<p>I guess up and down is the name of the game with this process. I have been reading this Board for a couple of years and you definitely feel more connected to everyone when your child is going through the process at the same time. Wishing only best for everyone.</p>
<p>On our end, we had a big down when her retake of her mid-1500s SAT scores proved to be a bust. We got a nice rebound when her headshots turned out very well and we decided to add two more schools (CCM and UMinn-Guthrie) when it became clear she could make 15 schools fit in the schedule and still have only 1 or 2 schools each NYC unified days.</p>
<p>For the SAT, she had bombed the writing section (not the essay but the rules stuff) the first time around. She did some work with a private tutor and took several practice tests this time around and it was pretty clear she would score quite a bit higher. The first test date in November was cancelled because of Sandy. The makeup was this past weekend. She wakes up with a migraine. She’s been taking these extra srength migraine pills. You are supposed to take no more than 2. I take a quick look at the label and see that it is basically asprin and tylenol (as I recall) and know there isn’t any real risk with either so I give her a third third to try to knock the migraine down. We get a call about an hour into the test that she threw up (a normal occurence with a really bad migraine) and that she can’t continue. When I pick her up, its not what I expect at all. She’s shaking like leaf and you’d almost swear she was high she was so loopy. She says her head is fine but her hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t even draw circles in the right spots and her essay was completely illegible. Finally, our pharmacist friend figured it out when she asked us if she’d had any coffee in the morning. I was not thinking at the time that the migraine pills had caffeine in them and that amount of caffeine plus a large latte was about like drinking an entire pot of coffee in 30 minutes. On top of that, she said her calculator failed so math would have been a disaster even without the caffeine issues. </p>
<p>Needless to say, I am feel really guilty about contributing to this disaster. We thought about taking the test again in December but we’d have to move her Dec. 1 U of Arts audition and take time away from getting ready for auditions. So she is just going to forward with October test score. </p>
<p>On the plus side, we got her new headshots back last week. I know the headshots themselves are not that important a part of college audition but I was amazed at the story she can tell through her eyes. We used a photographer her manager recommended and the message we got back from her after seeing the shots was are you sure I can’t send you out for print and modeling jobs so that must be a good sign though we told her no jobs till April! Of course, she picks out and puts on her facebook page the most glamorous of the shots while I’m working on her that her acting audition headshot has to be one of the ones that shows more of who she is even if not as technically perfect. </p>
<p>So at least at our end, we’ll have to hope that some mix of talent/beauty will offset SAT scores!</p>
<p>Similar story with the testing, ActingDad. We got S’s ACT scores and they were stinky. But he knew as soon as he got home from the test, and we went right to the computer to remove all the schools but Purchase. Purchase doesn’t care about scores as much as the other schools he had down, and their median ACT score (listed on their website) was the same as S’s, so we left that one. He’ll just go with his SATs for the other schools.</p>
<p>As I was reading your post, I knew immediately that you missed the caffeine that is usually in Migraine medication. I have done the coffee & headache meds and it ends up being totally counterproductive. So sorry she was sick at the test - you can’t fault your girl for trying!</p>
<p>Glad about the headshots, too. I love S’s and helped him pick not the most dramatic or handsome, but the most neutral one. When I look at it, I can see him doing comedy, drama, improv, musicals - everything! I don’t really know how much they impact an admissions decision, but you never know, right?</p>
<p>Anyway - Dec 1 looms! S has two apps to get int. He has complete his Purchase application, alto I don’t think he submitted it yet, and still has to write his Hartt essay. He finds the “why do you want to go to our school?” essays challenging. He feels they should be telling him that!!! LOL!</p>
<p>Oh, ActingDad, that stinks! Everyone who follows my story knows my D’s ACT scores are so low we can’t mention them. She did get accommodations approved for the December 8th ACT so we’ll see if the scores improve. Really, they couldn’t get worse. </p>
<p>I’m trying to get myself to the point where I believe that this will all work out the way it is supposed to and that I shouldn’t worry so much. Yeah…that probably isn’t going to happen! </p>
