<p>My D. has been accepted into MT program at OCU, Rider, and Ohio Northern. Any advice?</p>
<p>I know this subject has come up before, but since my D has all but one of her auditions coming up starting January 26th, it is disconcerting at best to see that acceptances are being handed out already (although I haven’t seen any of the schools yet listed that gave out an acceptance; she didn’t get accepted at the one school where she’s already auditioned). Why do schools have most of their audition dates after the first of the year, have Unifieds in February, etc if they are already going to limit their application pool by accepting some folks early? Makes no sense to me, and ticks me off to an extent in that my D’s chances will be lower presumably.</p>
<p>Jeffandann, I don’t think these early acceptances lower the chances of your D getting into any particular program. I think the schools pretty much have this down to a science (well, except maybe with one notable exception). They know how many students to accept to yield an acceptable class size; they know enough to leave slots open for the kids that are auditioning later. The kids getting acceptances now are either students who were going to get into these schools regardless of WHEN they get in (and therefore are not hijacking a spot from your D or anyone else), and/or they are from schools that take a lot of kids and therefore there are plenty of slots left for the kids auditioning later. My D has only auditioned for 2 schools so far…like you and your D, the bulk of her auditions are in late January and February…she even has one scheduled in March. Don’t worry about these early acceptances. I know it’s hard not to. But I’ve only heard of ONE school that ran out of slots prior to all the auditioning occurring last year (my notable exception, above), and my D didn’t apply to that school b/c we didn’t like the way that whole situation was handled. The vast majority of schools know exactly what they’re doing. And if your D comes along and blows them away at her audition at the end of February or beginning of March, they will take her. They aren’t going to say, “Darn. We have to pass on this talented girl b/c we have no slots left!” They will let her in. No worries. :)</p>
<p>Well, monkey, I hope you’re right. She’ll have auditions on Jan 26th, two at Chicago Unifieds, one then on Feb 9th, 16th, and 23rd, and then on March 16th (the March 16th one there were only two dates total, and both are late in the process). One can only hope things go well! Too bad her first audition was at a place she would have liked, but I think nerves and inexperience in the audition process for MT schools have been a negative.</p>
<p>I really hate this whole process. I have a BFA and have been successful in my field. If I was trying to get into college now, I would never make it into any program. It’s like the more fully formed you are as a performer the better your chances. Yet that doesn’t guarantee success. No audition in the world can tell an adjudicator how hard a kid will work to get what they want. Willpower and and moxie are not measurable on any scale.</p>
<p>It is so hard to watch this. My son is 6"2" with a huge baritone/bass voice. Not many of them around. So I knew we would be fine. But I read the advice that you “will know” if the school is right for you (we did) but then what if you don’t get in the one that you know is right for you? I think parents have to understand that if you have talent and a plan for your future, you can find success where ever you are. I really feel that a lot of this process is connections. If you aren’t getting them at school, find a great summer program with connections. If the voice lessons are so good, pay for your own. You are not doomed if you don’t get the one you want, and you are not guaranteed success if you do.</p>
<p>I don’t think ANY of us enjoy this. It is - at times - exciting, but mostly it is fraught with anxiety and fear. I think it is dangerous to have your heart set on one school. Of course the kids are going to fall in love with one (or more), but they HAVE to keep an open mind. My D has 15 schools on her list. She would be happy to go to any one of them. Does she have favorites? Of course. But she knows that she has to keep an open mind, and she only applied to schools that she would truly love to attend. So any acceptance will thrill her. I guess I don’t understand the kids who apply to schools they really don’t want to go to…the point is not to get into ANY program, but to get into a program that you think is a great fit. I really hate to hear parents say, “Yeah, we’re auditioning at XYZ University, and my D really doesn’t want to go there.” So why on earth are you applying? </p>
<p>Theatremomma, you ARE fortunate to have a boy who is a rare type. It probably did make it easier for him…but the bottom line is he got into TSU b/c he is talented. He is lucky…he ended up at the school he thinks is right for him. But I really think, especially for the girls, and most especially for girls of certain types, that it is wise to keep an open mind, and try to look for the silver lining that are in so many of these programs. Break legs to all!</p>
<p>Congrats to theatremomma and everyone else~
Hopefully all CC members get a spot somewhere with a generous scholarship besides.</p>
<p>Yes theatremomma – I have one of those too. Except he’s only 5’11". But a huge baritone voice. :)</p>
<p>Mcpcwhite. Good luck! I love them boys! Let me know how it goes. He should have a good shot at the “big” ones!</p>
<p>I agree you really need to make sure that all the schools on your child’s list need to be ones that they would be happy at. There are great schools out there that fit every student --not just the “top” schools. Of course like everyone she has her favorites that she would LOVE to get in and she will be waiting to hear from those–but in the end she will be fine with any of the schools on her list. We feel lucky that she already has an acceptance at a school that she can see herself at. Probably would not be her first choice but she really loved the whole package of what the school offered.</p>
