I don’t know if this is helpful for anyone but since I see lots of Pace applicants here I wanted to mention - make sure you or your actor are prepared for a cattle-call environment at the audition. I don’t know if it’s the case everywhere but my D auditioned at LA Unifieds and the hallways of the hotel they used were packed with auditioners and their parents. There was a lot of waiting around because the whole huge group listened and waited while individual names were called. Pace was her first audition and she really screwed it up, at least partially because she wasn’t prepared for the tension, the number of people auditioning and the impersonal approach; she lost focus and forgot her monologue. 
. Not dissing Pace, wonderful program, just letting people know to prepare in case they run into this situation as well. I think if you make it past the first round of auditions to callbacks you have fun. 
^ These kids have more stress than I can imagine at their age. Their friends in non-audition programs or majors have no idea. We keep getting these acceptance packages (many with merit scholarships) and they mean nothing as without acceptance into the program via audition it leads to nowhere. I thnk getting in to Harvard is far easier than this 
@CaMom13 Totally agree!!! From another class of 22-er here. Auditioned in LA as well. I actually photographed the madness of the hallways and wish I could share!! It was one of our 3 most memorable auditions…It was absolutely packed with kids and parents, so inform your kids to be ready to put in their earbuds to keep focus(did not do that) as the anxiety builds for sure with this one! And, the cut is brutal. Only 10 called back from what looked like dozens of kids. My S did make it to the final round and was ultimately accepted, but the whole experience had a “high stress” feel. Once accepted to the school(general school/not BFA), expect a lot of phone calls. BFA Acceptances are done via a personal call to your kid’s phone. And, they want a decision fast and offer very little flexibilty(well, none) to visit outside the scheduled accepted student days. They mean business! Excellent program and one of the more popular programs as well! Just prep your kids and self for a long period of sitting on a hallway floor! Bring a snack and water and remember to have fun with it!
@rickle1 - You are absolutely correct - academic applicants have no idea how much harder this is. The only thing I would say - and it’s not an excuse, it’s more of a correlation - believe it or not it’s almost as difficult and stressful for the kids when they’re actually in the BFA programs. They have a lot more fun but still they have to work their tails off and it is pretty much non-stop stress at most of the “elite admissions” programs… and many of the less elite ones! Over time the students get better at handling the stress, better at getting up there and letting their best effort be judged, better at not getting everything right and moving on. They also become stronger artists and THAT makes the work and stress worthwhile. Right now @frontrowmama and I have exhausted sophomores who can’t wait to come home for Christmas break… so they can rest up to go back and do it all over again in January. It is a HARD application process for a HARD major and the kids only persevere to get through either one if the goal is truly worth the work involved. For most of them, it is.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. That information will definitely be helpful.
This is an FYI to a change in the log in procedure starting tomorrow, Monday, December 9th. See the information below. I’ve also included the link.
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Assuming D gets in to a strong program, I’m a bit concerned about mental health issues (hers and everyone elses). To put in context, D attends a pretty prominant Performing Arts HS. It was audition in and everything within is audition for the whole four yrs (with the exception of a fall cabaret that is open for eveyone to perform). Plenty of local, regional and state competitions.
She wanted to attend there vs. a traditional HS because of the focus onthe arts and felt she would be around her people (no interest in going to the football games or any of that stuff). She has friends and is in leadership of the troop, but I have to say the overall environment has been quite toxic for the whole four years. A lot of ripping each other to threas instead of building one another up. (Very different than the sports mentality I have - which is quite competitive but in a healthy way). These girls (not so much the boys) are brutal towards each other.
I’m hoping that changes over the next four years but I suspect it’s a major part of the built in MO for this type of career. I see the toll it takes on D and I hope she can maintain possitivity. It’s a roller coaster around here (not just the college admissions process, but the actual time spent with her peers ) Hoping a lot of that is just immaturity.
Sorry, just venting as they just got slammed at some competition for being 5 seconds over (and then the claws came out…)
@rickle1 - I can’t say for every program but I think in general high school theatre is far more toxic than college. My D has given and received lots of love and support from her peers over the last 16 months. Obviously some Theatre programs are more “drama filled” than others but I know several moms who said their daughters suffered in negative HS theatre programs but have thrived happily in their (excellent and “competitive” admissions-wise) BFA programs. The stress in college is more internal than social - each of these high-performing kids want to excel in their craft but there’s so much to do to get through that it’s difficult to manage the time and do everything well. We’ve had a sophomore parents discussion on FB about “Cs get degrees”, LOL.
