<p>OK, how is everyone doing right now?? Mid-application season stinks, IMHO. Sooooo much to contend with....</p>
<p>This is our status:
First, all but 3 apps are now in (saving the 'worst' - i.e., most demanding - supps/essays for last). But my D still need to arrange for her HS transcripts and teacher recommendations to be sent in...
Second, all auditions that could be scheduled, before apps were required, have been been scheduled (e.g., NYU and SU).
Third, D just registered for another re-take in Dec of the SAT's (ugh).
Fourth: She has made her final selection of monologues- now practice practice practice....</p>
<p>Here's what I've done to try to organize the chaos of BFA apps & auditions for her (I've listed the details here in the hope it might help somebody else too). I'm admittedly OCD, but OMG, my D has her hands full (like every HS senior right now, esp BFA applicants)....</p>
<p>Excel spreadsheet:</p>
<p>Along the left side, the name of each college.
Along the top, these columns: Date of visit; date app was submitted; audition date (including possible dates where still unscheduled -- most are not yet scheduled :<O ); audition location; materials to bring to audition (e.g., fee, headshot, resume); number of monologues; monologue duration; Shakespeare req'd; other classical accepted; contemp detail; contrasting req'd; other (e.g., song, interview, bring essay etc.)</p>
<hr>
<p>........As for me personally? I'm totally dreading the craziness of the audition cycle (trying not to let on too much to my D, though...) Who remembers that old show, 'If It's Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium?'</p>
<p>Thanks for chiming in, nalajen. Yes, this is a really difficult phase. We’re inching in on getting apps done and getting things scheduled. I think it will be much less stressful to be on the road with the auditions, personally. But maybe I’ll sing a different tune in Feb.</p>
<p>Sometimes I think the team approach is going great, but often I feel our balance isn’t too good. Last night D said I was doing too much - hey, great, I’ll pull back. She said she plans to schedule her Unified Auditions herself, and I’m all for that. I’ll still be in the background making my lists (such as the excellent one you describe for what to bring). </p>
<p>It’s all very exciting and really in the big picture I’m very proud of how she’s growing and handling it all. But for me there’s an awful lot of teeth-gritting that gets exhausting. There are many days in the week when I am very glad she is my youngest.</p>
<p>For us here we’re on a long performance hiatus - plays that is, not music performances - but of course what she’s filling it with is seeing one or two other HS’s shows that her friends are in, every weekend, as well as college productions and anything professional that I’ll take her to. I’m realizing she should have gotten connected as an usher years ago …</p>
<p>I liked the “binder” approach, with a section for each school, and we’ll be starting that soon. Really in another week she’ll have only monologue prep and one more college essay on her list. That will be a manageable focus (along with school, music, friends, boyfriend, etc., etc.) and I couldn’t be looking forward to it more!</p>
<p>2 apps down, five or more to go. My favorite line on the spreadsheet is Application Submitted.</p>
<p>Right now all monologue info is on the outside of a manila folder with all requirements printed out and inside the folder. S and I talked about who was responsible for what back in August, and I’m the audition scheduler. So far all are scheduled that don’t require apps first. I’m glad most of them have Dec 1 deadlines so that winter break might actually be fun!</p>
<p>Final high school drama production is this weekend. S sounds hoarse and may be coming down with a cold. Should be an interesting week!</p>
<p>Seven, Nifty??? And a fun Dec break with so many auditions in January??? I’m moving to your house!!! :<)
My D has a lot more apps, and given the caliber and number of conservatory programs she’s applying to, and her :<O stats, I can’t say any “safety” is safe enough…</p>
<p>Emmy, I like seeing everything in one glance. Hence the spreadsheet - it works really well. My D is more than happy to dump all the tedious chores on me, just as she has done since she was two years old…and she’s my oldest. Maybe I’ll move in with you, too!<br>
D likes the doing essays and, of course, selecting and prepping the monologues. She’s got her fall play in 2 weeks, tough senior classes, boyfriend, and she’s still revising and checking her last 3 apps (the rest are in now, thank goodness). </p>
<p>Then…once we get through the last Feb auditions, I go back to work on college visits all over again for my other D, who is a high school junior (NOT BFA - I couldn’t take 2 years in a row of this!!!) - got to get her ready for college visits come March 2011!!</p>
<p>Oh, wow. Two in a row. I got a 4-year break with mine, although this D started doing college visits within a year or so of D1 leaving for school. But I’ve got the order reversed completely - D1 was “one-and-done” with an ED first choice “regular” school and POOF! It was over. This is water torture in comparison.</p>
<p>I like the spreadsheet idea a lot and kind of started one, but instead I’ve been using more old-fashioned lists. New topics keep coming up. I will be very glad to reduce to “Auditions” and “Results”! (Although then we’ll add “deposit sent” … “place on waiting list” … eek!)</p>
<p>We are done with the fall play, and the summer play reprise. There will be a spring play, eventually, which will be in rehearsal during college auditions, but we’ll manage. In the meantime our HS does an elaborate 3-night Madrigal Dinner, and my D is among the “head table” group, which means about a dozen other performances around the area through December. Plenty of theatrics in all of that!</p>
