<p>Does CMU videotape the auditions?
I know that some schools make their MT decisions as the auditions go along (like Point Park, Elon, OCU). CMU does not decide until March or April. If they don’t videotape, how do they remember the students from the November auditions? Would it make more sense to audition in Feb where the performer would be more fresh in the minds of the auditioners? Just wondering…</p>
<p>Many schools do not render their decisions until all auditions are completed and until late March or April 1 and so CMU is not unique that way at all. They do NOT videotape the audition. Several faculty see the student and I imagine they take notes. </p>
<p>I don't think you should plan when to audition there based on thinking that the odds will differ based on the point in the season when you audition. It is not like they are filling slots as they go. It is not like the chances differ if you audition earlier or later. Auditioning later may help you in the sense that sometimes a student does better in auditioning after several auditions are under their belt. </p>
<p>My child made the Priority Waitlist at CMU and auditioned on their last audition date. You could ask others who were admitted but my guess is that students were admitted from any and all audition dates. In fact, someone is already admitted for this next cycle from the summer program!</p>
<p>Soozie, I know you are probably right. I just was wondering what people thought. DD has her Point Park and CMU auditions on the same weekend. She wanted a couple of auditions before her OCU audition on Nov 15th. CMU is such a long shot anyway...it just seems like the odds could be better in Feb.</p>
<p>Not sure if the odds are better in Feb or not. My daughter did audition in Feb in NYC but there were lots of auditions dates after hers as well. I know it is so easy to spend a lot of time thinking when your chances might be better. My daughter wasn't sure if auditioning at a regional audition would hurt her chances or if it was better to audition at CMU. Now looking back, I don't think it matters too much....you have to just audition where it works into the scheduling best. My daughter was told by one of the auditioning professors that her headshot was in a pile of narrowed down headshots on his desk that he kept coming back to as they were thinking how to narrow things down. So I guess if you audition in Nov and they love you, the headshot just sits out a little longer than those in Feb! Best of Luck!</p>
<p>Thanks kaysmom! :)</p>
<p>My D was one of the kids last year that did her CMU and PP auditions early. It is my understanding from what she told me and saw that the auditors take a lot of notes, and actually "grade" those who audition, which I would think will help them in determining someone's strengths and weaknesses in more depth. Her audition at CMU went actually reasonably smooth to the point that the head of the department told her that she had a feeling D was going to do well in her college auditions, which was a nice compliment and a definite morale boost. However, D applied ED and was accepted at NYU, and so she will never know if she did well enough at CMU to be accepted, but she did get a very nice letter from the same lady when she pulled her CMU application.</p>
<p>Point of my story? Don't be afraid either to audition early; auditors are seasoned enough to determine if they feel you would be the right fit, regardless of how many auditions are still to come, if this works better for you personally. Kaysmom's post with the "stack of headshots of people kept on the desk" seems to support that theory :D.</p>
<p>Well if anyone has any more questions about the audition process to CMU for Drama WHATSOEVER, I know everything and will be happy to give you help and details. I did the pre-college program and was accepted then for musical theatre (score!) so I'd be happy to help out any auditioners this year. I love sharing stuff.</p>
<p>And to start off, auditioning later would be a better idea. One of the faculty said that only because they are more experienced and the faculty will know who else has auditioned. Earlier, they might put you more on hold because they want to know who else will be auditioning.</p>
<p>Jesse....mucho congrats to you!!!</p>
<p>When you say that those who auditioned earlier at CMU might be put on hold to see who else they are auditioning.....please know that NOBODY (other than you following the summer program) will be admitted until around April 1. Thus anyone they are considering is on hold. Their admissions are not rolling, as is the case at some other programs. Their final decisions to form the class are made following the completiion of ALL auditions.</p>
<p>Right. What I meant was, they are much more inclined to categorize you if you audition earlier because they don't know who else has auditioned yet. If you audition later, they know what else has been there, so they know where you stand in the talent pool. Of course, if you're good, you're good. But auditioning in November is only good if it's convenient....</p>
<p>Actually, don't listen to me. I realize this probably has LITTLE weight in the acceptance. SO audition whenever! It's just what one of the faculty said, but again, they'll know if they want you or not!!! =)</p>
