<p>Hi HannahsMom2018 – just curious how you have Pace and Seton Hill listed as safeties when both are audition programs? Has she already been accepted there? The rest of your schools are all extremely competitive and having been through this process last year, I learned that a true safety was a non-audition program that we knew my son had grades and scores to get into and where he would be happy if all else failed.</p>
<p>PACE is an academic safety but the MT program is extremely competitive. Certainly not a safety for anyone.</p>
<p>Yikes. I had no idea about Pace being so competitive. They (and Seton Hill) have been actively recruiting her academically, so I wrongly assumed they were solid safety schools. I also realized I’d meant to list Otterbein as a safety as well.</p>
<p>What about Hofstra? Oh boy. And I thought my head was spinning before. :)</p>
<p>Hate to say this but Otterbein is no where even close to a safety for MT applicants. They only allow 65 per audition through the pre screen and then admit 8 MT Majors and 8 Acting/Drama Majors. (correct me somebody if I’ve confused these stats). Of the MT only 4 will be accepted with the concentration in dance program. Its a really competive program.</p>
<p>It will stop spinning after a week or so…</p>
<p>Oh dear Lord! At this point, I guess I just have to laugh (or fear going crazy!). We’ve done everything we can possibly do as far as the legwork to help set her up for a successful application/audition process… headshots, a decade of private lessons, audition prep, professional resume, classes, training, etc.- you all know the drill…So, I guess if she ends up at Hofstra or New Haven, then so be it. I think she’d be disappointed but happy…hopefully.</p>
<p>I felt the same way a month ago when I joined, like “huh? what? really? oh my” LOL! there is invaluable advice/information here.</p>
<p>Seton Hill can be considered a safety, another Pittsburgher on the forum told me to look into it.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure Seton Hill has a mandatory audition for their MT program…their BA in theatre arts is non-audition maybe, but even then you must if you want scholarship $.</p>
<p>Hannah’s Mom - just make sure you are looking at the MT page of the website for application information. If you just go to the university or school’s general website, you may not see the audition info or the selectivity info. Most fine arts departments have their own application process, over and above the Common App.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Seton Hill is an up and comer in my opinion, but even though they have an audition, they are not drawing form the same number of applicants as most. A true safety? Probably not, maybe it should be categorized as “a higher percentage school” or something. I am pumped to see SHU getting some love there though. </p>
<p>HannahsMom, take a deep breath! Look around here long enough and you will learn much from the veterans. I found this place to be of great value a couple of years ago, and I continue to learn things with every visit. As for stress, I sincerely think it is worse on parents than the kids!</p>
<p>Listen, what you think might disappoint them may ultimately be their favorite place on earth. Things have a way of working out and kids end up where they are meant to be, mostly. Considering the sheer numbers and acceptance rates in these programs, there “ain’t no slouches” in most of these programs so what might look like it would be a disappointment now is a-okay after a visit and you see what is going on at the school.</p>
<p>And by the way, since you’re in Western PA, make sure you go see Oklahoma! at Point Park, Oct 18-27.</p>
<p>I believe that American is also an auditioned program… not a “safety.”</p>
<p>Seton Hill does have an audition for their BA MT program.</p>
<p>I believe that Hofstra is a program with an audition for the BFA at a later date (sophomore year?). They are not a MT program. This would be an academic admissions safety, but not necessarily an artistic safety in the long run.</p>
<p>I teach at James Madison University… an auditioned BA program. We see many students who also apply to Penn State, Elon, Michigan, Tisch, CCM, Emerson, Muhlenberg (non-auditioned, except for scholarships), Ithaca, Syracuse, American, Temple (auditioned BA for MT)… among others. Your D may want to look into JMU, Temple, Muhlenberg, and Syracuse. Also maybe DeSales, Plymouth State University, and Western CT State. I believe all three of these are auditioned. </p>
<p>No auditioned program can be considered a safety. Many pull from a more regional pool, and could possibly be an easier admit from percentage-wise than the programs that see more students and pull from a more national pool… however, than does not mean a “safety.”</p>
<p>For example at JMU we have approximately a 12 - 15% admit rate, and see about 150 - 200 audition for MT each year. So, this means that approximately 125 - 170 are not admitted to the program each year. This is MUCH less selective than the most selective programs (ie CMU, CCM, etc…), but still a larger % of students not admitted than admitted. This is the case at many smaller programs. </p>
<p>It is very difficult when looking at schools to figure out true academic and artistic safeties, since some schools that may be academic safeties for a particular student have competitive artistic programs.</p>
<p>Keep asking questions! :-)</p>
<p>So… although I feel like we are behind many of you - we are celebrating - first two apps submitted… 13 to go. All prescreens filmed - now we just have to sort out all the footage and start uploading it. And scheduling… everytime my D starts to feel overwhelmed, I remind her - we’re getting a little done every day - and we WILL make it to the finish line! She’s so stinking busy - she’s never here!! But we’re determined… we’re hoping to have all apps done before Homecoming - Oct 12. I don’t know if it’s do-able - but we are sure gonna try! She still has so much writing to do!!</p>
<p>Kategrizz, if you’re behind then my DD is in the same boat! Her list is complete (and vetted by her parents, voice teacher, acting coach, choir teacher/musical director, etc.) but subject to change if she starts panicking in December, songs and monologues chosen, prescreens taped but still need to be sorted through and uploaded, common app essay rewritten for the 12th and (hopefully) final time so she is ready to push the button on all common apps that don’t require supplemental essays (sadly, only 5 qualify for that distinction), 5 auditions that didn’t require the submission of prescreens or a university application have been scheduled, 8 more left to schedule and the dominoes had better all fall right or my carefully crafted audition calendar will blow up. This is one time DD is definitely NOT singing I Enjoy Being a Girl cause MT auditions are definitely NOT a place where that is an advantage, 13 auditions seem like a crazy number but obviously not on the low side in this community. Smartly, DD has included a couple of non-audition BA schools that are academic likelies but she freely admits that a BFA is what she desperately wants so we are crossing our fingers, knowing that she is as prepared as she can be, and hoping for the best!
