Final List? Obvious Omission?

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>School Selection Criteria:</p>

<p>Studio (good)/classroom (bad)<br>
Traditional Stanislavski training (good)/funky new art and techniques (bad)
Track record for turning out working actors
Intensity reputation (more is better)
Showcase availability
Guaranteed Casting
Class Size
Ability to develop MT skills and/or participate in MT a plus
Urban vs Rural (prefer Urban but not a deal breaker)
Location (both from the standpoint of preferring East Coast and feasibility of managing auditions for a large number of schools; did not want to leave more than 4 schools for unifieds)</p>

<p>Daughter specific facts:</p>

<p>Knows she's wanted to do this since 8. Serious training since 10.
Has received external feedback from several outside sources over the past several years to lead us to believe she should grade out very high from a talent standpoint. This is a key point in the list development and one people will just have to take my word on as I don't see anything useful in posting about what our basis is for reaching that conclusion.
She's 5'10" and a very pretty girl as well so that can't hurt.
GPA around 3.4. Very good public high school. 5-6 Honors classes. 1 AP.<br>
SAT won't be taken till October (had health issues and missed it in May)</p>

<p>The list:</p>

<p>CMU
Julliard
Purchase
Rutgers
NCSA
BU
NYU
Ithaca
Syracuse
Depaul
Otterbein
Hartt
U of Arts</p>

<p>The rationale:</p>

<p>13 schools is a lot but since they are all auditioned BFA, felt like we had to given the approach of focusing only on audition BFA programs. Fortunately, based on where we live, we can manage this from a logistical standpoint. </p>

<p>We are planning to do on campus at CMU, Rutgers, Julliard, Purchase, NYU, Hartt, U of Arts, Ithaca and Syracuse. From old posts, it looks like Ithaca and Syracuse coordinate dates so students can do one on one day and the other the next on the same weekend. If anyone has info on that it would be appreciated. </p>

<p>At NY unifieds, she'd do Depaul, Otterbein (assuming they want to audition her after sending screening video), UNCSA and BU.</p>

<p>I understand this list cuts against the conventional wisdom of including non-auditioned BFAs as safety schools. I've read almost every post here over the past couple of years so I understand the point of view. I'm posting this list for some input (see below) but the input I'm not looking for is we don't have any idea what we're doing and should not pursue this approach.</p>

<p>Input Requested:</p>

<p>Based on the criteria, is there an obvious omission or school we should consider? Ones we looked into and rejected are listed below. </p>

<p>CalArts -- too "edgy" in approach for my daughter's tastes; would rather be closer to home
U of Minn -- not as conservatory as she'd like, a little farther away than she'd like, had on list but dropped in the final list in favor of some closer schools and to have some slightly less competitive schools on the list.<br>
Cincinatti/Michigan -- never could get a great feel for the strength of acting programs. Think its a bit of a minus to be in a place where MT so dominates acting.
Webster -- looks like an interesting program; would certainly apply if it was closer but could not come up with a strong reason to add it.
N. Illinois -- big plus for the focus on Meisner training but could not come up with strong reason to include over current list.<br>
Evansville -- looked at this one a lot. Think its a great school for the right kid -- one looking for well rounded BFA with more academics. Evansville does very good with getting kids into MFA programs. Just not really the end degree professional training my daughter wants to get out of her BFA program.
Emerson -- I really pushed her on this one but she did not like the fixed number cut aspect of the program. She is not as much worried that she would be cut as that it would foster an overly competitive dynamic. She is very attracted to the notion of bonding with a core class group for 4 years and this runs counter to that.</p>

2

<p>This looks well-thought-out and put together, and it sounds like you have the auditions under control. </p>

<p>My tiny remark is that she could do NIU at Unifieds, just for the heck of it, if she’s not exhausted. It does sound like a good option for her.</p>

