@ABMT16 - Honestly, this whole process sucks. I would swear here but CC likely won’t let me. I think the only thing you can do right now is wait till you hear from the final three. If you end up not getting the answers you hope for, then you need to focus on what you want to do next. If you are truly not feeling the schools you have been accepted to, that is OK. Figure out your next steps. There are so many paths to what you want to do. College is only one way. Find the path that works for you.
Well… More than 12 hours later, my dad and I finally got to Ohio. Our first flight ended up getting canceled because of the maintanance problem, so we got transferred to another flight, which is just about the only thing that went well. Got delayed a bit after our layover in Chicago so they could de-ice the plane, and now we have to wait for the suitcase at the baggage claim and find a rental car since we missed our reservation for that. And then we have to drive for an hour into Kent. It’s now 1:30 am and I am very tired, and very glad my audition isn’t until 2 in the afternoon. And I guess I will have a good story to tell in the future, even if this is not a very good situation at the moment. 
More traveling nightmare: suitcase is not here… Thank you to whichever kind person from a couple years ago recommended that you take your audition things with you in your carry on. You are the reason why I have my dress and my music with me
@littlebean37 Oh my! I thought my two rejections in a day were bad! Good thing you have your dress and music! BAL!
@littlebean37 BAL you will be great! Get some sleep and knock em dead!
@ABMT16 @1998parent15 Thank you! I will do my best 
Slightly random question: My nice shoes were in the suitcase, so I obviously can’t wear those now, but I have my ballet slippers and my boots with me. Would one of those be better to wear for the singing/acting portion? I don’t know if it really matters, especially at this point, but maybe one of them would be slightly more favorable for an audition.
@littlebean37 I’d say probably boots? Unless they’re like snow boots lol. They may just assume they’re a part of your personal style so don’t sweat it too much!
I’m feeling blue too. The schools I felt most comfortable with, didnt see me the same way. I know I have potential just like I know you all do too. I am really frustrated. It seems like schools do not want a (non-PA) high school theater resume, but that’s all I have been able to do. I keep reading about all these successful broadway actors without BFAs but the path without one seems quite hard. Trying to decide whether to go to a non- bfa school that I love or a very good bfa one that I don’t really know anything about. Then I’m small school vs large. It’s almost mid-March and I am really stressed. Sorry to vent!
Bless you, @mtgirl225. Maybe you should go check out one of those schools about which you don’t know a lot. One of them could be your dream school. As the process evolves, it is not uncommon for your “dream school” to change. You’ll find that special place, but I know it’s hard to let go when you’ve envisioned yourself in a program, in a dorm, working with certain faculty. Hang in there.
@mtgirl225 and @ABMT16 - The stress is real and you should feel free to vent because it’s so hard to find people that understand what you are all going through. It’s really hard getting those rejections especially from schools where you felt the most comfortable either because of a great audition experience or just how the school and program felt to you. And it’s hard watching other kids get acceptances, especially when some of them are getting multiple acceptances and you’re still waiting. It does seem like kids from performing arts schools and those with coaches are seeing more acceptances, but kids without those things still get acceptances too. BFAs from name brand schools certainly doesn’t guarantee success. There are lots of schools that no one really talks about that will give you great training and then there are other paths to the same place. Once you know your options, you can look at which school is right for you or which alternate path is right for you. Hang in there, it’s not over yet!
Hi @TYTEMOM - My D is a freshman MT at Hartt, so if you have any questions, or want to have your D chat with mine about the program, feel free to PM me. My D is SUPER happy there. Congratulations!
@ABMT16 I had the exact same fears going into this process. Rejections suck, but NOBODY is going to get accepted to every school they apply to. Kyle Dean Massey (Broadway Pippin; Wicked, etc.) was rejected from EVERY college he applied/auditioned for. He ended up going to a college who had students audition their sophomore year. With that said, you do not need to go to Carnegie Mellon or the University of Michigan to be on Broadway and be a successful actor. If you have what it takes, you will make it. It will not matter where you train. If you are unhappy with results, you can always attend a school you have been accepted to with the hope of transferring your sophomore year or you can even attend your dream school as an undecided major, work with faculty of the MT department, and reaudition for the program. (This was the path I decided I would take if I didn’t get a single acceptance) Don’t worry yet, you still have 3 schools to hear from, too!