<p>We are still toying with the idea of adding one more school to her list. It would be somewhere with an urban setting, which is what she seems to want. The problem is I don’t know which school! Ideas/suggestions, anyone?</p>
<p>I have to say that these boards are helping me maintain an ounce or two of sanity. I couldn’t imagine going through this without having a place where others understand the process. No one in my group of friends has a theatre kid, and none of the seniors in my D’s drama group are concerned at all about applications and auditions.</p>
<p>Yes, please everyone try to have faith that things will end up as they should - that has been the experience of just about everyone for the past several years that I have been following this forum. Of course there are disappointments, both in getting rejected and also in finding schools weren’t what was expected. There are also wonderful surprises and affirmations. It all seems to even out.</p>
<p>While these kids have a really different time than many other college applicants, there is still an overriding rule that everyone shares: Love thy safety. “Safety” can mean anything, just that there is a back-up plan if the majority of schools turn you down. If you know there’s a guaranteed plan that suits you, your worries get a whole lot easier.</p>
<p>Those of us who are over the fence will continue to listen and give encouragement. I’ll say here what I say everywhere - this process will test parents and kids in so many ways, so try to remember that the most important thing is to keep a caring relationship, and not let the judgments and the hype get the best of you. College is a big step, but it’s only one step in life. Everyone learns something through this terribly difficult year, and the lessons are always valuable. </p>
<p>ActingDad, don’t be too hard on yourself. We’ve all had these rough things happen. I’m sure your D knows how much you care and that her well-being is the most important thing. I hope you all can just shake that one off and move forward with your heads held high.</p>
<p>I know some “Mama Rose” type drama mamas, so I try hard not to be one of them. I’ve been telling my son that he’s in charge of the artistic end and I’m management. That’s pretty much how the professional world is anyway. And there’s a reason for it.</p>
<p>Not that I can stop myself from asking “How did it go?” But I’ve learned that he never thinks it went as well as it should, so I don’t take it seriously.</p>
<p>I’ve said before but it bears saying again that the perhaps the best aspect of having an acting coach for my daughter has been to take me out of any dialogue about what monologues she should do or how she should perform them.</p>
<p>Gwen, my D is Design and Production. She has an interest in both lights and stage management. She has a range of schools but all BFA programs. Based on her reaction to our visit this past weekend, I’m wondering if maybe she needs one more school in an urban area. </p>
<p>She has schools in Pittsburgh, Richmond, St. Louis, and Chicago on the list. However, she also has some suburban type schools that I’m afraid she might not like. </p>
<p>We are looking at Marymount Manhattan, CCM, and the one that is on and off the list constantly: U of Arts.</p>
<p>I was going to say DePaul, CCM, and UArts-- D interviewed in D&P at UArts (accidentally-- she’s an acting major but has done a lot of different stuff) and LOVED the people. And she tends to have great taste in people. And UArts has so many different theaters to work with. And Philly is such a fun city. Also I wouldn’t count BU out because of low scores, not if she’s got a good portfolio and can give a good interview.</p>
<p>Another thing though, re urban or suburban-- honestly once they’re there, they are so busy that it doesn’t matter much what’s out the window. They spend most of their time in one theater or another and that’s their world. It’s exciting to see you all heading into this–there are great times ahead for your D, I’m sure.</p>
<p>I’m sorry to be such a goof… but what is CCM?? Ugadog… I think your D is going to be pleasantly surprised with UArts… Go for it!! I am taking my DS to visit this March… as well as Muhlenberg. Still no decision on his part as far as BA vs BFA but he LOVED Occidental when we visited last week. GREAT school for the theater… and singing… which my DS wants. It is in a suburb close to Pasadena… GREAT location and tons of internships in Hollywood…etc. The problem is my S is NOT interested in film or movies… he wants live theater… so I think he will be happier in Chicago, NY, Philly, or Boston…although he is recently obsessed with Kenyon. I think his love of writing and their 4 THEATER’s got him!!</p>
