Well, this journey is really in full swing! My d has her first audition on Monday. And she passed her prescreen at Nebraska Wesleyan so we are getting that audition scheduled too. She is extremely excited (and nervous), but I think I’m even more so! She was just cast as Sarah in our high school’s production of Guys and Dolls and is prepping for District choir auditions too. I don’t know how she does it all, but she seems to thrive on the busy schedule! 
So exciting @songgirlsmom! Wow. We only have one scheduled so far, next month. I’m getting kind of nervous that it’s all starting and so many tasks are to be done, most of which have to wait for someone else to do them. My D’s voice teacher doesn’t feel she’s ready for an audition this early but it would be so nice to get one out of the way. Best of luck to your D!
Aww @songgirlsmom my D was ms Adelaide in Guys and Dolls last year. Love that show!
Hey everyone! How are you surviving the first month into the school year.
I was wondering what you guys used for your artistic recommendations letters after your admitted into the school. So many want 2 or more. I am considering asking my voice teacher because he can speak to my work ethic and that sort of thing. But I’m not sure if that would be taboo to use a voice teacher for reccomendations.
Voice teacher is fine for one of your artistic recommendations. My S used his voice teacher since he had studied him for a few years and knew him better than his HS Arts teachers.
Yeah, so many schools require two artistic letters of recommendation along with all the stuff needed for the academic portion of admission. I have a director who I’m close with who can write one of my letters but for the second I wasn’t sure if it would be odd to use my teacher. I guess I don’t know whom else I would otherwise, maybe my choir director but that might not be too informative or personal.
I really didn’t realize how many additional essays I’d haven to write in this process. At my school the 11th grade honors English classes write essays using the common app prompts to get feedback and learn about the college application process. So I thought I was set already having my common app essay complete going into the school year but there have been so many more nit picky ones for each program, while it isn’t difficult to write it adds a lot of unexpected things on my to do list and that’s stressful. It seems crazy, I just actually scheduled my first audition today. It’s all happening.
Voice teacher is a good idea for artistic recommendation also choir director, band director, and any one you’ve worked with in a show, for example director at theater at which you performed. We used voice teacher, and either choir director or local theater director depending on the school.
@parachuteBoy I agree! My D has had to write sooo many essays! Over 15! Crazy!
For CommonApp schools that require teacher LORs, should it be a performing arts teacher or just any teacher?
common app stuff is generally for academics- arts recs etc are often in supplements. But as with everything- check school by school- most will tell you of they want something specific
Last year, I believe that each school on the common app specified which they wanted, and how many of each type.
Naviance tells you really clearly- but idk if balletpotter’s school uses it
Is there anyway to distribute the artistic reccomendations as easily as the academic ones. My school uses naviance and I had asked my history teacher to write a rec letter just to get into my schools academically and I was able to have him submit his to naviance and then distribute it to the schools where it was needed. But it seems with the voice teachers and directors that the only way to get their letters in is by going to each schools specific application and putting in their email. I don’t want to freak out anyone willing to write a letter by them getting email requests from so many schools even if they can’t just copy past seven times.
Also, I’ve noticed a lot of schools you have to fill out their artistic application after you apply to the school before you can schedule audition times so I guess it’s already time to create a resume and a headshot. I’m wondering if anyone used their senior pictures for their headshot. I have a few that could crop nicely but it might have too much of a busy background to work.
Cant believe this process is almost over!! All apps submitted except for one not on the common app, just finishing that schools extras. Transcript requests done, rec requests done, auditions and interviews scheduled, a couple interviews already done, She is feeling good about her songs and monologues, hotels and flights booked…Feeling so much better!!! Not really stressed about the auditions because she will windup where she is meant to be.
@ParachuteBoy You should speak with your Guidance Counselor. You should be able to give him/her a list of the schools that require additional artistic recommendation letters. The teachers who write artistic recommendations for you should give those letters to your guidance counselor, who in turn, will forward those letters to the programs that need them. Generally, the student does not see the actual recommendation letters…that is between the teachers and the school you are applying to.
@16bars That makes a lot of sense, thank you, you rock! I was worried that guidance councillors at high school wouldn’t be familiar with the application process for MT, because it truly is a whole different beast to tackle than any other career or major. My guidance councilor just got replaced at the end of September because she moved out of state, such odd timing.
@ParachuteBoy Many guidance counselors don’t know the particular process/issues with MT applications, but they DO need to be able to adapt to the many different requirements of different programs from different schools…whether it’s portfolio reviews for art students, research papers for science programs, or musical auditions for music schools. And they all will most likely require supplemental, field related essays. I suggest making an appointment with your counselor and showing him/her your schools requirements and taking it from there.
Is it just me? We did so much preparation and research, why do I still feel behind the eight ball? She has her songs and monologues, she started her essays in the summer, but yet I still feel like there’s so much to do. My D is definitely less stressed than I though. Lol.
It’s not just you, @mtjones1 ! I remember a lot of posts with similar cries of angst last year around this time. I also remember feeling like there was still a lot to do (even though we really were “on schedule”) and that audition season was forever away. It’s an endeavor that requires daily focus, so do something for it each day, and, before you know it, audition season will begin!
Right there with you @mtjones1