@ABMT16 - have you had an opportunity to visit Rochester and ONU in person? You may find you like them more when seeing them in person, meeting the faculty and students who are there, etc… But before you rule them out, make sure they really are not a good spot for you. They are both reputable programs where you can get good training.
Also, have you checked out the thread discussing schools still auditioning for this year? Perhaps there are one or two on there you might like and can still pursue this year. I know for @KaMaMom’s D, this worked for her her and her D is very happy now at her school.
Lastly, there is nothing wrong with a gap year, but definitely talk it over with parents. What would you do during that year? Who will pay for the additional training and for applying and auditioning again? Will you be living at home? Do you need to get a job? What are your parents’ expectations? Does it effect any academic scholarship monies you’ve earned? There are no easy answers. Some people have been very successful auditioning after taking a gap year. But, not to be a downer, but not everyone does better a second time around. So that’s something to consider as well.
@TYTEMOM Congrats on the acceptance! Did she audition on campus?
Good advice @vvnstar. Not familiar with Rochester, but ONU is a great school with solid training.
@ABMT16 - You should definitely look deeper into these schools. Visit and sit in on classes, eat lunch, chat with students and faculty - one of these could be the dream school you didn’t dream of. 
@ABMT16 - We have a good friend who went to a local community college this year, then decided to audition for Acting programs very late in the process. She has had a great experience and even got into an MT program as a walkin. Coming in with nothing to lose seemed to really work for her! She really walked in and sold herself to these programs. Acting programs seem to really allow for more opportunity to talk and let the faculty get to know you. And many theatre programs allow for crossover btw acting and MT.
@mtgirl225 - Hang in there! My daughter did not have PA hs or professional work on her resume either. She did a lot of community theatre, no fancy summer programs or professional coaching though. She got very down during the process, as we had been told it was “all about the audition” and thought her hard work and experience would be enough. And it was, we just didn’t know that at the time. Remember, it’s still early in the process and most of the wait lists haven’t started yet. We have one friend(few years ago), who did not get in to any programs, then at the last minute came off a wait list at Roosevelt(May). She kept communicating with them throughout the process and it paid off! She loves it there.
Be sure to visit the schools you do get in to. Both of the programs my daughter got into are schools that we have visited, and know that she could be happy at. She also visited one of the “trinity” programs, thought it was the perfect school until she sat in on classes… was very surprised that it was not all she had anticipated. She still auditioned there and it was no surprise that she was not accepted, nothing about it felt right. So far she has had 4 rejections, 1 priority hold and 2 acceptances. The rejections have still been hard, even knowing it is probably for the best. But the schools she got in to clearly did not care about that resume:) But we know how it feels to go up against all of that. So don’t give up hope!
@ABMT16, my daughter knows someone who “only” got into ONU last year. She was disappointed and upset for many of the same reasons you mentioned, but did enroll. I saw her over the summer, and she is ecstatic about her decision. Her confidence, skills, and outlook are wonderful now. She told me she is very, very happy with her decision.
I think a lot has to do with attitude and I am not at all suggesting that @ABMT16 has a bad one. Taking a gap year has worked well for many kids and if you have the stamina to train and do this audition process again then you should go for it. No one’s path is identical. Whatever way you achieve your goal is the right one. Do you like your safety? My daughter never expected to need a safety LOL and thanks to CC we found a good one. She turned down a highly respected BFA to attend her safety. I was sure it would not be the school for her but she is thriving and it’s because of her attitude. She jumped into the theatre department with both feet and is having an unbelievably rewarding experience. She never turns down any opportunity and is even creating her own.
If it’s the school and not the department that you don’t see yourself at then I would go. If you like the courses offered and the professors, the chance of you actually spending much time outside of the department is slim. My daughter lives in hers and rarely comes out for a breath.
You need to really take a minute and congratulate yourself for even being admitted to ONE BFA! That is phenomenal. You are clearly talented and don’t let this set you back. It’s hard to tell a young girl to toughen up without seeming like a meany, but this business is grueling. You CANNOT let self doubt suck out your soul. This process and future auditions in the business do not define who you are.
Choose one of the schools that accepted you and SHINE!!
@littlebean37 , my daughter auditioned at Kent State yesterday. Everyone we met was very kind and supportive. Someone arrived late for the auditions, and they waited and saw her after everyone else was done. We also saw kids in jeans, boots, dresses - the whole gamut. As long as you have your music and dance shoes, you will be fine! BAL!