<p>A DePaul discussion was getting started on the Rejections 2009 thread. Let's move it over here. </p>
<p>I too would be interested in what is unique about DePaul in addition to its unusual, Spolin-inspired auditions.</p>
<p>It was a 1:00 to 5:00 audition…and when I mean 1:00 to 5:00, I MEAN a four hour audition…it started with the customary one hour information session, followed by Q and A and a brief introduction of the auditors. I am trying to remember the details. This was my foifth and final audition that day, so I was pretty out of it, and I might be wrong on the order or the details. When I was in Chicago, us BFAs sat with the MFAs in the introductory session. We would be split into three groups (one group MFAs, two groups BFAs). We were sent from DePaul’s resident theatre, where the information session took place, and walked across the street to the Balckstone Hotel, where the auditions were held in the basement. My group of BFAs entered a room where our two auditors did a series of warm-ups, at first very similar to the way Marymount’s started. We all stood in a circle and played introductory/focus games and exercises, where we learned other people’s names. After that, we paired up with a partner and did a series of pantomimes…I believe while one auditor was conducting the exercises, one was observing and making notes. Partner exercises included mirrors, and pantomimed soundless improvs…like, we would have to use our mirrored images to segue into a scene where we had a relationship with our partner, and we were engaging in an activity. We then, participated in objective/motivation improvs…where single words were given to describe our motivation and relationship…for instance “discipline” and (trying to remember the exact word) “evasion.” The point: try to discipline your partner who was tryine to “evade” your “discipline.” Something like that…once again…blurry details…</p>
<p>…end of hour two…now it was time to deliver a single monologue…a list was posted on the door, saying the order we would go in. In the basement of the hotel, we mingled with other auditioners…both BFAs and MFAs…then, we went in, delivered a single, contemporary piece, and was sent back out.</p>
<p>…end of hour three…now, we were sent back in and debriefed what would happen in this next hour…we were assigned a partner…with our partner, we would be handed a script to cold read which contained gibberish…well, lines that made no sense in the order they were given…and we were supposed to establish a scene, relationship, motivation, objective, location, and activity with the 6-8 lines of dialogue…after that, the audition was over.</p>
<p>…once again, I am trying to remember this as well as I can…hope it helps…</p>
<p>Verrry interesting, TimThom People scheduling auditions for next year will want to make sure Depaul’s will be at a time when they are likely to be fresh and rested.</p>
<p>Interesting about the MFA and BFA candidates being split out into two groups. If there were any MFA candidates at the auditions my son attended this year, we were certainly not aware of it.</p>
<p>Wonder how it impacts the monologues for them to be delivered following group exercises.</p>
<p>On the Rejections 2009 thread, MO2 said, “I love DePaul! It is so unique in a lot of ways.”
Could you elaborate on the “lot of ways” MO2? (Congrats to your son!)</p>
<p>I have been haunting College Confidential these days to watch for info about acceptances to/rejections from the two schools my son has not heard from yet. (He applied only to schools closer to the East Coast than Depaul.) </p>
<p>Nice to talk about something other than acceptances/rejections for a change!</p>
<p>A lot of applicants seem to really love DePaul, even with its cut system, and despite the fact that the college, exclusive of the Theater School, does not seem very distinguished. With all of its problems, it still winds up at the top of a lot of lists. Can anyone tell me why?</p>
<p>I wonder the same thing myself. With so many great programs that don’t do such a routine and large cut, what is it about DePaul that prompts so many people to audition? I am interested to hear …</p>
<p>I wonder the same about Arizona. My D has two friends accepted to their MT program – and they will likely go. I am not sure why given their controversial cut program.</p>
<p>I’m a senior in HS right now and just got accepted the DePaul. I applied to DePaul because it is considered one of the top straight acting programs in the Midwest. Even though it may not often be found of “top 10” lists, most do recognize the school in “honorable mention” sections and whatnot. The only main critiques about the schools that I’ve heard of is that nobody of significant recognition has come from the school in the past 15 years (the only one that comes into mind is Monique Coleman from HSM) and the cut system is very stressful and can create serious mind games for the incoming class.
