<p>@vvnstar makes an excellent point… try not to go ape on your kid if you aren’t as far along as some others at this point - you are still good! It was hard for me at this point - we were close - but not quite ready - and I saw other posters checking things off of lists. Our first hard deadline last year was mid-month (the early date for Michigan) - and once we made that deadline - the rest just fell into place. BW fall audition prescreen deadline is today - so I think what you are seeing are kids who hope to audition there in the fall - that hard deadline has pushed them to be far enough along in the process to make that deadline! Once you’ve submitted the first app and the first pre-screen - the rest don’t take nearly as long! It’s all the prep to get ready for the first one that is the hurdle! From the time we submitted the first (Oct 15) to the time we submitted the final app (Oct 31) was only 2 weeks - yet we had been working toward that since August. So take a deep breath - and keep doing the “next” thing on the list - and it will all get done!!</p>
<p>Your the best @kategrizz </p>
<p>Ugh! You’re :-)</p>
<p>I’m starting to feel a bit <a href=“mailto:better...@kategrizz…thanks”>better…@kategrizz…thanks</a> for the pep talk!</p>
<p>First academic application and two artistic applications are IN! I am so relieved right now 
just another bajillion to go!</p>
<p>Bought two tickets for a Sierra Boggess concert at Millikin next week … 2nd row! Ds a happy girl right now!</p>
<p>Just a couple of observations from a veteran h.s. arts teacher: (1) Reminders about recommendations should come from the student, not the parent. When the student is courteously proactive about checking in, it always improves their credibility for me. (2) Give your recommenders a little credit: not only is the beginning of the year an incredibly hectic time for teachers (assuming they are teachers), but most recommenders know that colleges prefer recent observations. Taking some time to see how the student is doing as a senior is not just understandable but wise. And (3) as toowonderful points out, the presence or absence of those letters is not going to affect a darn thing at this stage of the game. However, a beleaguered teacher may not respond well to accusations of procrastinating. ;)</p>
<p>Sierra and Norm are performing at Drew University on the 6th 
<a href=“http://www.drew.edu/announcements/announcement/concert-broadway-stars-norm-lewis-sierra-boggess/”>http://www.drew.edu/announcements/announcement/concert-broadway-stars-norm-lewis-sierra-boggess/</a></p>
<p>Yesthanks for the pep talk as well!! I have been feeling like we are behind and pretty much stressing my daughter out as she slowly works on her apps and preps her songs. This is such a stressful time of year! It will be so greatto just have something in.</p>
<p>Hang in there everyone I’m confident you will all complete the steps on time!! Can’t wait for the prescreen results to start rolling in!! Let me know of any auditioning at Otterbein, my S is going to try to attend the on campus auditions and I’ll send him your way for questions about his freshman experience.</p>
<p>My husband has always been very supportive, but he has always been very much in the background when it comes to Ds lessons, song choices, audition pieces, etc. </p>
<p>Until last night. </p>
<p>I guess it’s with her first college audition this weekend, he took the time to tell her that … she should be on vocal rest, use lots of hand sanitizer, maybe daily vitamin c would be good, stay away from sick people … it was very cute & very charming. </p>
<p>My husband got to come to ONE college audition (by chance, her 2nd, it was close to home). He was not a part of “our” process (D and I have been doing this together for a long time, and had toured the school, knew what to expect etc) and having him there didn’t work well. HE was so nervous about the whole thing (he 100% supports D, but hadn’t had to do anything but come clap before) that I spent a significant amount of time calming HIM down. In fact, it was the only time I left an audition site during the process (at unifieds I would sometimes go be in another are of hotel, but I was in building) b/c HIS tension was making D tense, so he and I took a walk</p>
<p>Later in the audition season he had a day where he was available and could have come to another school…we politely explained we had a process and were all good. And actually he was fine with that, so all was well. </p>
<p>Has anyone visited or interested in Millikin? My D is applying. It is a small school and I have heard nothing about it. It will be hard for us to visit unless and until she gets accepted because it is a long way for us. Can anybody tell me what they think? </p>
<p>@BabyBettesmom - There is a special thread for Millikin with all the MT schools- you might want to start there</p>
<p>
To offer an alternate experience, I had also always been the one on point for all of the audition process. My husband took our daughter to only one audition as well and it worked possibly better in some ways than me being there. He is a way better poker player than I am which means better at faking calm. I think the trick is that we who have always been in the driver’s seat shouldn’t also be there at the same time. I know if I had been, any excessive anxiety he felt, I probably would have caused and I doubt I would have let him be in charge. Better to sit it out and pace at home which by the way has its advantages. It was far more relaxing than I thought it would be. </p>
<p>@babybettesmom … Sierra Boggess is an alum. </p>
<p>I also know two current students and a few alum. Pls. feel free to private message me if you’d like.</p>
<p>@KaMaMom: That is so sweet and brings up a great point. It seems as if there is always one parent captaining the ship. But its important to make everyone feel included in the process. This can be especially tough when one of you goes on the road for the auditions and one stays home. Its possible your child may run out of the audition room and tell you the good, bad and ugly of how it went. But then not care to repeat themselves on the phone to anyone at home. So the person at home needs to be patient, and the student and parent at the audition need to remember to be considerate of the ones at home. They are trying to picture what is happening, thinking good thoughts for you, and waiting to hear how it went! Even if they haven’t been all that involved in getting you ready beforehand. They still care what happens. So don’t forget to call home!</p>
<p>^^^Excellent points. One good thing about having the other parent take a turn, is they get to experience first hand that the kid may not want to talk to anyone for a while. So that way when the other parent is home pacing and a little upset that you either haven’t called or when you do, you don’t have much to report, they will see first hand what it looks like to be the person on the ground. You are wondering yourself and dying to know… but the kid might still be processing and isn’t ready to talk yet. And they he/she is probably sitting right next to you in the car or in the hotel room and you can’t speak frankly or attempt to answer their questions even if you wanted to. Thus my comment that being the one who stays home, sometimes is the better gig. :-)</p>
<p>Just looked back old threads to find out when son had sent in his first pre-screen last year and it was 11/17, so for those of you worrying you are lagging behind for the non-early audition dates, don’t! :)</p>
<p>YAY!!! Thanks for checking the dates @entertainersmom !!! Maybe I can stop grinding my teeth now…</p>