Okay, so I wan’t totally wrong on Minnesota/Guthrie: on Accptd the upload of prescreen videos is OPTIONAL, along with the remaining artistic profile. I knew we had sent in videos, but it just didn’t seem like they were actual prescreens. Okay. I feel better now.
Programs Applied to: BU, CMU, DePaul, Julliard, Pace, Rutgers, The New School, Fordham, UNCSA, Emerson, UIC Columbia college, scad
Prescreens: BU,CMU,DePaul,Pace … All Passed
Accepted to: Suny Purchase, NYU Tisch, Rutgers ,DePaul, Pace ,The New School, Fordham, Emerson, Columbia College, Scad, UIC
Rejected from: Uncsa and for so many obvious reasons
Wait-listed at: Juilliard, Cmu
Coach: None but my son is still friends with Holly Allen from Northwestern Went over his Shakespeare monologue of a midnights summer dream (Yes this has been done a gazillion times and he was praying that Juilliard wouldn’t have asked for his second monologue but they did and he did it )
Monologues used. He is A’MAZING at Julius Ceasar Cassius, a Mid Nights Summer Dream. August Wilson Jitney (played booster), Superior doughnuts, Death of a Salesman (Very good… got him full rides to a couple of universities 
Background/Training: Attends an Intensive Performing arts School in the theatre conservatory
Summer Programs: UIC Summer Drama Camp, Cherubs at Northwestern, Berridge Theatre Camp in France ( if you can go…GO!!!)
Final Decision: The Theatre School at DePaul
I have to title this “The Long Way Home”
a 5 years ago Post that I had typed popped up on my FB page this morning and It couldn’t have been a more perfect time for facebook of all places to show it.
It says “Until you are ready to admit to yourself exactly what it is that you want, you will experience confusion.”
My son went in wanting a conservatory program, was knocked off by confusion by other options but in the end…
I would go into how my kid was one of the shy ones and I put him into a small 4-hour Theatre class when he was 5 only twice and that he took a drama class in 8th grade but I want to go into something more important
A few of you know this but Many do not. We are Minorities. My family comes from Louisiana and I guess you could say that we’re Creole. I come from a French White Grandmother but you would never know looking at me. some of you may ask why would I say something like this on such a public forum but I have to because you have to understand why we have selected our school choices the way that we have.
My son is an African American Straight Male.There aren’t many Straight males in MT and once again, he’s no singer. Sure you may say that as a minority, he has advantages but he has disadvantages that many of you may take for granted. It’s not your fault, it’s just how the system is.
If you aren’t aware of what has recently transpired at Syracuse University, it’s situations such as this that gives us pause. We must look at schools that wouldn’t pose an issue for a Black Males during his college years. There are situations everywhere but we tried to look at schools where the situations were manageable. We have to look at schools through different lenses. It’s fine but making some of you aware that we are still dealing with this exhausting climate.
We withdrew from BU because several recent BFA Minority graduates said that although they liked the BFA program a lot! their time in Boston was not always pleasant. so we decided to not audition and we canceled our application.
we were waitlisted for CMU and thought it was odd because my s had an unpleasant experience in the audition room but all is well. we decided to not remain on the list because he did not want to attend school in Pittsburg
The New School audition was Very VERY VERY Odd. We want to be part of equal rights and all of those other social issues however the Auditors spent 20 minutes on what my son thought about racism in America and only 3 minutes on his audition. No thanks
Rutgers was a shock. He loved their program and met students that he could see himself with and although the whole London Globe thing sounds AMAZING, he’s been to London, he’d rather take his chances at studying at Lamda or Rada close to his senior year or something much later on (oxford maybe and Tisch, Yale have always been on his agenda for his MFA) . As an African American Male, saying that he has gone to London to study as part of his University Program doesn’t really shine for him. The financials being out of state was ok. not the greatest but He knew that he had other options.
Pace University was the Craziest Ride that we had experienced. I will not go into but you can go back to our previous post. My son decided to not attend Pace because the program is still a bit new. The caliber of shows so far was just ok and it wasn’t a conservatory program. When we saw his classmate is now working almost full time and still in the Pace BFA program, he realized that this isn’t what he was setting out to do. I’m sure Pace BFA program will work for someone, just not my kid.