My D didn’t go to a PAHS and we selected college programs that seemed to have happy students. We visited a few schools and were struck by how unfriendly the students were to each other - those got taken off the list. Other schools were overwhelmingly positive and friendly (Shout out to Temple!). I don’t think your D is destined to suffer the same kind of HS nastiness in college.
I’m sorry ? your D is having to deal with all of that. The negative and toxic attitudes can be so draining on our kids.
My D does not attend a performing arts H.S… The director she has worked with tries very hard to foster a collaborative and supportive attitude with all of the kids. My D found that most of the girls though either weren’t sincere or are mean and catty because of constant comparing and insecurity. (her thoughts on it). Your D has good grounding. She will go far because of her positivity. But yes, that chipping away at her with all the negative attitude could very well have an impact. It’s hard to continue to give when you feel like every one around you is just taking and trying to tear you down.
On a good note - my D has encountered quite a few wonderful kids during her early auditions and some of them she is staying in touch with. There are good kids out there. There is hope.
@CaMom13 and @anastasiasmom Thanks for the positive reinforcement. We’re pretty much jusrt waiting for her to be done in HS. She takes it so seriously though and that’s a good hting. Ultimate team player in a “non-team sport”. She’s a pleaser and needs to get more me first without bine selfish (if htat’s even possible). Tons of talent, hard worker, unlimited drive / passion so I’m sure she’ll be fine.
Glad to hear the college experience seems to be more collaborative. She’ll really blossom in an environemtn like that.
Funny she has stayed with our local theater group (in addition to the school programs - which take most of her time) where she started at 5 or 6 and now teaches junior theater, singing, etc. just to be around normal kids. She does their shows and the talent other than her and one or two others is painful to watch. She just likes it because they’re all friendly to each other vs. the cut throat attitude at her HS.
I blame the director of the program for allowing that (and perhaps fostering it) to exist. I’ve coached many youth sports teams (I know this is different) including very competitive ones and it was always abiut building up ability, not tearing it down.
@rickle1 D experienced the same in HS - a public one with a strong performing arts department. It was so bad she stopped participating in the drama department after her freshman year. She had been performing for years and was not prepared for the vitriol she witnessed at school. She’s now a freshman at NYU and has experienced none of the HS unpleasantness thus far. Like has been mentioned above, she is exhausted and has to manage her time VERY well, but the mean spirited behavior seems to be absent. Good luck to your D!
High school programs, even Performing Arts (which D graduated from) are nothing like the BFA conservatories and thankfully so. My D was also in a terrible HS environment and she rolled her eyes the first time I asked her how it compares to her current one ( in a good way). So find your fit program and soon enough those HS memories will be behind you.
We also found a cattle-call environment at NYC Unifieds but only at Pearl Studios. Ripley Grier (where she had DePaul and Rutgers) was not crowded in that way (people sitting on floors, etc). We preferred the on campus auditions.
@jbtcat D did a movement exercise she learned in one of her acting classes. They seemed to love it and kiddingly asked her to walk out of audition in a similar manner. Another kid went in and juggled.
@yellahamma thanks so much! So I’m assuming she just wore her same audition outfit?
@jbtcat She wore her audition outfit. Unless they changed the format this year, candidates performed the monologues and movement together.
I’m a HS senior preparing for my MT UCLA Interview/Audition and I wanted to know if there was anyone who can tell me what to expect?? I saw someone on here talk about their experience but it was from 2010 so I assume some things have changed since then. Thank you!!!
Hi @HighLady8
I don’t have an answer for UCLA MT or Acting but you might find an answer on the MT thread. Everyone is super helpful and I know California schools have been mentioned on there. Below is a link. Post your question there and I’m pretty sure you will get a response with the information you are looking for. Break a Leg at the audition! You’ve got this!
@HighLady8 My D has a MT audition at UCLA as well in February. I’ve done some research on CC and found this post that is more recent. If you read through it, 2 of the people posting had kids audition and they give their rundown and impression.
Here are a couple of great threads on interview questions that have been asked during auditions.
I wanted to wish everyone happy holidays before we head in to a quieter time here.
I’m hoping for good news for everyone still waiting on a prescreen decision or an early audition result. My D had mixed results for her prescreens and is focusing on the ones she passed and on her live auditions.
I feel blessed to have this CC community to help us (my D and I) get through this crazy journey.