3

<p>She definitely can do a walk-in at Unifieds for NIU. Another plus to Northern Illinois is the cost! I have a son at NYU and even with nice scholarships and him being an RA with free room and board, we still have to take out loans. My daughter’s final cost after all the scholarships and grants is only about $6000 for the whole year. Seems like most of the schools on your list are private and are more expensive. 3.4 isn’t all that high of a GPA for great merit scholarships. If she gets super high standardized test scores, that could help but also the merit scholarships look at class placement. If she is at a good school, I would think it would also be more competitive. If she really is very pretty- that should help if she also has the talent. Sorry- don’t mean to sound blunt- that’s just how I roll-lol. Northern Illinois is about to get a new master acting teacher as Kathryn Gately retired this summer. She will be in on the process of selecting a replacement. She worked hard on the program at NIU and I’m sure she will help choose a very worthy replacement. They also get to study in Russia when they are juniors. Anyway, the application process for NIU is very simple and rolling and it would be easy to have her audition for them. In fact, she could even audition for NIU first at Unifieds and then she would get one audition out of the way before she auditions for the programs on her list. I agree with EmmyBet- what the heck! I just didn’t want you to write off a gem of a program. Stepping off my soap box now!</p>

4

<p>S applied to 13 BFA programs as well with no LACs. Accepted to 6 of them - NYU, Syracuse, UMinn, NIU, Evansville, and USC. Would relook at Guthrie and USC. Both are great programs. Agree with your Cincinnati and Michigan comments and I think that applies to Otterbein as well. I would do a few more auditions at Unifieds. S did NYU and Juilliard on site. Did 11 at Chicago Unfieds which was a bit too much.</p>

5

<p>13 does not seem like an excessive number, given that she has no safety schools. Last year, when my daughter was auditioning (she did fewer, but she had a non-auditioned safety acceptance at Temple early in the year) we ran into many female students who had 13 or more (the largest number was 20 or 21) auditioned BFA schools. I honestly don’t know how they got the stamina to do so many auditions. </p>

<p>I would suggest keeping an open mind about drop-ins at the unified auditions. Last year and the year before, while reading this and the MT list, I watched with dread as many students reported rejection after rejection after rejection. Every year some talented kids roll snake eyes. Being pretty and being tall – these are assets, but there are a lot of tall, pretty girls out there. Talent is important, obviously, but talent does not always win auditions. There are too many factors that you cannot control. For example-- the ratio acceptances for females is often lower than for males (so mets1962’s son’s experience cannot be a predictor for your daughter’s). And, of course, the auditors are frequently attuned to type. </p>

<p>If your daughter has her heart set on an auditioned BFA from this list, it might be psychologically useful to have a plan B in place, just for peace of mind. Several parents I talked to told me that their student decided that if s/he were not accepted to one of their (top tier) schools, the plan was to take a gap year and re-audition.</p>

6

<p>I might add Montclair State or Pace to the list. Both require acceptance into the college before auditioning, and so,if she does not get into any auditioned BFA programs, she would still have a BA option. I don’t know how Purchase works for liberal arts BAs. Applicants to Mason Gross at Rutgers have to submit a general university application, which entitles them to apply to up to three divisions of Rutgers. Mason Gross actually encourages applicants to apply to the College of Arts & Sciences. Since there are no extra steps besides checking off a box, there is absolutely nothing to lose by applying to Rutgers CAS when applying to Mason Gross (you cannot schedule your audition until the application is submitted). I don’t know whether Purchase operates similarly.</p>

7

<p>Thanks all for the input. How do drop-ins work? If she has one audition scheduled for the day and she’s done at 11 (e.g.), she just looks to see who else is auditioning and see if they have an open spot? Even if it is not their normal policy, the school just lets you send everything else in post-audition? This seems like a good plan to add a couple of schools without dealing with any more stress about getting applications completed.</p>

<p>Supportive – appreciate all the info on N. Ill. However, Gately was a huge plus to the appeal of N. Ill. Did not know she was retiring. </p>

<p>GH – We’re going to do your idea of trying to get an early acceptance under her belt by getting in the U or Arts application early. If accepted, it would make next Spring a lot more comfortable. </p>

