So I recently came across some articles on several MT programs where they were listing the incoming class bios, like of incoming freshmen. These were at several , what would be considered to be top programs that are mentioned here. In reading these it was very interesting because it really shows what you are competing against in terms of talent & experience. It, I must say it was a bit disheartening to me! Wow. There was so much professional experience & regional theatre shows and several national tours. Tons of really top honors in choirs & young arts & just every possible honor you can imagine really. Some quite impressive for a high school student. A lot of the kids were from arts schools although not all but a lot. It was not that surprising as I guess I expected that to some degree but it seems like every kid had a really impressive like crazy impressive resume already! I know the schools take other kids but wow… I was just saying the competition is fierce but some days it really just blows me away. Just venting…guess it might be better not to know some stuff…
I’ve never come across a program that listed the bios of the incoming class. Where did you see that?
one was the incoming class at Penn State. I think it was the class of 2018. I gotta try to find the other one now I did not mark it… It was an older one but it came up under a similar search…
I too have wondered about this and whether the “big” schools ever take chances on raw talent? You can google any name off the top schools’ class lists and it’s not unusual to see a child of someone famous or someone with Bway credits. Do they want to really educate or be finishing schools?
Cincinati does this too but with their acting freshman class not MT. It was still interesting to browse through the groups from the past couple of years. Realizing that I didn’t fit the same bio as all the other guys was a little disheartening. I think it’s neat when a school does this but it can easily make applicants over analyze things, myself included.
@ParachuteBoy sorry didn’t mean to bring this up as I forget that it’s not just parents on this forum. My apologies. Please don’t let that discourage you. You seem to be a very organized well informed student and I’m sure very talented.
The bios just struck a nerve with me as a parent.
I’m not saying it’s not fair as those students are obviously uber talented kids but it’s just tough when your kid doesn’t have all those credits and awards and tours under their belt!
My daughter actually just talked with me about the “competition you don’t think about” meaning all the child actors and kids who have done shows and tours since they were young and they’re now coming of age and auditioning for programs too. Not sure how the whole past experience factors in but it must a little bit!
Don’t worry! I don’t really feel discouraged but I can see how it would make someone feel a bit out of their league when the see the freshman class of last year were all way stronger bio then I would have. However, having a certain credit or certain training isn’t what gets you in, it’s all about those 5-10 minutes in the audition room. It is likely a canny coincidence that the people with beefy bios would do the best in the audition.
I know a young man who did his 1st show in 10th grade, and so had a relatively limited resume when he graduated HS. He was accepted to Ithaca (Among others) He just closed in the Bway revival of Spring Awakening
Top schools take kids with no professional experience/famous relatives all the time. All the time.
As @monkey13 said, all the time!
I expect that no theater department wants a class full of ex-TV or Broadway mini-divas. They need us common folk to even things out.
My child is one with professional credits (lots of regional theater and a lead role in a national tour). She gets her share of rejections just like the majority of folks on this board. And not every Broadway kid is a mini-diva. In fact, most we met in our travels were the opposite - hard working kids who were able to master that delicate balance of still being a kid but in a very adult business with adult responsibilities.
@CTDramaMom, no offence intended, just an attempt at humor during these days of wating - all these kids work hard. Good luck to your D!
@claire74, many people are nervous and tense right now. Maybe take it down a notch. 
I didn’t take offense. Just wanted folks to know that there’s no magic bullet, even for professional kids. All our kids are the in same boat. It’s about what happens in the ten (or less) minutes they’re in that audition room, not what went before.
^^^ CTDramaMom hit the nail on the head. It’s all about the room. Honestly. If a kid has a great resume full of professional credits, or even Broadway credits, and s/he bombs in the audition room, no audition panel is going to look at the resume and say, “Gee, but he has all these credits! Let’s accept him” or “But she’s the daughter of Famous Person Y! We’ll accept her.” For most schools (NYU being the notable exception), it is 99% (or more) about what the kid does in the room. Which is WHY this is so tough. B/c everyone can have a bad day. Some of these auditions last 5 minutes. Or less. And some of the auditors say they know in the first few seconds. It’s all about the room. (That should be a song…“All about the Room.” )
My point as the OP wasn’t to disparage those who get in MT programs that have professional credits. We’re just envious of some of the opportunities those people have had . I wish we lived near a regional theatre so my D could’ve done shows at one & taken advantage of that experience. I just noticed a trend in reading those bios & yes the kids must be madly talented of course but it seemed like all of them had really impressive resumes & experience. I mean I now the schools take the cream of the crop so it makes sense. Just discouraging somewhat. I guess I’m curious to know how much having an impressive resume helps push you over the edge in terms of admission, I am sure it could be a tie breaker. Wouldn’t you want the kid with more experience and connections to represent your school ?
I would add that what makes NYU (and Syracuse, Michigan, and Boston among others) “exceptions” are that academics are heavily factored into acceptance - NOT what is on your resume or who your famous parent is. That doesn’t mean that the room doesn’t matter- it gives you another hurdle to jump- you have to meet academic standards as well as artistic ones
NYU gets lots of children of celebs (and celebs themselves) but they are not always part of Tisch, or studying theater - lots are in Gallatin (which offers individualized study, you can design your own major)
Well, you know what Lin Manuel says - I wanna be in the room where it happens . . . 
Well regardless I still think it plays into the whole thing because it would almost have to. It has to be something that they use to decide when they like several people equally. His else would you decide?