<p>Mommadrama: Have you heard yet from Guildhall? It’s so frustrating we are trying to plan the trip there but I wanted to make sure of the dates and also confirm a date for LAMDA. I know both of these would be long shots for her but I don’t think she should pass up the opportunity to try.</p>
<p>Actingmom18 try emailing <a href="mailto:Elissa.Perreau@lamda.org.uk">Elissa.Perreau@lamda.org.uk</a> she has always been most helpful.</p>
<p>Actingmom, we have not received anything from Guildhall yet but after his callback in NY they told him the final recall will be May 20 and 21. As Londream has stated you may want to inquire by contacting the school. As far as your daughters chances of acceptance, I do not think it is a longshot. If they have given her a final recall obviously they can see her in their programs. Both schools have received the most applications this year than in recent years, both over 4000. Good luck and break a leg!!</p>
<p>Did anyone else go out to Guildhall auditions? My son has been offered a place but is worried about going so far away from home (Bay Area). He will turn 18 in July. I was just wondering how others fared in London and what they plan to do. We need to make a decison ASAP.Thanks</p>
<p>My daughter was placed on the reserve list at Guildhall and we are still waiting to hear from LAMDA. Those are the only two London schools she applied to. It is far!!! I am not sure about the distance as she just turned 18 as well.</p>
<p>Where else has he been admitted besides Guildhall? If he turns this down, is he going to regret missing this opportunity for the rest of his life?</p>
<p>My birthday isn’t until October, so on the first day of college I was only 17. I was too young, I should have taken a gap year. But this is what happens in our culture, 18 year olds go off to some distant city to follow their dreams. Is taking a flight to London and living in London really that different from some far away American city?</p>
<p>I’ve lived in London in the past, if you have some specific questions I may be able to help you.</p>
<p>I would suggest that you and your kids think long and hard about attending college in another country - even one that speaks English. I attended Cambridge as a grad student and, even in the cocoon that is Cambridge there was extensive culture shock and some homesickness. Everything that is so “easy” at home, is all of a sudden difficult. Opening a bank acct (don’t get me started. I’m relocating back to UK next month and it literally takes an act of Parliament to open an account), public transportation, navigating the weird quirks of the educational system, etc. </p>
<p>It can be done. And for a very independent 18 yr old with some experience living abroad - might not be as much culture shock. But it’s not easy. They don’t hold your hand over there. If you haven’t already visited, I would suggest visiting the school, asking lots of questions, setting up a support network (family friends nearby that they can call, etc.)</p>
<p>Thanks. I am English (actually, I went to Pembroke College, Cambridge, and have lived in London) but my son has only ever lived in the Bay Area. He has visited UK but never on his own so it will be a culture shock. Plus very expensive to live in London. </p>
<p>He was accepted at UCLA (Theater) and RADA (Foundation). He probably should have applied to more schools but …</p>
<p>I agree flying to London is probably not that different from flying off to Miami or Boston. However, that 8 hour time difference and different culture in England may present more of a problem. He has relatives in UK but they are not close, and so we will work on finding him a support network should he decide to go there.</p>
<p>I just got back from London with my D. She absolutely fell in love with it over there. We found getting around London very easy and everyone very friendly. I can definitely see that there is no hand holding there and at both schools they seemed very concerned with her age. I believe that played a part in their decision, although as I said she still hasn’t heard from LAMDA. They seemed very positive with her at the callback however, did mention a couple of times about her age. I am thinking that she may have been placed on the reserve again. It seems that it is her fate to be placed on waitlists at these top schools (as she was waitlisted at Juilliard and now at Guildhall). Anyway, my D is convinced she can handle going overseas however, she is very petite and although mature, still looks young to me. I am not sure how I would feel if she actually gets in but I have a hard time telling her no when this is her dream and her passion. The time difference when we went was 5 hours, which does make communication with them difficult I would assume. We have no relatives or friends there but hoping that if she goes we could at least get in touch with students from the states. Also I believe Guildhall has dorms, which is a good thing for such a young student. LAMDA does not which they did mention to her quite a bit. I don’t know if this helps at all. I really wish we had final answers already. This process seems to just keep dragging on.<br>
