Class of 2021 (Discussing application season, sharing, venting)

@LAM2017 We visited UArts over the summer and we liked the school and even thought that part of Philly was really cute. Just thought my S would prefer to be in Chicago or NYC. Does anyone know how many acting students they take? I’m thinking it’s bigger, like Marymount Manhattan.

@remartin67 I don’t know how many students UArts takes for acting. I think for MT they want to end up with 25 but have had much bigger classes the last two years. More like 50! More students ended up going there than in past years. I wonder if it’s because there are many more applicants? Did your S apply to DePaul? That’s a great program. We know a few kids there.

He did and they barely paid attention to him. I have it on good authority that they were looking for diversity this year including one transgender, and it’s a longshot due to odds anyway, which are like 5% acceptance rate.

I’m sorry @remartin67, that’s terrible. All of these acceptance rates are crazy. It’s really a total crap shoot to get into any program.

@LAM2017 - I’m realizing that. Seems like my S isn’t quite making the cut for the schools that take only the top 2-5% but he is getting into the ones with slightly better odds. I’m wondering how much grades play in at certain schools and resumes with big summer programs, performing arts high schools and lots of professional experience play in at others. While my son has an agent and a little professional experience, I wonder if it’s just not quite enough.

@remartin67 I know what you mean. My D did not go to a PA HS nor does she have pro experience or an agent. This has really been eye opening, to say the least. Not that I ever had misconceptions about her talent or ability, I never thought she was exceptional or anything, but I thought she could at least pursue her passion. She’s been performing since she was 4, just all at the local level. She will pursue this regardless of the acceptances/rejections. And she is also so positive and unshaken by any of it. She knows what she wants and she is going after it. I give her so much credit for that. It’s just so hard to watch your kid be rejected and critiqued to this level!

What a great attitude @LAM2017

I can only speak for my daughter’s program and there are kids with a lot of experience and kids with very little. There are some from every walk of life and high school experience (only a handful went to PA high schools). Last year I really tried to figure out why she got into some and rejected from others (and same for other kids we knew). There did not seem to be any sense or pattern to the acceptances or rejections. So I stopped trying to figure it out and did realize that most of the kids we knew ended up right where they should be and are quite happy. Even if it the process was not pleasant to get there.

As I kept saying last year to my daughter -any audition based program is selective and it is not easy to get into any. I laughed when I heard kids say some schools were “easy” admits because they accepted 8-10%.

This part will be over soon. And you will start the planning for the big move in the fall. Keep us all posted on decisions. Excited to see where everyone lands and to hear how it is all going for them next year.

MY D has zero experience as well. Yes she has an agent and has the experience of going on auditions but has only booked one small job. She’s only been in one high school production as well…plus the one coming up next month. No local theater experience at all…

If anyone has info on the number of BFA Acting students at UArts, I’d really appreciate it. My personal preference for my son is a program where there are 25 - 40 students so there is a lot of opportunity to perform and get more personalized attention from faculty. I can’t seem to find an answer online and am waiting for a reply to email from the school.

@remartin67 : 25-40 students per grade, or per department? Makes a difference, and both are out there in BFA land. I have zero knowledge of UArts other than reading here, but I thought they would fall in the 25-40 per grade

@toowonderful Per grade. Incoming class for BFA Acting.

Isn’t that a fairly large class @remartin67? I was under the impression that most programs were 12-20

@LAM2017 Your D sounds like an amazing young lady-her attitude will take her far, I am sure of that! My D has a similar story, been on stage since age 6 in local community theaters, lessons, summer programs, school productions and drama competitions. She has a great GPA, excelled in a sport in HS and was involved in other activities. Her resume looks great-still didn’t help her get into her dream school. But she is determined and just like your D, will follow her passion and go for it no matter what. Congrats to you on raising a resilient young person! And I agree, it is so hard to see the rejection!

@marg928 - not compared to Marymount Manhattan. I hear they accept 100 BFA Acting, 75 MT and 100 BA per year.

Just heard back from UArts–the last 2 years were 26 and 33

And @marg928 - the NYU studios are about 40 kids each. And Roosevelt CCPA is 25 acting and 25 MT.

Boston is in the 25-40 range too (or it was 3 years ago) I have said this before, while D did have some tiny/small programs on her list, she did seek out some of the “larger” deliberately- not to try to “up” the acceptance probability but to ensure that there would be opportunities to work with many different people. D’s HS PA class (under 20) got really claustrophobic and not super healthy by the end. Made D herself want to make sure that she would NOT be with the same 10 people all day every day for 4 years.

Maybe 100 is the entire 4 years of BFa Acting students at Marymount? Anyone know how big the incoming class will be?

My D just got into Michigan! I’m sobbing. All those decline letters coming in first…so deflating! Just to be clear she auditioned for a few different art areas. The acceptance today was for voice performance. So happy right now.

Congratulations @followurheart !!!