<p>We have not explicitly talked about a backup plan but she’d not have any trouble occupying a year if it came to that. Since her growth spurt, she’s gotten virtually no professional work as her manager can’t even get her into jobs as the jobs prefer 18 year olds that can play 16. The work for 16-17 years olds are for the ones than can play 13-14 and she can’t. She’ll turn 18 in June of 2013 so she can easily spend a year chasing work in a way she hasn’t been able to do yet and take advantage of training workshops in NY to develop her skills further. </p>

<p>Stagemum – Pursuing a BA is just not on radar screen for her right now. Until this past year, her backup plan was pursuing straight acting conservatories – Stella Adler, Atlantic, Circle in the Square, etc. I think the structure of college would be better for her right now but she’d go back to looking at acting conservatories before pursuing a BA.</p>

8

<p>

[quote]
GH – We’re going to do your idea of trying to get an early acceptance under her belt by getting in the U or Arts application early. If accepted, it would make next Spring a lot more comfortable.</p>

<p>We have not explicitly talked about a backup plan but she’d not have any trouble occupying a year if it came to that. Since her growth spurt, she’s gotten virtually no professional work as her manager can’t even get her into jobs as the jobs prefer 18 year olds that can play 16. The work for 16-17 years olds are for the ones than can play 13-14 and she can’t.[/quote}</p>

<p>Great plan with UArts! And if it doesn’t go as hoped, she still has time to add drop-ins or even another school or two to her list.</p>

9

<p>The strategy involving UArts is a good one. I had hoped that my son would get his audition there out of the way on the first available date. That didn’t happen, but he was accepted, with an Artist Grant, within days of his audition. He probably wouldn’t have bothered submitting several additional applications if he had concluded the process in November or December. He is going there, and I think he might have been more disappointed by his other rejections if he had not already been accepted there.</p>

10

<p>ActingDad, as you know I’m new to this whole process, so I really can’t give any advice. I do want to wish your daughter the very best as she embarks on this process, though. Also, as a teacher, I just want to say how refreshing it is to see a dad this involved with the school plans. Trust me, it’s a rarity. Best of luck to your daughter…and you!</p>

11

<p>Actingdad, when you go to unifieds, use the first hours of the first day to run around and sign up for those walk-on auditions you want to do (you can scope out the list on line ahead of time) because the slots fill up quickly. Also, be sure to check if the auditions are exclusively MT. Bring cash or checks for the audition fees for walk-ons (usually $10-20 each). I’m sure you will bring a laptop–if a particular audition excites her, then use it to apply immediately to the school so you don’t miss out on scholarship opportunities.</p>

<p>A 3.4 GPA is a bit low for NYU and BU. Though they say they will go to the mat for outstanding talent, almost all the accepted students have way higher GPA’s. Perhaps her test scores will blow them out of the water. This is not to discourage you, just recognize that with all the kids auditioning, schools have the pick of the best talent AND academics.</p>

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<p>^Ugadog99, I can think of at least four or five dads who have posted extensively here during the past four years or so regarding their son’s or daughter’s acting applications. (Not all posters reveal their gender.)</p>

<p>It’s a great thing, and maybe rare, but perhaps not all that rare for theatre kids?</p>

13

<p>Also, forgot to mention (but you probably already know), bring lots of extra headshots and resumes. You never know how many auditors there will be. Also with walk-ons, when you sign up, ask what the audition requirement is (2 min monologue, etc) so you can be prepared. One school had my s do the required contrasting monologues; then they asked if he could sing and he sang a song, then they pulled in the grad student signing up kids outside the room to do a cold reading with him. So be flexible. (He was accepted there and liked the teachers doing the audition but no $ so he didn’t go there)</p>

<p>Some of the schools have a person (usually an existing student) outside the room signing up kids and taking money. Some are just a sign up sheet.</p>

14

<p>Early auditioning at UArts is a good idea - but don’t take it lightly. We did a December audition last year and did not get a call back. Instead of an early acceptance, there was an early rejection, which changes the emotional dynamic considerably. Definitely prepare fully and rigorously for an early UArts audition.</p>

