@BelleHankmom Yes! Early Action takes some of the pressure off. However, I do not think that attending an earlier Unified gives you any advantage over the LA Unifieds. We have heard of some good acceptances on here coming from LA Unifieds. Like NYDreammom, my D was also able to audition early action for the New School and having that acceptance has really helped us from freaking out. We have not heard from many schools yet, but the ones we have since The New School in December have been rejections (Julliard, Rutgers and Ithaca). Which brings me to another response… @Actor01 regarding hearing about some acceptances to your schools and believing rejection is imminent, maybe I am too hopeful, but I say no. Do not assume anything until you have a rejection in writing. We are in this position for a few schools (Fordham, Minnesota and CMU). Anything is possible in this process! There was one crazy story on here from last year where as student was rejected and then accepted! Not the norm, but you never know.
@VASkydog Thank you for reminding us to hold on. I would love a day like the crazy one you had. Enjoy the break with your son.
@NYDreammom March does feel very long! Look for a PM from me.
@nyermom - congratulations… for many things! #1 congrats on being strong enough to let your D drive the bus. It is SO hard not to tell them where to try, what to do but ultimately, if they pick the schools you won’t be looking at their receiving acceptances they don’t want. #2 congrats on her being wise enough to find great back-ups. I think that is the hardest thing in any college application process - finding those non-reaches that actually fit your applicant. And #3 - congrats to your D on CalArts - that’s a heck of an exciting YES!!!
@FutureActress7 - from what I have heard here the UNCSA acceptances and waitlist calls have gone out. Maybe someone who applied can help you further with how the rest of the field is being notified.
From a BFA theatre tech perspective, D19 did not participate in Unifieds but did interviews/portfolio reviews on-campus. We filled up the fall with these on-campus visits, and I have to say getting some early acceptances was so very good from a mental health perspective. We also did not run into winter weather issues as we had everything wrapped up by mid-December.
So for next year’s theatre tech folks, I recommend planning on early action applications and early on-campus interviews/portfolio reviews.
Early Action was good for my S. University of Illinois (Urbana/main campus) has a strong and improving BFA - Acting program (No MT). They do a quick round of auditions in Oct and notify by mid DEC. Getting an early “YES” was a huge confidence builder for the Jan & Feb auditions. For parents of current juniors, if the BFA is a must, I highly recommend applying early at a LOT of programs on the spectrum. Applying only to 10 or 12 top-tier schools could lead to disappointment in the spring. I’ve seen it happen to very talented kids. A school that holds little alure may look real good if the top choices don’t pan out.
I agree with EA responses. My D received EA acceptance from LMU. It is an audition BA…but remains one of her top choices along with BFA options. Having her look at me before Christmas and say, “I get to go to college to do what I love!” was such a great feeling.
As someone mentioned earlier, it is good to celebrate acceptances, but equally helpful to share rejections during this tough process. My son just heard through Acceptd that he did not get in to CMU. Although he knows it’s always a long shot and super competitive, I’m pretty sure this one stings - it was one of his couple favorites and he loved the audition there, getting passed around to all three rooms and coming away feeling really energized. Time to take it in, focus on the school’s he still has to hear from and visit the one’s he’s fortunate enough to have acceptances to (including one of his favorites)
@Gapyearguru congrats on the WL, I’ve heard there has been movement on it the last couple years, so good luck.
And thinking good thoughts for the rest who are waiting to hear from all their remaining schools!
@Gapyearguru - A WL is an acceptance without a spot. Meaning- your kid has what they want. Even if she doesn’t get in, you should be really proud!
Regarding EA schools- for future year applicants, if you apply EA to only tippy top schools (Penn State, BW, etc), you might be setting yourself for a confidence killer right before winter auditions. Plus, you may be auditioning at these schools before you kid is truly ready. Applying to EA schools only helps if you are accepted- so choose those wisely.
Regarding who drives the bus during applications- I’d advise you to go with your gut based on who your kid is. My S is stubborn- he was 100% sure of what he wanted, but my H was able to get him to agree to apply to a wider variety of schools (BA and BFA, MT and Acting) so he’d have a variety of choices at the end. We were lucky- his did have choices (a great BA, and a few Acting BFAs). We promised him that he alone would choose the ultimate path. Despite being certain at application time, he honestly wasn’t sure after he had been accepted - so we visited and HE made his choice. Had we let him drive the application bus- he wouldn’t be at the school he’s so happy at now.
Congratulations on the acceptances and WLs. Good luck in the weeks to come.
@love2share@hpdbfa Thank you! We are about 99% sure that she won’t come off of that list-I know that it’s pretty rare. It’s exciting and both frustrating to be waitlisted at both CMU and UNCSA.
You know, they always say it doesn’t necessarily reflect your talent, but in the end, of course it does. If you demonstrate more talent than the people with whom you’re competing (e.g. your type, gender, or just everyone), they’d accept you. At the very least, it demonstrates your auditioning ability.
I really wish CMU worked out. It’s gonna be hard to settle.
I never say negative things but I have to say this - @hamdog123 … It’s going to be hard for you to “settle” for a different program because you were rejected from a program that accepts less than 1 percent of applicants? Maybe you need to take a gap year to get your head on straight because you’re going to be eaten alive going into a competitive BFA program with that attitude. I understand rejections are disappointing but you need a serious reality check. Everyone who applies to dream schools is disappointed when they don’t come through. You are one of many talented actors turned down by CMU. Rejoice if you have good options and let it go.
@CaMom13 Hi. Hey there. I hope your day is going well.
I’m going to be fine at whatever program I end up at, don’t worry. I certainly don’t need help from a helicopter parent like yourself. Let’s get that out of the way first.
But frankly, it’s difficult when you get rejected from the place you’ve always wanted to go. I always knew the odds were more than slim, but there’s always the little piece of you that maintains hope for the next one. My CMU rejection will certainly not deter me from pursuing a theatrical career, and I’m not dumb enough to believe that I can’t have success if I don’t attend Carnegie Mellon—that would be ridiculous.
I’m merely upset because the pessimistic part of me tells me that if I were more talented I would’ve gotten in. Granted, I’m a white male, and I’m sure they aren’t exactly trying to throw more people like into a business that already leans lopsidedly in my favour; however, it’s hard to tell myself that I have the talent to perform at the highest level in this career if I can’t get into the program that requires the same level of talent.
All that said, I’m still going to throw every piece of my existence into this whole theatre thing. I have to. It’s the only thing that gets me out of bed in the morning. And, I do know I have the talent necessary. For me, it’ll be a matter of improving audition ability.
Ultimately, it’s just emotionally challenging when these things happen, more because of what the rejection itself implies rather than the chance to attend the actual university.