I did this 4 years ago with DS but in the classical music audition world. I was twitching for 8 months and he was cool as a cucumber. He ended up exactly where he was meant to be and I have to believe that DD will as well. Break a leg everyone in this audition cycle!</p>
<p>kategrizz and cellomom, you are both doing great! You may feel behind, but I don’t think you are at all. Keep plugging away a little every day and it will get done. Best of wishes to all the auditioning parents (and lots of adult beverages for the overstressed parents)!</p>
<p>My S may be ahead application and audition scheduling wise…but…no prescreenings taped yet. He THINKS he is finally comfortable with his monologue choices, but hasn’t run them for his acting coach yet. He THINKS he is finally comfortable with his song choices but only 1 of them is cut. And I think he may have added PACE to this list of schools last night. GULP!</p>
<p>That said he has friends who have barely started, don’t even have their schools or material narrowed down. I heard him on the phone last night with a fellow MTer “you have got to get your research done no later than this weekend, I will be over Saturday before my show to go over it” LOL! He thanked me last night and told me he could never do this without me. I’ve kept him scheduled and motivated. Its great to remind them how far in the process they’ve come, every step is a step in the right direction.</p>
<p>Keep on keepin on everyone!..that thread of 2014 acceptances will be started before we know it!!</p>
<p>We’re getting there… Still feel behind with only 4 apps submitted and 3 auditions scheduled. S’s list has ~10-12 schools. He’ll visit 2 more in a few weeks, so they might stay on/drop off list. He’s doing mock auditions mid-October, so we’re waiting for those to be over and he get critiqued before we video his prescreens (and very quickly after that, I might add!)</p>
<p>Another hold-up is ACT scores. We have his score from the spring, but he took it again a few weeks ago. Not knowing what the new score is yet, I’m hesitant to send out the fall score “blindly” to schools that are the more competitive ones on his list. (He did better on the ACTs then SATs.)</p>
<p>But! There are times when I feel way ahead of the game. S and I went to a university this past weekend to tour the theater facilities and campus (which we really liked!). Met another senior on the tour, a girl, who was obviously way behind us CCer parents and our (very lucky) kids. Parents hadn’t even heard of Unifieds. My son said something after the tour about the poor girl seemingly being behind on audition prep…It’s times like that when I think he appreciates all my husband and I have done for him to get him ready for these upcoming auditions. </p>
<p>Sometimes I think we’re doing too much, but he has so much other stuff going on at school and going to private lessons, and it feels like he’s never home. I told him to enjoy his senior year at school…it’ll go by way too quickly.</p>
<p>We are in process also, but will not be recording prescreens until mid October. We have 7 apps in, but those are all ones in which there were no essays. No auditions scheduled yet, hoping that will change by the end of the week… D is taking the SAT again this Saturday. My D is never home also, with rehearsals for a production she is in, voice lessons, homecoming skit practice, coaching sessions, and she is also working at a regional theatre as a follow spot (and getting paid!). She is feeling a bit overwhelmed, but I told her things will get better as we knock things off the list.</p>
<p>Hang in there everyone!</p>
<p>I thought that we were ahead, but as time passes, I feel us getting behind. </p>
<p>She does have two academic acceptances, but only one audition scheduled. </p>
<p>CA is done, except for the essay (which is completed. Just needs to be uploaded). Those should go out by the end of the week. </p>
<p>Three monologues and two songs chosen and polishing. Hopefully she will be ready to record in the next two weeks. Also hoping to snag her first audition in a month, to our local college. It’s way down on the list, so it would be great for her to start her auditions there. </p>
<p>The only way that it works for us is if I am her secretary and take charge of arranging the schedule. She’s responsible for perfecting audition material, essays and schoolwork. Oh, and enjoying her senior year as much as possible.</p>
<p>I agree sydsim, I think most of us parents on here are taking an active role as secretary. I’m great at organizing stuff, and it is stretching my limits keeping everything straight!</p>
<p>We knew to prep early and like many of you have stated the kids are so busy with their academics, theatre, extras and just senior year. We only had one scheduling issue and it ended up not being a problem and in all honesty her common app was not submitted until Thanksgiving weekend. She had her list together by the end of summer. Auditions were scheduled that could be along with rep list, resume and head shots. She was busy getting cuts and monologues together for the pre-screens that the only apps that were submitted early were the ones that did not need an essay or just wanted short answers.</p>