Hi All: Anyone who did Chicago Unifieds last year remember what schools had walk-ins? What’s your knowledge and experience with walking in general at Unifieds. We have one open slot. Wondering if it’s doable or if we should just catch an earlier flight home.
@myboy2000 - In 2014, Pace had everyone (parents and applicants) meet in an auditorium to hear an intro about the school and a rundown of how the day would go. Then the kids left. Parents were welcome to take a tour of the school, which I did. After about 3 hours, the kids came back to the auditorium. Callbacks were posted, and the crowd thinned - a lot. Very organized and well-run. Caution: my D auditioned for Acting only.
@myboy2000 My D auditioned for Pace in 2016 for BFA acting. We met in a large meeting room in the PA building. All kids auditioning for any of the 5 or so programs checked in. The room was PACKED. For acting, we were given a group number. I think MT kids were also divided into groups. Everyone sat and listened to an intro/info meeting that was general to all of the PA programs. Then they started dividing kids up depending on what they were auditioning for or the group they were assigned to. BFA acting was the only one who posted a callback list, which they did after each smaller group finished. It was a bit painful as the list was posted in the common room (on a mirror no less) and all the other acting/MT kids waiting plus parents watched as kids went up to see if they were called back. My D was in the last group to go…so we watched a lot of that. The BFA acting program (if called back) and the MT program seemed to take longest as there were so many kids there. The other programs seemed to be done a bit earlier. MT kids were put into groups and did dance as one part and their monologue/song as the other part. It took the full 4 hours, it not a bit longer (lots of waiting). BAL.
They are gone the whole 4 hours ? So we don’t see them in between? We did with Elon but not with BW. Sounds like a cattle call again 
I will prepare for a long day!
Just confirming that MT does not callback just acting correct?
@myboy2000 - Yep, most are cattle calls - but Pace is very well run, as opposed to many. I brought a Liane Moriarty novel to the Pace audition and read it cover to cover. I got a lot of reading done during audition season!
Lol…thank you! I will grab a book and relax !
@myboy2000 - Re the callback list - my recollection is the same as bfahopeful’s; only Acting posted a callback list, and yes, the way they did it was pretty brutal.
D1 did a Pace Acting audition at Unifieds and it was the same process as @EastchesterMom describes. D got a callback - the entire process took longer than 4 hours. They allowed her to finish up at the 4 hour mark so she could get to her next audition. S auditioned on campus for MT in 2014. I do recall the day being very long but don’t recall a callback list. He was invited to take part in the tap call at the end that extended the day.
@4llth4tj4zz I talked to Kat from JMU and if your decision is not in the portal (it still says pending) then you are basically deferred until Early March for your decision. I’m pending too
My son is a BA acting at PACE. During his audition 2015 - they posted a callback list. We had no clue so it was a bit jarring to learn about the process on the spot. I believe that if the # kids auditioning is manageable, they might not do a callback and instead have everyone attend the movement portion (so I heard from a student answering the department phone). And on a happy note - my son is aware of a student who was not called back (thought he was “done”), but was offered admission and attended Pace. So who knows what the auditors are thinking!
@myboy2000 and other readers readers! I’m a romance novelist in my real life. If anyone wants any light but still good reading recs perfect for audition season, PM me!
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@myboy2000 only BFA acting had callbacks our year for Pace. The BA program says that all will do the movement call. The BFA program only calls back a handful for this and they told us “if you are not called back you can anticipate what decision you will get in the mail” (meaning you have been cut).
I saw my D a good part of the 4 hours while we waited for other groups to go or callbacks to start. If i recall the MT kids were gone most of the time as they just rotated the groups through dance etc.
Dance was done as a whole group. But they do monologues and song alone. The kids did walk through parent area to get clothes to change or switch groups.
I guess it is a cattle call in that there are many kids there. But they get their individual slot. And each dept/major auditions separately. Meaning the BFA actors are seen by their faculty, MT by MT faculty, film actors by the film and tv staff, BA actors are with BA professors, etc.
It is well run.
For those of you that hired coaches to assist with preparing for auditions, when did you hire them and begin the process? My daughter is a junior, and I’m trying to determine when the best time to do everything is in preparation for next year.
We hired Mary Anna Dennard. For her program, you have to go through her online stuff first, and then you can talk to her about coaching, so it isn’t too soon to do that. D did that during the spring semester of junior year. We didn’t get around to doing the coaching sessions until right at hte start of fall semester of senior year, and I wish we would have started at the beginning of summer. There was too much happening for her at the beginning of school, and it felt a bit rushed. That said, it seems to have worked out just fine for her so far. You aren’t too early at this point.
We used MTCA and have loved working with them. We began in January of Junior year. It was a game changer for us. Love her coaches and would have been a little lost without them!!
Makes me so nervous that so many have used her and others as coaches! Hopefully my girl will be ok without a coach! 
You are not alone, @fancytheatrekid, we don’t have a coach either. It’s just me and my girl figuring it all out.
BAL to all of our kiddos!
@fancytheatrekid @MTMOM17 - keep the faith; we’re all rooting for your Ds!!!
Thanks!!!