<p>hi, first time commenter long time reader. So i was looking at some of the older threads on this site and i found one talking about how students coming from performing arts high schools have a much better chance of getting into programs then kids from normal high schools. I was just wondering how true this is. I come from a public school that has a very very strong theatre program which has won dozens of awards over the years, not to mention the fact that i have participated on the forensics team (basically speech and debate) which is known in my our area for its success. My teacher works with her auditioning students on an individual basis and also brings her advanced theatre students to new york every year for a workshop with professional actors and casting directors to work on monologues. As a result of this kids from my school have and are attending programs in very good schools such as Tisch, Julliard, University of the Arts, Ithica, BU, etc. Therefor my concern is not so much not being prepared. My question is will auditors consider me below students who did attend performing arts colleges simply because i went to a public school?</p>
<p>No. When you’re applying to auditioned programs, it’s all about the audition, not about your high school or your resume.</p>
<p>Yup! What NJTheatreMOM said. Both of my kids went to a PA High School and their teachers didn’t help them one bit. In fact, my daughter’s teacher NEVER even saw her audition material or asked her about her auditions. Besides, how many PA schools are there really? (Your school sounds wonderful though and your teacher has gone over and above in my opinion to prepare you all) Also, unless you are an adjudicator or a college rep, no one on college confidential really knows the answer to your question. Sure, we can all speculate, but that doesn’t mean we really know. Wow- though if we did, it would certainly save us from a lot of stress! As an auditioner, your goal is to do the very best you can and not worry about everyone else. You should study hard and stay focused on your goal. Make sure your material is right for you and not overdone. Be engaging!</p>
<p>I agree with the other commentators, but with the addendum that I think if you go to a connected performing arts school your chances are indeed much higher. (Not all performing arts high schools are made equally though.) That said, my own children just went to the local public high school with a once great program, but not any more; but we do live close to Philly and they were able to take advantage of its programs. If you don’t go to a performing arts school I think it does help to go to a performing arts camp if you can. Or perform in community theatre. </p>
<p>But I wouldnt’ worry as much about things you can’t change. Again, my own kids went to a regular high school & a local day camp for performing arts. Obviously it helps to do a great job on your audition & follow the tips above, but I would however be aware that it helps to beef up your connections and experiences as much as you can.</p>
<p>My daughter got into some good programs coming from a cyber high school with no performing arts program at all, but she did notice that kids from places like Interlochen and the well-known public magnet performing arts schools did very well at these places. These schools have great facilities, strong faculty, good relationships with the college, and of course are self-selecting in their student bodies so it makes sense they do well, numbers-wise, in admissions. But it would not have occurred to me to send my daughter to boarding school, even if I thought we could afford it. While it certainly helps to come from one of these schools, many kids are accepted to these programs who come from regular schools, and even schools with no training or support.</p>
<p>As connections said, I would strongly recommend applying to the schools that your high school has some previous relationship with (if the schools are what you are looking for). When we were touring at NCSA and mentioned our town, the admission officer asked if we were from the magnet arts high school and then told us how great he though the program there was. I think if they know a program and its teachers, recommendations may mean something. BUT, it depends on you and your audition and your fit with the program. As mentioned everywhere before, make sure you have a broad base of schools that you apply to though.</p>
<p>What’s going to happen is that the students with more experience and better training are going to give better auditions than the students who don’t have that level of experience and training. So that means OVERALL, when we look at TOTAL NUMBERS, the students from the performing arts high schools will do better, percentage wise, than the students from typical public high schools.</p>
<p>So what this means is that a student from one of these typical public high schools will need to work very hard to get to their audition to the same level as a kid from a performing arts school. And this is absolutely possible.</p>
<p>But it sounds like your high school is not a “typical” high school, and that it has a theatre program that is comparable to a performing arts high school, and knows how to help folks like you audition for college. So go out there and prepare a really incredible audition that will get you into your first choice college!</p>
<p>KEVP</p>
<p>It doesn’t really matter. The idea that more kids from performing arts programs get in is because they tend to have the advantage of getting private help on their monologues from their teachers, not because the adjudicators prefer them at all. What matters most is your audition, no doubt. There are some particularly well-known programs that may pique interest (LaGuardia, Interlochen, Orange County, NCSA) but that will only last as far as the student’s audition. I’d say a normal class will be about half from performing arts and half from not. It sounds like you get all the advantages they would get, so you’ll have that same “leg up” that they do.</p>
<p>S is graduating from Interlochen this Sunday. Currently attending year end Festival, which absolutely is amazing. Our local HS could not provide the necessary support/services that he needed. His classmates are hardworking, dedicated, and extremely talented. They have been accepted to top BFA programs in the country. I was extremely skeptical regarding him going three years ago. However, I really believe the last three years were worth it.</p>
<p>The performing arts high school in our area is a public school and not near the reputation or training of Interlochen, Walnut Hill, LaGuardia, Orange County, or NCSA. Many of the kids who go to our school for theatre think they are the bomb diggity but in my opinion, most of them aren’t and I also don’t believe our teachers have the connections like the schools I’ve named. Yes, they do get more classes in fine arts but my daughter also had to take 2 academic classes online in addition to her full schedule to fit all of her classes in. That was very hard on her! I’ve just told both of my kids to work as hard as they can and always work as if they are competing against the best. That will bring them success in college.</p>
<p>Laguardia is a public high school and the students get absolutely no help from faculty with regard to college auditions, monologue selection or anything else. As a matter of fact, they are not really even encouraged to study theater in college.</p>
<p>i will echo that comment about laguardia. one of my best friends at school went there, and she didn’t even know what unified auditions were until she got here. it doesn’t sound like the school does much to prep the students.
