but couldn’t sign up if one hadn’t passed prescreen earlier. School options will be different year to year. But it wasn’t tons of walk-in options. And you don’t know till at Unifieds. Most MT kids join a green room chat and share this information. They do not want parents on the kid only chat rooms. Class of 2022 MTs did their closed private group on Facebook. But you’ll know once in attendance at a Unified audition. So just use ones prepared materials.
Did those of you going to Marcas get your email and schedule? D will be in group 3. I was happy to see that they extended the time to 2 minutes from 1.5 total.
This is a huge revenue stream for their department, once you combine application fees and audition/pre screen fees. I’m guessing their department benefits from this. Take the cost each times 750-1500 students.
@MToverload I’m glad you asked, bc either S didn’t know, or he forgot to tell me! (He just went thru tech week, and had their opening night for The Addams Family last night.) He is also scheduled for group 3. Im so excited/anxious for him! This will be the first college audition. Fingers crossed and BAL!
@lithpool Glad I could help. I have to ask D to check her email every night or else we’d never know anything lol. This will be her first in-person college audition as well. I’m sad that I won’t be there, and I will probably be a nervous wreck all day until she texts or calls me to tell me how it went. BAL to your S as well!
@loribelle Yes…it’s truly immoral the dollars these colleges are collecting on fees. Especially knowing full well they will only take 12-20 kids in a program. Add travel costs & hotels and it will be thousands of dollars to just go through the process. And numbers of applicants are higher than 1500 at the preceived top MT programs. Colleges should refund fees!!! More and more doing prescreens too which adds another layer of fees. More and more applying to more schools. So it’s a profit center for them. Last year only one school freely refunded prescreen fee and that was Indiana. Fees are set higher each year too. When a college knows they will only accept 12-20 kids in most programs it’s taking advantage of struggling families & kids with dreams. College Tuition is expensive enough. But it’s the system & no motivations to change it, make it easier, affordable or manageable. So think hard about the end game and dollars ones family can commit. Fiscal vs. number of applications fees, prescreen fees, travel costs, flights, hotels & time away from child’s Senior year of high school. Also one gets to hear last if accepted. So have a safety school applied to early so not panicky at the end of April early May. Final Decision results came in late especially for girls last year. Colleges had an increase of applications last year from years prior thus why people heard later last year.
Hello Everyone! So thankful to have this forum and your stories to help in navigating this crazy process. It helps to know there are so many others going through the successes, disappointments, wondering, second guessing, application frenzy, pre-screen hoops, etc.
Quick intro: S looking for a conservatory approach with the availability of strong dance training.
Schools auditioning for: 12
Audition Coach: Yes - CAC. We would do this again due to the excellent guidance and ability to knock out several auditions in November - well worth it for us!
Schools Visits: 1 (Baldwin Wallace)
Pre-screens: 1 - passed (Carnegie Mellon), 3 more live pre-screens in November
**Question: Are you all finding that many schools are waiting to academically admit students until after the audition process?
@peacemama, welcome! The schools’ admissions processes are all different (of course they are!). Some schools will admit students academically and send tons of information, which is terrible when you are waiting for that oh so important YES from the audition! For other schools, acceptance comes only if you get a yes for the program.
@peacemama Welcome! I think it’s all part of the process to keep us guessing For the most part for us, the schools that wait until later have at least sent us an email stating such. A few schools have just stressed they don’t make academic acceptances until November. There seems to be just a few that have left us guessing. But guess since with two possible exceptions the artistic acceptance is the goal it doesn’t really matter! BAL at Moonifieds!
For the most part for us, the schools that wait until later have at least sent us an email stating such. A few schools have just stressed they don’t make academic acceptances until November. There seems to be just a few that have left us guessing. But guess since with two possible exceptions the artistic acceptance is the goal it doesn’t really matter! BAL at Moonifieds!