We are having trouble figuring out the process for DeSales MT program and are waiting to hear back from admissions since they were also unclear. My daughter and I have combed the website and it looks as if this school is a non-audition school, unless you want a scholarship. Does this sound correct? The only audition dates we see are for scholarship, not admission. Any information from someone who knows would be greatly appreciated, as she was going to apply but we are not free on either of the scholarship days.
My daughter looked into DeSales and from what I remember from two years ago, the student applies for admittanc into the university and then attends a scholarship day to audition for the program. We went to an information session and found the school to be a good fit. The new dean gave a talk at a luncheon and we were quite impressed with the department. Unfortunately, there was a huge snow storm on the weekend of the scholarship day and everything in the area closed. We weren’t able to reschedule an audition.
Thanks @whatsnxt She went ahead and applied and will wait to hear back I guess about the next steps. We were just in Allentown last week so could have visited during the same time had we been more organized.
@collegemom2000 DeSales is an audition school and yes you apply and then schedule audition on one of the days offered. Then they consider you for scholarship at same time. My daughter was accepted there. They are truly a great group of individuals. They will do anything to be accommodating.
I found the website information and marketing materials put out by the DeSales theatre department to be less than clear several years ago when we visited the campus during open house and during subsequent visits. The department never spelled it out distinctly but it is an audition school. One has to be accepted first academically by the university and then audition for acceptance to the theatre department to be a theatre major. They confuse the talent audition process by associating it with scholarship audition. According to DeSales, I was told one can be accepted into the theatre department and not get a talent scholarship. Muhlenberg College theatre department was more upfront…auditions are not required for admittance to the theatre department (anyone accepted by the college can major in theatre) but one can optionally auditon for a scholarship; it’s not required. At DeSales, the auditon is required for the main purpose of gaining acceptance to the theatre department; the scholarship part is secondary (not the main purpose of auditioning). If anyone understands differently, please share.
Yes @LookB4ULeap that is the audition process at DeSales. You sign up to audition on the scholarship day and then you are indeed auditioning for admittance to the theatre dept. then they consider you for a talent scholarship. When my daughter was admitted she then received notice shortly thereafter of a scholarship which she did receive. Perhaps the info on the website should be more clearly explained but we figured it out as I already knew from someone else it was an audition school. Also when you apply academically to the school and receive your acceptance the letter states that the major you are applying for requires an audition and you should go ahead and schedule it.
It’s a sweet school and a hidden gem in my opinion. Very good productions totally supported by the community and they of course have Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival on campus every summer for summer theatre with professionals and equity actors and DeSales students can audition for ensemble roles and earn equity points.