i think it’s less about the “brand names” or even training that makes these kids so successful at auditions, but like someone else said…that all these hs are “self-selecting in their student bodies.” the kids had to go through an audition process to get to where they are now. acting programs look for more raw talent than training it seems, unlike programs for other arts disciplines…i think the messier the better in a lot of school’s eyes because it’s a sign that there’s a lot of potential to work with if the student can give a compelling audition with little training.<br>
this is why student populations at college conservatory programs for acting is always a mixed bag. you always have the kids who grew up in theatre families with a bajillion connections, you have kids who went to well known performing arts school, you have kids with a lot of professional credits, the kids who went to normal schools who were the stars at their school and local community, the kids who started acting in the middle of hs, and the kids who don’t really have any formal acting training and only have a small handful of theatre credits.
besides natural ability, schools will look for the student’s desire to commit to an acting program…they like kids who are curious.<br>
i’m sure you’re going to do fine! the way you’ve described it, it seems like you’ll be more prepared than many kids who will be auditioning.</p>
<p>I attended a PA High School and received excellent training, across the board. For years I have also taken private lessons in acting/singing/dancing outside of school as well. Every girl in my discipline (Theatre) has years and years of experience in school productions, community productions, and in performing arts classes and workshops. I consider the majority of my peers highly talented. This is not the “Glee” effect. We have all spent years working on/perfecting our skills. </p>
<p>Even so…most of the girls I know auditioned for ten to sixteen colleges. The top female students at my PA HS each got one “excellent” college to attend (i.e. BoCo, DePaul, Roosevelt, Ball State, Wright State, CCM, NYU, RCS, etc.) and offers to safety schools; however, top offers were not pouring in as we had all dreamed of before audition season. Males did a bit better with more scholarship offers, too.</p>
<p>There are SO many talented students out there that are all vying for the same spots. When I walked up and down the halls at Chicago Unifieds everyone looked and sounded good. Make your lists carefully and include safety/fit/reach schools! Just because you attended a PA HS, have an extensive resume, and are a triple threat does not guarantee a top tier college offer. Many of the girls who auditioned for ten schools wished they had done more. I know others feel differently about auditioning for so many programs, but I am just relaying our experience. It’s plain hard for girls.</p>
<p>And if you do not attend a PA HS, just take advantage of the classes and opportunities in your community. Do not limit yourself to only HS productions. You need to work with a variety of professionals to learn there are many ways to approach theater and to become a more well-rounded artist. Seek out the best and learn from them.</p>
<p>Yes, the audition is what counts the most, but there are so many factors out of your control that go into these decisions, too. You may be the greatest redheaded belter they have ever seen, but if they don’t need one…you will not get an offer. Have a long and leveled list, do your best, show your range, and be yourself. Good luck, Class of 2013!</p>
<p>I just wanted to say I go to LaGuardia High School, and there actually is a lot of help in regards to college auditions. However, you don’t go to the guidance counselors or even the college office. The teachers of every department are the ones to go to. There are classes in every major dedicated to just audition prep and career tips. Kids are encouraged to choose their studio as their major, it’s just that a lot of the kids don’t intend to go for careers in their talents. Example: A good friend of mine is an excellent student with tons of musicianship (she’s a vocal major) but she wants to be a doctor, not a singer/musician. One of the students in our school is on The Voice right now (Alessandra Guercio, I believe) and she trained with one of the faculty members for the audition. It’s a very professional school in that sense. </p>
<p>In the Music department, Solo Voice, Junior/Senior Orchestra, Opera Workshop, and New Music Ensemble (and many others, but these in particular) are some of the main courses in preparing for a career in music, no matter what genre. We have guest music teachers as well, like Eric Whitacre.</p>
<p>In the Drama and Dance departments, there are literally classes entitled Career Management and Audition Technique in the curriculum. There are constant guest teachers as well, like Jake Gyllenhaal and Alan Rickman.</p>
<p>In the Art department, there are tons and tons of classes in different art styles that require the use of portfolios that are often used in college application processes.</p>
<p>In Technical Theatre, there are classes that prepare each student for stagehand work. They get hands-on experience because they work on EVERY school production, whether it’s for dance, drama, or music. They sew the costumes, handle the lighting, build the props, everything!</p>
<p>Even kids who aren’t auditioning for any college get monologue/song selection tips. The teachers also recommend coaches for students who really want to get ahead. </p>
<p>So… in LaGuardia, there is a plethora of ways to get audition help/college prep. In fact, that’s why I have been so active on CC lately…</p>
<p>I don’t think college programs prefer or accept applicants from performing arts high schools over those who went to regular high schools. However, those who attend performing arts high schools often have a lot of training making them apt to fare well in college auditions. Also, there is a concentration of talented kids attending such high schools and so it only makes sense that many college theater program students came from performing arts high schools. But what counts is your audition and the talent you bring to that audition and an applicant from anywhere has just as good of a chance if they have the requisite talent. </p>