Fordham experience was great then strange. He was first waitlisted but quickly taken off (maybe they had made a mistake and realized it ? Not sure, it’s not the first time we’ve seen this happen) He really enjoyed the faculty there but he realized that the entire college experience for Fordham is in just one building and he was hoping to have a little bit of something more. I know it sounds silly but perhaps a lurker will get where I’m going with this. He thought it may be fun to even connect with his new Juilliard friends but they train Monday through Saturday until at least 6 pm and Sundays are for chill, laundry, sleeping etc… Not much of a social life and he was up for this
Suny Purchase. was taken off when he was accepted to DePaul early on. It is a conservatory school but DePaul gave him much MUCH more scholarship $$ than what Purchase could’ve provided. He would’ve accepted Purchase if it was the only conservatory school he had a choice of and probably Purchase over Rutgers. Not sure why. his words, not mine
Don’t know why we bothered with SCAD. My entire family is from the South and we just don’t vibe well with the atmosphere although southerners can be very nice, there is always this underlining uncomfortability there. I know that things are changing but the climate right now is not our friend. On audition for scholarship day here in Chicago. I almost Puked over the rep trying to justify why it’s ok for a black kid to go there because his biracial classmate was in his 2nd year at Scad. My son is more than just his skin color.
Columbia was just in case but after 1 week of applying, he said it was silly of him to apply. He would Never go there.EVER
UIC was the school he chose to audition for instead of Pace that one crazy day. He was accepted with a full ride. Of course, he declined. It was a safety school but they have connections and it’s a cool school. It’s just too close to home he says
UNCSA, knew he’d be rejected… most of his classmates have always been rejected. his current school seems to be based on UNCSA so expected. He did not want to attend school in N. Carolina so his feelings weren’t hurt.
NYU Tisch was quite a surprise! we’re grateful for the opportunity. Atlantic sounds like a great program but it was about 4th or 5th on my son’s list. For a moment he was going to consider it but why spend the extra $160K if he can get there in 4 years and meet more people? He’s met so many people from New York, New Jersey. I think his Social connections have increased by 1000% and they all support each other regardless of what schools they are at. The True Actors are all in this together and they are all cheering each other on. I never thought it would be this way but it is. Besides, he did a lot of screen work with Dusty Coen (from Cherubs) who’s dad is Ethan Coen. They still keep in touch and Ethan even sent a quick Text of HI and good luck with college recently. it’s always great to keep those connections. He took my son’s picture and who knows, maybe he’ll have a spot for one of his Oscar-worthy movies in the future.
Emerson’s program looked like fun but he wasn’t trying to AUDITON Later to see if he could obtain a BFA degree he feels like his first audition to get into this school was enough. We’re grateful that the director even reached out twice but once again it’s in Boston. Boston is beautiful and exciting. It’s just not that great for minorities and I’m being as transparent as possible and I’m sure someone feels uncomfortable reading this portion (imagine living it 
)
I’m not sure if I missed some schools but to close this. My son went into this college experience because he wanted to continue the Conservative Training that he has received so far. The students at his school have received at least 2 years of college-level conservative training and you can see it in their work. He didn’t’ want to waste this momentum that he has.
His goal is tv/film and theatre once he makes a name for himself. DePaul gives him the option of double majoring and although it’s a conservative training program, he has a hefty load of liberal arts classes that are mandatory and it’s about the same if not more than NYU or Fordham so we’re good in this area as well
Now that he can double major, it will be hard but a fun immersion. He’s decided to receive his BFA in Acting and BFA in Directing or Screen Writing
for all of you reading this. What we’ve learned from Juilliard, DePaul, Rutgers… BEFRIEND THE PLAYWRITERS!! they are the ones who remember your kids when their shows are put on. This is one first step that happens for Juilliard students. This is how other kids are pulled up too.
I’m sure that I’ve just spilled a secret but hey! not everyone will make it in this business. Who knows what the future brings for any of our kids but we’ve made it this far
. I just paid our tuition deposit and I feel Fantastic! Had I known to just apply to Chicago schools, I wouldn’t have had to take this journey but perhaps we needed to do this so that we could appreciate where we are now. Sometimes taking the long way home can be for lesson purposes and you don’t understand it while you’re traveling.
I’m glad that I don’t have to spend countless hours and money flying back and forth to see his shows.
He’s learned like many others at his school how to handle REJECTION and they have developed a very thick skin.
They take the lesson learned and know that the universe must have something greater for them down the road and 9 times out of 10, it’s exactly what happens.
