<p>Theatremomma, do you really think it’s a bad idea to visit colleges prior to getting in? My D is a junior, has a list of 13 schools right now, but why bother applying to some of them if she is going to hate them? We were going to at least try to visit those within a 5 hour driving range (we live in the northeast, so 4 in NY and 2 in Boston are easy). Do you think that’s not wise? Yes, I would hate for her to fall in love with a school and then not get in, but I’d rather she know whether she feels like there is a fit before she applies.</p>
<p>If visits are easy and affordable, do it. I think the point was that the chances of getting into some of the lottery programs are so slim that the money spent on plane tickets,etc. before acceptance makes little sense. Most kids I know believe that they would fit in very well at most of the top schools and a visit is not likely to make them decide otherwise. Choosing a safety that they would be happy with is the tricky part.</p>
<p>Update on my D… Accepted to Theater/Commercial Dance at Pace
Waitlisted for Wagner MT, accepted to their Dance, Theater/Speech, and Theater/Education programs.</p>
<p>Congrats, Lulusmom2!!!</p>
<p>Monkey13 - We did do two junior year campus visit road trips (in conjunction with other family trips). We planned it so we could drive and we planned it so we could see at least one type of each type of campus. My D had no idea what kind of campus environment she would like or not like. So the purpose of the trips was really to figure out if there were some types of environments she would not like at all and others that felt right for her. From the trip, she was able to realize that vertical urban campuses (or micro campuses) were not a good fit for her at all. So when it came time to apply - she applied only to one program that had that type of campus (she had a friend at that one who spoke very highly of the program). She realized that she liked medium and large university type settings with medium and large traditional campuses the best. So the trips helped inform her application decisions in that aspect of her school list and later when she had to make choices after acceptances. </p>
<p>Having gone through the process, I would agree that other than getting a feel for types of campus environments, I would wait to visit specific schools until after acceptances and wait lists come in - especially if there was significant cost.</p>
<p>I replied to this but later decided it was more appropriate in a different thread so I removed it and will start a new thread.</p>
<p>I agree with stagedoor22. With my two older children, I dutifully took them on college tours the summer before senior year because everyone said you were supposed to. We did NOT visit schools that could not be visited easily, though, only going on a one-two hour drive for a day trip. The only exception was when we visited RISD for my D - a six hour drive - because she was certain she’d love it and she badly wanted to see it. It cost a considerable amount to go (including hotel and food). </p>
<p>The positives to visiting: You can eliminate some negatives. This happened with my S., who believed one college was a definite fit and visited it mostly because we happened to be in its city. We had been on campus no longer than 15 minutes, when it became obvious that this was not a fit–not a single person looked and dressed remotely like him. (I realize this sounds shallow, but definitely many colleges have a certain ‘look’ to students - how they dress, how they wear their hair, how much diversity they have - and if you don’t fit that look, it can be off putting). He persisted for another two hours, but it was only confirmed during the campus tours and the speeches. So he didn’t apply.</p>
<p>I think that’s really the only positive. Oh, yes: some people claim that colleges ‘like’ you more if you visit since that demonstrates interest. If true, I don’t think that’s a compelling enough reason to go and I don’t agree with colleges if that’s the case; families should not have to shell out $1000s so they can possibly be bumped up on the list. Anyway, it hasn’t applied with my own children so far.</p>
<p>The negatives to visiting when you have no acceptances in hand:
- Expense
- It is often a complete waste of time because your child doesn’t end up getting in. This is even more true in theatre where the acceptance rates are so small. In non-theatre, my D ended up falling love with Brown while she was visiting RISD. She applied and was rejected. What was the purpose of all that? Or your child DOES get in but the college is financially impossible because they cannot offer you the financial aid you need.
- Most important and often not considered: there is a HUGE difference between the child going into her senior year, and the child in April, after she’s gone through the whole audition process and matured from a 17 year old to an 18 year old. In theatre, the audition process itself can be enlightening and self-revealing. In auditioning, your child may well discover things about herself she didnt’ know. Also she may discover that she gets positive or negative vibes from the audition panel and/or the accepted Freshmen.<br>
- I believe strongly that you need to visit AFTER the acceptances come in and AFTER the financial aid decisions have been made. Weigh cost first. Eliminate as necessary. Visit the remainder if you are fortunate to have a choice. The child who is visiting in APril will be far more focused and directed and self aware than the child who visited in the summer before. As I said earlier, I also think it’s best to go on a non-official day, and sit in on classes if possible (by pre-arrangement).</p>
<p>Agree totally with hoveringmom= And we Westcoasters have virtually NO audition schools within a 5 hour drive. Maybe Utah (6 hours) or… I can’t think of any in driving distance. Nearly all would involve flying, renting a car, and staying at a hotel. If we could afford it, we would visit safeties. But many are visiting reaches and falling in love. I don’t think you should visit a reach until you get in, unless you live close and just want to get a feel for it.</p>
<p>I think it’s a good idea to visit schools that are relatively close. It gave my kids a better sense of what they wanted in a school. We did not fly anywhere or spend a lot of money to visit. That’s fine if you have the money to spare but if not, it certainly isn’t necessary. If you are worried about the school “liking” you better, I think you can achieve that same goal by communicating with them online.</p>
<p>Hey, y’all! Hoping to get this thread back on the subject of MT Rejections and commiserating over the same, I started a new thread devoted to discussing visits. Feel free to post there as well as here in case future generations are searching for info on that topic!</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1304812-should-you-try-visit-junior-year-before.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/1304812-should-you-try-visit-junior-year-before.html</a></p>
<p>Rejected montclair and point park ; auditioned at la unifieds</p>
<p>Elon via email two days ago.</p>
<p>So sorry, sarfran! Any news yet from Roosevelt & Hartt? Do you have other schools you’re waiting on responses from?</p>
<p>@nymom94, ouch! But as we keep hearing, she can only go to one, and at least she has that! Still hurts, though.</p>
<p>Extremely thankful for the acceptances we have so far. It is definitely making the rejections much easier. Going into this I knew how competitive this major was, but I really had no idea just how competitive…if that makes sense. My eyes were opened wide at Unifieds seeing all of the talented kids…hundreds of them…and the colleges were like revolving doors…one in…one out…one in…one out…all day long. Very happy we have choices.</p>
<p>^^Amen, sister! You simply cannot wrap your head around just how competitive it really is until you see the HUNDREDS of extremely talented kids all auditioning for the same 8-25 slots! Thankful, thankful, thankful to have any choices at all!</p>
<p>Penn State and CCM</p>
<p>My D got rejected from Guthrie. When she did the audition, we were in a waiting area with about five other young women–ALL of them were unique, kind, intelligent, alive, really interesting. My D instantly felt she clicked with all of them (which usually doesn’t happen). And that was just one small sample. I totally agree with tracyvp & nymom–so many interesting, talented kids!</p>
<p>Keep hope, you guys!
:)</p>
<p>No from Tisch since they offered admission under a different program.</p>