<p>I'm just wondering how many schools you/your child applied for. </p>
<p>I ask because I'm looking at threads on here, and it looks like most of you applied for at least 10- is this average? I don't have the money to apply to 10-15 schools, let alone travel to all those auditions. What are suggestions on how to cut costs for auditions/applications. Would going to Unifieds help?</p>
<p>My apologies if a similar thread already exists- I didn't see one, but it seems like it would be a common question, so I have a feeling I just missed the already existing thread. </p>
<p>Okay, so it looks like I can’t edit a post, so I’ll just create a reply: I asked about Unifieds because it would get multiple auditions done at once, but, more to the point, I’ve been told that at Unifieds you can do walk-in auditions, and they will either ask you or not ask you to actually apply to the school. Is this correct?</p>
<p>D applied to 12, 7 of which were auditioned BFA (canceled 3 of the auditions though). The non audition programs were BAs. She did receive a couple of “apply here, no application fee” offers, and luckily, they were for schools she was already going to apply to.</p>
<p>And yes, doing Unifieds can save you money and there are schools where you can audition without putting in an application first.</p>
<p>Also there are some schools that will offer free apps before a certain date. One school sent a fast track app based on my D’s academic record which waived the application fee. If you are cutting down the number of applications make sure there are non audition safeties that you kid would be happy to attend. Sometimes when schools add prescreens they change their application process and don’t want you to apply until you have passed a prescreen</p>
<p>My D applied to 21 schools total…16 were audition schools, 5 were not. On each application she (I) filled out, there was an option to have the application fee waived if finances were an issue. If I had to do it all again, I would make a solid list of 20 schools, with a fair mixture of safeties, reaches, etc. Then apply with the fee waivers to all of the schools that allow it from your list. </p>
<p>Cat - what part of the country do you live in? That would help us to give advice on cost, especially travel costs to give us a good idea on what to recommend. Also, does your child have a geographic prefernce for schools (weather, close to home, etc. ) - that would help us as well.</p>
<p>Another expense to keep in mind - does your school charge a fee for sending transcripts/recs? D had an initial list of 17 schools, and even though she didn’t end up applying to all (she applied to 12, mostly audition, a few non-audition safeties), that was the list she gave to the counselors & where they sent her info. They charged us per school, so at the end of the year, along with all the other expenses for graduation, we had to pay around $80 for them sending her information. Not a significant amount, but at the end of the year on top of everything else, something to take into consideration. I’m sure they told us about it, but it got lost in the piles of paper/emails!</p>
<p>If money is an issue for applying to schools, then I would guess it could be also be difficult to pay for school. If that is the case, one way you can narrow down schools is by cutting those that you cannot afford. There are very few schools that offer large scholarships. Some offer more for academics than talent and vice versa. Do your research on the cost of attendance and see if that can help you narrow down your list. </p>
<p>Money is a big issue for us and we live in a remote area. That said, we limited S auditions to what we could do at Chicago Unified. VoiceTeacher is spot on when he says don’t apply to schools you won’t be able to afford. It’s a lousy deal if your child is accepted into a program and then you have to tell them no-go because it’s too expensive. S applied to 8 schools then added 3 walk-ins. </p>
<p>Agree with all of the above. Our D applied to 26 schools and the fees ran from zero to $100.00. In hind sight we should have done more research with regard to overall affordability. There are more than a few schools that we could not have afforded even if D did receive an offer from them. Another thing to keep in mind is the other costs associated with your application. Our high school didn’t charge for transcripts, but ACT charges $12 per test per school. Our D took the test twice, and some schools required both scores. We spent close to $400 alone in sending ACT tests at $12 a pop (which I think is a ripoff because it should be done electronically for free, but don’t get me started).</p>
<p>You can maximize your efficiency and possibly save some cost by applying to schools who use the Common App.</p>
<p>Also, if you can only afford to make one long distance audition trip go to a Unified audition. Our D went to Chicago with 8 auditions scheduled and found time to do 4 walk-ins. I don’t know about NY or LA, but I counted at least 40 schools in attendance in Chicago.</p>
<p>Just remember that you can only do a walk-in if the school allows it and if there is room in their schedule, so if there is a school that is a “must-do” on your list, apply in advance. Some schools allow you to book auditions in advance, and some even recommend that you don’t apply to the school unless you pass the pre-screen. </p>
<p>Make a spreadsheet to keep track of details that are important to you. To start, my spreadsheet had:
Name of School
Prescreen needed?