<p>^^5boys, my son (who is very live-theater oriented and interested in both BA and BFA schools) loved Muhlenberg and also Kenyon, where my daughter majored in theater. I will look forward to hearing about your S’s process, and feel free to PM me with specific questions about Kenyon if you like. My D graduated 5 years ago but is still in close touch with faculty in the department there, and we have visited several times in the past couple of years.</p>
<p>When I took a graduate level class in complex scheduling problems as a Senior Industrial Engineering student in the early 1980’s, I certainly did not anticipate that scheduling 15 college auditions with the following constraints: (i) no more than one audition for each day of unifieds, (ii) no really important schools (to her) before January, and (iii) no driving trips of more than 5-6 hours would be the most complex scheduling problem I would tackle. </p>
<p>Thankfully, we live in the East Coast or this problem would have no chance of anything approaching a solution. I have them all scheduled now. This is an “I” and not a “we” as this was completely Dad’s job. I didn’t quite reach a solution that met all 3 constaints. We have one day at unifieds where she has two auditions but both these schools are schools with a 10-15 minute block while most of her other schools scheduled during unified require a larger block of time. And we have one trip to CCM that is outside the 5-6 hours drive. The other drives – Pittsburgh, Boston, Syracuse and Ithaca are all in the 5-6 hour range. Wanted to do Syracuse and Ithaca in same weekend but could not make it work.</p>
<p>I know a lot of people have said that you can take on more auditions per unified day but my daughter would rather not if possible and driving to schools within driveable distance has the advantage of learning a bit more about the school.</p>
<p>First audition is U of Arts Dec. 1 and then she has Hartt on Dec. 8. I remember a post from one parent here – think it was OddDad – whose daughter had an audition Dec. 1 at U of Arts . Anyone else going to be U of Arts or Hartt? Good luck to everyone!</p>
<p>D is working the Dec. 8 auditions at Hartt, actingdad. Don’t know if you’ll see her-- she’s doing an early shift. Your D is lucky to have such an organized, concerned Dad! Break a leg! (but no flat tires!)</p>
<p>ActingDad—yes, I’ll see you at UArts this weekend!</p>
<p>So far I have escaped those complex scheduling problems, but in an unorthodox way. I don’t recommend it. After the UArts audition on Saturday, my daughter will have completed two auditions. She has no more planned. It’s true. She is likely to hear a decision from those two schools within the next few weeks. Then, she’ll decide whether she will apply to other schools.</p>
<p>Good to see you on here, OddDad! I sent you a PM to see how you guys made out in Beantown.</p>
<p>You’ll get no comments from us - S has only done one audition, and is waiting as well. I will go ahead and schedule two more for late January, but of course we are hoping that S doesn’t have to go to them. He does have his URI app submitted - which is his non-audition safety.</p>
<p>I know how you feel, though, since every time I read about how everyone else’s audition season is laid out, I go into a full panic. Are we doing the right thing? Should we be throwing that wide net like everyone else? The kid will do what he’s going to do!</p>
<p>OddDad-- if it works for her it sounds like a good plan to me! If there’s one thing this all has taught me is that everyone has his/her own approach and they all seem to work fine. D applied to a lot of schools but after an early acceptance she withdrew from many of her other auditions==kind of a mirror image of your D’s plan. Fingers crossed your D gets in both places, can smile and enjoy the rest of senior year!</p>
<p>My kid’s on the other end of the application spectrum (10 auditions + non-audition backups), but it’s by his own choice–and to be totally honest, I think it’s partly a competition thing–he wants to try himself in this arena. All of our kids know what they’re up against, which is the most important thing. I’m glad we’re letting them test their instincts as well as their skills, and I really look forward to watching everyone’s stories unfold. We are traveling to Ithaca this weekend and Otterbein the next, then off till mid-January when it all resumes. I hope to cross paths with some of you along the way!</p>
<p>Gwen – she has something like a 9:40 time so she will probably see your daughter.</p>
<p>OddDad – I’m probably responsible for pushing half the schools on her list. I know how badly she wants this and I just want to make sure she has some good choices at the end of day. If she gets into the ones she wants and never has to look at the others I pushed her to add I’ll be more than happy for her. From an application standpoint, it was not that much extra work once she had the basic essays written. I’m sure at some point in January I will start having second thoughts as its a roadtrip almost every weekend.</p>