<p>Jessecb - congrats on acceptance right out of the pre-college program! That is fantastic, a great testament of your talent, and you should be so proud :D!</p>
<p>That said, I am going to "burst your bubble" a little bit, because to say that you "know everything about CMU's audition process" is probably as far away from reality as you are going to get. </p>
<p>For one, you did not actually participate in the college audition process. They saw your obvious talent, and offered you a spot after the summer program. CMU's summer program does have "mock auditions" and the like, but to say that these are a true reflection of reality would be a stretch. In a typical situation, people either participate in actual college auditions at Unifieds, or on-site. School is back in session, so you have to work around your schoolwork, make plans to travel, and then the actual scene tends to be buzzing with people who are all very anxious, accompanied by a huge contingent of parents, who sometimes even contribute to the stress factor :). The whole process is fun & exciting on one hand, but extremely stressful on the other, very different from a far more relaxed summer program setting, I can assure you.</p>
<p>Getting accepted from CMU's summer program is a real privilege, and I know very, very few people who get accepted, so also please count your blessings. We have seen exceptionally talented people get rejected in past years, simply because a college can only accept 'so many students'. You were obviously in the "right place at the right time" :)</p>
<p>You know first hand how many kids attended CMU's summer program, and only you were offered admission this early. Again, I don't mean to take away anything from your accomplishment, but at the same time, all this does imply that the majority of people will not have this "luxury" and will have to make it through one "stressful audition after another". </p>
<p>Not all those who attended CMU's pre-summer will get in, even having "insight" of sorts into the audition process, because they had some audition type classes. </p>
<p>Not all schools are the right fit for everyone either, nor is scheduling auditions a particular time. Timing your audition is truly a personal preference that can be steered by a school's particular process (rolling admissions, ED, EA etc.). Everyone should research each school's admissions process and plan accordingly :D.</p>
<p>First of all, I was only talking Carnegie Mellon, not ALL SCHOOLS. I did not say ALL the college process, I simply said "CMU for Drama." The only mistake was that there was a misunderstanding when I said audition process. What I simply meant was the audition itself. I spent six weeks with the exact people your child might be auditioning for, so I know what they are looking for! I even learned the exact combinations for the dance auditions that they WILL be doing in Jan. or Feb. I didn't spend six weeks there for nothing. It was mainly to help us prepare for the college process, not to hopefully get into that school. </p>
<p>Also, you say they saw my obvious talent. They do that at EVERY audition. An audition is an audition. I was stressed in my own ways. Although yes, I didn't have to go through the whole applying for college process, I went through the audition, and that's what I was planning on helping out with insight for. And you say that I was in the right place at the right time. Let me say that they told us that they would probably accept no one over the summer because they don't even know who else will be auditioning during the year. It's not like you have a better chance over the summer. Yes, you get to know the faculty, but it comes down to the score in your audition. Of course I count my blessings, I am not scoffing it off as if it's nothing. It is one of the happiest things that has ever happened to me! </p>
<p>Another thing is that the six weeks were in NO WAY relaxing! They were some of the most demanding weeks in my life. I can understand the whole aspect of traveling and auditioning for many schools, but I didn't mean that part of auditioning. I meant simply the audition itself, which I assume would be the most important part. I am going to be auditioning for other schools as well just to make sure that CMU is the right fit (which is what the director advised), so I will be auditioning in other places as well. I also need to find many scholarships, so it's not over yet. </p>
<p>ALSO, I understand you might be stressed out, but CALM DOWN. It is not the end of the world if someone doesn't take your child. And if he/she feels like it's the end of the world, maybe this isn't the profession for him/her. I couldn't be more elated about what happened. I'm not on here to brag, I'm on here to help. But now I realize that the people actually auditioning aren't really on here so what good is my say? I feel like you care a little more about everything except the audition itself. To dictate to me or assume that CMU summer kids have no insight is incredibly insulting and false. We ALL get a step ahead of people who didn't go, and I am simply trying to help everyone else out because I know how stressful it can get. </p>
<p>=)</p>
