<p>We would be flying in. Can someone relate your experience. Where did you stay? How far is the campus from the airport? What was the audition day like? Thanks!</p>
<p>Would you fly into Detroit? Think that’s about 25-30 miles (but correct me if I’m wrong!). Kiddo and I stayed at the Microtel near North Campus. It was the most affordable option at the time, was fine (although the walls were PAPER thin). Also have stayed at the Holiday Inn Express when kiddo was gong to MPulse. Pricier, thicker walls. </p>
<p>Experience is a couple years old now, but the audition day was a multi-part affair – there was a dance call, separate singing and acting individual auditions. During the singing audition, kiddo did both of her songs and was asked to vocalize. During acting, they re-worked her monologue with her, which she said was a lot of fun. There was also a separate piano test and (I think…) separate theory test. We were able to attend the (depressing) financial aid/scholarship workshop together that afternoon. (Depressing as UMich is a very pricey school with very limited scholarship dollars.)</p>
<p>If flying, I would wait to book tickets (if possible) until you find out your kiddo’s assigned times, as some people were there from early in the morning until later in the evening. If you must make a certain flight, I would let them know; hopefully a scheduler could work with you. For parents, the audition day was the opportunity to sit and have coffee, walk around campus or AA, and otherwise keep yourself occupied. Kid was able to text me to meet for lunch, but otherwise I didn’t see her until she was done. </p>
<p>Is UMich still doing the academic review and video prescreen this year? When will they let you know if your kid will be invited to campus?</p>
<p>We will be flying into Detroit and since we are coming from LA, will have to come the day before and leave the day after. There is a pre screen. We are finishing that up and the app and hope to have that all in by Oct 1. I think he will get a call back. He was admitted to Mpulse (but did not attend). I don’t know how soon we will find out. I’m not going to book anything until we hear back. Did you go in Feb? Was there snow? Is there transportation other than rental car if the weather is bad and I’m afraid to drive?!</p>
<p>We went to Ann Arbor twice. Once for a campus visit in April of junior year and stayed at one of the hotels in North Campus (where you must have a car) and the only food within walking distance was Applebees. There was no issue with bad weather and driving and it was less expensive than other options. This past January during the on campus audition we stayed in main campus at the Bell Tower. The Bell Tower is more expensive but very conveniently located including very easy access to the bus that runs you very quickly back and forth to the SMTD for the auditions. You can also walk to a much wider variety of restaurants etc. We used Zirker Transportation as a ride to/from the airport and they were perfect and the cost was reasonable. No driving involved and they certainly know how to drive in snow if it comes down to that. Plus you need to figure in the time to get back to the airport so if you’re trying to catch a last fight back to the west coast (as were we), not having to deal with returning a rental car is a good thing. I’d recommend the Bell Tower and if you tell them you are coming for auditions, they can give you a SMTD rate. Good luck!</p>
<p>It was an easy drive to the airport - maybe 25 minutes? We stayed in a Marriott type hotel on the airport side of the campus where there were lots of nice restaurants and shopping. The rental car did a good job in the snow. The roads were well plowed. I think it’s a good idea to allow extra advance time in case of weather - showing up early the day before, at least. (Avoid Chicago Airport!) At d’s audition, they did not have auditions at different ends of the campus - it was all at the Music and Theatre buildings where there was plenty of parking for auditioners. (Maybe a nice change because of the prescreen cutting down numbers?) Parents waited in a rather chilly entry of the music building - but I found lots of comfy warm places to wait in building across the street from Theatre building.</p>
<p>We flew into Detroit and there was an airport shuttle service but it would have cost 50-bucks to get us to the Ann Arbor hotel, and then what? The hotel did have shuttles to campus and we saw a few people using them successfully but in the end I decided a rental car would make things easier not harder. We were able to go out for food, etc. Snow is not a big deal in Michigan and although it was snowing the roads were fine. I think it was January. All auditions were in the same general area. I remember some walking from building to building but nothing traumatic. We didn’t have any flight issues but many did. One student came by herself because the only available rerouted flight didn’t have a seat for her mom. She also had quite a time getting the hotel to let her stay alone and hitched a ride back there with another family. I guess what I’m saying is allow time for the unexpected. Oh, and it was very cold.</p>
<p>I will give my 2 cents as a metro Detroiter who sees 2-3 U of M productions each year. The airport (DTW) is on the southwest side of the Metro area, so it really couldn’t be closer to Ann Arbor-about 20 minutes. You have 3 general areas you could stay, the first being a bit north of North Campus where the theatre department is located. This is where the Microtel, Red Roof, and a Hampton are located. There are chain type eateries in this area, not really easily walkable in the winter from North Campus. This is probably the cheapest area to stay, not unsafe or anything, just not in the heart of things. A second area you could stay is south of the campus, near the Briarwood Mall and the football stadium. This is literally right off I-94, the expressway that the airport is on. There are multiple hotels here, because it is near the football stadium and the office park area of town. Many chain type restaurants would be available. If I were coming to audition and check out the campus, I would spend the extra money to stay in one of the 3 main hotels in the center of AA - the Campus Inn, Bell Tower, or Inn at Michigan League. This is where the heart of U of M is, and it would give your child a feel for what a weekend on campus would be like. The are multiple unique restaurants to choose throughout the area. You could wander past the Powers Center and Lydia Mendelson Theatre where most of the musicals are staged. There is a theatre on north campus (Arthur Miller), but in my experience more of the musicals are staged downtown. There are several smaller, local theatres downtown if you want something to do at night.</p>
<p>As far as driving, this depends more on your comfort level. We are used to snow here and the streets will be plowed/salted quickly. In my opinion driving in downtown Ann Arbor can be tricky, there are lots of one way streets and only a couple ways over the river to get to north campus. In the winter it will be dark by 5:30 p.m. or so. If you easily get turned around in a strange city you could find driving frustrating. The Ann Arbor bus sytem (The Ride) has routes to north campus and the mall area. You could take a transportation service to the hotel and ride the bus or take a taxi to north campus. It probably would cost about the same to rent a car, I suppose depending on if the hotels charge parking. If you rent a car and stay near the south side of town, I think you might find it easier to get to north campus by going back east on 94 for a couple miles to 23 north, exit at Plymouth road and come to north campus that way. You would miss all of the campus experience this way though. Before you come check out the U of M Transportation Musical on youtube, I think it is so well done.</p>
<p>Hope everyone enjoys their trip to Michigan and gets the results they hope for.</p>
<p>Thanks for the great help! I saw the musical and loved it!</p>
<p>We went last year. Flew from Los Angeles to Detroit, rented a car from Hertz at the airport. This was mid January and there was snow on the ground – a source of worry for this California mom, but the roads were clear the entire weekend and driving was easy. We stayed at the Holiday Inn on Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor and it was a short ride to the audition location. Parking instructions were provided by the school beforehand and everything was easy to find / staff was very helpful. There were a few other students who were also auditioning at the same hotel.</p>
<p>We did the same… flew in from the East Coast to Detroit the first weekend in March 2011 and we rented a car. A very easy drive from the airport to AA. No snow though. We stayed at the Hampton Inn which was just down the street from the North Campus entrance. IIRC they had a hotel shuttle that you could take to and from campus. </p>
<p>If you are staying on campus during the audition day I suggest bringing an Ipad or laptop. It was a long day. The students and staff were all wonderful and very helpful. </p>
<p>I don’t know where you are flying from , but flights to Detroit were very expensive ( $600-$800 a piece). I did get a tip recently that Spirit Air has very cheap airfares.</p>