<p>Ericsmom hi, I am fairly new to this thread in terms of writing but I do rad and have for aabout a year. My S is a senior and has heard form Ithaca where he got accepted to the Acting program not MT.. disappointed but still very interested since dd get a really great scholarship. He is confused though.. because he feels he needs to stay in NYC. Did not apply to NYU.. too expensive but did to marymount and Wagner.. have not seen these schools mentioned much until Ericsmom.. any info on them would be really great.. My s auditioned for marymount and felt great about the people the teachers, the program.. although the school is small its righ in the heart of NYC. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!</p>
<p>dancersmom, jamimom, Ericsmom and chrism,
Thanks for your feed-back on the timing of auditions. We'll probably do some early and some later. That said, how do you decide which schools to do when? Should you start with a few safety schools and leave the ones you really want to get into until later? What about the stretch schools? (Have I got the right terminology - safety/good fit/stretch?) Money is definitely going to be an issue when it comes to travelling to auditions as is time - neither S's school nor his dance school will look kindly on too many missed days. School actually only allows 4 or 5 days for auditions/visits. So we have to plan very carefully. Is it best to travel in the Fall to ones close to home and then hit Unifieds in NY and Chicago in Jan. or Feb.? Do kids actually get admissions from the Fall auditions or are they usually deferred because of the huge number of kids still to be seen? I think I read somewhere on this link that all the slots for some colleges at Unifieds were all gone by November. When and where do you go to schedule Unified auditions? Do you go to each school or is there a Unified site where you can apply for auditions? Urghhhhh! I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. H is too busy to help and S doesn't want to even think too much about college yet ! Is this common or is my kid weird? </p>
<p>happy days - thanks for the suggestion of U of Arizona. I'll look into it.</p>
<p>MICHAELSMOM - I haven't heard of Montclair State but I'll see what they have to offer.</p>
<p>ilbamom:</p>
<p>Just a couple of things to add to the good advice you've already received. We used to allow parents to watch acting classes, but we no longer do. What we discovered is that we unconsciously start teaching to the parents rather than dealing with the student we're coaching, and our students start acting for the parents instead of for themselves. One or two high school students doesn't really change the dynamic, but even one parent does. I think it has to be the same elsewhere. So I'd recommend not sitting in on acting classes.</p>
<p>(I allowed a parent to sit in on a working session with a junior in LA on Sunday, however, and that was different. It didn't interfere with my working with other students.)</p>
<p>As for meeting with admissions counselors (or department representatives, including chairs), that depends on the circumstance and the school. If it's an "interview", you don't belong. But if it's an information session, it may be quite valuable. I personally welcome parents. But I agree with the other posters, try to take a backseat and let your child ask the questions. That may require sitting silently for a few moments, until he or she speaks, and that's really hard. You also MUST avoid talking about your child. Ask us questions about our program, don't talk about your kid.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Now that my D is completely finally done with ALL her auditions, I want to address some of the questions from MTaussie. Remember, this is just the way I did things. Location, $$, days off from school, etc. all factor in. You need to find your own way down this road.</p>
<p>!. First make a list. List all the schools you think you will apply too. Remember, this is only a preliminary list.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Make a chart, computer spreadsheet or handwritten list in either geographical or alphabetical order. Go to the websites of the schools and "Save" the URL list of your schools in a new computer folder, if that works for you. Email the admissions counselors and find out when the audition dates will be posted for 2005-2006. Then, make REAL file folders in a file cabinet. Soon enough youll be flooded with catalogs, applications and brochures. File away.</p></li>
<li><p>Figure out when and if you can possibly visit the schools. Some of them like U Mich, & Syracuse will have lengthy info sessions on the same days as the auditions, so you really don't have to visit them separately. Other schools, like NYU and Emerson will only have info sessions on days completely separate from the auditions. This all takes many hours of figuring out, but after a while it will start to come together.</p></li>
