<p>Okay, here's a novice question for all out experienced folks out there: When attending the Unifieds, must you have already filed an application with a college you want to audition for? Was wondering if you can audition first, especially with those "reach" schools and then follow up with an application if they show interest? I'd really like to keep the number of apps (and all the paperwork that goes with them) that my D has to file to a reasonable amount (say 6), for both financial and time limitations. Thanks.</p>
<p>BIGismama:</p>
<p>You can audition first, on a walk-in basis, if the schools are taking walk-ins. The problem is that many of us have fewer and fewer slots for walk-ins because of the surge of interest in theatre, especially in musical theatre. So I wouldn't take the chance with schools that you are really interested in. </p>
<p>You could, however, certainly narrow the list by choosing to apply to only a couple of "reach" schools, rather than trying to audition for all of them.</p>
<p>One way of saving money (but not on applications) which I have recommended in the past, is to save some of the college visits until after the unified auditions, and then base the visits on the bids you receive.</p>
<p>Parents and students, chime in with your advice on this one.</p>
<p>We broke the entire group of schools into two batches: ones that my D wanted to visit and were not too far away (to save travel money) and ones that were further away or seemed like more of a gamble - and for that group (the further away schools) we did the unifieds. [My D really enjoyed the unifieds and if she does not get off the waiting list she's on, is looking forward to doing it all again in February 06!] </p>
<p>So I vote for a combined approach. I'm really glad we didn't spend the money to travel too far from home, because the way the odds are for MT, she might have fallen in love with a school that didn't accept her. I think that would have made the process more difficult. In this business it makes more sense to wait and see where the acceptances come in. My two cents.</p>
<p>Each school is different, and we've been researching the deadlines for getting in applications - they are all over the board. Many schools want the paperwork before scheduling auditions. The ones I can think of that don't require it first are Ithaca and NYU (NYU is usually there, but they aren't officially part of the unifieds). You'll have to research school web sites or call. CMU has a standard deadline of 12/1 (or 8 weeks, I think, before audition if doing it in fall) for drama and MT. Syracuse allows you to schedule the audition before the papers, but it appears they do not go to the unified auditions. They do offer times in various cities. I believe that Syracuse deadline is 1/1, NYU is 1/15, and Ithaca's is in Feb. (maybe 2/15). It would be important to check these dates for yourself, as I may be remembering wrong. Some of the schools have an audition request form to send ahead but I think applications are due later (I believe true for Webster and PPU). Webster will also be at unifieds - I didn't mean to leave them out!</p>
<p>Thanks for all the good advice. The balanced approach seems to be one that will work for us. </p>
<p>So here's my rough plan: hopefully we'll visit 3 or 4 schools this summer within driving distance (I know, not the best time, but better than nothing!), and then based on the feedback my D gets at Thespian Festival, she can narrow down where to actually send applications, and audition for those schools at the Unifieds . While there, she can scope out the other schools and perhaps do some walk-in auditions. </p>
<p>Based on any "bids" she might get at the Unifieds, we can at that point do some more college visits. (Thanks for that last idea especially, doctorjohn -- that has the added benefit of saving a lot of anguish by not giving her the opportunity to "fall in love" with a school that might not be interested in her!)</p>
<p>And on another note, I'm really looking forward to this school year being over, My D is so stressed over school, exams, play rehearsals, work rehearsals, work, that she doesn't even want to discuss college anymore. I also think she got really tired of changing her "wish list" whenever she heard or read about another college. so in our house we've vowed "no college talk" til school's out! How about the rest of you parents of juniors (and juniors themselves?)?</p>
<p>My friend's son applied to about 10 MT schools and audtioned for most of them by December. The feedback was not good on those schools that gave early responses. Based on that information, they applied to a number of non audition schools with good theatre/music programs and opportunities where the child had a good chance of getting in. They then turned their attention to the Unifieds, and made a few appointments so that they would not make the trip only to find that the slots were all filled. However, the student managed to do 9 auditions in one day. I think this was extreme, but he did walk in on most of them, and because the afternoon in LA was not so busy, he even did some combined with a couple of schools. Where they saved some money, is that only one school asked for an auditon fee. And on a few of them, he got feedback on the audition before he sent off the application. If it was not good, he saved on the app fee. He got 4 takes on the auditions that day, which is pretty good, plus most of his non audition school, and then a couple of his original schools that deferred their decision took him, so he has some choices now.</p>