I applied to the school because of (what I thought) its high selectivity (until I found out of the crazy schools with only 16 people <em>cough</em>juilliard<em>cough</em>). I also really like their cut system because it lets me know whether or not I actually have potential in acting professionally. As much as I like acting and want to pursue it, the cut system is a good wake-up call. Also, if you’re cut, you can still be affiliated with the theater school, just with a different emphasis in mind.
DePaul (from what I’ve heard, but I could be wrong) has its ties with Second City and the Spolin technique, so they are big on improv, and I don’t know of any other schools with this emphasis. Also, in comparison to other big theater schools like NYU, CMU, USC, DePaul is relatively cheaper (about the same as Juilliard) and can be generous with money.
So I consider DePaul as a somewhat hidden gem. It doesn’t get too much spotlight, but it’s still up there.</p>
<p>We are visiting DePaul next week on our mega-college visit trip, and I know DS will ask the admissions person about the cut system. He is very opposed to even auditioning for a school that has planned cuts, but we wanted to visit and see firsthand what the program has to offer. Should be interesting :)</p>
<p>One poster above says:</p>
<p>I also really like their cut system because it lets me know whether or not I actually have potential in acting professionally. As much as I like acting and want to pursue it, the cut system is a good wake-up call. Also, if you’re cut, you can still be affiliated with the theater school, just with a different emphasis in mind. </p>
<p>Me: So, if a person is cut, he or she should just give up and know that the powers that be at DePaul are THE last word on his or her talent, and that the cut means he or she has NO chance of ever making it?</p>
<p>Sorry, but I don’t buy it!</p>
<p>Lol ^^^^^^</p>
<p>I mean, if Tom Hanks had given up when he was told to find something else to do with his life, we wouldn’t have one of our best actors!</p>
<p>I think that the truth is that the cut system benefits DEPAUL but not the students. I mean, what’s not to like (for the school) about being able to accept 52 students (on average) and then spend a year with them picking the ones that the faculty thinks have the most potential and then cutting about half of 'em loose in June, when it’s too late for those students to audition elsewhere? It is easy to see how that’s great for the school, but not so great for hardworking students who find themselves out at that inconvenient juncture. (Note I am not condemning the school from cutting kids who don’t work hard, don’t show up to class or surprise the faculty by not being talented. I am talking about kids who come to class, work their tushies off, and are cut anyway.)</p>
<p>I think it’s worth noting that CMU used to have a similar cut program but did away with it. Juilliard, too. Why? Because the faculty and administration wised up and realized that artists can’t do their best work when they are constantly worried about being cut. I am not an actor, but I know some, and they tell me that in order to do their best work, they need to be able to relax and trust the other people they are working with. They have to feel free to take risks and sometimes take the chance of making a fool of themselves. This is hard to do if you are fearful of being cut and if you are viewing your classmates as competition 24/7.</p>
<p>Can you tell this cut system makes me mad? Yeah, it does.:)</p>
<p>I don’t disagree too much, NMR, but myabe a little. Many acting students never really become working actors; most working actors are underemployed. Do the math and it becomes clear that many will give up at some point, and a big question is, “At what point?” Please understand, I’m not arguing for the cut system. Rather, I’m arguing for smrtrtl25. I don’t think there is anything wrong with knowing you don’t want to pursue acting for very long without a lot of positive feedback. After all, not everyone is Tom Hanks.</p>
<p>In my opinion----and like Sergeant Schultz, I know NOTHING—the 50% cut system allows the auditors to be lazy and take a wide swath of talent that they then “re-audition” throughout the year. Again, it will be interesting to hear an explanation and/or justification of this archaic system straight from the horse’s mouth.</p>
<p>At least at Northwestern you know going in that you might not be accepted into the MT department… but the consolation prize there is that you are at Northwestern! What’s the consolation prize at DePaul?</p>
<p>seriously, there is no point in cutting people! I mean-that’s more $$/help they’re losing out on. Does any1 know the reason? Is it because they want to get down to the serious people?? Sadly enough, I hope that’s not the true reason. D: They need to take it out, really. waste of ppl’s time and $$.</p>
