BFA Acting Class of 2023: preparation, prescreens, auditions, questions and support

My D1 got an offer from UMinn/Guthrie from a video callback (from the waitlist) but I cannot figure out why Rutgers and UMinn don’t coordinate this weekend. It seems they conflict frequently enough that maybe the department heads could talk!

I’m a class of 2022 mom and a sometimes-lurker here last year. I agree that there seemed to be gazillions of BFA Acting postings last year, building to a whirlwind of activity!

It was great fun. . . but just a thought about this: When the time comes for a decision, or even now as you try to sort out favorites, be mindful of how technology can effect your impression. More talk on here on CC or FB about a program does not necessarily translate into a better program, or a better match for your student. Some BFA programs seemed to have virtually no parents on CC while others have many. Careful about letting this influence you.

Kudos to the parents who searched out changes to faculty at programs and pondered the direction programs are heading in. When the time came for my son to choose, speaking with the head of the theater/drama department, and also the director of the BFA program was critical for us. And by the way, re-visit days for accepted students will also be scheduled with a very limited supply of weekends. Something else to look forward to. ; )

As we wait for the decisions to come after surviving a grueling audition season, I just had to share this post from the Grown and Flown Blog. It just really touched home for me, with my D, who does not have friends that understand this part of the college application process or why she would go down this theater arts path. I have learned so much from my D during this process and truly do feel fortunate that I have a child who knows exactly what she wants to do in life, never wavering for a moment with a crazy schedule of auditions that resulted in her missing many weekends of social events with friends. So proud of D, as I know you all are too! Takes strong and determined young adults to go down this path!

https://grownandflown.com/son-acting-major/?fbclid=IwAR1DggDXLzM-9EBfhhfzaha2lXwe0BaGpbTw6KANYLUQ1Mh0Yu-sGp6fgl0

So true @JeanneDArc! I sometimes worry about parents being talked into programs on CC or ignoring programs that don’t get enough buzz here.

LOVE that article @Jazzycats! It doesn’t get more close to home than that.

We started and finished all of my D’s auditions at LA Regionals/Unifieds, and we had a fantastic experience! She had 16 auditions in the last 4 days! On Friday she had Boston U, Hartt, and Pace (FTVC). On Saturday, she had 5 auditions scheduled and was able to squeeze in 3 walk-ins, totaling 8 auditions for the day! That was crazy, but my daughter absolutely loved it! Ithaca, Uarts, Point Park, Emerson, and Michigan. Walk-ins were LIU Post, Five Towns College, and Barcelona Institute of the Arts. Sunday was SUNY Purchase, CMU, and Rutgers. Monday was DePaul and NYU. And we are done! Yay!

Here’s what I learned, do pre-screens early and turn in applications early so that you can be first to request appointments. Some of the schools went in order of when you signed up for an appointment time, so my D was often first, which she loved. She would get more nervous when she had to wait a long time. And since we were done early, she was able to keep her momentum/energy and do walk-ins! She had fabulous experiences doing walk-ins…she felt that at her walk-ins, they worked her monologues with her and she was able to look at her monologues in a different way and got to try different things. She learned a lot and found it fun and exhilarating. If anything, the walk-ins kept her riding a high and helped with her scheduled appointments.

I’ll share one amazing experience, but can’t tell you the school. My D was in an audition and she was in the room for a long time, longer than usual, she performed 3 monologues and a song (the song was not mentioned in the audition material to prepare)…and then she opened the door to tell ME to come in, and then the auditors spent 10 more minutes with us, while the line outside was getting longer and longer. They basically told me that my D was very talented and want to accept her to the BFA Acting program with most likely a full ride scholarship (they couldn’t guarantee the amount, but pretty much.) They also said that they’ve only done this 3 times during this audition season – all during Chicago Unifieds (2 MT, 1 Acting), and none during NY Unifieds. My D was on a high and it boosted her confidence for the rest of the auditions she had!

@love2share wow wow wow!! How incredible. What an amazing thing to happen to make this whole crazy process seem valid!! Congrats!!

@morgan830 Thank you so much!

amazing @love2share! Congratulations!

@artskids Thank you!

@love2share - SO excited for you and your D - wow, what a triumph! And I think that puts paid to the notion that the schools already have their classes and are less interested in the auditions by the time they hit Los Angeles!!!

Thank you @CaMom13 ! Yes, all the schools seem to be very invested in the Los Angeles auditions. They spent a lot of time with the students. I’m grateful that my daughter was able to audition for all the schools she wanted to in one city!

@love2share Super congratulations to you and your D!!! I love the fact that the school called you in to deliver that amazing news. So great!!!

@love2share congratulations!

Thank you @MomofJ5 and @jbtcat! I appreciated that they wanted to include me in what was going on in the room!

@love2share that is a terrific story! Congratulations! That is just so exciting. Although we all love to know which program, I do understand it can be prudent not to say too much. However, we all followed with glee the story of someone on this board whose S got offered a full ride after a very strange but positive audition experience. Keep the positive energy going and my words of advice to everyone is to remember It Only Takes One! You can have lots of rejections but as long as there is one match, it can all work out.

Thank you @FourStars! I remember that story about the S who got offered a full ride at his audition.

I also wanted to echo a point that JeanneDArc made. Bear in mind that CC is a strange sub-section of the pool of people and certain schools get a lot of talk, and others not so much. Also, that people try to be helpful, but this is anonymous information. Any time, I really needed information, I took the conversation private. At that point, you are conversing directly and I learned a lot, and gave a lot, in those discussions. Some of them evolved into real world friendships. So take the Boards for what they are. Helpful, but not gospel.

@FourStars is right - both about schools and getting information. I’ve been on CC for years & gone through auditions for both MT and Acting, but I don’t post that often. I do frequently send private messages, and that was the way I got more information (and yes, made friends!). Also, it seems like every year there are different schools that are talked about a lot.

If your S or D hasn’t already done so, suggest that they join the Facebook group for auditioning seniors. It changes every year - this year’s is “Courtney’s Break Room.” My younger D “doesn’t do FB” but at her sister’s urging she joined last year’s group and was glad she did. It is only for auditioning students (strict no-parents policy!), but there are also students from various schools in the group who can answer questions.

My D was just accepted to Shenandoah for acting!!! It’s her first acceptance and we are so excited and relieved!

Congratulations @Gapyearguru !! That is so exciting and absolutely brings so much relief and it is only February 12th!!

Congratulations @love2share ! What an amazing story! How thrilling! Yes, I am a firm believer that LA Unifieds are a great place to audition! That was something that a couple of parents had assured me(with kids at CMU and Rutgers) and I was so glad. Yes, they are at the end of the auditors journey and that is okay! Yay!!!