<p>I'm a sophomore boy in highschool, and my dream school is the Carnegie mellon.
Seems like the competition is huge.... My question is, How do I know I'm good enough or have a shot for CMU MT?
By the way, is competition huge for boys too?</p>
<p>The competition at CMU for a BFA MT is probably the toughest there is. This year they’ve received the most applications for the program they’ve ever received (rumor has it the number is more than 2000 will audition), and they plan on accepting 4 girls and 5 or 6 boys. There are far more girls than boys who audition. There isn’t a dance component to their auditions, and grades do not matter as much as talent. I recommend going to their summer pre-college program to get an idea of what they’re looking for. Going to the program doesn’t increase your chances of getting in, but I can say it helped my D understand what their program is all about. Just like we all tell our kids, prepare as best you can and go in there and show them what you’ve got when the time comes. You’ll end up where you’re supposed to be. Best of luck to you on this journey! :)</p>
<p>Is CMU not using a prescreen yet?</p>
<p>All you can do now is train, train, train. If you aren’t in voice lessons, get in those, and maybe start looking at coaches who can help you prepare audition material. Also, make sure to apply to a range of other MT schools that you like as well, not just CMU. Don’t think of it as having to be “good” enough for Carnegie Mellon. If they don’t accept you, clearly they are not the right program for you. You will be accepted where you are meant to, and I trust that you’ll end up in a program where you really belong, CMU or otherwise.</p>
<p>I strongly second Daniellececelia’s advice to broaden your horizons and research many schools. Any audition based program will not be “safety”. Take time to read through the threads on the MT and Drama forums and you will learn a lot. There is sooooo much valuable information to be found.</p>
<p>And never assume a school is your absolute top choice until you visit. My daughter was in love with CMU and when she went to a school sponsored overnight after applying but before auditioning she disliked the kids so much she withdrew her application. You’re a sophomore, broaden your horizons, there are so many fantastic programs out there, more than one for each kid!</p>
<p>I echo all of the advice above! Also, the selection process is impossible to predict. CMU will accept the specific number of students they want in a particular year- and only that number. They approach it as though they expect every selected applicant to attend, and this way they do not end up with more students than they feel they can train the way they feel is best Only when they have a candidate decline do they go to their priority wait list. Applicants might be enormously talented, but not the particular type CMU is looking for that year, etc. so please try not to ink of it as a reflection of your talent or ability ( also true at any of the BFA audition-based schools). One element that does seem reliable is that CMU is not going to be swayed by super high test scores and /or a stellar GPA. It is a pure conservatory training program and there are very few classes outside the department. So, they need to be sure you can do the work and have a strong work ethic and will graduate, but your audition will be the primary factor. The advice you’ve been given about keeping your options, and your heart, open is excellent advice! Good grades will be very helpful for financial aid/scholarships, etc and many times students find they have fallen in love with more than one school, or out of love with a prior one. It’s great you are starting this process now and asking great questions. Common advice on these forums is to also include a couple of non-auditioned theatre programs as a safety as no audition-based program can be considered “safe”. For those, grades/scores will naturally be much more of a deciding factor. Since you are in the northeast, I was wondering if you are adding Rutgers Mason Gross to your list. Similar in that it is a true conservatory, great rep, similar geography, etc</p>
<p>Does CMU care about my ethnicity and look?</p>
<p>I do not think so, but I seem to recall so e discussion about this on the MT or Drama forums about this over the last year or two so you might want to use the search feature to ferret out some of that feedback. I think these programs do not make selections based on appearance- they need all looks and body types to cast their multitude of productions. Range, talent, passion, ability to take direction, and demonstration of seriousness of purpose are likely to be more influential factors.</p>
<p>Ethnicity and look is part of type, so yes, of course it’s a factor. They only take like 5 boys and it’s unlikely they want 5 versions of the same thing. imho.</p>
<p>For any program, appearances do matter somewhat whether it be related to your gender, size, skin color or other distinguishing features. Programs need all types of students. If they already have a lot of students with a type similar to yours, they may feel they need to fill their limited slots with someone who is a type they don’t already have. So it is possible to be equally talented but not be offered a spot in the program because of your type. Unfortunately that is a harsh reality of the theater world. You can give a great audition for a show, but if you don’t fit the look for the character you will not get the part. Don’t take this as a flat out rejection. Continue to be confident in your abilities. Just know you have to find a program that needs your type and that is a great fit for you.</p>
<p>Since CMU is such a small program, I’d wonder if they have the luxury of being deliberate about their type decisions. There is no “right” answer to bring a balance of type to their program that would ensure any future production they wanted to mount would have representation waiting in the pool. I suspect there must be type crossovers necessary there most of the time. Perhaps if there is a preference for specific types, it might have more to do with marketability after graduation. Not sure.</p>
<p>I recently heard that minorities are very well represented among the current MTs at CMU. I admit I heard this third hand but from very reliable sources.</p>
<p>A very great acting teacher once told my son these words of wisdom. Short, sweet, and filled with all the confidence you will ever need!</p>
<p>“You are enough.”</p>
<p>Ethnically ambiguous is hot right now. And, yes, CMU is looking for talent & marketability.</p>
<p>Wow. It’s really scary and terrifying how competitive it is to me.
Which one does CMU value more? Singing or Acting?</p>
<p>I’m taking a 50minutes-long voice lesson per week, an hour of Beginner-Jazz/Tap dance class per week, and no acting lessons. I’ll be taking Drama class next year at my school though. Do you think training I’m getting is pretty decent amount? or more voice lessons? Do you think a year of drama class and school productions will be enough to prepare my self for CMU/U of Michigan etc…??</p>
<p>Attrsction21 - it’s hard for any of us to say whether your training is enough. We don’t know you or your skill levels. Certainly there are going to be kids who train more and some that train less. It is good advice to look into some of the summer programs that are offered around the country. There is a thread on this forum about summer programs. Then do some research on the other MT schools that are out there. They are all listed on this forum. There are so many great programs and there will be one that best meets your needs. That may be CMU or U mich or may not. That’s not a reflection on your talent or skills; it may just be that they teach in a way that isn’t the best fit for you. Or, these two schools are also two of the most expensive, over $50,000 a year, and that could be a factor.
You’re getting an early start and that’s great! Good luck.</p>
<p>If you had to weight one thing more heavily than others, I think CMU would be acting first followed closely by voice and lastly dance. I would say Michigan would weight the 3 more evenly with perhaps voice taking a slight edge for most important. And they feel more strongly about dance than does CMU. The faculty at each have very different personalities and philosophies about auditions. See which you most connect with.
The best thing you can do to prepare for these schools or any schools is to focus on being the best YOU you can be. One of these schools may be a perfect fit for you. But there are also lots of other wonderful programs looking for someone just like you! So keep your mind open to all the possibilities. And let your talent shine through.</p>
<p>At any rate, these are two of the most competitive schools on the planet. You need other choices on your list. Everyone does.</p>
<p>At college audition, will they give ever give me a cold reading?
I’m just scared and nervous about my future. Do students normally take acting lessons in HS too?</p>
<p>Yes kids take all three during HS. I have never heard of being asked to do a cold read. From what I understand they may ask you to do more than the two required monologues so have many in your arsenal to pull from.</p>