15

<p>I think you may need to be a little more flexible in your criteria.</p>

<p>“Studio” and “Classroom” are just words. The question is “what is actually going on in these rooms?” I’m pretty sure that ANY acting class is going to need to be “on your feet”, even if the room it is taught in is technically called a “classroom”. I remember the character of Wackford Squeers in Nicholas Nickleby, the schoolmaster who called his establishment a “Hall”, even though he new darn well it wasn’t technically a “Hall”, because by calling it a Hall he could attract better paying parents. Anybody can start an acting school and call it a “studio”, that doesn’t automatically make it good.</p>

<p>You are not going to find ANYBODY is America teaching exactly the way Stanislavsky taught in Russia a hundred years ago. Everybody has modified Stanislavsky–so you are “really” doing Strasberg, Adler, Meisner, Spolin, probably others I can’t think of now. All of these are different from each other, some quite different. NONE of them is the “real” Stanislavsky. But I am pretty sure each of them accuses the others of being “funky” and/or “new”. But in fact all of them “work”, in that all of them have produced successful actors. If anybody says “we do nothing but traditional Stanislavsky here” I’m pretty sure they are lying (if they are in the U.S.)</p>

<p>Guaranteed casting has its advantages and disadvantages. Obviously, if you are guaranteed roles you can be certain of getting the experience you are looking for. But this also means you are not getting experience in the actual competition for roles that exists in the real world. It also means that the not-so-serious students get to be in shows along with those who are working hard. In a school that doesn’t have guaranteed casting, you will still find that the students who really WANT to participate in shows will be able to do so, even if it means putting on a show on their own.</p>

<p>KEVP</p>

16

<p>It seems like you have changed your strategy some. Before, your D only wanted to apply to the top schools and if she didn’t get into those, she would go to a two year conservatory, but did not want to apply to any schools that were not the tippy top ones. In any case, your BFA list is well balanced now, which is a good thing. I think your D could get great training at any of those schools. It is too hard to evaluate your D’s academic chances at NYU though, particularly without her test scores. Do you have a practice timed test score to use as a baseline? Or a PSAT score? Her GPA is not out of the question for NYU but is on the lower side (along with not the most rigorous HS curriculum). Because your D has had feedback from professionals as to her artistic competitiveness, along with other benchmarks, she should walk away accepted to one or more BFAs. </p>

<p>I strongly recommend that most people have a back up non-audition school or schools. I will admit, however, that my own kid, who appeared competitive for BFA in MT schools, applied to just 8 BFA in MT programs and no non-audition schools and made out quite well. I just don’t typically recommend it but just adding that my kid did what yours is doing and to way fewer schools.</p>

17

<p>NYU doesn’t have guaranteed casting by the way.</p>

18

<p>I just want to mention that things beyond your D’s control can happen in admissions to BFA programs and so even if one school seems less competitive than another, I can tell you countless stories of kids getting rejected at less competitive programs and admitted to more competitive ones. </p>

<p>I did have a top notch artistic and academic student who had even gone to UArts summer program and had a rec from a professor there, who auditioned early at UArts and was rejected but later went to NYU/Tisch for acting. Lots of stories of this sort. So be prepared that sometimes it turns out that way. My own kid did not get into Emerson (was deferred at first) and was accepted to what are considered more competitive programs.</p>

19

<p>Also, if your kid doesn’t like the cut policy at Emerson, did she examine the one at DePaul?</p>

20

<p>I disagree with KEVP (post #15) about guaranteed casting in a BFA program. My son’s program has it, and he regards it as a wonderful thing.</p>

<p>Starting in sophomore year, the students qualify for casting. There are a number of productions each quarter. All BFA performance majors audition. Everyone is cast and has an opportunity to perform. The people with the best auditions get cast in the best roles, in the best shows.</p>

<p>Soozievt, I believe the cut policy at DePaul has been abolished.</p>