<p>It’s fun hearing what all of these “theatre-y” kids are getting to do their last year in HS. For many of them it will be a big change next year, from mainstage productions to in-class workshops. My D really can’t wait, to tell the truth.</p>
<p>nalajen- I wish it was 7 total. Let’s just say seven so far. He has until Dec 1 to add more non audition schools to round out the group. Actually, now that you mention it, winter break will be full of audition prep, but my son thinks that’s fun, so it should be ok. Right now his auditions are all in February. Can’t wait until the end of March!</p>
<p>This is my second time around with a one year break. Child #1 knew exactly what she wanted and did only apply to 7 schools and is now at her first choice and happy as a clam.</p>
<p>Hi everyone. May I chime in with my groans? My S2 has very late-in-the-game decided he wants to apply as a Theatre-Scenic Design major. This fits his interests well–but until this major change he was looking to apply to B Arch programs. I’m happy to see him focus in on his true interests–but I’m freaking that we know almost nothing about Theatre programs or application procedures.</p>
<p>My biggest fear is that we don’t really understand the differences between BA and BFA programs. He’s also interested in design and film studies, and what if he attends college and wants to re-adjust his major? Seems to me that the BFA has such a narrow focus and strict requirements, he may be too boxed in. But then again–who knows?</p>
<p>Plus–if he applies for the BFA, he needs to go to Natl Audition day and show his portfolio. Thankfully, he’s got material for the portfolio review since he prepared one for the B Arch, plus all his theatre work will be more relevant. </p>
<p>We were celebrating this weekend because he applied to one favorite school EA, only to discover that he may not apply for their BFA if he applies EA. I’m so confused. I called the school (theatre dept and admissions office) and they were also confused. Maybe most of the Theatre majors go after the BFA (no EA for that) and those not selected end up with the BA program instead? Anyone have any clues?</p>
<p>So I’m making new lists, new spreadsheets, and of course buying a new bottle of Tylenol. ;)</p>
<p>Wow, you all are a lot more organized than my mom and I are, haha. We’re managing to organize everything, but the spreadsheet sounds like a better option. I’ve sent in about half of my applications and scheduled most of my auditions. I just got my first academic acceptance (Marymount Manhattan) and found out today that I got a $10,000 scholarship. My school’s fall drama was this past weekend, so I haven’t had much time to work on my audition material, with rehearsals and work taking up most of my time. I’m hoping to have my applications completely done within the next two weeks, and then my focus will be completely on my auditions. First audition is January 8th.</p>
<p>There’s really too much info to keep track of for just one spreadsheet! We use a spread sheet to keep track of the application process, a spreadsheet to keep track of the audition process and yet another spreadsheet given to the guidance counselor listing all my daughter’s schools and what was needed from her high school and by when. For auditions, we also created a separate audition binder for each school containing her headshots, resume, audition materials for the particular program, a copy of her application, audition info from the school’s website and program info from the school’s website. That way, when it came time to leave for each audition, she could just grab the right binder and have at her finger tips what she needed for that school’s particular audition as well as for any interviews and Q&A sessions.</p>
<p>EmmyBet, I hear what your daughter is saying about a break from not performing next year. Hubby and I just had dinner with DS in New York and were just saying how much we missed seeing him in performance. Yet he seems fine with not performing his Freshman year. He admits that his training is pretty intense and time consuming. He loves it. Still, we the parents miss seeing him on stage! Oh well, we’ll just have to wait until some future opportunity.</p>
<p>My best wishes to the kids and parents of this year’s crop of talent. I can well remember this time last year when DS was applying ED. It was right on top of his fall play in which he had the lead. Lots of serious academic stuff going on too. It was an exciting time. I’m so proud he was accepted to his college of choice. But I have to say, as a sentimental parent, I still remember his performance on stage last fall with deep satisfaction and love.</p>
<p>And congrats to all those with apps in. We are not quite there yet here, despite the spreadsheet. But at least it lets me feel a little bit in control. Ha! I have scheduled those auditions that don’t require apps first and now just sit here chomping at the bit.</p>
<p>I like the binder idea for auditions. </p>
<p>I also think despite the busy-ness and travel audition season will be easier than this pulling teeth to get apps in. That is the part D will enjoy and I am looking forward to those trips, although it means laundry will pile up and I will be grocery shopping at odd times and my younger one will be resentful. OK, maybe that doesn’t sound so good.</p>
<p>D’s Senior shows will be in February and April, with her student-directed production in May so I have all that to look forward to. I remember crying and crying after my own last high school production and I anticipate more of the same for hers. My youngest is an athlete, not a performer, so it really will be the end of it for me. Or a new beginning. :-)</p>