<p>My own kid went to a rural public high school where it is rare for a student to go onto a BFA program in acting or musical theater (perhaps one student per year does so) and where there are no drama classes or teachers. My kid got into many BFA programs and met many students at college who also came out of regular public schools, not performing arts high schools. What matters is to be well prepared for college auditions and you can do that no matter where you are by piecing together the training you need to attain the skill and talent level needed. While some kids get all of that at their performing arts high school, other kids may get their training primarily outside of school. The end result can be the same and colleges will care about your audition and not what school you went to.</p>
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<p>My son attended a public high school where it was essentially unheard of for a graduate to attend a BFA program in theatre. All of his training was outside of school. We do live at the edge of a metropolitan area where there are good opportunities to attend and participate in theatrical training and performances.</p>
<p>I’m an arts high school alum. I’m far enough removed now that it’s all fading a bit, but I can say that I wouldn’t have stood much of a chance of getting into a top college program had I not gone there. Then, the training at the one I attended was based off a conservatory model while the drama classes at my first small town public high school were taught by an English teacher who’d never even been in a play past the small town community theatre level. We also had occasional resident guest artists at the local Fine Arts Center who could teach you something, but that probably wouldn’t have been enough given the voice and speech challenges I faced early on. So, my answer might be different had I come from a major metro area with lots of opportunities or a regular high school with a solid, well-funded program and a good teacher.</p>
<p>At any rate, I seem to be a library of old threads from the MT forum lately, so here’s one where some of us went into detail about our experiences … <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/472730-performing-arts-high-schools.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/472730-performing-arts-high-schools.html</a> </p>
<p>Just off the top of my head, some high schools that I noticed having a very strong presence at the more prestigious college conservatories were Interlochen, LaGuardia, the South Carolina Governor’s School, Baltimore School for the Arts, and Walnut Hill. And to a somewhat lesser extent, NCSA, NOCCA, the Orange County School and another in Houston whose name eludes me at the moment. If you have the opportunity to go to one of those, I’d take it unless you have some very good reason not to. I see it like prep school kids and the Ivy League. Attending one isn’t completely necessary to get in, but it definitely helps if it’s a good one. </p>
<p>And as a little bragging point, mine is actually starting to develop a mini-mafia in the professional world. Just out of my graduating class of 13, three of us make our living as actors, one is moving up the chain as a casting associate at one of the big New York offices and another is an agents’ assistant at the New York branch of one of the big boys and will no doubt eventually have her own office. And I along with an alum from her college have been able to bring a really talented and motivated alum from my high school to the attention of a top level LA manager who’s all over her and will probably have her set up with a top representation team before her showcase even happens this spring. So Yay! <sings> “Forever Yoooouuuuung” by Bob Dylan (our Alma Mater. :))</sings></p>
<p>Didn’t Rod Stewart sing “Forever Young”? LOL!</p>
<p>I just want to say - and it will sound bad, I know - that you have to remember that the help some of the prep schools and PA high schools give to kids to get them into top programs, is not just for the benefit of the student. The schools need those acceptance to get more students to come to their prep school/PA high school. It is a business after all.</p>
<p>And with that thought, comes another. We should really praise those teachers in public school settings who work hard to give their students lots of exposure to plays/musicals/drama festivals/etc. They are out there!</p>
<p>Our state doesn’t have performing arts high schools! So, the local public school is the only game in town. I’m sure the experience at certain performing arts high schools is amazing. Just saying that if you put together training for yourself and attend a regular sort of high school, you can make it into a BFA program as well. It won’t all happen at high school though. </p>
<p>My daughter had the fortunate opportunity to attend a theater camp for 8 summers and there she was with a very talented pool of students and a ton of those peers did indeed go onto theater colleges and many are working at the very top levels now of the industry. But this was NOT the case at our high school in rural Vermont.</p>
<p>My kid went to a state-funded cyber charter school. Not only was there no drama program there, there was no “there” there. Like soozievt’s daughter, she was lucky enough to go to some summer programs, and she did a decent amount of acting in our city. But I suppose none of these factors will help her penetrate the mafiosi described below. 
Despite not having gone to a PA school, she was lucky enough to get into some good college programs (and you can only go to one college at a time, anyway.)</p>
<p>We did observe that the kids from Interlochen who were on the audition circuit seemed very well prepared and competent. Same with the LaGuardia kids. If you have an opportunity to go to a PA schools, do consider it. But I would not have wanted my daughter to go to boarding school for high school even if we could have afforded it-- I’d have missed her too much.</p>