<p>Anyone willing to share the types of interview questions they encountered at auditions? Did anyone have any "gotcha" questions they wish have been prepared more to answer? </p>
<p>I don’t think ‘gotcha’ questions is what the interviews are about. I think the main thing is to really know why you’re applying to that particular school, what you hope to gain, and what you hope to contribute.So it’s important to really know yourself and your goals and how specifically that school can help. Research each school before going in. Have questions ready (real questions). The only tricky one for some people is 'what other programs are you applying to?" </p>
<p>Let me clarify on “gotchas.” I mean more what questions maybe a candidate wasn’t expecting. I don’t think the auditors are out there to trick anyone. Just curious what might have caught someone off guard. </p>
<p>The question about the other programs is actually the kind of “gotcha” I was meaning. </p>
<p>The director of the Hartt School asked my daughter a question right before she presented her first monologue that unsettled her. She began by stating the monologue, play and author when he stopped her and asked her what other works this author had written. She never expected this. She had read the play that the monologue was from and was prepared to answer questions about this play but not other ones that had been written by this author. She did not know the answer to the question. Thought this was a sincere effort to make her nervous and see how she handled herself. </p>
<p>Boston asked my D a fair amount about the plays her monologues came from. They also asked how she would react if she was told they didn’t like one of her plays (I think it was “the Mercy Seat”) She felt prepared to speak about her plays, and answered the other question with “well, I guess it’s good that you only have to listen to 2 minutes of it” - which got a laugh from the audition panel. She said she didn’t like schools (an BU was one) that asked questions BEFORE she did her monologues- those felt more “gotcha”- b/c her head was in performance mode. </p>
<p>Wow, bisouu. It never occurred to me that someone would inject after her slate and before her monolgues. That really is a gotcha.</p>
<p>Toowonderful, that sounds like a great and quick thinking answer. Good for her and noted to prepare D for questions before she performs. </p>
<p>In relation to the yucky question as to where else you have applied…My D had an audition at a school that asked you to list on a form (as you arrived at the audition) where else you have applied. She listed some of the schools on her list but not all. In the audition, they asked her, “why isn’t someone like you applying to NYU?” (she did apply to NYU, actually her first choice, but hadn’t listed it on the audition form) So, she went on to compare/contrast the two schools and why the one she was auditioning at for that moment better met her selection criteria. She knew her schools well, and so was able to do that and basically turn it around as to addressing why the school that day was a better fit. They did accept her. But so did NYU, and she attended NYU.</p>
<p>Good to know the “other schools applied to” question might come up, also, both on form and in discussion.</p>
<p>At one school, my daughter auditioned for their program with one other applicant in the room with her. Their entire audition was done in front of each other. When the interview time came, they were questioned at the same time “What would keep you from coming here if you were accepted?” Other girl answered first and said “money”. My D answered “Nothing” - then went on stating how wonderful the program was and nothing would stop her from coming. This particular school was very low on her list, but she’s a pretty good actress! Hahaha! Anyhow, after hearing D’s answer, the other girl changed her answer to be more in line with my D’s kiss up one. </p>
<p>The only thing that kind of threw my D was when one auditor asked for an adjustment that made no sense to her. The monologue is one where the character is really upset; out of control. He asked her to do the monologue as if she were just casually chatting. My D just frankly thought that was dumb and pointless. She was given many other adjustments to monologues and was fine with them. But this one just struck her as making no sense…the language just didnt work with his instruction. She did it, but was definitely feeling a bit put off by it.
Also, my D was actually uncomfortable when she was asked “why do you want to come to this school,” when it was one of her less favorite schools. Her honest answer was “I only want to come her if schools A,B,C,D, E and F reject me,” but of course she couldn’t say that. She had something prepared to say about the school but it felt dishonest to her and made her uncomfortable.
Just a feeling that could also happen to other kids I bet. </p>
<p>dramamom…actually that kind of adjustment in the monologue is one my daughter has done in the past…whereby she is given a way to do the monologue that is in a very opposite way and doesn’t fit the monologue itself but can show acting skills. I don’t think that is so unusual. I remember once when my kid was in middle or high school for an audition for the school play, she was asked to redo the monologue three different ways and was instructed to do it as three particular characters, such as do it as a priest. The characters and acting didn’t fit the content of the monologue but she had to take on different personas. She got the lead in the play.</p>
<p>I think those “why do you want to come here” questions have to be exceptionally hard for schools that are lower on the list. I think if they can turn it into “this is what is attractive about the curriculum” then they will be OK and not feel as though they are lying. </p>
<p>Personally, I think if you’re applying to a college, no matter how ‘low’ it is on your list, you should be ready to go there. That means you should be able to find compelling reasons you’d want to be there when they ask ‘why us’? If you can’t come up with any reasons without lying, it’s a pretty clear sign you shouldn’t be applying. But there are so many technically lower ranked programs that can be unexpected gems if you dig a bit deeper.</p>
<p>Before each interview, be sure to look up each program and find specific things you like about the school. This can be specific aspects of the curriculum, vision, specific techniques used, location, study abroad opportunities, professional theatre opportunities, film opportunities, internships–whatever you find you like. This may take some time for each school, but nearly all schools have this information on their website. Note any questions you have. It’s great to ask questions as long as they’re not something you can easily find by googling. </p>
<p>To help clarify to yourself what you like about the school, ask yourself how the school will bring you forward as an actor and artist, what your own goals as an artist are (short and long term), and what you hope to bring to their community. If you can’t articulate any of this to yourself, it’s a sign you need to stop for a minute and really consider what these answers are. Avoid generic statements like, “I just can’t imagine doing anything else!” or (worse) “I want to be famous!” </p>
<p>This is another reason why visiting/touring depth BEFORE the audition can be a really good thing- makes it a whole lot easier to talk about specifics of the program. Don’t get me wrong, you can do it with research too- but it would seem much easier to get confused, especially for a stressed teenager! We managed to visit every school where D was auditioning- Except U of Minh Guthrie (B/c it really isn’t close to ANYTHING else). D had folders of picks on her phone she had taken on the tours, called each one up before the appropriate school, and that helped keep everything fresh</p>
<p>connections–I agree completely. If it’s on anyone’s list at all–they should not only be as completely prepared as possible to audition there as they are able to answer questions about the curriculum and “why that school” and have it not be a lie. </p>
<p>One school wanted you to rank the order of the schools you applied to(I think it said top 5). This was on the paperwork they had you fill out at auditions. My D had a page for each school in her folder that she listed the things she liked about the program and any questions she had about it. She reviewed this before she went to the audition.</p>
<p>Thanks so much, everyone, for sharing these experiences! </p>
<p>My D was particular about where she applied. She didn’t even do any walk-ins because she applied to the schools she wanted to, and felt she either didn’t want to go to the schools offering walk-ins or didn’t know enough about the school to make a decision and audition. That being said, there were definitely schools she liked a lot more than others, and that only solidified as time went on. For her, it was just hard to face those questions for some of her schools. She knew about the school, knew what she liked, but knowing in her heart there were other schools she liked more just felt weird to her. So it’s not really a gotcha thing, but that feeling was just uncomfortable for her.</p>