I know we will have a “Class of…” thread over the summer, but I didn’t want to clutter up the current “class of …” thread. What are you/your students doing now to get a head start on next year? I saw that common app essay prompts have been released. Is it a good idea to get started on essays this early?
We have been paying attention to this year’s audition cycle - and hope to have more than half of the auditions completed before winter break. My d has been sick this winter, so putting all of our eggs in the Unifieds basket terrifies me.
Anyway, just wanted to start a thread for all of us who are lurking around waiting for next audition cycle.
Between spring semester of junior year and the start of senior year, the goal for my kids were:
1.Choose rep. In my opinion, this is THE most time-consuming part.
2. Work hard on the master list - reach, fit, safeties.
3. Research and understand the prescreen requirements and timing for the schools that make the final list.
4. Headshots.
5. Essays. In my kids’ district, they write their base common app essay as an English assignment. It works well to jump start the process. I also suggest preparing a base “arts” essay since most schools will ask for both.
6. Contact your recommenders.
7. Take ACT/SAT a final time if necessary.
8. Once the common app opens, complete it! The application process is really time-consuming if your list is a typical MT/Acting list.
9. Apply for non-prescreen schools as soon as applications open.
Yesyesyes!! By all means start on the essays. At my D’s school, all juniors take a college app prep class that meets once or twice a week spring semester to begin the process. Then when they are seniors, they take another in the fall to complete their apps. (By the time October rolled around, D had already done most all of the work.)
This is the ideal time to contact people for recommendations and let them know that you will need them EARLIER than most. My D’s high school counselors had very little to no experience with the process of MT/Theater application process, so it was very helpful to schedule a meeting with them to specifically let them know that you have to get your apps in early (our goal was end of September) in order to get auditions scheduled, that the number of schools you need to apply for will be high (they were a bit shocked that D was applying to 12), and verify that your kid will be missing a number of days of the school year for auditions and that they should be excused absences.
The more of this you can get out of the way spring and over the summer, the better. Things start moving quickly once fall rolls around. It’s especially important to talk with everyone involved, because while you can control the actual app part, you have to rely on others for the recs, etc. Better to give them plenty of time because you don’t want to have to hound them at the last minute.
As a HS teacher - I strongly suggest asking recommenders before the end of the year. If you already know whom you would like -feel free to ask them soon, the early bird gets to the top of the list. For any/all students who ask before the school year ends (and provide resume/brag sheet etc) I write the letters over the summer, and am good to submit as soon as the kid is ready. My record holder is the girl who had her common app submitted by 9:00 am on Aug 1st (I got the request via Naviance at 9:10 that day!!)
My ds is a junior and it’s musical season so he’s not doing too much right to prepare right now except anxiously waiting for summer program decisions. We’ve got the spreadsheet going and know basically which MT schools he is applying to but haven’t narrowed down non MT programs yet. He’s done with the SAT and has asked for one letter of recommendation so far. And he’s met with the guidance counselor who understands the process and is on board. We’re still deciding what to do about coaching; he has great local coaches but we wonder if we’re missing the boat not contacting one of the big agencies. Something to worry about in 10 days when the school musical is over! And I guess that goes for the common app essays as well since I didn’t even know that they release those early.
my D is a junior as well and we have tried to be proactive going into this process. Last summer she did the BAA college workshop in addition to the PACE summer scholars program for MT. That gave her a good “springboard” to begin her research, cultivate her list of schools and start that spreadsheet! We also visited Penn State b/c we were driving though the area dropping my son off at Woodward Camp. She didn’t love the enormous campus but does like the program itself.
My daughter’s school begins focused college counseling in Spring of Junior year so she is now having bi-monthly meetings to help keep her on track. We have decided to use MTCA to help select rep material and get advice from overall. I don’t want the pressure of steering this ship! And my daughter takes advice from others much better than she does from me so I think it will be helpful. Our first intake appt. with them is next month and we are excited to meet them after hearing such great feedback from former clients (both here and some friends of my daughter who have raved about them). We have our headshot scheduled for June and she has been accepted to the Penn State summer program as of yesterday. Waiting to hear about ArtsBridge and MPulse (…today I think?!) before deciding where she will ultimately go.
So that about sums it up! Looking forward to getting to you know you all virtually as we embark on this insane ride together. I’m sure I will at some point scream that I’m ready to get off the ride, lol… but hope to get through it with my sanity somewhat intact!
MTCA is a solid choice; they are wonderful people and will give you great guidance. D did some coaching ala carte and a round of mock auditions. They are incredibly helpful!
If I could change only 1 thing (and there would be a ton I want to go back and do over) but I would absolutely insist that my daughter do her pre screens at the end of summer before school starts. Senior year started at 100 miles per hour and I felt they were squeezed in and could have been done much better. She would have been more relaxed and I would have too.
mom2MTgal I do have a spreadsheet but I’m not sure it’s very helpful yet. Names of schools, locations, SAT range, niche grade. I’ll planning to add more useful categories in the next few weeks.
