@SoCalPops Congrats on UCLA! That’s my alma mater! Unfortunately, my D dropped UCLA from her list of schools she wanted to apply to, because she really wants too go to school on the east coast.
We’ve had trouble logging on to the UCLA portal. After inputting the ID # from their email,“that record can’t be found, however we are still adding applications to the system and should be finished by December 14th” Here it is Dec. 16 and we still can’t log on. D sent them an email today to see what’s going on, so hopefully we will hear tomorrow. Has anyone else had this experience?
I am recalling the stress this time last year and thought I’d jump in. My D just came home from her first semester at the University of Evansville as a BFA theater performance major. That means she’s intensely studying acting and also taking optional vocal and dance classes. She loves it. At this time last year she was writing essays and I was helping her manage NY Unifieds and on campus audition schedules. While stressful, Unifieds was well worth the experience, particularly as preparation for future auditions, and it led to several of her school options. She was evaluating BFA acting, musical theatre and academically challenging BA programs. Even though she did not get into a top brand name school, she has been challenged as an actor and is focused on improving her craft with other serious students. Her acting teacher just finished a run on Broadway and came from Tisch and is close friends with Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody.). At this point I think the students will get out of a BFA program what they invest. If they work hard and build their networks from any of the top 100 schools they can do activities to make luck break their way.
Thank you @diamondparent for your encouraging words and sharing your story! Never imagined just how stressful this journey would become for my D but it is definitely making her stronger and preparing her for what lies ahead with a career in the performing arts.
Update on my D’s UCLA situation: I ended up calling them and working my way through the bureaucracy. There were a few minutes of panic when it seemed like she may have missed the acting application deadline, but she talked me down off the ledge and assured me that she had indeed finished that supplemental. Now it’s about waiting. Apparently there isn’t necessarily an additional audition beyond the uploaded video. Given her stats, I’d say it’s a long-shot.
@nyermom I do know some other people haven’t been notified yet either. I can’t tell you why. But I do believe that getting in without an audition is highly unlikely. They have an extensive in-person audition process. And they don’t do prescreen videos. The upfront screening is mainly an academic screen and a supplemental statement. You may still hear something this week.
Good news - D got accepted to Loyola Marymount University BA this afternoon! Yeah! So now she has 3 acceptances going into Christmas time. Then a big month of auditions in January-February.
Congrats @SoCalPops! Now its time to relax over the next couple of weeks!
Congrats on LMU @SoCalPops . Can anyone on this board share what they know about the Loyola Marymount BA program. It is on our list - how many students do they accept into the theatre program, rigor and intensity vs. BFA programs, and just thoughts about the program? Thanks!
@marg928’s daughter is at LMU and she wrote a complete reply to this thread last year about the admissions process, which appears to be more heavily weighted for academics. Her D is very happy at LMU so maybe she will see my tag and fill you in on her D’s experience there.
@HPDbfa here’s a little of what I know. Its only a BA. The acceptance rate for the University is pretty high - like 60%. I read on their website that last years BA graduating class had 60 students. Their yield is low, meaning a lot of kids apply, a lot are accepted, but not that many enroll. The acceptance letter D got today said 18000 kids applied for an expected freshman class of 1400. What they didn’t say was that they probably accepted around10,000-12,000 of those 18,000 who applied, so they can get a yield of around 1400 enrolling freshman. So If your grades are pretty good to great, getting accepted seems pretty easy. There is a video audition only - no live audition. Program rigor/quality, I don’t know enough about yet. Two of my D’s coaches say its a good school for what it is. One of the things we like about it is that it has a highly regarded Film School. So the opportunity is there to make student films, build a reel, and build a network of future LA based film directors, writers, producers.
Thanks @jazzycats !
More good news - D got USC audition invite tonight! Yeah!
@SoCalPops How did you get your invite? When D filled out the app, she selected two date options for auditions. We are waiting for a confirmation on a date.
@JazzyCats My D got the email tonight around 7:30 with a confirmation of her audition day and time in it. I think she got her second choice time slot of the ones she selected on the app. Have you heard anything yet?
@SoCalPops - Not yet! Hopefully soon.
@SoCalPops! Got the USC audition confirmation today! Now we are all ready to go and can relax until January!
Hello! I am a parent from last year, checking in to see how everyone is doing and reliving the experience. Setting up the auditions and the applications and all the admin is a ROYAL pain, and you should give yourself and your child a pat on the back if you have a lot of auditions set up and applications in. Now, just aim for preparation and positivity, with a dose of realism. Try to remember it only takes ONE. One acceptance at a school where the student can thrive. Come here to vent if you need to, but also stay balanced. Find a good book or TV series or something to do besides stalk the boards. Be a good support to your kid, who will put himself or herself out there day after day. My D did end up at one of her dream schools, but she had plenty of rejections, too. Ask away!
Thank you @Fourstars!! We followed your journey and others last year to prepare for the college auditions and to set expectations for my D. We do not know personally a single person taking on this challenge so it truly does help us to find support out here on CC.
Nice to see you on here @FourStars! I’m curious your thoughts on the importance/value of attending a school in one of the two big entertainment cities (LA and NYC) vs a school with a good BFA that is not in one of those cities. My D has applied to some 20+ schools. She’s already got a couple of EA acceptances. She wants to be in/near LA as a first choice and NYC as a second choice. She’s got a good slate of upcoming auditions for schools in LA and NYC and Boston (nothing in Chicago - didn’t pass DePaul prescreen). Personally I feel its pretty important to be in one of the Big 2 as I call em. You are closer to working opportunities and the network of friends you build in college will likely be around that Big City. I myself don’t come from the acting/entertainment industry, so I don’t know how much this matters. There are some very good BFA programs in the south, and the west that are not in the Big 2 cities. I don’t know how to weigh this out… maybe you and others have thought this through…?