<p>theater mom, I agree with you that most people who train to become actors won’t become people who can make their livings acting. My objection is to someone saying that just because one school, DePaul University, cuts them, it is the definitive and last word telling them that they definitely don’t have what it takes and should get out of the business. My objections is two fold: to the cut system itself (whereby half an admitted class is cut in June, when it is too late to reaudition for the next Sept at another program) and giving SO much authority to ONE set of people: the faculty at DePaul. (This is not to say that I am questioning that faculty’s expertise. I am not. But I am questioning whether one set of faculty auditors at one university BFA program is the definitive and last word on who is worthy of pursuing a professional career and who is not. I don’t believe any one person or set of people at any one place has that much credence.)</p>
<p>Let me say here that I am not one of those adults who say: Anyone who has talent will definitely make it as an actor. NO! In fact, I would daresay that most people who have talent won’t end up being able to make their living (or most of their living) on the stage. Them’s the facts. </p>
<p>I just happen to believe that when a college admits a student, as long as that student is not totally inept and as long as that student comes to class and works his butt off, the school should try to take that student as far as that student can go within four years and then let the market decide. Again, I am assuming here a modicum of talent and drive. If a school admits someone who turns out to be a total mistake, well, that’s different. </p>
<p>I just don’t see what’s in a cut system for a student. I also happen to believe that those students who defend the cut (like one poster above) have not been in the real life situation of being cut yet. I am sure that is devastating. Better just not to accept that many students in the first place and make a strong commitment to those you accept, in my view.</p>
<p>GENERAL DEPAUL:
At my audition, one of the DePaul students was talking about the cut system and said that pretty much everyone still auditions for other programs during Freshman year just in case they get cut. So people are prepared for the cut. </p>
<p>PERSONAL OPINION:
I think I used the wrong words in my earlier post. I don’t mean “I really like” the cut system as in “I am applying to DePaul because it had it.” I was going for more of a “I don’t find DePaul’s cut system detrimental or draw back from attending the school, in my opinion.”</p>
<p>And yes I acknowledge that if I was cut, that would only be DePaul’s opinion of my potential. But bear in mind that I am not overly determined to become a professional actor. So if I get an opinion that I won’t exactly cut it, then that’s fine. I am one who likes more security than given in this profession. And please don’t give me that whole “you need to take risks; go all out or get out; put yourself on the line” talk. I’ve gotten it so many times, and I’m quite sick of it. But if I am so determined to pursue acting and I get cut, then I’ll just go to another school that I’ve applied for (as mentioned above).</p>
<p>And yes, I have been in a cut situation before (a camp with 56 students, only 12 were asked to return for the extended week of “amazingness”), and being cut is not fun at all, especially amongst friends. And yes, it would be better if DePaul didn’t have the cut because of the stress. But the fact is DePaul has it, and I really don’t think it’s going to change. </p>
<p>NMR, I do agree with what you’re saying. It’s just I think you looked into my personal views of the program and applied it to everyone else, which is what I doubt other people want to do.</p>
<p>smrtrtl25, it sounds like you are going in with your eyes wide open, which is smart! Best wishes. </p>
<p>By the way, I have to be a little skeptical that most kids at DePaul audition elsewhere in case they are cut. I know a few kids who go to school there and none of them went out and auditioned in case he or she got cut. I also know a kid who did get cut and he/she did not audition elsewhere in case.</p>
<p>How would that work, anyway? You would have to miss studio time/class time at DePaul to audition as a transfer and when you were asked why you were auditioning for such and such school, would you say “Oh, I really don’t want to go to your program there at NCSA or CMU or wherever: I am just auditioning IN CASE I am cut from DePaul.” Awkward to say the least.</p>
<p>Now that you mention that, I have no idea how they figure out the auditioning at other places. I just remember the person saying that many of her friends were auditioning at other schools during their freshman year, so I can only assume that the professors are willing to let you miss some studio time. And yes, I can only imagine how awkward it would be to say to another school that you have to decline. I think I’ll ask an admission person or student about that when I go visit.</p>
<p>Thanks, that will be another question we ask next Friday----how much time off do the freshmen get to audition for other programs?</p>
<p>I bet the answer will be: none.</p>