<p>Hi, I'm new to this; my D is a junior and wants to get into a MT undergrad program. Her HS counselors are understaffed and really don't know how to help. I find private CC's on line that want to charge $4000 and up to help! I didn't know this cottage industry existed. </p>
<p>I would like to hire a CC to help, but I don't want to be ripped off or go to someone who claims they can help with MT, but really can't. I just spent $175 on one like that. Does anyone have any advice for me? Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Hi - I just bumped a thread for you “Performing Arts Audition Coach” that might be helpful. I don’t think the coaches mentioned there charge anywhere near 4000.00.</p>
<p>Are you talking about a college counselor to help you find an appropriate list of schools to which to apply or someone to help your daughter prepare for auditions - 2 very different functions. There is a ton of info on this Board that can help you get started. First, there is the thread “Big List” which contains a pretty comprehensive list of schools with MT programs, both audition and non-audition based, BFA and BA. Filtering by geographic region is one way to start weaving your way through the list to identify schools to dig into further on their websites. Also take the time to read the thread “Class of 2009 and 2010 - Preparing to Apply”. Lots on info from parents, students, educators, school reps, college counselors and audition coaches about the process of putting together a list of schools, applying and auditioning. Between the 2 threads, you should have a good start and can have a foundation to ask a load of specific questions. As to coaches for the audition process, if you do a search on this Board using key phrases such as “audition coach”, “vocal coach” and variations on the theme, you should get hits for threads discussing resources to help prepare for auditions.</p>
<p>MTMama, an audition coach and a college counselor are not nearly the same thing, nor do they devote the same number of hours to the process and thus their fees are not nearly comparable. Most students who have a college counselor, ALSO have audition coaches. Just clarifying.</p>
<p>When my son decided that he wanted to go to college for MT (last Spring), I found this message board - Thank Goodness!! It has been so helpful. When I saw all the posts about students hiring vocal, acting & MT coaches I began to panic. There was no way that we could afford any of that. I was very discouraged hearing about all the success of students who have paid for and used these services and wondered how my son could possibly compete. He had 5 months of private voice lessons before his auditions and THAT IS IT!!! He chose all his own audition material and practiced on his own. I am happy to say that it all worked out!!! So far he has been accepted to 5 BFA programs (still waiting on two) with great scholarships to all but one. So the point of my post is to not be discouraged if you do not have the resources or opportunity to get coaching. It can work without it! :)</p>
<p>purple9, thanks for your post.
I’ve learned so much on college confidential but the parts on audition coaching has really discouraged me. We certainly can’t afford all of that. I’m glad you had such good luck without it. That’s encouraging.</p>
<p>I have heard about a dvd on this site to help with how to audition. Perhaps someone knows of it. I didn’t hire a mt coach and it all worked out. My d might have had more options if I had but it all worked out. If your student’s school has a theatre department and a chorus teacher, have your student audition for them, they might have some excellent input. Try a local church or community theatre. Have your s or d learn the music first and find someone to polish it. Record it for playback later. It isn’t as good as a pro but we didn’t have anyone because it never occurred to us.</p>
<p>Although talent is the prime ingredient for for any applicant, coaching and connections are very important. Having the right advice before an audition can make all the difference. There are many summer training programs that offer audition advice as part of the program. There are also programs which offer audition and application advice to Arts Schools. My daughter used a CC for the Arts that we hired privately, yes it was expensive, but she was not only successful (NYU, BoCo, Emerson, Mulhenberg,BU), but also rec’d scholarship money that covered the cost. If you live near NYC, email me for a list of programs I can recommend.</p>
<p>I think college counselors or coaches for MT might be useful for some people- especially if you live in an area that maybe doesn’t provide many opportunities for auditioning and performing. My only concern is that I hate to scare away those new to this board by giving them the impression that it is a necessary part of the college audition process. Counselors and coaches can get extremely expensive and not everyone has access to them or can afford them. While my daughter has taken private voice lessons for a number of years, we have not employed private counselors or coaches for the purpose of preparing for college. Yes, we do live in an area that provides great opportunities for auditioning and performing, and she has taken full advantage of that. She is extremely comfortable during the audition process due to her many, many audition experiences(successes and failures!) She chose all of her own songs for auditions. As for dance, she has taken advantage of classes offered at our local cc for years-even while still in high school. She has been very successful during college auditions and all without the cost of private audition aid. I definitely do think the cost may be worth it to some, but just know that it is not a necessary cost in order to succeed in the college audition process. The material on this site has been more that enough to help us thru the audition process thanks to some awesome posters!!!</p>
<p>I will reiterate for those that cannot afford or do not have access to pro’s, prepare your material and find a community theatre director, a theatre teacher and a chorus teacher to critique. Most would be glad to help. In addition a very experienced accompanist can give good advise sometimes too. You would have to pay them but it’s not much and the practice is worth it. Getting to know you can help later when you need a recommendation letter too.</p>
<p>I just posted a rant about not being able to afford pre audition support for my kid (and we were totally ignorant about the entire process) and so I was very happy to read the last 2 posts (11 and 12) Thank you!</p>
<p>If you think that there are services that might be helpful for your child but you cannot afford them, ask the owner what the options are for scholarships (essentially a reduced rate) or bartering. For instance, my child is working with MTCA (Musical Theater College Auditions) and I know that they do occasionally reduce their rates for families who could not otherwise afford their services. While of course they cannot do this for everyone, it never hurts to ask! </p>
<p>Also, I know that in my own business (I own a gymnastics school) that I sometimes barter with clients who cannot afford lessons. We’ve done things ranging from electrical work to bath products to secretarial work. Times are a little tough for everyone and good people bond together to help each other. Just a thought!</p>
<p>I’m a vocal/theater coach, and also a mom with a daughter who is about to graduate from a BFA program – so I understand about expenses! I have students who range from 8 years to 75, and from total beginners to Broadway veterans. I also coach some of my out of town students via Skype! I adjust my prices according to the circumstances. My point being – it doesn’t have to be ridiculously expensive to get good coaching and counseling. There are knowledgable people out there who can help you. Start asking around. It is important, however, to find someone who is specifically knowledgable about the college audition process.</p>