<p>Jesse, just wanted to say congrats on the offer from CMU, My daughter told me that last saturday; heard from her voice teacher who is on faculty there. (D also did CMU precollege this past summer.) After seeing you and Courtney(I think that was her name) in the talent show, I wasn't too surprised to hear it. You are very talented.</p>
<p>OK Jesse, I have been debating whether or not to simply send you a PM, explaining who I am, and where I am coming from, however I am opting to reply to your post here, as that way those, who read this forum as regularly as I have over the past few years, and new members will be able to keep everything in perspective. Anyway, it is very easy to do that research by clicking on my screenname :D.</p>
<p>First and foremost, I am not stressed out, and so don't need to, as you put it, CALM DOWN. My D went through this process last year, and happened to be accepted at 5 of the 7 schools she auditioned at before Christmas, and was incredibly fortunate to be able to cancel her remaining auditions. Not bragging, merely factual; she still counts her blessings.</p>
<p>This forum is extremely useful, and popular, because it provides a wealth of information. I learned a lot from the regular posters on this forum, and I felt I was able to support and understand my daughter's efforts and trajectory much better as a result. The reason I remain on it now, a year later, is to in a way, pay my dues, 'give back and help others who are just embarking on this journey".</p>
<p>In my opinion, it is really important to remember that there is no one that "knows everything", simply because not everything applies to everybody. Different people respond differently in different circumstances. Even in a single situation. Although you may feel you know everything about CMU's audition, I can assure you that the actual college audition will still be very different, and vary from person to person. There are differences even between the auditions at the same colleges year over year. My D experienced this first hand herself, at CMU of all places :). The auditions were conducted differently from the year before, which was attributed by some to the number of people that were auditioning that day. For example, rather than auditioning for one person at a time, with the possibility of being sent on to another faculty member's office (as she had heard typically happened in years past), my D wound up auditioning for several faculty members, and one of the heads of the department, all at the same time, both for her vocal and her monologues. Also, no one was asked that day to 'pretend to be a chicken' or 'act out a scene where you are being killed by a kitchen tool', exercises that others, who had done mock auditions over the summer, or auditioned in the past had been asked to do. Not that it matters a whole lot, but just pointing out that things can be different :). Of course, it pays to be "ready for just about anything", but what I really want to say, is that there likely are going to be variances to what your own experience was. </p>
<p>I think it would be fabulous if you for example could post about your experience at CMU pre-college, so that other people could read about it. Other students have posted their about their audition/travel experiences in the past, and I think it is great to read a student's perspective. A lot of parents wind up printing these threads and given them to their S's and D's to read. I know my D was too swamped with HS homework to pay much attention and post on CC herself, but she loved reading about people's past experiences.</p>
<p>I will take this opportunity to once again point out that attending a specific school's summer program can work out many different ways, for some it will be beneficial as they will be able to impress the faculty for an extended period of time (after all the college audition will take just anywhere from 5 minutes to 3 hours at most, depending on the college), but in other cases, it will be the exact opposite, where faculty members may remember people's 'quirks', and even hold those against them, when it comes time to audition.</p>
<p>Now, nothing I am writing here is particularly new, all this has been discussed a lot of times before. Just stating the obvious :).</p>
<p>Hey Jesse, </p>
<p>I just want to reiterate that everyone is impressed that you were accepted to CMU after the Pre-College program which is rare and only happens to one or two kids per year. What a huge relief for you and a big testament to your obvious talent. It sure takes the edge off even if you do more auditions this year. I am sure kids envy the position you are in. </p>
<p>You are new to this forum and we are glad you have joined in. I realize that since you are new, you are not as familiar with the forum or those on it. My post now is from the perspective of someone (a parent) who has been reading and posting on CC (and not just the MT Forum) for over six years now. As well, I have a daughter who went through the BFA in MT admissionns process and is now as senior in a BFA program. Lucky for her, things went quite positively. As well, I advise students and their parents who are applying to college and have particular expertise in the theater and musical theater college admissions process. </p>
