@katew529, I agree, too. And for those of us with kids interested in backstage/tech—doubly so. Those posts are few and far between on this page. Adding in the MTs would be so much more to sift through and we might never find each other!
Last year-D only auditioned for MT programs; this year she is auditioning for both-predominantly due to the fact that we learned of Acting programs where she will be able to take voice, dance, and audition for musicals here on CC. I don’t care whether the info is combined or separate: I am just SO grateful for it!
I frequented both forums. Son auditioned all MT except one. One of his acceptances was a redirect to BFA Acting, and that is the program he chose. You never know where this journey will take your child.
Truth. S did mostly MT; D1 did all Acting; D2 is doing both. I sift through both!
I read both boards even though my D is only going for Acting, but there is definitely value in keeping them separate… The information is different. Audition dates are often different, whether they require prescreens is different, in some cases, how many they accept is different. MT draws more folks into the discussion, and I’m grateful for those lively boards, but it should be possible to establish a board for a specific group. Yes, I imagine Directing, Tech folks really would prefer their own discussion as well.
@StewNChelle and @bfahopeful : Yes, Montclair is offering in-state tuition to BFA theatre students. They also offer academic money on top of that. Excellent bargain!
Comm app essay question for BFA/Audition programs. She finally finished it and showed it to me last night. I really don’t like it. She comes across as shallow and she isn’t. Her essay doesn’t capture her voice. It’s a safe essay. too safe. Do we just use it so she can get her auditions dates or submit her pre-screen? She is a strong academic candidate. Superstore for ACT is 35 (2 takes) and good grades from a good high school. Does the comm app essay matter?
@123Mimi - for schools that have an academic component for admission (Michigan, NYU, Boston, Penn State, Syracuse) it will matter.
I totally concur with toowonderful, but I am a newbie compared to her. But for schools that are an academic admit, admissions will review the package for acceptance. With her very strong academics, you don’t want the essay to hold her back. It doesn’t have to be OTT incredible, but she has to be likable and it should be well written.
Agree with previous two posters. Applicants to academically competitive schools all have similar stats, it’s the essay that can make you stand out. See if there’s a way she can inject more of her personality into it to give it some authenticity.
I called her recent graduated brother and he is on board and will work with her on the phone to help her re edit the essay. Hopefully the spots for auditions aren’t all filled yet. That would be sad indeed. I see what happened was her first draft was her vibrant voice and her guidance counselor gave her notes that and she went off in a direction that didn’t work for her.
OK- I just wanted to share our first little victory (with people who “get it”)!!! We just got our prescreens completed/ sent out this weekend. My daughter found out today she passed a prescreen (for Temple)… we both are so thrilled! Those prescreens were a stressful obstacle for us- but she did it! and to hear a positive yes was exciting! I know we have miles to go- but it is also nice to celebrate the milestones along the way! 
Hope you all are having some good news days too!
Congratulations! The phase of figuring out all the pieces and getting everything in to the schools was the most hectic when son applied. I wrote that I needed a Xanax pump to get me through After all was completed, I felt that son had grabbed the baton and the race was his to finish. It was a great feeling, enjoy!
Hi! My son went through Cherubs last year (2016) and his experience was Amazing! He was inso many short-films and had acted with some really gifted students from all over the world. When we went to visit Juilliard for a tour and other NY schools, many from his Cherubs program invited him to hang out. while we were there. He was extremely independent getting around but I think getting around Chicago is quite similar and it helped.
How did your child like Northwesterns program?
My Son this year decided to attend the Berridge program in France for several weeks. When he came back this time, he had an entirely different mind-set going into his senior year. He loves his theater conservatory class at ChiArts and seems to be more determined than ever.
@savedrama4momma and others. Congrats on passing the Temple prescreen. Likewise, my D heard back she passed CMU and Pace, which was so nice. I agree, it’s a small positive. When you think about it, other than prescreens, they don’t get much feedback until we get answers all the way on… April 1!? Is that right? Maybe some academic acceptances.
We are still waiting on Ithaca and Syracuse prescreens for Acting. Has anyone heard, and if so, how long did it take?
I have to admit that we have been bad about celebrating academic acceptances, merit aid scholarships and passing prescreens. Some of her friends would be thrilled and jumping for joy to be done with college apps and having the academic admit and scholarships in hand, but for my D it still feels like just a part of the long process and she doesn’t want to get her hopes up. We’ve talked about how she has many academic choices already, but my D insists that she wouldn’t go to any of them for anything but a BFA.
@type1mom - same here. We’re seeing Facebook posts daily about fellow seniors being accepted to schools - no posts for us, even though she’s been accepted to several academically already. When D1 did this, all of her friends had roommates, and were deciding how to decorate their dorm rooms, while she didn’t even know where she was going to go until March! D2 will most likely be the same. We laughed when her cousin complained about “so many essays” - she’s applying to 3 schools. LOL!
D isn’t even done applying (actually, finishing prescreens WAY later than we’d hoped). Our seniors get to cheer in March/April
@artskids yep! Prescreens not done for my D either
Same here! Still watching paint dry!