Thank you @EastchesterMom !!
I don’t think anyone “needs” a coach. There are so many kids that do very well without. I just blurted out MTCA in answer to the question.
I will say, being a widow/single mom, that I did it as much for myself as for my daughter. Knowlege and organization help is desperately needed on my end. I stumbled through the college process with my non-performing arts son a few years ago and there is so much I wish I had known then and he was on a much less complicated path.
I will say though that my daughter really has benefitted from her acting coach. That relationship has been deep and special. He is wise and she has appreciated his depth as an actor. It is something sorely lacking where we live. Her High School is very week when it comes to the arts. So we really needed to go outside of our little bubble for some guidance.
It can absolutely be done wonderfully well without a coach (just not by me ha).
Point Park auditioners this weekend. This notice went out. I know the students’ spring show callbacks were canceled. Did you receive notices?
http://www.pointpark.edu/news-copa/dance-and-theatre-auditions-canceled-january-13-2018
Wow! 
I have known kids who done it without coaching and gotten multiple offers. I have known kids who used extensive coaching and gotten zero offers. And vice versa. There is no magic formula to successful BFA acceptance, any more than there is with successful professional career after college
Yeah, the whole city is basically shutting down. Terrible travel conditions expected overnight into tomorrow.
Ugh. We are in PSU today and tomorrow - and feeling VERY grateful we decided to come in early for D to sit in on classes. We are supposed to head in to Pittsburgh tomorrow night. May be hanging out here and extra day!
We arrived at noon today for my S audition tomorrow at CMU…not a fun drive from Cleveland. I would be upset if they cancelled. Why not hold the audition at Point Park at least for those that are already here…hopefully most can reschedule.
BAL @MTmomSF. Not sure about PPU. I do feel horrible for the auditionees. The puzzle is tough enough - not sure how to make a cancellation work!
We used MTCA. I was reluctant to pay for a coach initially but we ended-up finding the resource incredibly valuable. I think it would have been much harder to navigate this process without their guidance. Looking back, we were pretty clueless going in and glad I chose to use them.
My D utilized Mary Anna Dennard’s Monologue Concierge, MTCA for initial consultation and webinars. We have a patchwork of resources that fit her needs and my budget. I will say that I am so impressed with MTCA, and if we had more time and $, I would have loved her to have received additional acting coaching.
My husband and son flew up from South Florida this afternoon for the CMU auditions tomorrow…said it was a very rough flight! I hope their flight back Sunday evening is not affected. BAL everyone!
We used Polish Your Passion out of NYC for coaching. Started spring of Junior year. Been so pleased with all their help. Caroline & Tom are incredible.
Those of you in the Pittsburgh area stay safe today and enjoy the time spent with your daughter/son. Hopefully the universities will find a way to have auditions tomorrow. Again, best of luck and safety first.
@carriemc95 - we first found out about coaches about this time of D’s junior year of HS. We went ahead and signed up with Mary Anna Dennard spring semester of Ds junior year . She began working with D on a school list, and monologue choices. Then she hooked her up with a song coach to select audition songs. And we spent summer between junior and senior year preparing audition material, working with Mary Anna and a voice coach Mary Anna found for us, and getting applications and essays ready to go. We did Moonifieds in November of senior year with our remaining auditions Jan-Mar of senior year. Mary Anna was with us throughout the entire process. There at Unifieds in Chicago for support and assistance. Always available by phone or text. And really helped think through final choices and decisions.
If you are in the spring of your junior year and considering using a coach, I would highly encourage you to go ahead now and explore coaching options and select which one fits your needs best and get started. There are a number of good options out there. If you have questions about Moo, feel free to ask. We were very pleased with her.
But also, as stated above, a coach is not absolutely necessary. Although we knew lots of people in our local theater community, we did not have access to people with a lot of familiarity with the college audition process. Be aware those are two very different types of knowledge. But if you do your homework about schools and feel confident about your choice of audition material and the process, a coach is not always necessary. But it was comforting to have such a resource to confer with through the process. It alleviated a lot of stress.
@speezagmom That sounds familiar. You’re looking out and trying to ensure he doesn’t miss his opportunity. My D thought I didn’t believe in her either. But really I believed in her, just not that the auditors would get her after 3 minutes. D is at a wonderful MT program this year, but last spring was probably the toughest for our relationship so far.
S finished his audition at CMU - two songs and two monologues. Not asked to do a third. Was in front of Gary K. And Kyle H - not passed on to any others. Can’t recall, is that good or not? Lol. S thought it went well, which is all that matters. On to NY Unified (Pace and Rider) next weekend.
@CentralOHmomof4 - I agree that your D is in a wonderful MT program, wink wink!
We don’t have a coach either. Just my daughter and I and we are hoping that will be enough!
Happy to report that Penn State no longer does the immediate cut/callback. They took less from prescreens this year to compensate. On campus, everyone did the dance call, then changed and did songs/monologues. My D was second to last - we ended around 2:15 (arrived at 8 am). We returned to watch an hour or so of a new works rehearsal.
D reports the dance call was the hardest and longest so far. It incorporated ballet, jazz and tap components.