<p>Monkey13s comment: I dont think any of use enjoy this is so true - well… until its not. The second you finally have one of the schools you really want in the bag, it changes everything about how you look at the entire process. Jeffandann, your daughter also did an early audition at 1 school. Had she been accepted instead of rejected early, your feelings about schools that give out offers before the process is completed would probably be different and more along the lines of feeling truly grateful that those opportunities exist as you continued to march forward towards the balance of the auditions. It just so happens that your list includes very few schools that follow that kind of admission notification schedule or if they do, they simply have not seen your daughter yet. If they want her, they will take her no matter when she shows up. Im not downplaying your completely understandable disappointment with the first rejection (we were in a somewhat similar boat with an early school last year that was a top choice), but if this rejection had come later in the process after you already had an acceptance in hand, you would not be second guessing how she did on the audition to nerves or whatever reason and probably far less unsettled as you read about some of these other students acceptances that are starting to roll in. It would be a lot easier to chalk her first experience up to the odds-gods, which are against all of these kids (especially girls) long before the school(s) ever see them. Hang in. The bulk of auditions DO happen starting towards the end of January.</p>
<p>Many thanks, halflokum, to help keep things in perspective. It was an audition at a school 13 hours away by car, with 600 kids minimum for maybe 10 spots for girls, so we knew it would be a long shot. And even before finding out she started expressing reservations about being that far away. So I keep my faith and trust that things will work out. I swear this is harder on the parents than the kids!</p>
<p>And . . . the school your child ends up at will not be perfect, whether it is a dream school or farther down on the list. The vocal instruction will be wonderful and the acting not so hot, the teachers will be great and the social scene a bit difficult, the classes wonderful and number of productions minimal or highly competitive, great campus but old dorms, etc. There is no perfect program; every single one has its ups and downs. For every student rave, you will find students who transfer. BUT, you need to remember that your student will get a college education in a field and with classes that they love for a future they dream about. What percentage of students can say that??? And, it is all about learning that the most important ingredient is what the student decides to make of it all . . . this is from a mom who went through the audition process 2 years ago, has a sophomore student at an MT BFA program who auditioned at 14 schools and was accepted to 4, and went through a rough freshman year but is now growing and loving it! Best of luck!</p>
<p>Happy to hear your son already got into a great school and he’s happy. I remember that your son wants to do all the shows in high school this year, so it looks like now he can relax and just do what he loves. He sure has a beautiful voice! My D has auditions ahead of her at Unifieds, like many other parents here. She has a non-audition acceptance already, but is looking forward to auditioning for her dream schools in January and February. This process is a crazy one, just like show business.</p>
<p>Thanks Heartsongmom. Best best wishes and prayers for wonderful auditions for your daughter! I’m waiting to hear her good news!</p>
<p>I am way late but I haven’t posted here yet so… congrats theatremomma to your S! I know we messaged briefly before all of his Nov auditions and I’m thrilled to hear this good news. :)</p>
<p>Congrats to your son! He is a lucky man to have been accepted so early and be of so rare a type.</p>
<p>I was rejected a few weeks ago from the school on the top of my list (U of M). I knew it was a difficult school to get into, especially for at transfer student (plus, my type seems to be a dime-a-dozen: tenor, pretty boy, white and of slight build). At first, I was so disappointed that I felt sick to my stomach for several hours, but now I’m glad I got a “no” so early on in the process (I would have happily taken an acceptance letter to U of M, but that’s beside the point). It kicked my motivation to do the best and stand out as much as I possibly stand up about a million points. I’m really glad that I got that well-aimed slap on the face (I realize rejections, acceptances and wait lists are nothing personal, but my right brain doesn’t share in this school of thought). Anyway, it was a well-aimed slap to the reality that there are hundreds of kids out there just like me, all vying for the same few spots and if I want to get one of them, I have to work a lot harder than I have been. This has almost eliminated procrastination from my life, made me a better student and employee and has thoroughly annoyed my friends when I tell them I have to work on my college apps or study. Or I could FINALLY be growing up. I hope not. What a horrifying prospect. :P</p>
<p>In a nutshell, I’m sortakinda grateful for rejection, in a weird way.</p>
<p>That is a wonderful outlook, downstage!!! Don’t give up or in to that one “no”. I think you are showing a mature work ethic - it’s not so bad to grow up a bit. But never grow up all the way!</p>
<p>Best of luck to you!</p>
<p>Downstage- bravo- great way to look at it. There is plenty of room for a talented tenor. Do the work and good things will come. My son is a type that is not as common, but he has done the work since he was 9 years old. No school can define your chance of success.</p>