a few kids got cards to inform that they got a callback to Otterbein, but I got an email a couple weeks ago!
Acceptance from Ohio Northern MT BFA today THRILLED-- very good fit for S!
Congrats, @bexsky26 !
Why is it beyond ridiculous that a school will not make a decision without an application being submitted? Or am I misunderstanding you?
Yes @alwaysamom that is correct. Some schools wouldn’t give you a decision until after you apply.
Congratulations @bexsky26 that is wonderful! Enjoy you sons Senior year.
@alwaysamom I meant when your kid auditions very early for 14 schools at Moonifieds some schools tell you right away we aren’t interested saving you money. So that you don’t spend a ton of money applying to a bunch of schools if they already know they aren’t going to offer you a spot. Missouri State and Carolina Coastal sent rejection letters right away. Saving time and Money.
Application (and audition) fees are a revenue stream for schools…
I read in another story that Harvard makes $2 million a year on application fees alone…
I think it is entirely appropriate for a college to require an application (and fee) before they render a decision.
First of all, in the regular admissions process (not MT), you have to submit an application to be considered for admission. So the majority of college applicants have to do that.
Secondly, getting into college for MT is not only about being able to sing, act, and dance. It is college admissions after all. Many factors are entailed in the process.
Thirdly, I don’t know about Moonifieds, where it sounds like you can audition prior to having submitted an application. However, for students (inc. my own kid) who audition on campus or at Unifieds (other than walk-ins), you have to submit an application to line up an audition.
Lastly, it seems only fair to have to pay an application fee. After all, there is a lot of time and personnel put into the audition and application review process. There is overhead to pay for all that.
@soozievt — I agree with @Mel2421 - It’s a completely different situation when you are attending Moonifieds (…and this is a Moonifieds thread!!).
First of all, you can audition for up to 20 schools. In fact, you are encouraged to do so. You are also taking a big risk, in that you are doing your pre-screens in person and in early November. There is no opportunity for a re-take - it’s one and done. You also get a lot of time with the adjudicators to get to know them, and they, you. Her comment is that once you’d auditioned for these 20 schools it would be nice to know then or at least early on that you are being considered. Otherwise, you are wasting hundreds of dollars on applications to schools you might not otherwise have auditioned for. (That, in addition to the other schools outside of Moonifieds) . I’ve spent well over $1,000 on application fees, and it would’ve been nice to know if myD was being considered to the program prior to applying, sending the transcripts, test scores, filling out financial aid forms, etc. Lucky for us, in many cases we were notified of consideration.
And BTW if you are considering going to Moonifieds - DO IT!.. Best decision we have made!!!
A valid question @alwaysamom if referring to the Moonifieds only. Signing up with Moo comes with this great benefit. of auditioning before audition season kicks off. It’s very considerate of some schools to let you know on the spot or shortly after that there is or isn’t interest, saving everyone involved both precious time and money. We’ve heard if before, most auditors know within minutes if they’re interested in a callback, etc.
@DrowsyChaperone - you make an excellent point - moonifieds is a separate experience. But the theater depts in some schools may or may not have the leeway to change the application rules
Just the be clear, many schools who attend Moonifieds do require Moonifieds auditioners to apply prior to auditioning. There are some that will allow you to pre-screen prior to submitting an application but that same benefit is sometimes available to video pre-screens as well (Otterbein for example). Just want to make it clear that whether or not you must submit an application prior to auditioning is a school by school decision. Those who attend Moonifieds have to submit applications like everyone else. Moonifieds is a great way to audition and/or prescreen for many programs early – and I do highly recommend it. and with some early acceptances or prescreen passes or rejections you can often narrow down the number to which you still need or want to apply to. But you usually do still have to apply and pay fees somewhere during the process.
@vvnstar absolutely right, it’s a school by school basis. Every school had very specific requirements (some apply before, some not). I think the issue here might be with those schools which did not require an application first. Many parents/kids were under the impression that they would be notified whether or not they should apply to the school. Moonifieds was an amazing opportunity and we could not be more grateful for that so please don’t misunderstand. It’s just that in this very uncomfortable (out of our control) waiting period, kids are wondering what to do. Should they apply or not? Especially since some schools have very tight deadlines on certain scholarships. If the advice is to apply, then perhaps this may have changed some kids’ plans for schools they added to the list.