<li><p>You'll notice that many of the schools choose dates that piggyback. This year, it was possible for some to do Ithaca and Syracuse (auditions) one day apart. Ditto CMU and PSU. Call the admissions office and ask if it matters whether you audition in person or at the Unifieds. Some schools will tell you that there is no difference. Others schools prefer an in-person audition. </p></li>
<li><p>Some programs have an online audition sign-up (NYU and CMU) that becomes available on a certain date. Note these dates and circle them in bright red on your calendar!! These dates go fast and are first come, first serve. Other schools won't schedule any auditions unless the rest of the application is complete. Again, check the website; email the admissions office or call, if necessary.</p></li>
<li><p>Talk to your school administrators and explain why this college selection process will require more visits than most. 4-5 days might do it, but sometimes this just won't be enough. If you use the Unifieds wisely and there are no major blizzards (which happened this year for some unlucky kids) you should be able to make a working schedule. Which schools use the Unifieds? This will be on their website as well. If you aren't sure, enquire.</p></li>
<li><p>MOST IMPORTANT!!!! There is no such thing as a "safety school" in MT!! I know many talented kids (older than my D) who were rejected from some top programs, accepted at others and vs. versa. All audition-based schools (I call them MT Ivies) are extremely competitive. Don't assume you'll have a choice of schools. Look into big, small, established and up and coming programs. However, there are many wonderful liberal arts schools with good theatre and music Depts. where an enterprising, talented student can work with the faculty to create their own MT (combined) major. This could be considered a safety. Explore this option. Go to see theatre productions in local colleges and universities. Go see productions, (if you can) in some of the MT big boys. You might be surprised by the high caliber of talent in a "regular" school. </p></li>
<li><p>Early or late? By all means, if schools have a non-binding early decision or early action or rolling decision, try to apply early. But you must be very prepared in terms of material. Make sure you know all the audition requirements for each school. If can spread them out, do a bunch later and the rest at the Unifieds. If you plan well, you can be completely done by Valentines Day!! But don't worry if you need to audition as late as March 1. Many schools leave a slot or two open until then. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>It is completely normal for your child and spouse to bristle at this process. It is unfamiliar turf and scary!! Be inclusive, encourage feedback, don't push too hard and keep your wits about you. I assure you--you will eventually find your way. Oh, and....keep reading this wonderful thread. GOOD LUCK!!!!</p>
<p>MTaussie, all I can say is that you try to mix them early and later. Don't put all your faves in the beginning, and one thing that everyone says is don't start with a school high on your list. But kids' lists change. S opened with Syracuse which he thought was not a school he wanted since when he visited it, it was the visit to hell--raining, miserable, got stood up by the student who was going to meet him, schedule got mixed up and he didn't get to see the class he wanted, he stepped in a mud puddle, etc, etc. When he went to the audition, it was on some student welcome day, the sun was shining, the kids were great, the theatre*tour was terrific, the dean who spoke was outstanding. It went way up on his list but was his first audition. You can't win'em all. You'll make yourself crazy. You just try to schedule them the best you can given how well your student can cope with the schedule. If a three audition weekend is something he can handle, then go for it. If he needs time to ruminate between auditions, that's the way to go. And, yes, finances enter heavily into the picture. We spent a fortune on the auditions, and we lost some of the money when things came up and we had to change the schedule around. I am still fighting with a airline over a refund. Multi city trips can be a lot cheaper, and the unifieds are a great deal. My friend told me that she got some bargain tickets to LA for her son's audition, and it was a lot less crowded there than the Chicago and NYC auditions, so he really snagged a number of auditions for the cost. They stayed a night a the Sheraton Gateway and were back on the red eye the next day. The problem with this tactic is that it is very late in the season. It might just be what you want to keep in your pocket. I would not want to plan on scheduling schools that late, and who knows what he will ultimately bag, as many schools are rolling in picking their classes. I don't know the percentage of accepts for the Unifieds, but since so few are chosen for MT overall per school that I don't know what number would signify anything. For that matter, I don't know if early auditions are that big of an advantage in MT either except for in a few programs like Tisch's CAP21. There is the disadvantage of no dance audition at the Unifieds if dance is a strong point, but may be an advantage if it is not. But you can really go nuts trying to get just the right strategy, and even if you plan everythng perfectly, an unlucky virus, a snowstorm, can sabotage the whole thing. There is an element of luck in all of this even for the most talented kids.</p>
