<p>Here’s something to think about - apply it as you will.</p>
<p>The girl who won “The Voice” last season, had never sung in front of an audience. Only family and friends. So she didn’t have the experience, but she had the talent, and also the ability to show that she could “learn” to be a star.</p>
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<p>I couldn’t agree with this more. I’d suggest you take it to heart, sjane14.</p>
<p>Thank you all so much for your suggestions/input!
I will prepare as best as I can, whether it be with a coach or by myself, it’s all I can really do. There’s no way to predict how my auditions will go or how the auditors will take to my lack of experience, the only thing I can do now is be confident in myself and my passion. I will try the best I can to take part in any theatre opportunities as I can but definitely won’t let my lack of experience keep me from pursuing this. </p>
<p>Emmybet, was your daughter accepted by any schools? It’s hard to find people who are going/have gone through somewhat the same situation, it’d be nice to know her outcomes!</p>
<p>My D is starting her junior year at Adelphi University’s BFA in Acting. She did get accepted into an auditioned BFA there, and into the auditioned BA at SUNY New Paltz. They both are excellent programs that don’t have the tiny acceptance rates of BU, Carnegie Mellon, etc. (although still they are below 20%). She applied to 13 schools - a broad mix that included non-auditioned BA and BFA, and auditioned BFA and BA. She was rejected by the very most selective (such as BU, CMU, Northwestern, Vassar), but she was accepted to some wonderful programs, all of which provided solid training and liberal arts foundations. </p>
<p>Aside from a couple of children’s plays and some tech experience (some of which was the most rewarding of her life), she had her first speaking role spring of her junior year in HS. So she had a jump on you, a bit. She was in 3 plays that summer, all of which taught her a lot, and two more during her senior year - you can put “upcoming” roles on your resume, by the way. She played several instruments and was a singer, and she put some of her music experience on her resume, too (as a singer she “sang” in character in a number of performances).</p>
<p>She, too, did not consider a gap year because she wanted to be in college. She has a strong interest in academics, and Adelphi’s BFA, while a terrific training program, also provides time for liberal arts. She is in their Honors College as well as their theatre department. This fall she is going to LAMDA (in London) for a semester-long conservatory program.</p>
<p>I do think that her lack of experience made her less competitive for the very selective BFAs. I agree with posters who say that it’s not that the experience impresses the auditors, but that someone who has been at intensives, classes, in coaching, in shows, etc. is just going to have a level of flair, understanding, perhaps sophistication that will improve their audition. Someone with raw talent can also stand out - if they also have confidence and everything lines up their way.</p>
<p>Going to college for theatre isn’t exactly like going to study an instrument; in that case, they do expect that you be at a pretty high level of competence and experience. But it isn’t exactly like going for anthropology, or engineering, or dozens of other college majors where it is perfectly OK that you probably have never studied the subject at all. The good news is that there is a very large spectrum of great programs where you can learn what you need to learn based on what you come in with. You do have to fashion a good list, where your academics are in line, where you can afford the tuition, and where you have a decent chance of getting in.</p>
<p>Keep asking questions - we’re glad you’re here, and we’re pulling for you. You’re honest and friendly. Go ahead and disagree if you need to, but let us know where we’re out of sync with what you’re asking. There’s a ton of good information here. Most people would agree that this is the only place you can learn what this process is really like.</p>
<p>I would be happy to send you a personal message with more private info - I think you need a few more posts before that feature kicks in, though.</p>
<p>I’m very glad for your daughter! It seems I have more researching to do to come up with a nice balance of BFA and BA colleges, both audition and non-audition. I’ll also do a little more researching on local classes or coaches and I’ll have to try to let go of some of my “do-it-yourselfer” tendencies. This site has been extremely helpful–I’ve been reading for weeks and finally realized that maybe if I couldn’t find the exact answers to my problems I should start asking them myself. You all have been very supportive yet honest which is what I needed! Thank you, you’ll definitely see more of my posts around!</p>