@Virginia718 thanks for sharing your story.
I’m so glad your son found a place he loves and is finding his niche.
Has anyone heard back from Royal Scottish yet?
USERNAME: nolitetimere
BACKGROUND: Went to an academically-oriented High School with tiny music and theatre departments. Performed & toured around Canada / the States / Europe in Opera productions and did more cabaret style shows with performers from Broadway, but never really focused on acting. Took a few years to complete a BA Honours in Political Science (with a year off somewhere in there). In November of 2015 I decided that I wanted to really give this a go and see if I was able to get in anywhere. Being limited by finances, I specifically looked up the list of schools that were participating / going to be in Chicago for Unifieds, and selected my schools that way.
SUMMER INTENSIVES: None
COACHING/TRAINING: None
COLLEGES APPLIED TO: Juilliard, DePaul, Roosevelt CCPA, Emerson, BoCo, AADA, York University
WITHDREW: Emerson and BoCo. It was nothing personal, but after the auditions I felt as though the schools just weren’t for me.
REJECTED: Juilliard and DePaul. Wasn’t too upset about Juilliard (I auditioned because I knew I’d regret passing up the opportunity later on), but DePaul had been my top pick. Lesson learned: Don’t schedule your top pick for your first audition - the lack of a callback definitely shook my confidence, and left me wondering if I would have gotten more favourable results had I scheduled the audition later on in my week.
ACCEPTED: Roosevelt CCPA, AADA, York University.
FINAL DECISION: Roosevelt CCPA. Honestly, Roosevelt was my second to last audition and I fell in love with the school when I visited. While I am choosing to focus on acting for my BFA, having the opportunity to take both dance and vocal classes at a school that offers majors in those areas is pretty damn incredible. I did fly back to Chicago to take a tour and sit in on a class after receiving an acceptance, and that trip only cemented my decision.
ADVICE: While it sometimes seems impossible, it is totally possible to go through the crazy audition process completely on your own. Also, a bit of advice for those already in post-secondary institutions / looking to do a second degree - perhaps putting a year between the two degrees isn’t such a bad idea. Scrambling to fill out applications / figure out monologues / making sure I make all the deadlines while trying to complete all the presentations, papers, and examinations to graduate was an absolute nightmare, and added a whole lot of unnecessary stress to the entire process. Other than that, it was fun (and I’m glad it’s all over!).
This is my first post here!
USERNAME: actorboy27
BACKGROUND: Attended a performing arts high school in NYC the past four years.
SUMMER INTENSIVES: British American Drama Academy (Shakespeare intensive)
COACHING/TRAINING: I never had a specific audition coach or anything, but since I attend a performing arts high school, I practiced my monologues and helped compile a list of school with several different teachers. However, for the most part, I was very much in charge of my own process.
COLLEGES APPLIED TO: Ithaca, DePaul, Bennington, Muhlenberg, Hartt, Roosevelt (CCPA), Otterbein, CCM, University of Michigan, Point Park, Juilliard, Rutgers (Mason Gross), Syracuse, Carnegie Mellon, and SUNY Purchase. All were for BFA acting, except for Muhlenberg and Bennington which are BAs.
PRESCREENS: Ithaca (did not pass), Otterbein (passed)
REJECTED: Ithaca, DePaul, Otterbein, University of Michigan, Juilliard, Rutgers (Mason Gross), Syracuse, Carnegie Mellon.
WAITLISTED: Muhlenberg (never filled out waitlist agreement form), Point Park (accepted 4/28), SUNY Purchase (accepted 6/13)
ACCEPTED: Bennington, CCM, Hartt, Roosevelt (CCPA)
FINAL DECISION: SUNY Purchase
ADVICE: Remember why you’re doing this. I received more rejections throughout this process than I ever imagined. It’s one thing to know in your mind that it is a competitive process; it is entirely different once the rejections start rolling in. I was entirely ready to give up. Not passing my Ithaca prescreen especially threw me off guard. But I had to tell myself that I’m doing this because I love acting and I want to improve and grow. Also, waitlist miracles do happen! I was happily committed to CCM, and had considered SUNY Purchase a closed chapter a few days after the May 1st deadline. But anything can happen! SUNY Purchase was one of my top choices from the start, so I’m thrilled.
Congratulations @actorboy27
Congrats @actorboy27 That is wonderful news!
Wonderful @actorboy27! My D is also attending SUNY Purchase in the Fall - also from the waitlist! Are you doing the July 13 orientation?
Fantastic, congratulations!
@artskids ahh very cool!!! Unfortunately I can’t attend orientation. I’ll be in England most of the Summer (I’m doing BADA again, but the adult session this time).
USERNAME: supergirlsmom Daughter
BACKGROUND:
Dressing up since age 3!
Acting since age 11, numerous shows at Arlington Children’s Theatre (ACT)
Vocal Vacations choir camp at New England Conservatory for 2 years,
Award winning show choir in middle school.
3 years of Magic Circle theater camp at Tufts University in middle school, including acting and costume shop.
Helped with costumes at ACT for several shows
Public highly competitive high school, 2169 SAT. 3.05 GPA
Two semesters of clothing and textile design classes in high school.
Drawing and painting, computer animation and honors art classes.
3 years of Collins Players at Tufts University in High School
Challenges: Autism spectrum, ADHD, anxiety
SUMMER INTENSIVES:
Nothing since Magic Circle
COACHING/TRAINING:
Some help with her portfolio from her Honors Art teacher senior year.
COLLEGES APPLIED TO:
Boston University (BFA)
DePaul University, The Theatre School (BFA)
Emerson College (BFA)
Mt. Holyoke College (BA)
Muhlenberg College (BA)
Purdue University (BA)
Slippery Rock (BA)
Smith College (BA)
Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts (BFA)
University of Massachusetts, Amherst (BA)
REJECTED:
Rejected outright: BU, Mt. Holyoke, Smith
Waitlisted and then was rejected: DePaul, Muhlenberg
ACCEPTED:
Waitlisted and accepted for Spring 2017 admit: UMass Amherst
Accepted outright: Emerson, Purdue, Slippery Rock, Rutgers Mason Gross
FINAL DECISION:
Emerson College, BFA Theatre Design/Technology with concentration in costume design!
Congratulations!
Congrats to your daughter, @supergirlsmom ! A wonderful school and program! I hope our daughters have a chance to work together one day!
Congratulations!!!
Congratulations @supergirlsmom!!!
Thanks! We’re very happy for her. It was a tough choice between Mason Gross and Emerson, but in the end she felt that the vibe at Emerson was a little more relaxed and a little less cutthroat. She doesn’t have a competitive bone in her body.
I hope so too, @letterhead. I hope your D enjoys Mason Gross!
Well, your “cutthroat” has me a little worried, @supergirlsmom ! Mine’s more of a “be your best self” type!
Maybe that was the wrong word. Maybe what I’m going for is that Mason Gross seemed more intense to her.
Oh, good! One thing I like about costumes is that there is so much collaboration necessary for success. I am so excited for them (and all the kids) heading off to do what they love.
Yes, exactly, that came up in more than one of her interviews.