<p>MTwannabe on Marymount, MYaussie on audition timing, and general thoughts on campus visits:</p>
<p>Marymount Manhattan - We know people who love it there, and we know one person who transferred to a different acting school from Marymount. It seems her main complaint was that some of the acting teachers were working professionals and not always available to the students. I say this could be good or bad. She still thought it was worth a look. If your son felt good about the people and what he heard about the program, I say go for it. It did not end up on my son's list of schools to audition for, probably for 2 reasons: they do not offer an MT major, only a minor; also, the day we were there seemed a very busy day for the faculty person that met with us, and the meeting seemed rushed with several interruptions. It was probably just a bad day for them, but we've gotten more personal attention at visits to other schools.</p>
<p>Audition timing - It does appear that one could go crazy figuring it all out. I printed this year's audition dates from the web sites of schools we are interested in and tried to put together a puzzle of ones that would work close together and ones that might be best at unifieds. Some of ours only do on-campus auditions. Some do nothing until after Christmas unless you do ED. Some of them when we visited gave us suggestions about whether to do on-campus vs. unifieds. Some recommended we come in the fall. We have found the visits helpful in trying to plan this.</p>
<p>Lastly, when we visit, I don't go to the classes with my son, but I do attend the campus tour, information session, and meeting with MT people. Since my son is only a junior, these are not interviews, but they are a chance to ask questions and get good info. I try to be the note - taker for future reference. If we were to go for an interview, I would not attend that meeting.</p>
<p>Thanks Ericsmom for he info!! It is of course such a personel decision.. and many times it a gut feeling you get when you visit.. good or bad!!</p>
<p>Wow Freelance!</p>
<p>Having managed a successful MT audition campaign (that IS what it felt like to me....) I am very impressed with the advice given by Freelance. So many of the same things we did and all were so helpful.</p>
<p>The one thing I'd add to the list is your own Parent's equivalent of a "little black book." We gathered and filed individual school information in hanging files and I too had a "master" calendar that allowed me to lay out all the possible dates for auditions and then logistically figure out how we could get to all of them given the other constraints of family and senior year activities. That was really key - couldn't keep all those dates in my head. But I also had a small notebook that had a few pages devoted to each school we were interested in. On the first page of each school's section I put all the contact information - names, phone numbers, addresses, emails, etc. I also noted each school's application, recommendation, audition, essay and deadline information. Lastly, I kept a log of the dates that info was sent in and any phone contacts I had made with the school. When I needed information about the process, needed to call/email a school, etc. I had it all at my fingertips - no searching through files or websites each time. It may sound a little anal right now, but wait until you are in the airport, your flight is delayed and you need to contact the one person at the school who you know you have talked to and who will help you..........Been there....done that.......It was INVALUABLE!! AND PORTABLE!!! </p>
<p>Hope this helps!</p>
<p>Also, have to say that I am really feeling for all of you waiting on schools - especially UMich of course. Don't know why it's taking so long - this seems quite different from our experience and what we heard from others last year. Hang in there. I still have my fingers crossed (although I'm starting to lose the circulation ;-).........)</p>
<p>Waiting for results...</p>
<p>Theatermom, you say, "Also, have to say that I am really feeling for all of you waiting on schools - especially UMich of course. Don't know why it's taking so long - this seems quite different from our experience and what we heard from others last year. Hang in there. I still have my fingers crossed (although I'm starting to lose the circulation ;-).........)"</p>
