<p>Hey guys! I notice there aren't a lot of threads out there about the Mason Gross 2013 audition season (theatre, specifically). How did your auditions go? What was your experience like? What are your other top choices?</p>
<p>Also, this will give us a chance to find out when admissions decisions start coming out!</p>
<p>My son said it was very efficient, he was in and out quickly. That’s all I know, except that according to another thread (with Rutgers in the title) there is going to be a callback weekend. His other top choices are Carnegie Mellon, Ithaca, and Emerson.</p>
<p>Yeah, my audition was efficient as well. I did the on-site audition and the actual audition itself was just my monologues and a short interview. The auditors were incredibly nice though!</p>
<p>Where else are you applying, Gingersnap72?</p>
<p>In terms of film and theatre, I’m applying to Chapman, USC, Syracuse, and I am already in to Pace.</p>
<p>I am already in to Drew in New Jersey as well, which I am considering as my other top choice (their theatre program is fantastic from what I’ve heard) </p>
<p>I am on the East Coast so of course going all the way to California is a big step and I probably would opt for an Eastern School over a Western one haha</p>
<p>How about you?</p>
<p>Gingersnap does Drew require an audition? Do you know if they give talent merit aid? Did you visit the school and talk to someone about the program. </p>
<p>I’ve spent a lot of time on their website but thought that curriculum was more more theory and interdisciplinary based then what my son was looking for. </p>
<p>The campus is lovely and not far from NY city. It is still worth a look for him for sure.</p>
<p>Drew did not require an audition, though last year they were ranked as having the best theatre program in the country (for a liberal arts school, of course. they do not have a conservatory there) I do believe they give merit scholarships as well.</p>
<p>I visited the campus and immediately fell in love. They have the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey right on their campus, so you already are being immersed in a theatrical community, and their facilities were all up to date and gorgeous. The school itself is just far enough out that you get the peace and serenity of a small town, but the train is a five minute walk from campus and it goes straight into New York City, so I get the sense you’re never bored.</p>
<p>I would definitely recommend giving it a visit. I was on the fence about it, but a visit to the campus (which is gorgeous), the mention of their program being #1 in the country, along with the facilities really pushed it to the top of my list. </p>
<p>Of course, it’s different from Mason Gross in that it’s not an intensive conservatory, but I actually like that because I hope to minor in business. That way, if acting doesn’t work out how I want it to (and of course, all young actors know this is a possibility) I have a fallback plan. Drew also offers the option of really being involved in the school community, and I get the sense that MG is so intense that that’s difficult. I guess the question I would ask your son is, do you want the college experience as well as less intense, yet still stop ranked, training–or do you want to be in a more intense, yet less college-like environment. </p>
<p>Of course, MG is still my top choice because I am very invested in acting, but I am very pleased that I have Drew as an alternative. </p>
<p>Hope that helps!</p>
<p>Drew being ranked #1 does not necessarily mean that its performance training beats all other schools. A lot of those rankings are actually based on a rating of the rigor of the academic study of theatre. Shacherry is correct in studying the curricula. </p>
<p>If you want performance training, you can’t go just by general reputation, facilities and campus atmosphere. You have to make sure the school offers the type (and intensity) of training you want.</p>
<p>Did you also look at Montclair? My son is going to their arts day in March. The program is perfect for him on paper.</p>
<p>I did not look at Montclair. I am not actually from New Jersey, so I applied to a lot of schools closer to my area. </p>
<p>And @NJTheatreMOM you are correct to question my comment, it was not clear. Those qualities were what made me feel the school itself would be a great fit for me. While the training is important, it’s also important to keep in mind that these are 4 years of our lives, and I personally want to be in an atmosphere that I feel comfortable in and not feel that I’m “trapped” in the theatre community. I know that I enjoy having a group of friends that aren’t into theatre, because too much of the same can be mundane. That is why I am a little on the fence about conservatories. It is fantastic training, but I imagine day to day life can be more stressful than is necessarily needed.</p>
<p>As far as training at Drew, as I said before, I visited campus and spoke to people who taught/go to the school, and they all had high praise for the training they had received. I have yet to interact with someone who didn’t immediately praise their program. Keep in mind that, while you do not need to audition to get in, if you plan to major in theatre they have a strict curriculum, so all theatre students are getting focused, planned out training.</p>
<p>Beyond visiting impressions, reputation, facilities, and meet & greets with current participants, I’m not really sure what else I can base my impression on because I don’t go to the school.</p>
<p>and @shacherry, I encourage your son to do what’s best for him! Of course, Drew is a great fit for me, but that in no way means it is for everyone. Montclair has a great program from what I hear, and if it’s a perfect fit for him then that’s wonderful! 
