All college rejections

What do you do if you’ve gotten rejected everywhere? If you suggest taking a gap year, what do you recommend doing within that gap year? Mind you, neither my family or I have to the money to pay for lessons or classes of any sort. I mean, I’m sure I can change my major and get in academically, but I really want to pursue musical theatre.

Did you apply to any non-audition theater programs? There are plenty of schools that offer a BA whereby you could still take classes in acting and dance, and try out for the musicals.

If not, I’d suggest a gap year where you work to save up money and then practice on your own… youtube is free and great for someone who cannot afford pricey lessons! And perhaps there are places locally that you could intern - where you would “work” for free but be able to take masterclasses and workshops alongside the paying students? Like @ summer theatre workshops that have campers but also high-quality instruction.

If you take a gap year, audition for community and regional shows… as many as you can. You get better by constantly rehearsing and performing. Practice anytime you can. Find mentors in those shows who can point out where you could improve. Don’t let it hurt your feelings, take the information and improve. Like @el-cee said, you can also apply to some non-audition schools if you don’t want to do a gap year. There is another thread talking about schools that have late auditions, too.

@skylarmt If MT is your dream, and you have the passion, drive & talent, then keep on plugging away. There are plenty of non-audition MT programs. Below is a list that the amazing @EmsDad put together a while ago. (this is not an all encompassing list & has probably changed some, but it’s a definite big head start!
Good luck!

NON-AUDITIONED 2 YR PROGRAMS
Bosier Parish CC AA w/MT Conc LA
College of the Desert AA w/MT Cert CA
Dean College AA w/MT Conc
Foothill College CA
Mt. San Jacinto College CA
Northern Oklahoma College OK
Tyler JC TX
Vincennes AS IN
Western Wyoming CC WY
Young Harris College AFA GA

NON-AUDITION BA & BS
Asbury KY
Bethel BA w/MT Track MN
Birmingham-Southern College AL
Bowie State BS w/MT Conc MD
Brandeis BA w/MT Track MA
Bryan College BS Music w/MT Option TN
California Lutheran BA w/MT Emp CA
Cal St Chico CA
Cal St East Bay BA w/MT option CA
Cal St Northridge BA w/MT Minor CA
Cal St San Bernadino BA w/MT Emp CA
Carthage College WI
Catawba College NC
Christopher Newport BA w/MT Track VA
Coker College BA w/MT Conc SC
College of the Ozarks BA w/MT Emp MO
Columbia College BA w/MT Conc IL
Edgewood College WI
Emmanuel College BA w/MT Minor MA
Friends KS
Kennesaw State BA w/Conc MT GA
Limestone College SC
Loyola Chicago MT Minor IL
Muhlenberg College BA PA
Northeastern BA or BS w/MT Minor MA
Northern State SD
Northwestern State BS w/MT Conc LA
Nova Southeastern FL
Rollins College BA w/MT Conc FL
St. Edward’s BA w/MT Minor TX
Santa Clara BA Music w/MT Minor CA
Siena Heights BA w//MT MI
Southwestern College BA w/MT Emp KS
SUNY-Oswego BA w/MT Track NY
Sweet Briar College VA
U Findlay OH
U Hawaii-Manoa BA Music w/MT Emp HI
U Indianapolis BA w/MT Combination IN
U Nebraska BA w/MT Minor NE
U Tulsa OK
West Virginia Wesleyan College WV
William Woods BA w/MT Conc MO

NON-AUDITION BM
Five Towns College BM w/MT Conc NY
Western Oregon BM w/MT Emp OR

NON-AUDITION BFA
Avila MO
Belhaven MT
Brenau GA
Creighton NE
Ferrum College VA
Marietta College OH
Mars Hill College NC
Notre Dame de Namur CA
U South Alabama AL
U Southern Mississippi BFA w/MT opt MS

Have you been accepted to schools academically? Do any of those schools have options for non BFA students to take voice, dance or acting classes? A BFA does not provide a ticket to paid work, although it helps.

The competition for BFA slots is intense. And for families who can afford audition coaches, multiple trips to NYC for practice audition days, review sessions with faculty from college programs, professional photo touch-ups, etc the whole process can result in more options - even just having the $ to afford more application and audition fees and trips to multiple locations for unifieds.

Also, look at opportunities to get involved in community theater wherever you go to college to gain more experience. There is also the option of starting school and applying to BFA programs as a transfer.

Good luck!!

@skylarmt You have received great advice in the posts on this thread so far. However, I have read that you were accepted to Hofstra! That is a great option right there! You start out in their BA track. They also have a MT Minor! And then students audition in the second year for the BFA track. Congrats on your acceptance!

@skylarmt there are still some schools that are taking video auditions. Have you tried Manhattanville College or Nebraska Wesleyan?

@skylarmt, this thread may be helpful:
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/2061178-no-acceptances-p1.html

@skylarMT - so sorry. There are lots of roads to a goal and you may want to think carefully about which suits you best. One option is to start working and training outside of a school environment, another is to get an academic acceptance (I hope you applied to some BA programs?) and pursue MT on the side, a third is a gap year - and even if your family can’t afford lessons if they can let you live at home and you get a PT job you can afford them yourself. I think it all depends on what fits you best. A BFA MT degree is not a guarantee of success and not having one isn’t a barrier to success. What is essential is training and that can be gotten from many sources but you probably need to do some thinking about what approach is the wisest to take given this year’s results and your family’s budget.

Saturday (3/16) is actually the 4 year anniversary of my daughter’s MT BFA audition at Nebraska Wesleyan.

So … there’s still time.

(She graduated in May … and is actually on a plane home from NYC scouting places to live as I write this.)

I worked full time throughout most of my gap year. Not super exciting, but it allowed me to fund a good portion of my coaching/training as well as application fees. If you have not had any training, even just voice lessons makes a big difference! A lot of summer programs and even some performing arts training studios and college coaches have scholarships.

Even just a year to practice on your own as well as grow and mature can help a lot (half the reason I have been successful is because I had the confidence to truly “own it” in the audition room - last year I barely would have been able to keep myself from shaking) It can also give you the time to craft a smart college list that fits your strengths and is well balanced (including a non audition safety!)

However if a gap year truly isn’t possible, please know that you don’t need a BFA in MT to have a successful career. You can attend a local school and major in something completely unrelated, participate in shows and take dance/acting electives. At many colleges it’s also possible to get high quality vocal training for a relatively cheap cost through the music school. Don’t let an alternative path deter you from pursuing your passion:)

@skylarmt Have you heard of the Young Americans? My eldest daughter is finishing her 2nd year and 2nd tour with them. She will be going on another tour this summer. And will be taking the next year to just tour (no school) because she will have graduated with her Associates of Arts in Performance, and just wants to travel and do what she loves, which is perform and work with kids. After that she will transfer and finish her bachelor’s degree in education or music. They are still taking applications and video auditions, I’m sure. Check out https://yacollege.edu It is a great program!

@skylarmt Oh, I know how frustrating this could be. But if this is your passion, don’t give up.

  • Try some of the non-audition schools
  • Send a video to those still accepting applications.
  • A gap year might be the right choice, and make sure you take the time to: 1) Work part/full time and with that money you take lessons on what you feel needs help 2) Audition for community theatre to keep it going and make more contacts.

You will get through this, and you’ll see, in a couple of years you will be sharing with others what you did and give your advise based on your successful story.