<p>Perhaps the extra waiting is because, as my daughter and her fellow auditioners were told at a weekend audition, this is a very talented group of students. The head of the MT program told the students, "This is the most talented group I have seen in nine years of auditioning." It was a lovely compliment, but not very comforting when you are standing there hoping for just ONE of the coveted spots. Even though this comment was made at one school, and on one weekend, this same group is going from school to school and they're all auditioning against one another...everywhere! So, take heart! You're among a very talented group!</p>
<p>The notebook, or little black book is a great help for parents in the college process. Any spontaneous questions can often be answered from the info there. I needed mine to keep the colleges straight in my brain. I found for the files, buying one of those inexpensive plastic "milk crate" containers with colored file folders was the simplest way to go. You just drop anything pertaining to the colleges in a file.</p>
<p>which school said it was the most talented in nine years??</p>
<p>Freelance,</p>
<p>I loved your post on organizing the audition campaign. I too was a parent who was hyper-organized. My family sometimes teased me about it, but it was very helpful at times. </p>
<p>One thing I did a little differently from Theatermom and Jamimom was to use cheap little folders with pockets instead of hanging files to contain all the paper. The folders went on our audition trips. I found it easier to corral the paper in folders than in hanging files while on the road. In addition to the items mentioned by the other posters, I included copies of any e-mail correspondence D had with MT faculty, curriculum guides, and when possible, a campus map. The campus maps can sometimes be found online and downloaded. We also kept copies of all application materials and essays in the folders. I was too leery of things getting lost not to keep copies of everything. After 2 recommendation letters got lost in transit between U.M.'s University Office of Admissions and their School of Music Office of Admissions, I also kept copies of D's recommendation letters. </p>
<p>Before each audition trip I inserted a copy of frequently asked audition questions (we got a great list from U.M. which I posted on the old CC site). My D could look over the audition questions during the trip and review the curriculum at each school. That way, if she were interviewed during the audition process she was prepared to talk with the auditors and she could also ask intelligent questions.</p>
<p>It is amazing how quickly the paper builds up during senior year. We had a large cardboard box devoted to the information we gathered from schools she was interested in. When we were finally through with the process, I donated much of the material to D's H.S. college resource room.</p>
<p>One last thing... To help my D decide which schools she wanted to apply to, I took the 4 year MT matriculation guides from each school I thought would be of interest to her and I created a curricula chart. I used the same order for each school so that comparisons would be easy. I started with music classes: theory courses, ear training, piano, and private voice lessons. Then I listed all of the drama courses: acting, movement, voice, theatre history, MT history, directing, makeup, etc. I did the same thing with dance courses. My D could easily see how what she would study at one school compared to what she would study at another. Creating the curriculum comparison chart was probably the most valuable thing I did to help my D choose which schools to apply to.</p>
<p>dancermom,
I went looking for those questions and couldn't find them....went searching at UM and found nada. What is the exact site? Do you remember? thanks!</p>
<p>A little variation on dancersmom's organization method: I have a hanging file for each school, but I put the most pertinent info -- current letters, audition details, program descriptions, contacts -- in three-hole folders, which I then put in a binder. If I need the whole binder for some reason (e.g., comparing things), it's there. If I just need one school's folder when we're heading to that audition, I can take it out. Lest you think that I'm another congenitally hyperorganized person, I'd be happy to show you my home office to demonstrate otherwise! But this has been really easy system to establish and maintain.</p>
<p>I realized when I went back to search for the following list that I didn't get it from U.M. I compiled it from several sources. Anyway, here it is:</p>
<p>Why do you want to go to school here?
What 1st attracted you to our program?
What will you bring to our program?
What roles do you see yourself doing professionally?
What has been your favorite role?
Who are your favorite MT performers?
What other schools are you applying to?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
If you couldn't perform, what other career could you see yourself doing?
What are your strengths as a performer?
What are your weak areas?
Do you have any special skills?
Do you have any questions about our school or program? (Do your homework - ask intelligent questions. Don't ask things that are easily accessible on the school's website.)