Good luck!</p>
<p>I totally get it Ginersnap. I only asked about your experience with the school because I love the location and I’ve been interested in it for my son.</p>
<p>I know that your saying it’s great to look at rankings and others opinions of schools, but at the end of the day it’s all about what’s the right fit for you.</p>
<p>Gingersnap72, if you have studied the Drew curriculum and they have enough performance classes for you (acting, movement, voice work etc), then that is terrific.</p>
<p>I do second the suggestion of Montclair. Their auditioned BA could be just what you are looking for. There is group audition for it that is less demanding than the audition for the BFA, and the program is less rigorous, while still being of recognized quality for performance training.</p>
<p>Look at the Drew curriculum and the Montclair BA curriculum side-by-side and see what you think.</p>
<p>I would really love to look at Montclair… Unfortunately my guidance counselors run a tight ship and adding a new school to my list at this point in my school’s process is just not possible 
but who knows? I’ll make sure to bring it up!</p>
<p>If you are truly interested in Montclair, I’d say go ahead and quickly apply…then perhaps enlist your parents’ aid in getting the GC to send support materials. </p>
<p>The GC is supposed to be working for you, not the other way around.</p>
<p>You have until March 1. </p>
<p>[BA</a> Theatre Studies - Montclair State University](<a href=“Department Of Theatre And Dance - Montclair State University”>Department Of Theatre And Dance - Montclair State University)</p>
<p>Did you say that you have already received an artistic acceptance to Pace? If so, you are probably the kind of student who would have an excellent chance at being accepted into the auditioned BA at MSU.</p>
<p>I know this is a Rutgers thread, but the subject of a non-auditioned BA like Drew University’s versus an auditioned BA like Montclair University’s arose.</p>
<p>For any students or parents) interested in comparing these two <em>specific</em> programs, here is some information. (Please note that even programs of the same general type vary greatly from school to school. You really have to look at curricula and course listings closely.)</p>
<p>Drew’s requirement for the Theatre Arts major can be found via the link below (scroll down). If additional electives are offered, I could not figure out how to find them:</p>
<p>[BA</a> Theatre Studies - Montclair State University](<a href=“Department Of Theatre And Dance - Montclair State University”>Department Of Theatre And Dance - Montclair State University)</p>
<p>Montclair’s much longer list of theatrical courses may be found via the link below. Note that many of these courses are available only to BFA students. However, a number of very desirable-sounding ones are available to BA students, including: Voice for Performance ( Voice & Speech), Stage Dialects, Theatre Scenes: NY, NJ and London (involves a trip abroad), Stage Technique: Mime, Stage Technique: Combat, etc.</p>
<p><a href=“https://wfs.montclair.edu/ia-bin/tsrvweb[/url]”>https://wfs.montclair.edu/ia-bin/tsrvweb</a></p>
<p>Ginger the other plus to Montclair is that it costs a lot less then Drew. So I do think you should go for it. As NJTheatreMOM suggests get your parents to call your GC! Oh and Montclair is a really nice area also.</p>
<p>In addition, Gingersnap72 (and after this I’ll shut up about the issue!!), my son knows a girl who is a senior Theatre Studies BA at Montclair.</p>
<p>If you were seriously interested, I’m pretty sure I could get you in touch with her.</p>
<p>My D auditioned by walk-in. She said it was great and the faculty was really nice and easy going. She then attended the call back weekend and loved the school. It didn’t seem as intense as Juilliard or Purchase but still a great program. Any thoughts or facts about the three schools we should know about? She got into both Purchase and Rutgers and Waitlisted at Juilliard. Obviously she won’t be going to Juilliard. No ones going to turn down that program.</p>
<p>What fabulous acceptances…congratulations to your daughter! </p>
<p>I assume you have visited both Purchase and Rutgers and talked to students at both. </p>
<p>Purchase has lower tuition. Rutgers focuses on the Meisner technique, whereas the training at Purchase is more “toolbox.” Rutgers has a wonderful year abroad in London that all juniors go on. Purchase is an arts school; Rutgers is a large, diverse university with better academics.</p>
<p>Depends on what you want…</p>