<p>Jamimom, I recall you sharing that before. I am wondering where this young man has decided to go. In the end, it sounds like he made out well.</p>
<p>Jamimom, thanks for the info. More and more I'm thinking that my D needs to get feedback at International auditions and make initial choices and applications and then go to Unifieds and whittle the choices down even more. This is starting to seem not quite so overwhelming! </p>
<p>She will have the opportunity to do one (maybe 2) auditions in the fall, but based on your friend's son's experience, that may not be such a great idea anyway</p>
<p>BiGismama--I wouldn't base that decision on the experiences of one person. But it would be interesting to know the percentage of students selected at fall auditions at schools where they do them fall and winter or spring. </p>
<p>I still don't really understand how Unifieds work, although I realize the schools treat Unifieds differently. I've heard some schools hold auditions there, but don't take students, that some schools request further auditioning on campus (so they are like a pre-audition), that some schools also want videos, and that some schools do choose from Unifieds. Does anyone have more "refined" research on this?</p>
<p>Susan, I posted an extra long post to you that got obliterated along with a few others when I was having some trouble with the computer. Very discouraging--have not been able to refocus. I wanted to wish your daughter well, particularly in recovering from that accident, and big congrats,not only for her acceptances, but for that wonderful NYU windfall. BEST,BEST WISHES, and may they all come true! What a journey and it ended up right at CAP21 at Tisch!</p>
<p>Don't know where the young man has chosen. Also have not heard where another young man is going who started late in the performing arts process and that I helped pick some schools in December after not getting into his first choices. He, too, ended up with a lot of choices, and the family is very happy. </p>
<p>I do know that University of Utah accepted the young man at Unifieds without app and Northern Ill was also an autoaccept after the audition. It seems to be a definite place to give it a whirl, especially if things are not looking too good with the early responses. As Mtmommy says, basing the decision on an anecdote is not a wise way to go, but, it is an option to keep in the back pocket. The problem with counting on this strategy is that the Unifieds are in the latter part of the process, so if something goes wrong--a bad cold, cold feet, there isn't much time left. I would look at it as a good clean up option after going for the other schools at their campus auditions. </p>
<p>Mtmommy, my friend's story fit your understanding on the different ways that the schools treat the Unifieds. I know she said that Ithaca wanted a voice tape or cd sent with the application after the audition, some schools had video taping right there, and I believe the young man did get some invitations to come to the campus and reaudition. But he had enough of a spread to pick and choose from the spread which was a nice finale to his audition season. </p>
<p>I got the feeling--no proof, just the feeling, that for most schools, judgement is reserved for the early auditions and your a a waning memory compared to the fresh auditions. Anecdotally, it seems that more acceptances came from the later auditions. But then kids do improve at each subsequent audition. I would say mixing the batch is the best way to go, because you don't know which way your kid will go--will he start out all fired up and motivated, starting to wilt and get sick as the winter sets in? Or will he get more comfortable with each experience?</p>
<p>Jamimom--Yes, thanks. I think you're right about spreading out the auditions and that's what we plan to do, although must get in several in the fall. My D tends to get sick two or three times every fall-winter, so it's all a big guess. It would be nice to think that she'll get in the best place/fit for her, but I guess sickness and the timing of the audition for that particular school can all change "fate."</p>
<p>I would not take a chance at a "walk in" on the big MT programs. Their numbers are doubling with applications. Some that allow walk-ins, OCU, for instance, is not an actual audition but a more informal information gathering run by students. You would still have to go to OCU. I say, travel to the schools you HAVE to, and do the Unifieds for the rest. I know many, many students who have made it to CCM, BoCo, CMU, UMich from the Unifieds. If your child gets an offer or many offers from a Unified audition, then you can narrow down your choices by going to the school.</p>
<p>Can anyone tell me when or if the Fall UNIFIEDS for seniors 2007 have been posted? Just curious! I am gathering that some would recommend that students do the FALL UNIFIEDS for early acceptance.</p>
<p>There is no such thing as the fall unifieds, although some people have mentined some other kinds of regional event I think in the south.</p>
<p>frozen - no fall unifieds that I know of, but you would be wise to consider attending a few fall auditions. Some of the colleges only audition on campus and not at unifieds. Schedule some of those in the fall and others in winter, possibly at unifieds. We have talked to people who did all auditions during the unifieds. This is great, but what if you get sick that week? You may be wise to spread out the auditions, maybe doing half on campus in fall and half at unifieds. If you do poorly in fall, you can change your material. If you do well in the fall, it takes so much pressure off of the spring auditions!</p>
<p>bump for mtgeek - check out this thread!</p>