Juilliard/Rutgers report

College Majors Theater/Drama Majors
1

<p>I will group these two as I have less to say. </p>

<p>Juilliard:</p>

<p>Very well organized given the numbers. I think they had about 160 students on Saturday. They make a big point on how everyone has a fair shot and that is true with one BIG caveat. They seem pretty well convinced that virtually no one straight out of high school is ready for Juilliard. </p>

<p>Students were all very interesting and impressive that we met. </p>

<p>This was one audition my daughter did not sweat in the least as there were zero expectations. She had what she thought was a very good audition. Lots of positive comments on how she did not seem nervous. They brought her back in and actually played with her song of all things but she felt the comments really helped her have a better objective. </p>

<p>She did not get a callback. Nor did anyone else she knew that day or the day before who was in high school. I think the only way a high school senior passes even the first round is to come across as someone who is a 20+ year old in a 17 year old's body.</p>

<p>Rutgers:</p>

<p>This report may have the more interest going forward as the Juilliard went exactly as expected. I know from reading the threads last year that there was an enormous amount of confusion last year regarding Rutger's call back weekend. I don't know that the confusion has been alleviated but we were at least explicitly told that students last year were accepted without going to the call back weekend. The two in the holding room with the parents were accepted without going on the callback weekend. I could not stay till the 1:00 information session so I never got to ask the question as to whether they plan to do it the same way this year. If any has some info on that, I would love to hear. </p>

<p>As to process itself, it was quite well organized. Students are grouped in blocks of an hour (I think). We got there for her 11 and they were a little behind. About 30 minutes later, a group of 10 students or so were called. They break them out into about 3 rooms (can't be sure of the exact number). Parents stay seated in a nice theater where two students are handling adminstrative details and answering questions as they come. Students were very nice and informative. About an hour later we were out the door so the entire time in the building was about 2 hours. After all day ordeals at Purchase and Juilliard, that was refreshing.</p>

<p>Not that much to say about the audition itself. Felt everything went well. Pretty standard do the monologues and short interview. </p>

<p>As to callback weekend, notices will go out after March 1. Should they actually be accepting some students without being invited to the call back weekend, I'd assume that acceptances and rejections would go out at the same time but logic does not always carry the day.</p>

2

<p>I actually know a senior (who looks like a senior) who got a callback for Juilliard…</p>

3

<p>Thanks ActingDad for the report. My son auditioned at Rutgers in the afternoon today. It was extremely well organized, right down to the extensive signage between the parking lot and the check-in desk. The callback situation is indeed a bit confusing - I also met two students who were accepted but never came for a callback. The other item of note, and maybe this way because it was late or my son’s singing resume was strong, but he was never asked to do his acappella song. I also hear another prospective student with the same experience. Very friendly place and impressive in every way.</p>

4

<p>My daughter was not asked to sing either. Nor does it sound like anyone else was. They may have made a decision to speed things along by skipping the singing. </p>

<p>We live about 30 minutes away so this one always felt too close but it is fast moving up as a close second to CMU in the dream school department.</p>

5

<p>When I said come across as a 20+ year old, I meant more in the age they project than in the age they look. I don’t think Juilliard thinks all but the most rare high school senior has the maturity level to form a cohesive company where BFAs are trained with MFAs some of which can be in their mid-30s.</p>

6

<p>Last year Rutgers’s process was hard to decipher. My daughter went to the New York audition (I think in Pearl Studios.) At the end of each hour, they posted a list of kids who should return at the end of the day, for a callback. My daughter was the only person called from her hour. The first callback was more of an information session and a movement exercise. They were told to wait to hear about callback weekend.</p>

<p>My daughter never got called. There was a lot of angst on CC about the callbacks. A few people posted that they’d been invited. The weekend came and went. Then Rutgers posted some acceptances, rejections and wait-lists. Some of the acceptances were for kids who received no invitation to the weekend. None of the kids who reported going to the weekend were accepted. Some who were not invited reported waitlisting.</p>

