Admission performing arts

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Michigan
1

<p>Since I have informed myself of the admission requirements of the BFA performance - acting, I wonder which applicants get sorted out and which get invited for an audition. I would really like to know if there is set a focus, a part of the application which is most important?</p>

<p>You have the academic requirements ACT, GPA-average...
But you have also to show in your resume and you DecisionDesk profile that you have experience and talent in your area of study.</p>

<p>So when applying where is put the most emphasis on? And can someone who successfully or not successfully applied to this major tell me what why or why not he or she was admitted?</p>

2

<p>Hopefully someone with more direct experience will come along…but just in case…I’ll at least share what I learned as a parent with some of the SMTD programs.</p>

<p>My son’s girlfriend was accepted to the BFA directing program a few years ago. My understanding is that she had a strong and pretty deep portfolio of previous acting and directing experience, good grades, and excellent writing samples and references. And knowing her, she then probably blew them away at the interview ;)</p>

<p>I would assume that acting is similar in that they’re looking for a trifecta of raw talent, drive/experience garnered from drive, and the academic capability to manage at a rigorous university.</p>

<p>So they are likely to screen on a split combo of academic stats and adequate experience when selecting applicants to audition.</p>

<p>My guess is that like the music programs (for which my son was admitted) if all else is equal (eg. if there are three applicants with equally strong academic stats) then whoever has the most outstanding audition will be the one ultimately offered admission.</p>

<p>For example, while my son had solid stats from a great school and was given an academic scholarship at UMich, he wasn’t the “4.0 35 ACT” academic legend his friend was who applied to the same program a year later. </p>

<p>But his friend was not admitted to my son’s program, because although he was a fairly accomplished composer and player, he didn’t have quite the same depth of tehcnological/recording/mixing ear, compositional variety, and I suspect the strong regional level recommendations/awards in his discipline.</p>

<p>So grades, once sufficiently high, will not trump talent and experience/training, but need to be solid. All the BFA degrees are in essence professional degrees, so there is a presumption of a fairly solid level of background experience when it comes to admission.</p>

<p>Best wishes.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for your reply. :)</p>

<p>But can you tell me what was the bigger obstacle for your son? Just being invited for audition or successfully pass the audition? Because I am afraid of, that I might not even get invited for audition because I just can’t exhibit a really opulent acting career.</p>

<p>Happens the main sorting with the invitation for audition or after the audition?</p>

4

<p>BFA Performance - Acting program does not sort/invite for auditions - you apply to the program and reserve a spot for one of their audition dates. (Musical Theatre program is a different story). At least that’s how it was three years ago when my son auditioned.<br>
There is a separate section in CC for Theatre Majors - you will get better responses there. Good Luck.</p>

5

<p>Thank you for your help, I will open a thread in your recommended section. :)</p>

6

<p>VPhill, you DO have to be invited to audition, because you must meet certain minimum requirements. Here is what it says on the SMTD website:</p>

<p>"Prospective SMTD students must meet minimum GPA and SAT or ACT score requirements before an audition or interview will be granted. Dual degree applicants will be reviewed concurrently, but independently, for both programs. Academics are a part of the qualifications for admission, and the SMTD does have some flexibility to consider those students whose artistic merit exceeds their academic achievements.</p>

<p>The requirements below apply only to the School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Each School or College at U-M has its own specific academic prerequisites.</p>

<p>We expect freshman applicants to achieve the following:</p>

<p>Graduation from an accredited high school.
GPA of 3.0 or better (calculated using unweighted grades in all subjects taken from 9th-11th grade.)
Completion of the SAT with Writing or the ACT with Writing. Minimum score requirements are: ACT of 24 or better or SAT of 1100 or better in the Critical Reading and Math, or SAT of 1650 or better including Writing. Please note that the University does not accept rush scores. We require official test scores, sent to us by the agency; test scores included with a transcript are not sufficient. The Bachelor of Science in Sound Engineering requires a GPA of 3.5, an SAT math sub score of 630 or better, or an ACT math sub score of 28 or better."</p>

<p>My D had to retake the ACT just to meet the minimum requirement - she is not a good test taker, although she has a very good GPA (although low for UM standards - but high for the average SMTD student). And she made sure she took some challenging classes her senior year to make up for lackluster ACT score. She was thrilled to be invited for an audition - and even more thrilled when she was accepted as a Voice Performance major! So yes, the audition - your talent - is what matters the most, because my D would have never gotten in to UM otherwise. Good luck in your journey!</p>

7

<p>Thank you saxlady! Your comment was really motivating! I think the best I really can do, to reach at least the minimum academic requirements and do a lot of acting and taking acting lessons so that I can convince in my audition.</p>

8

<p>Vphill, it was different in my son’s case because he had to clear more than the academic screening (which he knew he would clear easily) via the submission of a very detailed portfolio, after which only some of the candidates were invited for interview. The portfolio itself was in effect, the majority of his “audition” (and included live recordings and mixed recordings)…the interview the final phase.</p>

<p>So in his case, very very heavy emphasis was put on his portfolio. We do know other candidates who were declined the interview based on portfolio despite very very high academic stats, and others who were interviewed but not offered admission, so in his program it is difficult to say which would present the bigger obstacle ;)</p>

<p>Somewhere in the admission information for SMTD site, it talks about how in general, most successful candidate will have taken advantage of performing arts opportunities, training, etc. in their community and at a regional level.</p>

<p>But it also points out that it IS POSSIBLE to be admitted without such an extensive background based on your audition/materials. So break a leg, as they say ;)</p>

9

<p>Thanks for your reply kmcmom. :smiley: I think the best really just might be just to work hard and hope for the best.^^</p>

<p>And indeed, I just received a response from the university admission service and they say that a lot of acting experience I very helpful.</p>