@DrowsyChaperone: I understand it is indeed a thread about Moonifieds. However, one could argue that why should those who audition at Moonifieds not have to submit an application like all the students have to who audition on campus or at Unifieds? Shouldn’t the same policies be in place no matter through which location/event a student auditions for these same colleges?
On a personal front, my kid had NO idea if she would be considered when she submitted her applications to all her colleges (she only did on campus auditions).
Moonifieds is a different animal. You are in a sense vetted before you go. And it’s done differently… for example Baldwin Wallace does not do prescreens, but for moonfieds they did a live video prescreen and called back about 7 kids to go to campus and audition. This saved a hundred kids from having to pay the application fee and make the trip to Cleveland for nothing.
I am also saying that most other majors most kids only apply to a couple of schools. Where MT you have to cast a wide net and it is REALLY expensive. I just think that it shouldn’t be so costly. I mean we still have to pay for 4 years of tuition.
I don’t understand why this is a question. The vast majority of any school’s application pool is seen and processed outside of Moonifides. There are some programs that are in a position to make early, definitive decisions. Some make immediate artistic offers when they see a candidate that they know for sure they will want no matter who shows up outside the Moonifide process. (And sometimes these students are asked to keep their artistic acceptances quiet but they still have to apply if they haven’t already.) Some make early offers because they expect a lower yield on offers and showing the love early builds momentum for their program. Maybe some schools have a set number that they always take from Moonifides because of a special relationship with Moo. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t change the fact that the vast majority of auditions and applications that schools will process will have nothing to do with Moonifides.
The last thing anyone should want is to force a school to be definitive based on a Moonifide audition. Why is that helpful? What if your audition was “probably in the mix” but not one the school knows they will want no matter who they see from now on? (If you are Caucasian female, assume that is you.) Do you want the default to be “no” simply based on the fact that they have yet to see the majority of applicants? And if you are not a Moonifides participant, do you want the schools just to say yes to everyone that they think could be in the mix and fill their ranks in a private audition before they ever get to see you? NO!
Moonifides is a wonderful early convenience where a select audience can cover a lot of ground over one weekend saving both the applicant and the schools time and money. In that sense, it’s similar to some of the early thespian auditions. Moonifides also has additional benefits including on site coaching and master classes that one might not find at a thespian event. And unlike Thespians, its a service you pay extra for.
If the majority of the applicant pool also has to apply, maybe prescreen and audition for consideration, I guess I don’t understand why Moonifides attendees should expect to be exempt from those charges. It shouldn’t be because one paid for Moonifides which I’ve heard people say saves money vs. going through the process on campus. Maybe that’s not the point you are making. Maybe the question is about the fees in general no matter how you try to skin the cat. Yes they can add up. Maybe they are money makers. But MT programs are hardly money makers so I guess they have to get it where they can in order to afford the level of instruction available to small class sizes.
I know the waiting is hard but with few exceptions, no matter when or how one auditions there will be a wait that will feel like forever. At least you Moonifide folks had convenient access to some great programs and will now enter the regular audition season with some experience under your belt and with time to re-work some material that you got to take for an early test drive. It also sounds like you guys had fun and enjoyed the camaraderie of the small group experience. I’d say the glass is more than half full.
I don’t agree from my experience. Starting with my own two daughters, one who was an applicant to highly selective colleges and one who was an applicant to BFA in MT programs, they both applied to the SAME number of colleges…8 each. Today, if either were to be applying, their total number would likely be 10-12 each.
I have advised applicants to college for the past 14 years, and the number of total applications hasn’t differed greatly between my BFA applicants and my regular college applicants, many whom apply to competitive colleges too. Most applicants of any type that I have counseled, have applied to no more than 14 schools apiece. A current non-MT student of mine (though she does lotsa MT but isn’t planning to do it in college), who I would consider an average student, has 12 schools on her college list.
In terms of having to travel to Cleveland “for nothing”…another way to look at that is that kids like mine who did not go to Moonifieds, have to travel to audition on campus and in the end, you could claim it was “for nothing” if they don’t get in. They have no idea if they will be seriously considered. So, why should Moonifieds be different in that regard? Think of it this way, by going to Moonifieds, your student got to be seen by a large number of programs with ONE trip, got coaching and workshops and so on. Your student benefitted in some ways. But generally speaking, most students do have to travel to campus or Unifieds to be seen and they pay an application fee to enter this process. Not sure why Moonifieds’ clients should have a chance to know if they are in the running before having to submit an application that most of the other kids have to do who do not attend Moonifieds. Moonifieds has other benefits.