DePaul is our Final Choice! Good luck to everyone and I hope to see all of our kids on the big screen or the small stage or teaching others in a class. Our country needs to tell stories more now than ever. I want all of our kids to make it. I really do!
So, so, so happy for you and your S @actingdreams! Can’t wait to see what the future holds for him!
@frontrowmama thank you!! you have been such a great supporter! I can’t wait to hear about your S. Journey!! I’m sure we will keep in touch xx
Hooray @actingdreams I LOVE reading the final decisions, and your does a great job of detailing why fit is so important. I know in the beginning I just wanted someone to give me a list of “Good” schools, a list of “affordable” schools, and the reality is, that fit for your actor is so personal. Congratulations!
@actingdreams “The Long Road Home” and “Until you are ready to admit to yourself exactly what it is that you want, you will experience confusion.” Exactly. Happy for your Son and for You! I am glad you posted about your minority status and how you see the world (in the U.S. and elsewhere) and how the world sees you. I am glad you shared your personal experiences with each school. Everyone here knows that sometimes the experiences are great with a school for your kid, but terrible for another kid (from the applications, the auditions, the visits, the decision process, Financial Aid, etc.). It is important for you to voice your concerns and for those of us with a different skin color (and, thus, life experience) to hear them, listen to them seriously, and stay in dialogue with people like you and your Son. The way forward is by communicating and tolerating even the things that make us uncomfortable or ashamed. Thank you for your presence on this Board. I learned a lot from you.
@DoinResearch Thank you so much! I hope my post helps some in the future or who may be on the fence between one school or another… Thank you for the support can’t wait for your final acceptance story
@Noreplays2018 thank you so much!! I am looking forward to seeing your D’s Shows! It will be a nice casual drive to see some fantastic work! Just knowing some of the students who landed at IWU last year, I know the upcoming shows will be talked about for a very long time! Thank you 
I can’t believe we made the decision 11 days prior to the deadline
I am happy to experience what is left of my Sons Senior Year. This entire year has been wrapped into finding a college when all along it was right here
WOW @actingdreams yours is an inspiring journey. I can’t wait to see your son being brilliant on the screen. You are am amazing mother #goals.
@laylamom Thank you!! can’t wait to see where your Daughter ends up! this has been a crazy ride for sure.
@actingdreams Many congratulations to your son and to you (for living through all the stress!). I hope our boys cross paths someday.
@Twoboysandadog I have a feeling that they will at some point! thank you I now get to feel how you’ve been feeling. Relief!
So happy for you and your son and eager to hear what happens next.
Thanks so Much!! @Jkellynh17 I can’t wait to see to meet your S!
Congratulations @actingdreams! This sure has been a wild ride. Glad to see your son land in a perfect program - both perfect for him and his bright future and for his mom who will love having her baby close.
Thank You @ginaf1102 so glad this part is over and he found his place. Can’t wait to hear where your D ends up
@actingdreams What a wonderful story. I’m all choked up! Your son is lucky to have such an amazing cheerleader for a mom, and the CC class of 2022 parents have been lucky to have you son and you traveling this crazy path alongside our kids. Hoping to get to see your son and Atreuh’s in some DePaul shows!
Congrats to your S @actingdreams! You dared to dream he would go to school close to home and it happened! I’m jealous actually. My D didn’t even want to audition at UNCSA probably because it’s relatively close to our house LOL!
She did finally make a decision and… it’s Boston University! She absolutely fell in love with the program even before she went to visit. It has everything she wants, serious acting training, excellent school, MT track, study abroad in London, really deep connections to regional theatre and it’s in a city.
She would probably kill me if I posted a detailed play-by-play of the whole adventure of how we got here but lets just say that although it was full of hand-wringing anticipation I really loved the time we got to spend together and it was kind of fun to learn about the different schools and programs. I also learned just how composed and level headed she can be even with all the ups and downs of this process. She’s a queen and I will miss her soooo much!
@actingdreams you did peek my interest though when you mentioned issues race issues in Boston. Would you mind elaborating? I would be interested to know more. If you prefer PM that’s fine I just can’t do it yet since I haven’t posted enough yet. Maybe I should have just posted this info in three separate posts!
@katew529 Thank you so much! Yes this has been a journey! I’m incredibly excited for him and hope you and the rest of the CC Moms here can see a show! I will be looking to check all of our kids shows!