<p>Hey, so I feel kind of awkward writing this out right now, not knowing if anyone really wants to hear my troubles or not, as I'm sure all you other HS seniors are freaking/stressing out just as much as I am. But, here it goes anyway. </p>
<p>So, although I'm extremely passionate about MT, and I know this is exactly what I want to be doing with my life, I'm also somewhat ignorant of how to really make this happen. </p>
<p>I dont know a whole lot about what colleges I should be seriously considering, and I dont know a whole lot about the extremely difficult task of auditioning for colleges. (which is a HUGE source of stress for me)</p>
<p>So, this is where you come in CC, any guideance you can give me, any at all, would be extremely appreciated. And I hope that in return, if you ever needed help with something, I'd be able to return the favor and give you as much insight as I could as well. :)</p>
<p>There are of course LOTS of great threads here, but those 2 seem to help people get started. There are so many helpful people here. As you begin to formulate questions they will be here to help. And don’t forget to look through the postings at the various schools that have their own subforums. Those are not the only MT schools but reading through some of the posts there may help you get a feel for schools that interest you.</p>
<p>I strongly suggest you look in to getting some coaching advice. We used MTCA and I can’t say enough about how much they helped keep everything focused. It’s a scary process to do on your own and my daughter’s coaches saved our sanity. It’s money very well spent.</p>
<p>Thank you everyone! I will definetly start looking into all of the threads you suggested and more. I just wasn’t exactly sure where to start looking. Also, I’m sure that by the end of the entire auditioning process I will of asked more then my fair share of questions. </p>
<p>Austinmtmom-That’s very cool that your daughter is going to Coastal, becuase that is one of the schools that I have been looking at, and was very interested in. :)</p>
<p>Singer11-Do you think it’s to later to start with the MTCA program?..I’m been enrolled in acting classes for a few years now, as well as this upcoming year. And I’ve been in our chorus classes my enitre school life, as well as the musicals at our local theatre for the past 3 years. I’ve also sorta arranged to have an actor friend help me prepare for auditions, he too went through the MTCA program as well. Hopefully all of this will be at least a little bit beneficial?</p>
<p>okeown1, I suggest starting soon with MTCA as well. My D started gradually last year and it’s made a hugh difference! She’s grown so much in this past year I can hardly believe it. She auditions for programs starting this fall so we obviously don’t know the outcome, but I am not exaggerating when I tell you that without MTCA I’m not sure she would have yielded many offers from programs. </p>
<p>The director is amazing and the coaches truly care about each and every student. They go way beyond what you would expect, and invest so much of themselves in their students - it feels like they are part of our family!</p>
<p>I’d hate for this thread to turn into an advertisement for MTCA. Yes, they are reputable, knowledgable, etc. but it is possible to be accepted at any MT school without them. My advice for upcoming seniors is to continue with voice and dance lessons and find someone (MTCA, school directors, community theatre directors, etc) to help them polish their songs and monologues.</p>
<p>I don’t have anything against MTCA, but I just want kids and parents to know that all is not lost if they aren’t working with professional coaches. I know plenty of kids who have been accepted in the past 3 years to a wide variety of MT schools with coaches.</p>
<p>@ megpmom, point well taken but MTCA for us was a life saver! I am not sure my D would have been accepted to so many programs had it not been for their advice, coaching and organizational process. We did not have someone we could rely on to help us with this process. If okeown1 has another support system then I would suggest trying it but for us they were a huge asset!</p>
<p>Agree with megpmom – find a mentor…for my d it was her voice teacher, keep training, keep your grades up (oh, yeah – that school thing), research fully schools that you think might be a good match for you (and really think what your definition of good match is…it’s different for everyone!)</p>
<p>Right there with you Lulu63. :0) Sometimes an individual’s location prohibits her (or him) from finding “current”, reputable and qualified voice teachers, vocal coaches and acting teachers. That is definitely our situation. Each to his own, for sure. Best wishes to you okeown1. :0)</p>
<p>If I had it to do over again, I would hire a coach. I feel that if I had my d would have had more options and with those added options a better scholarship offer. We will never know and it’s all worked out but it has been very expensive.</p>
<p>As you build your list, you may want to consider some schools that have fall auditions and that offer early/rolling acceptances. That way, if you do get an acceptance or 2 in the fall, you go into the busy spring audition season with those already in hand. It also gives you a chance to work your material in a real world setting, not just in a mock audition or with a coach/mentor.</p>
<p>Hello! I know EXACTLY how you feel! I am currently a freshman MT major at Ball State, and Im loving it. I do want to give you a few huge tips though</p>
<ol>
<li><p>STOP STRESSING. Unifieds week was the best week of my life so far. Come prepared and confident, and remember that even if you have a horrible audition, you have many chances to impress many people. Everyone says it, but from my experiences, you need to know how important it is to be yourself.</p></li>
<li><p>Get help. Get a coach for your monoloues and songs, and make a comprehensive audition set, and it needs to feel right with you. Material you can relate to and are comfortable with.</p></li>
<li><p>Find the right fit. There are many schools and many people are blinded by “top ten list syndrome”. The training isnt the school, but what you put into to. So the number one thing to look for is an atmosphere you know that you will fit in.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Remember, not only are you auditioning for the schools, but they are auditioning for you. The people that you are auditioning for will control the direction of your career for the next 4 years. So if they are jerks, take that into consideration.</p>
<p>Have fun and break legs! Please please please, feel free to private message me with any question or concern, because I went through the whole thing just one year ago.</p>
<p>JakeRoku nailed it! My daughter had a blast at the LA Unifieds 2 years ago. She was well prepared, and so when she got there felt that she could only do her best and not stress about it. I think that as a result she had fun without the nerves and it showed through. I agree with many of the people here that you should do whatever it takes to make YOU feel comfortable and ready for the auditions. We did not hire any coaches at all, but my D had been taking voice lessons for a long time, and we felt her voice teacher was well qualified to help her. She did not get coached formally in acting, but did have a lot of local opportunities to audition and a lot of shows, so was able to get input from some of her directors. While I’m sure MTCA or other coaches are helpful in preparing for auditions, there are many, many people who do not use coaches and still have great audition results. It can quickly get very expensive to hire coaches, so I just don’t want anyone to think that it is a necessity. Of course, if you can afford it and you feel it would help you, definitely use that option!</p>
<p>As Jake said, come up with a list of schools that feels right for you, and don’t worry about it being comprised of “top 10” or “elite” programs. Look at not only the MT program at each school, but at the overall school (size, location, conservatory vs. university, etc.) and at the people at the school (all performing arts, or a mix of various majors). You will be there for 4 years, so make sure it is a place where you can both learn a lot and really grow as a person.</p>