</p>
<p>Ok. So we finally have a decision. My D is going to go to LAMDA in the fall. She absolutely fell in love with London and the school. What next? I am lost in what to do to get her prepared. Where to look for housing? What she can expect in terms of a career? Any help would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Lamda will help you find housing they have some great independent student housing there. They will guide you thru this process check into the visa issues now there is a lot of info in there Prospectus as well, good luck I might be headin that way as well only Mountview for Musical Theatre. Also is there any way possible your D could get EU Citizenship that would allow her the ability to work there.</p>
<p>Actingmom18 – congrats to you and your daughter!</p>
<p>Londream – I thought you were headed to DePaul?</p>
<p>Acting Dad. I had just gotten back from London a few weeks ago and a couple days later gotta letter from Mountview, actually completely forgot about them as I applied last Oct thru a DVD audition for Musical Theatre. I am still going to DePauls orientation and will decide where I end up after that. Hope everything’s going well for your D!</p>
<p>Actingmom18, huge congrats with your D’s decision!! LAMDA is supposed to be amazing! If possible, it would be great if you could keep posting on CC about her experience once she starts. As far as living there, Londream’s advice is great; do follow Lamda’s own website. THe first year, she should live in the independent student housing–it’s not a dorm but it caters to students. No meal plans, but I’m sure you know that. If she doesn’t know how to cook already, it would be good for her to learn to cook basic, nutritious and easy meals. My older daughter just returned from a year in Italy–obviously not the same as going to London. If you have any questions about the details involved - health care, visa etc - feel free to pm me. I will say one thing my D noticed was that a lot of students didn’t know how to budget. Their parents/school/loans would deposit all the money in their account at the beginning of the semester and the students, many of whom were living independently for the first time, would blow through it quickly and then have nothing left several weeks before the semester was over. SOmething to keep in mind to teach them (if they don’t already know) because they are certainly expected to be more independent there, and that includes budgeting. Best of luck–what a wonderful adventure and congratulations!!!</p>
<p>Thanks so much “connections”. It’s certainly
Overwhelming but will look into the independent
Student housing. I will try to keep her experences posted.
Just setting up bank accounts and paying bills looks
Confusing. Keep any tips coming!</p>
<p>Just enjoy the ride, Actingmom 18! My daughter is in Glasgow (RCS) and is absolutely thriving. The student visa application is long and involved: just go one step at a time and you will be fine. My daughter also lived in “halls” her first year and is now happily in a flat with friends. You can set up the banking once you are there - it is all much easier that you think. My daughter was young - actually arrived in Glasgow on her 18th birthday. Now she has an “ancestry visa” and can stay and work for at least 5 years. (This is a visa available to Commonwealth citizens with a grandparent born in the UK.) PM me if you have any specific questions.</p>
<p>Interesting article about the Best English Speaking Acting Schools in the World: Top 20. U.S. & U.K. schools that provide best training in Acting.</p>
<p>[Best</a> Acting Schools in the World: Top 20 - Acting in London](<a href=“http://actinginlondon.co.uk/best-acting-schools-in-the-world/]Best”>http://actinginlondon.co.uk/best-acting-schools-in-the-world/)</p>
<p>Occidental College offers a semester abroad studying theater at LAMDA…</p>
<p>Oakdad:</p>
<p>Has your son made a decision yet on whether he is going to Guildhall?</p>
<p>My daughter recently after much research and recommendation from others has added some of the overseas schools on her list. They are actually very high on her list and in my personal opinion a much better fit for her then any other program/school I have researched. We are looking at auditioning for RADA, LAMDA, Guildhall, and currently gathering more information and asking questions about RCS. </p>
<p>Would love to hear your firsthand thoughts on Guidlhall which I believe you mentioned your son was accepted to.</p>
<p>We looked into my daughter attending a summer pogram at LAMDA this summer, however, it started and carried over into the new schoolyear for us and so we had to rule it out. All things aside in hindsight due to a change in circumstances we could have made it work, and wish we would have just to see what it was like.</p>
<p>Bisouu you do want to check this out but I think that many of the USA schools that offer semesters abroad in the British theater schools are training with students from across the USA and not the British students themselves. For someone like Acting18 and Threed’s kids They want something more inclusive in terms of within the British student population.</p>