<p>My daughter heard nothing. Then, in late March, she and a number of others (about 7?) received email and postal invitations to come for a “prospective student day”. The day was Good Friday (good thing we are not religious.) I think it may also have been Passover. They were also invited to stay overnight in the dorms. My daughter went and had a great time. All of the kids who went to the second callback were accepted, although the acceptances came (I think) halfway through April, much longer after other schools had announced. It felt like eons, waiting for their answer. </p>

<p>At the time I felt very anxious about this because we were all trying to figure out what was going to happen. My daughter was less anxious because she had been admitted to her first choice school by then, but we were appealing her scholarship. </p>

<p>Rutgers’ process seemed to be deliberate. I don’t think it was so much an issue of being disorganized as being thorough. My sense is that some applicants they knew right away would fit into their class-- those were the ones who were admitted without callback. The second group, whom they called in but did not pick, I guess they were trying out. Then there were the outright rejections and the waitlists. The last group, I think they wanted to be sure that they would work well in the group. </p>

<p>It’s always stressful when a school sends out mixed signals. Juillard, at the other extreme, is SO clear. In the end, it all makes a good story.</p>

<p>My daughter last year didn’t get a callback at Juilliard, either. Her sister goes there (for a different discipline) so part of me was really invested in her receiving a callback, but the odds are so slim.</p>

7

<p>Again, ActingDad, thanks for all the details. I continue to send all the pixie dust I can manage to your D that she ends up in the absolute best place for her!</p>

<p>As to Julliard, I have always heard that most high school students are not ready for it. In our first state one act competition (4 years ago), a sophomore girl won Best Actress. It was a huge deal as our level is 6A, which means essentially the best of the best. She was truly amazing and is at Julliard now. She is certainly the exception to the rule, though.</p>

8

<p>My son has participated in a few competitions and a few of his friends through these competitions have indeed been accepted to Julliard straight out of high school. The odds are astronomical, though.</p>

9

<p>My son attended an arts boarding school and the first year he was there two girls from the drama department were accepted into Julliard. It was all over the local news and in the paper because it was the first time two students of the same class and department made it in. Also last year it happened again; Julliard accepted one boy and one girl from the drama department into their program. Just a note to inspire the seniors:):):):):slight_smile: It is possible.</p>

<p>By the way Good Luck to all of the class of 2013. I read the posts as much as I can and I am hoping at the very least that everyone gets an acceptance letter somewhere, and have high hopes that everyone will get at least one letter from a school of high choice!</p>

<p>I just thought of something I heard quite often when taking my son all over the place to audition for Dance companies (not colleges) so it could be different, however, I think some similiarities are possible. Every company with openings was looking for somebody to fill that opening. The company artistic staff has in mind beforehand what they were looking for and talent of course was part of that, but there were often other facts that could raise you above the person next to you that may seem to be more talented. In dance it could be height. EX. My son tried out for a known Ballet company,and they loved him, however, the year he tried out they were looking for short dancers and my son was a few inches taller then the average height at the time and so he wasn’t picked. In theater maybe they are looking for a good fit for the program. I think I read in someones post previously that some of the programs are looking to see how you will fit into the kids they already have. </p>

<p>I guess I am justing saying that so that some of the kids will not get discouraged, or start self doubting, or look at others and wonder why they seem to be more talented.</p>

<p>Keep your head up, Look Forward, Believe, Work hard, and Do not Give Up.</p>

<p>(Hope this was not to chessy:)</p>

10

<p>Hey Threed, not cheesey at all! Perseverance is a crucial trait…</p>

<p>My son knew a kid (male) from an arts boarding school who was accepted into Juilliard last year, by the way. He had met him at the summer program at U. Minnesota in 2011. I made a mental note of it, having heard so often that they don’t take kids right out of high school!</p>