IU only did the prescreen bypass via summer intensive one time. They didn’t do it this past summer - and some that attended the intensive got through the prescreen, others did not. So, personally, I would not select an intensive with the hopes of bypassing a prescreen. While it might be beneficial to go to a collegiate SI to get a feel for faculty and the facilities, I think it’s more important to get great training that will prepare you for auditions.
Great advice. We are having a hard time with SI’s this summer. Lot’s of the college SI’s seem to bring in people from outside the “dance program” to teach the summer SI’s. (More of a money maker as opposed to training with faculty associated with the schools) Any recommendations for SI college programs?
I’d look for programs that have current students attending, assuming it’s on your list of colleges to apply to. For example it’s very common in Utah because most of the freshmen are earning residency. But I’m not sure how much that happens elsewhere, as I’d expect many students want to go home for the summer. Ask the programs you are considering for information on the mix of attendees. The guest faculty isn’t something I’d worry about as much, if you can get the vibe from current students. Not sure how much it’s a moneymaker vs a source of variety for students and teachers alike.
My DD wants to focus on classic ballet - so her decisions likely have different drivers. The summer after her junior year, she chose to do 1 week at Indiana (they offer 3) and then head to ABT Irvine. Other than getting to know the faculty, etc I don’t know how much she got out of it from a training point of view. ABT was great - they were very focused on small details. I know that several of the collegiate programs that we looked at don’t really have auditions - maybe a photo and a teacher recommendation - I really wonder how much training you can get out of those since you can have lots of differing levels of talent. If UofA is at the top of the list - I would think about what your daughter’s strengths are. My understanding of UofA is that they look for 2 of the 3 (ballet, jazz, modern) to be strong. If she is really strong in one area, do you concentrate on improving her second area? If jazz is the strength, maybe consider doing a short jazz intensive and a longer, strong ballet program. I’m probably giving you more questions than answers at this point!
I can only speak to Utah as D never attended any other collegiate SIs. She got to know 2 or 3 year round teachers, I think, and she got a sense of what the current students were like (of those who stayed there for the summer). She had rotating guest teachers as well, and some of those guest teachers guest now and then briefly during the school year (Susan Jaffe and Tamara King come to mind). In terms of admission it was an audition just like any other SI audition, rather than submitting a photo and/or video. It was a nice way for D to really get a sense of the studios and schedule. Summer technique and pointe classes were the same length as in the regular year I think.
New to the sight… Looking for people who had kids audition at SUNY Purchase, NYU or Fordham/Ailey for this fall of 2019. Those are the last decisions we are waiting on…
Waiting on NYU and USC.
@birdie13 We are also waiting on USC and NYU.
We too are waiting for our last one and it’s from Pace. If anyone hears of calls being made, please let us know! Cannot believe our journey in all of this is almost over, what a year and experience this has been!! 
Anyone else waiting on Boston Conservatory and Peabody? Wishing my daughter would have auditioned at Boston’s ED but we didn’t realize it wasn’t binding, could have gotten decision much earlier? Also wasn’t too excited to hear Peabody is only accepting 15 dancers!
@TexasDanceMom I think pace calls should be soon! The past couple years they ranged from this week to next week with letters coming out the 15th-18th. Fingers crossed!
@TexasDanceMom just tagged you on both posts didn’t realize it was the same person, double luck then! ?
@thedancermom are they hoping to enroll 15 dancers for the freshman class? If so I imagine they’d accept more than 15. Still it’s a small number no matter how you look at it.
@mom2adancer Yes, sorry I meant to say their ideal number for their freshman class is 15…I’m sure they will accept more, but not sure how many?? Wish I would have asked that at the meeting just to get an idea of their numbers.
@birdie13 Did your DD audition on or off campus for NYU? Just wondering how many made it through at the different NYU auditions…so hard to try and guess how many are left for NYU at the end after all the cuts
@thedancermom My daughter did ED with Boston and heard end of January.
@thedancermom My daughter auditioned in January for NYU. I might be getting my number mixed up with the different auditions but I seem to think there were about 50 kids and they cut over half for solos.
@birdie13 Congrats! I wish my DD would have auditioned ED but we thought it was binding so she ended up auditioning end of January. How many did they accept for ED?
@thedancermom Not sure. She auditioned in Atlanta and there were only about 10-15 kids in the audition. She knows 2 other dancers that were admitted.
@birdie13 I’m not sure why I was so confused about their ED process I thought for ED you had to be at their Dec 15th audition and my DD couldn’t attend on that day so we just did regular decision. But sounds like it was just a matter of getting forms in early and then you could schedule audition date for anytime on the schedule? Sorry if this is confusing!! Ha! I do know we have to wait now until March 1st for a decision! Ugh