Tell us about your training. </p>
<p>At more than one school students are asked to sing a cappella at the end of the vocal audition. </p>
<p>Several schools will ask the student to present more songs or monologues than were asked for in the written requirements. </p>
<p>Be prepared!</p>
<p>This is the information I received from the University of Michigan. They hand out an excellent paper to prospective students with questions to ask in evaluating MT programs. Here they are: </p>
<ol>
<li>What kind of degree is offered? BFA? BA? (These 2 degrees are philosophically quite different.) Is the BFA designed specifically for MT, or just for theatre in general? </li>
<li>How large is the program? Where do the students come from? What is the make-up of the student body? Does the size of the university have an impact on the program? </li>
<li>What is the response of current students? Is the environment at the school supportive, creative, stimulating? Do casting policies for productions seem fair and ethical? (It is particularly useful to speak with seniors and graduates.) Does the program have a philosophical approach to education/training which is clearly stated to the students? </li>
<li>Where are the graduates working? </li>
<li>How large are the classes, especially those which are performance related? </li>
<li>What is the faculty/student relationship? Ratio? Do the students primarily have faculty members as teachers, or graduate assistants? </li>
<li>How many musicals are presented each year? What are the casting policies? How are the shows chosen? What are examples of past productions? </li>
<li>Does the school promote new works? </li>
<li>Do the students have opportunities to be in plays as well as musicals? What about opera, dance concerts, films, and recitals? </li>
<li>Do the students have the opportunity to perform in theatres of differing sizes (opera house to "black box") and differing styles (proscenium to in-the-round)? </li>
<li>Are the students taught specifically about the field as a profession, and how to go about making a living after they graduate? (Equity, agents, casting directors, audition techniques, commercial and non-profit theatres, etc.) </li>
<li>How well do the music department and the theatre department cooperate? Does the school have a dance department? (Almost always, the real success of a musical theatre program lies at the core of the inter-disciplinary relationship of these three areas.) </li>
<li>Does the faculty work professionally away from the school? </li>
<li>How often does the school bring in professionals to work with or speak to the students? </li>
<li>Does the school have a cut or review policy? What are the standards a student must maintain in order to remain in the program, and how is this monitored? </li>
<li>How complete is the school's library of musical theatre resource materials? (Songs, scores, scripts, vocal books, etc., are often rare, unpublished, or out-of-print.) </li>
<li>Is the program of department firmly established? How long has it been in existence? How is it regarded by people in the profession, such as casting directors and agents?</li>
</ol>
<p>dancersmom,
Thank you for the additional info. I have used pocket folders a lot to organize my kids and I like the idea of being able to pick up and go. You mentioned that somewhere on the old site there was a list of interview questions from U of M. As I'm new to this so could you be more specific as to how I would go about finding these questions?
I really appreciate everything you guys are doing to help me out. Today I started copying the URLs for schools into a folder and I'm actually feeling for the first time that I can get all this info ( and S) organized before the fall. Seems that some programs begin accepting audition applications as early as August 1st. Can't even imagine where I would be if I hadn't found this site!!!!
Thank-you to cb (I believe she started ithis discussion) and to all you MT parents and kids for keeping it going. CC music theater is going to be my lifeline for the next year!!</p>
<p>dancersmom,
Didn't scroll down the page before I responded to your post. Thanks SOOO much for the questions. I've copied them off for my S to look at. </p>
<p>Here's a general question. Is it too early to contact schools for info about 2005-2006 auditions? I know most schools are still working on who they accept for the fall. </p>
<p>doctorjohn, or anyone else with information to share:-
Today I went to the Otterbein website and found that there is a BFA with an advanced dance option. This sounds a perfect fit for S. How does this program compare with the regular BFA?</p>
<p>My Boston Conservatory audition is this weekend. I know it says there will be no dance audition, but I'm wondering if it might be smart to bring dance wear just in case (?). Does anyone know if they ever ask you to dance on the spot or anything of that nature? I know that happened to my friend at Webster.</p>
<p>There will be no dance, or on the spot dance audition. It is ironic, because I feel they have one of the strongest dance curriculum for mt.
Good Luck!</p>
<p>Urgent question - D came down with bad cold last weekend and has an audition this weekend. She's mostly well today but has lingering congestion in nose and throat. Does anyone know if it's OK to take a decongestant in the morning just before the audition to clear up the stuffiness etc ? [She's done the 'cold-eze, licorice tea, jalapeno-garlic tea, drink lots of water, run vaporizer' routine all week.] Thanks!</p>