Congratulations!!! omg I needed this I’ve never been a lead either and I am so scared of going into this process with mostly ensemble for my resume but I love musical theatre too 
@ALS0830 - another great story of perseverance! This class is amazing- congrats!
@ALS0830 Congratulations! That gap year must have flown by. I’m so happy she hung in there and worked so hard to get her spot. This is not a race…it’s a journey!
Congratulations to you and your tenacious D, @ALS0830!
Yay for your daughter and the new CCPA class!
@jessieburnett congratulations! We did a tour at UT in March and I was so impressed with the school. Tampa is an awesome city with a lot to offer. My nephew and his husband have a blog where they report on stuff going on around town…,check it out. Google NHIE (Never Have I Ever) guys Tampa.
@marg928 Thank you! I’ll definitely be checking that out!
I am loving all the stories - and am thrilled for each of you (or your kids) finding their place for next year. Thanks too @jessieburnett for the advice - it will be so helpful for others to hear your perspective on this crazy process.
Congrats to your D on Kent, @theaterwork!!
Hi everyone! So I finally have gotten around to sharing my story. The whole process has been such a journey of up and downs, and I still going through it now… but more on that later.
Background: Only school shows and 1 community theatre show
Training: No official training anywhere, but I did have guidance from an acting/vocal coach.
Applied: Baldwin Wallace, Christopher Newport, Emerson, James Madison, Kent State, Montclair State, UNCSA, Otterbein, Point Park, Shenandoah, UArts, VCU, and Viterbo.
Prescreens: Otterbein, Shenandoah (MT), Viterbo (MT)
I was rejected from Otterbein and Shenandoah prescreens.
Auditions: Baldwin Wallace, James Madison, Kent State, UNCSA, Shenandoah, VCU (All on campus)
All the other auditions were at NYC Unifieds.
When I first started this process in September I was completely alone in this. I paid out of my own pocket for the audition fees and the application fees, plus dance clothes and shoes for dance calls. I previously researched a list of schools the prior year and most of them stayed on my list. I found all my audition material myself and only really had help when I asked my “coach” if the material fit as a package. I do think I could have gotten more help when it came to the singing department and those song choices. I went in auditioning for about half MT, half acting because I wanted to keep my doors open. However, I got 0 acceptances into any MT programs so that’s saying something. (Side note) After I found out I was rejected from my Shenandoah prescreen I was a little mad because I paid $30. So I signed up to audition for acting because I didn’t want my money to go to waste.
Rejections: Baldwin Wallace (Acting + MT), James Madison (MT), Emerson (MT), Kent State (MT), Montclair State (Acting + MT), UNCSA, Point Park (MT), Uarts (MT), Viterbo (MT)
Waitlist: Montclair State (Acting), VCU (Theatre Perf)
Redirected: Emerson (Theatre Perf), UArts (DPP), Viterbo (Acting)
Acceptances: Shenandoah (Acting), Christopher Newport (Non Aud), Point Park (Acting), Kent State (BA), Baldwin Wallace (BA)
Final decision: Shenandoah University (BFA Acting)
But wait… the story doesn’t end there.
I waited till the very end of April to decide on Shenandoah because of financial reasons. Mainly knowing that I couldn’t afford 4 years there. I feel so stupid now, but I really pushed for my parents to let me attend and they did. I was told by my financial aid counselor that they would reconsider my scholarship to better fit my need. However, today I was just told that the conservatory is in a “freeze” and the likelihood of them giving me money are close to none. So now I am completely out of options to help pay to attend this school. I very much feel like that one Spring Awakening song, T****** F*****… I can’t even truly be excited because when I think about college I think about how much I have to bust my butt just to make a tiny dent in what I will owe and the looming debt I’m going to be in in the future. I don’t want to sound like I have a right to anything because I don’t, but I busted my ass through high school to get good grades and do the right things so I could have these opportunities in the future. Now that I have them it just sucks that it comes with a huge price. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that this little brown-skinned girl could get into a Conservatory for Acting and right now I am just trying to focus on the fact that I have already accomplished so much.
@WhiteRaven1 I have followed your story on these boards all year. I admire your spirit and tenacity. You have some great acceptances! I will keep my fingers crossed for you that some scholarships come through.
@WhiteRaven1 please don’t give up also keep hounding them ask if they have a Martin Luther scholarship or the ALANA scholarship! You have to keep pushing we are all routing for you congratulations you did an amazing job!!!
@WhiteRaven1 sorry to hear this. I there a plan B?..like an affordable state school where you can major or minor in theater? Did you apply to any in-state public schools?
@whiteraven1 - have you explored scholarships outside of the schools to which you applied? There are hundreds if not thousands of them out there. Some may be small, but they all add up. One of the larger ones you might look into is the Dr. Pepper scholarship program. You might also check in your local community and see if there scholarships for which you might be considered. In our area there is a community foundation that handles the distribution of scholarships for many families or private organizations. You might see if there is something like that in your area. Also, did you like any of your other acceptances? For example, Have you checked with Viterbo or Point Park to see what sort of $ they would give you if you decided to attend there instead of Shenandoah? The money part of this is very daunting so I understand why you are frustrated. But you are so strong. Explore all of your possible options and then evaluate what will be best. You may find one of your other choices to be more affordable. and it could end up being exactly the perfect fit for you. There are also some scholarship threads on CC not specific to MT or Acting you may want to explore as they may have some good suggestions or information on how to get more scholarship money and where to find it. Wishing you all the best.
Another thought. Keep your acceptance at Shen but defer a year. Work to earn money while living at home and maybe pick out a couple of in state schools or colleges with more scholarship money available based on your grades to apply to and then evaluate next April. You could also start early to see if Shen can give you any more money. You at least would have some money saved up going into the start of your college career, wherever you decide to go.
Also you could start early on the scholarship options @vvnstar suggested along with a wealth more of scholarships. There are several online free scholarship search sites and also big scholarship books probably at your HS you could use. Good luck.
Thanks @CentralOHmomof4 ! My D is happy with how things worked out. Hoping she is happy at Kent State!
@Cornycollins18 Thank you so much! It means a lot!
@lincoln56 Yes! I will not be giving up. Thank you so much!
@marg928 I had a few back up options but I ultimately chose Shenandoah because it was more of the program I was looking for. The Acting and MT work very closely together. And they also offer plenty of free space to take dance etc. Not to mention it’s close to home. I don’t believe I applied to any instate public school mainly for the reason that there aren’t many in my state. Thanks!
@vvnstar Thank you! Yes, I knew going into this I needed scholarships and I have applied to numerous amounts. Many local. I’ve had a few interviews but none of them have pulled through. I was a finalist in the Andrew Lloyd Webber Scholarship but I didn’t get it 
Viterbo wasn’t giving me enough to make it affordable. Point Park did give me a generous scholarship but after talking to some students I could tell that the program wasn’t right for me. Thanks for the advice!
@sbc Thanks for the advice! I am working my summer job again this year picking up trash and cleaning bathrooms so I plan to put that toward some of the cost My parent really don’t want me to defer a year because they already put so much into this year. Plus my parent are the type to make me pay rent if I stay at home so idk how much that would take out of my earnings.