<p>BvilleLady - you could have written my post as well! DW and I did go to Parent’s Day @ Tisch two weekends ago, and got the same feedback from DS regarding not performing his Freshman year. However, he did take us over to his studio (Atlantic) where we saw Atlantic’s third year students perfrom in a matinee - excellent! It was exciting to see what lay in store for him. And DS informed us that he was on the set crew for that show; his name was in the playbill. Never imagined I’d ever see DS’s name in print when going to a show in NYC. And I still watch the YouTube / DVD’s of his final performances from HS (he too, had the lead) from a year ago, whilst in the middle of applications and audition scheduling, and marvel at the whole experience.</p>
<p>Back on topic regarding spreadsheets … we created one workbook with multiple worksheets on different tabs, using many of the same topics in MichaelNKat’s post #10. In addition, I created a master calendar sheet, where I could deconflict the various activities - HS play, SAT/ACT dates, college visits, semester final exams, audition schedule, app due dates, etc. I was the travel agent for the auditions, and wanted to insure we set up audition times that worked for us. I also coordinated with the HS to insure they knew in advance that DS would be absent from school on these days. Thought this would be an issue, as two auditions were scheduled on the same day as a semester final exam. We worked that out with the school and teachers ahead of time, so no worries there. Anyway, I couldn’t have helped DS without the calendar, and it was a useful tool to keep him on track of what he needed to do on what day, and keep planning for the future. </p>
<p>This whole process made me understand why performing artists need managers!</p>
<p>Right there with ya’ll…ever so slowly chipping away at the maze of to do lists. And yes, this is exactly why artists need managers. D is in either rehearsal or lessons or coaching or school itself, SOLID, from 7:30 am till some time after 8:30 pm M through F. So if she’s supposed to keep her grades up and not have a physical collapse, it’s insane to think that someone else isn’t going to have to do the scheduling and logistics.</p>
<p>She got accepted to a school (not the program yet, just the school, but it wasn’t a big surprise - but still, yay) and the log in info they sent was wrong and the tech guy said legally he had to speak to HER to get it fixed. If she hadn’t had to stay home sick from school with a UTI on Tuesday I’m not sure just when the heck she would have been able to get that straightened out! </p>
<p>(she rested but I made her do that and a couple minor other things…since she was home anyway…and also made her watch “You’ve Got Mail” as it pertains to her second and hopefully LAST essay…she didn’t mind that part much!)</p>
<p>Wow, I can truly relate to all the concerns and feedback in this thread. I have been working on a spreadsheet for D and, its been difficult. I feel like I have done most of the work for D since she was involved with sports, etc. It’s now up to her to perform well on her auditions. She is applying ED and EA for BFA acting programs. Does anyone have suggestions or a list of BA or BFA non-audition based schools to apply? I was hoping to send in a few more apps before Dec. 1st. I am so concerned she won’t get in to her ED or EA and we she will be disappointed. I haven’t begun to figure out the scheduling details after Jan. apps. OMG she is way behind… please help!</p>
<p>She’s not behind! Just getting in ED & EA apps is huge.</p>
<p>Some non-audition BA programs to look at- Temple (audition for MT?), Drew (send in DVD for $), Muhlenberg (audition for $), Sarah Lawrence, Skidmore (I think its technically a BS there?), Bard, Goucher. </p>
<p>Non-audition BFA programs- Hofstra (audition for $), University of Rhode Island</p>
<p>Well, if you were anywhere near Texas I would have some suggestions for you but I don’t have any for your area. But I wish you luck. If I can find them around here for heaven’s sake I would think there’d surely be as many and probably a whole lot more where you are The trick is just finding them.</p>
<p>But man oh man am I glad to find out I’m not the only parent in this boat. I was thinking there are these superhuman families and acting kids out there managing everything, and here my D and I are with mounds of paper and material and information that we can’t keep straight. I figured, well, my D’s always relied on me to keep logistics straight, she’s too into her own world, I probably shouldn’t be so involved but how the hell can anyone keep track of all this an not be overwhelmed? So thanks, all, for making me feel less alone. The post about actors needing managers makes me feel like maybe I’m actually doing what needs to be done, and D maybe not as disorganized as I feared.</p>
<p>Me, I’ve been up ALL night on my other (new) spreadsheet to keep track of recommendations and app due dates.</p>
<p>Love Michael’s binder design - I think that will come next. I’m blocking and paging Michael’s post so I can have his organization structure handy.</p>
<p>But first, D needs a new headshot (old one looks too ‘posed’ and stiff, when she’s an edgy kind of kid). She’s so busy keeping up with school, she’s not working much on monologues and her first auditions are in --12 days. (The rest are in Jan/Feb but she figured,something has to go first, so…Geronimooooo…)</p>
But at least it lets me feel a little bit in control. Ha! I have scheduled those auditions that don’t require apps first and now just sit here chomping at the bit.</p>
The trick is just finding them.</p>