<p>Soozie-- so here's a question... sounds from your analysis that the real issue is that there just aren't enough seats for every kid who wants MT; if schools get hundreds of applications and accept 20, even assuming multiple acceptances for the very tippy top of the pool, at the end of the day you're talking hundreds of kids who audition and just don't get a spot at an MT program.</p>
<p>So, unlike engineering for example, where a kid w/strong stats is virtually assured a spot in an engineering program if he or she applies broadly enough-- maybe not Cornell or MIT, but there are thousands of spots if you add up Rochester, RPI, U Missouri, BU, Rutgers, etc....you're talking about a situation where a kid w/strong stats from an MT perspective might not have a place. A kid could have flu the day of an audition; could have a dance injury; might be a baritone for a program that is short of tenors.... etc.</p>
<p>So-- what happens to these kids?????</p>
<p>I personally only know of one... didn't get accepted anywhere, got a minimum wage job for a year and lived at home, continued his training and lessons w/his coaches and instructors and applied a year later and was accepted to a top program. But is that the norm???</p>
<p>My D is one who auditioned for multiple top MT programs and did not get accepted at any. She attended a high school with a top theatre program in our area known for its high-quality musicals and four years of theatre as a class. She was strong in all three areas of MT. Both her high school theatre teacher and private voice teacher felt she had what it takes to succeed professionally in MT. </p>
<p>She was accepted in a competitive theatre program (1,000 audition; 20 accepted; and 10 of those have dropped the major over the first two years). She loves the program and is now very glad she is in straight theatre and not MT. She feels the theatre program at her university is of much higher quality than the MT. She is also double majoring in a science and will go on to grad school in that. </p>
<p>While this has worked out well for her now, she has not continued with voice lessons, but does still sing and now plays guitar and piano. She says she is done with dance, and I don't know if she will ever be in another musical.</p>
<p>You are right in your analysis of the numbers applying to MT; it's somewhat similar to the top Ivies. They could fill their classes several times over with perfectly qualified applicants. It's easier if you're a guy; harder if you are a girl.</p>
<p>Susan,
I have been reading these boards for over a year. Your D sounds very talented and I'm sure she will get into a great program. A little scoop on MT at Emerson: my D auditioned for MT and BFA acting programs last year, including an EA spot at Emerson. She was deferred and then accepted (non-MT) in April to Emerson, and was accepted to one other MT program but chose an acting program and like bookiemom's daughter, feels that a BFA acting program will better suit her career potential, but finds very little time to sing or dance. Anyway, the inside scoop on Emerson is that one of her best friends is a freshman there, accepted into a different, highly competitive program. Once he got to Emerson in September, he started auditioning for shows and talked with the MT dept about transferring in (auditioning late in the freshman year.) They encouraged him because apparently not enough males matriculated in to the MT program this year. Then, like 2 weeks into school, they said "audition now, today, not next spring." He had not prepared anything but they did not really give him a choice. So he auditioned on the spot with whatever was in his repertoire and a few days later they told him, thanks but try again in the spring!!!</p>
<p>Needless to say, he felt like he wasn't given a fair shake. I guess my point is, this is such a capricious process. Tell your daughter to keep plugging away and not read too much into all this madness.</p>
<p>Must have missed this one, Susan. Congrats to D for an accept even though it is a "mixed" one. When the Tisch ED letters went out, all sorts of mayhem occured here, not so much with my son, though he was bad enough, but with some of the kids who did not get in. The only two who did not that S knew designated CAP21 as their only studio. In any case with the kids doing a head count, panic set in. </p>
<p>Blossom, there are a number of kids who will not get into their preferred list of schools as happens with top students who have top heavy lists. There are a number of non audition programs at schools that are not too well known that hopefully are on some of those kids' lists. Others may have a local or state or other safety school that has some MT components, not a bonafide program that is MT but has a strong voice program with plenty of acting/theatre opportunies. They can then reaudition next year, or continue at that school. </p>
<p>I am new to this particular field of study, and though my son loves MT, he also enjoys classical drama which he has been doing lately. There are many MT performers on broadway and on tour and in local venues who did not go through a true MT program. There are many ways to make contacts and develope skills. It just makes things a little easier to plan the college program to go into a true MT curriculum. Everything is done for you. But many of the top schools in this field are not particularly competitive overall which was always a bit of a concern to me, as kids do change their minds. The top schools like NYU, Mich, CMU, are overall great universities but some are schools that just would not make certain kids' lists if it were not for this particular niche.</p>
<p>I am still catching up on various threads after vacation and saw this one moments ago. I'm sorry about the "mixed bag" envelope/decision and am rooting for your younger D with the rest of her applications. I am positive that good news is on it's way to your home. She just sounds too talented for the result to be anything else.</p>
<p>OT: Do you have to drive to the mailbox because your house is that far from the road? If so, that sounds wonderful.</p>
<p>I think Susan is recharging her batteries before starting on the next leg of the college auditions with her daughter. My best wishes--I am a wimped out auditions mom; after the third audition I was wiped out, and was gritting my teeth as I got ready to accompany S throughout Nov and Dec. I don't think I was home many weekends and making the lists for the kids left at home was worse than the to do lists for the trips. And we spent a fortune. I still have some airline issues that need to be resolved and a bad feeling that I am not going to get any refund out of the deal. It was certainly a learning experience for us but I am glad that I don't seem to have any others interested in going this route. </p>
<p>Happy New Year and good luck to your daughter in her auditions!</p>