Location of school
Location of audition (on-campus only, Unifieds, or a specific Unified only such as Chicago)
Tuition, Room & Board</p>
<h1>Undergrads</h1>
<p>Degree Type (BFA-MT, BA-MT, etc)
Notes</p>
<p>You may want to add a column for cost of application. And one to indicate if you are allowed to audition before applying to the school.</p>
<p>I found that having all the schools laid out in the spreadsheet makes it easier to cut the list down. Rather than just deleting a program entirely, I liked to make a note of why it was being eliminated and moved it to a different section of the spreadsheet since your opinions on certain aspects may change.</p>
<p>There is no “right” number of schools to apply to, but if you limit the number of audition programs you apply to, make sure you have a non-auditioned program you are willing to attend.</p>
<p>In addition to the application fees for the schools, there are generally fees for either the audition or submitting materials via acceptd/decision desk. </p>
<p>On top of all the excellent suggestions listed above, I might recommend that if you can’t visit the schools you are thinking of applying to, that perhaps you DO visit schools within driving distance - or that are near a vacation/other travel destination - even if they are not on your list, even if they do not have MT programs. At least drive/walk through the campus and surrounding area. This can give you an idea of what it’s like to be on a big/small campus, old established/new, state/private, large urban/small college town area. Some kids don’t realize how important these aspects can be until they see/experience them. Most MT/Theatre/Music kids are EXTREMELY busy with classes, practicing and productions and don’t have time to partake of much of “outside” campus life, but for some (many) life outside the theatre/music building is what keeps them going. Having an idea of what “feels right” might narrow down your list. We did this, and S came to realize that it was important for him to be at a “larger” school, preferably near “decent-sized” urban setting, within driving distance of home. Although this probably caused us to overlook some possible “perfect fits”, it definitely helped us save on college-visit costs. If we had not had so many viable options “close” to home, we would definitely had done the Chicago unifieds. </p>
<p>I would second what VoiceTeacher said regarding applying to schools you can afford, unless you know for SURE that you would qualify for a high level of merit/academic aid. Some school admission websites are more forthcoming about this than others. If you have terrific grades/test scores, see where you can get the most “buck” for your “bang”. State schools (some private) tend to have this clearly laid out on their financial aid webpages. Talent-based scholarships can be elusive, and under-whelming in the bigger picture of actual college costs. Also, be sure to factor in the cost, in money and time off work, of doting parents going to see their “star” in college shows, if this important.</p>
I would definitely also consider NEED-BASED aid you will qualify for. I know of several current students who are receiving nearly full ride need-based scholarships at Northwestern U, one of the most expensive MT schools but also one of the only schools to guarantee to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need, which ultimately makes it the least expensive option for some.</p>
<p>One way to reduce the cost of sending test scores is to contact each admissions office to see if they will accept test scores that are listed on the HS transcript. My daughter did this and we were pleasantly surprised at how many schools allowed this. At $10 a pop, it added up quickly.</p>
<p>The year after my daughter went thru auditions, I helped a young friend who had significant “demonstrated need”. She was able to get financial waivers for sending ACT scores and transcripts as well as prescreen, application, and audition fees. She worked with her counselor to learn how to get these waivers applied.</p>
<p>I agree with MomCares in that you should not dismiss a school based on typical cost of attendance if you truly fall into the category of significant “demonstrated financial need” without researching how much need you can expect to be met and how. While schools may not stack academic and talent based scholarships, either can be stacked with Financial Aid. </p>
<p>Also, many schools with a high price tag are also well endowed so there is a lot of money to bring down the cost of admission thru generous scholarships and grants. Ohio Northern University is a good example.</p>
<p>Look at schools that have an automatic scholarship sliding scale based on grades and test scores. Examples include Coastal Carolina University, Ohio Northern University, Rider University, University of Oklahoma, etc.</p>
<p>Be sure to get all applications in early before the Scholarship Deadline which is typically earlier than the Admissions Deadline.</p>
<p>Look to see if you qualify for a for In-State Tuition as part of an Academic Common Market program with a nearby state. For example, residents of Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware and Georgia can attend Coastal Carolina University for In-State Tuition based on the reciprocity program for Musical Theatre. This also applies to Kentucky residents studying Physical Theatre. Check to see if your state participates in a similar program.</p>
<p>University of Michigan will also meet 100% of demonstrated financial need. </p>
<p>I just got through the process and can definitely relate to your post. I applied to 8 schools and auditioned at 4. A great tip is to audition for one of your middle/top programs early. Some programs, like Elon, will tell you if you get admitted early as an incentive for auditioning in the fall. If you get in, then you can eliminate safeties/your bottom picks from the list which saves a bunch of travel/audition money! <strong>However, safeties are important</strong> I would make your list based on how many auditions you can emotionally and financially handle. Keep in mind, you will only be attending one school Unifieds will help with cost and, believe it or not, GRADES will help you get financial help from admissions! So maintain a good GPA and keep your scores up. Break legs, and good luck!</p>
Unifieds will help with cost and, believe it or not, GRADES will help you get financial help from admissions! So maintain a good GPA and keep your scores up. Break legs, and good luck!</p>