My son got an email this morning that he was accepted to Artsbridge. Anyone else’s junior considering it? Or did any of your kids attend last year?
The email said they had a record number of applicants and my thoughts immediately jumped to what that means for college applications and auditions next fall.
We started early. My D is now a freshman MT at Wagner. We spent the spring/summer of her junior year visiting schools and by September of her senior year all applications were in and she had no problem securing audition dates - even at schools that fill up quickly (BW, CMU - now prescreen). We did not do Unifieds, which in hindsight I would have insisted she do. It gives you the opportunity to do walk ins, which may turn out to be the program they were meant to be in! I would have made her apply to more schools (she did 7!) - but I think 20 is crazy (JMHO) - my D was not getting into CMU or BW, so again in hindsight I would have taken those OFF the list. Be realistic about your kids talent.
I also would have hired an college audition coach. She had a coach - a working broadway actor and his working broadway wife. She LOVED them but this was mostly for monologues. Her voice teacher is also a voice teacher at UArts, but I think a coach like MTCA knows exactly what these schools are looking for. They know where your kid is mostly likely to get in and can prep your kids with materials.
One other thing I would like to mention - do NOT overlook BA programs. There are great BA programs out there (Wagner is one). Kids (and parents) get so wrapped up in BFA programs that BA’s are looked at as the ugly step sister. Depending on your kid, a BA may be perfect. My D auditioned at several top tier schools, and I can tell you that she is thriving in her BA program and taking full advantage of being a ferry ride away from lower Manhattan!
Lastly, CC board is a great resource, but it can also make you second guess every decision you have ever made, especially when everyone starts posting acceptances. This is a very ROUGH process, even more so for your kids. As parents at the end of the day, the best thing you can do is be a great support system for your kid. They are going to get rejections, and they are going to get rejections from their dream schools. Make sure the list they have has realistic schools they want to be at (along with their dream school!) and some safety schools the would be happy at. I wish you all the best in this crazy process! Can’t wait to read your posts next year!
How was the Pace Summer Scholar program? My son was just accepted for this summer. Did you attend the closing reception? We start vacation that day, so wondering if most people attend. Thanks
@lakadk my daughter did Pace Summer Scholars three years ago. She loved it. I did not attend the closing reception, as I was away at a conference, but my husband did.
@LBSMOM Hi! Wagner is on our list. It turns out our cousins live up the block! Cousin did emphasize how expensive it is. How generous are they with Merit and Scholarship? Is a double major doable with the BA Theater- Performance Concentration at Wagner? Looking at Film Studies as a double major. How do they prepare kids for MT? I am not clear on that- it seems they do a lot of musicals…
@thepis1 Wagner does 4 main stage & 4 black box a year, the most probably of all schools. As part my son’s of final decision process, we attended a STUDENT production (additional opportunities besides the 8 school shows) of Putnam County Spelling Bee. Blown away! Done in a residential student lounge, not only was the talent there, freshman-seniors, but the tech was exceptionally clever for the space.
You can easily google the past few years of shows Wagner’s done and judge on your own terms.
Double majoring is definately doable and seems to be encouraged at WC, although I would caution for MT prep there may be less room. I believe, though @LBSMOM can speak to this better than I. WC, although a BA, is known for its MT prep.
S received $; while it wasn’t as much as IWU (I expect they’re trying to draw outside of the mid-west), it was much better cost wise than another similar school (close to NYC) offer for my son. WC also doesn’t attach GPA or satisfactory progress to their awards - it’s there unless you are really miserably failing out. I will add that I won’t be negotiating, since the award for my S made sense given our FAFSA.
I should be posting S decision soon - we are from NYC, so it’s been a challenge to say the least, but a good one because of great choices and different pros offered with each schools’ program.
@thespis1 - it is expensive because it is a private school, however they were very generous with both Merit and Scholarship $$. My D had a 4.0 GPA, and at Wagner you have to be accepted academically first, then you get invited to audition. There are TP kids minoring in dance, etc - I’m not sure how Film Studies works with credits, etc. My D was going to minor in theatre studies, but her advisor told her the that the tracks have a lot of cross over that it wouldn’t really be worth it. Her schedule this year was heavy on acting and dance. Some dance classes are labs and are not for credit. She has taken 5 dance classes over the last 2 semesters (MT dance is for credit) - in addition to taking tap at the BDC in NYC. She has had script analysis, acting tech, intro to design and acting tech II. She also has a weekly voice lesson and performance hour (not for credit but an hour to spend testing out material in front of peers). Freshmen are required to audition for the second half season, although only a few make mainstage. There are plenty of opportunities to audition for the student run productions which give the kids a chance to keep up their acting skills.
She really loves Wagner and finds it to be a very supportive community she is in. She loves the proximity to the city and all the opportunities it presents. I love the location, the campus (traditional college campus) and that my kid is thriving! Good Luck with the process!!