<p>What is really great about this forum is that so many people share from their own perspectives and so their experiences bring a wealth of knowledge to this forum that can't be had in a book. However, a lot of what is shared are opinions. Some stuff is facts too. As someone active on this forum, I am cognizant that there are a lot of newbies to the MT admissions process, both parents and students, who read here and sometimes believe everything they read. It is common that some take posts that are opinions or sharing as factual information. So, when some of us more experienced members see some posts that are more of an opinion or a post based on less or a certain type of experience, such members may post to balance out the other posts so that all who are new and reading will garner more perspectives. I think this is a good thing to do actually. </p>
<p>The way I see it is that you have a lot to offer from the perspective of a senior in HS and as someone who can share about CMU Pre-College because you attended. And I hope you will share as we get a lot of juniors who read here who want to know about that program in fact. But so far, you haven't gone through the BFA audition process. You did the mock auditions at the end of CMU Pre-College (which has some similarities to BFA auditions). Please know that some other members here have been through the entire audition process at many colleges. For instance, the post you addressed to MTGrlsmom, understandably reflects that you don't know who she is but in fact, her D has already gone through the process and they attended a number of auditions and her D had a very successful outcome and so she is not worried about things like you assumed. Instead, I believe she is trying to give some balance to your post because she has "been there, done that" beyond what you have so far been through. Both perspectives are helpful to read. But it is important for some of us who have been here a while to try to make sure there is some balance and information out there for those impressionable prospective students and their families. So, please remember that while you have lots to offer, it is based on what you have experienced SO FAR and that we have members here who have experienced a lot more and so are trying to balance the posts out for those who are brand new to this to make sure some things that need to be considered are also mentioned. I think parents who have been through this are hoping that there is less confusion for the new folks just starting out and are trying to help. I think you are also trying to help and you have something to offer based on what you have experienced so far. Truthfully, you really can only offer what you have been through and not what the real audition process is like as you haven't been there done that yet. </p>
<p>So, we welcome all opinions and experiences. At the same time, it is good if more experienced people clarify things or balance out other posts with the hopes of presenting as much information for those new to this process. It isn't a private conversation and so some long term members are trying to ensure that some other information gets out there that newbies need to know (that truthfully, even YOU haven't yet experienced). </p>
<p>Try to remember, too, that a mix of ages posts here and so parents may be taken back a bit if someone who is a teen tells them to "CALM DOWN" or some such. We all have something to offer and I must admit, CC is lucky that some parents and students who have already been through this and I mean through ALL of it, are willing to stick around and share experiences and information with those who are new to it all. We are also lucky to have students like yourself on here. </p>
<p>So, welcome to CC again and congrats on your admission to CMU. You have a very bright future ahead. Good luck on your other college auditions and read up on CC as you may even learn a thing or two yourself! Lots of experienced people on this forum! :D</p>
<p>Thank you so much! I appreciate the clarification.</p>
<p>Just for future readers and such, I did not in any way mean to come off in a bad, stuck-up, or bragging way! =/ hahaha I was only trying to help, but it was more just my overly excited personality! I didn't really think. I hope I didn't upset anyone in anyway, or make me seem like an annoying or off person. I'm so so so sorry and I hope everyone has great years to come!</p>
<p>I went to Carnegie Mellon Pre-College and it was one of the best experiences I ever had.</p>
<p>Jesse - you did not in any way come across negatively. You came across an excited and more than willing to help young man. You should be proud and not let any of this diminish your willingness to help those who understand the meaning of your words. Your first post was well-understood my most, I feel sure.</p>
<p>Jesse - I would also like to add that you have a great opportunity here to help lift up, encourage and be a positive support for your fellow auditioners in the class of 2009. Since your pressure is off, you can lend a kind word to those who are going through this brutal process.
There are countless enormously talented performers auditioning for 20+ wonderful schools. There is no good, better, best - no real measure. It is art and it is a gift to us all.</p>
<p>Jesse... This is a weird question but are you male or female... I read earlier that the student accepted from pre-college was a girl... But two posts above it says young man... Now I am confused.</p>