Questions for Tisch Arts Reps? Ask them here!

<p>Susan, thanks. Maybe she should have sent in the artistic recs, but the directions were quite specific on the website to send only two letters; they indicated that they would read only two, and the first two teceived might not be the best two! Other programs did require the artistic ones. Boy, have we got sooooooo much to tell younger kids we know, starting with this website!
sandy</p>

<p>Just wanted to recheck my facts and yes, my d's friend did get in off the waitlist but it was closer to the end of May when she heard. I don't know why or how it happened if everyone accepted took their spot, but she did get a letter of acceptance.</p>

<p>Sandy, as I said before, I don't think the lack of artistic reps affected your daughter's outcome. However, supplemental recs are very very common and recommended for more selective schools. Both my kids had two supplemental recs for all their applications, as do the clients I work with. My children did not do online applications. I would NOT send additional teacher recs. They are only going to read TWO. So, I would follow THOSE directions. But other recs that have to do with non academics help to support and round out the total package of the rest of the application documents...the extracurriculars, essays, etc. and are not required but are often added to an application. There are no forms for these. For a theater student, it helps to have someone speak to their training or theater work since that is such a big piece of admissions, beyond academics. Who knows what they truly read but as long as someone does not overload their application materials and send all this extra stuff, it should be fine. Supplemental recs of the nature I just described are rather the norm. Sending much other stuff gets to be TOO much. As you know, some theater programs actually ASK for artistic recs. I think if you have those, send them to each school. You could add these now to the "waitlist appeal" letter of interest with the updates of new achievements and endeavors since the application was filed. Your D has nothing to lose. Badgering isn't good but what I just suggested is recommended for a waitlisted applicant. </p>

<p>Kaysmom, your D's friend does add a question about how CAP would have used a waitlist if they had a larger yield than anticipated. I assume this girl went into CAP, not another studio (as another studio would not raise this question). Perhaps someone from NYU can give the lowdown as to the numbers last year, beyond what several of us had heard about their accepting 80 for 64 slots with 80 matriculating. I can't answer it myself. </p>

<p>Susan</p>

<p>Seriously guys, Meisner Extension? Anyone?</p>

<p>Jenny, I wish I could help you but I seriously know very little about Meisner Extension other than it is a small studio or what I have read on the Tisch website. But you mentioned in another post that this was your first choice studio which leads me to infer that you had looked into it somehow enough to choose it. Maybe you can say what you liked about it or why you wanted it. Meanwhile, you can keep asking here but I've been on this forum for almost 4 years and I have not seen a current Meisner student, a parent of one, or an alum of that studio participate here. It is a musical theater forum, after all so there are more MT participants, though we have drama ones as well. What I advise you to do is to contact Tisch by phone or email....or Meisner...and ask if they can put you in touch with current students and/or anyone else who can answer some specific questions you have beyond "how is Meisner". I bet they can help you. Please look into that and have some specific questions ready to go. If anyone here has a friend in Meisner, maybe they can hook you up but that may be less likely. Good luck!
Susan</p>

<p>I have heard great things about the Meisner system, and have friends who were shooting for the Meisner extension at Tisch. It seems to be a method of training that has REALLY worked for some people. Here's some information on it, which will give you an idea of what they teach at that particular Tisch studio:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.completeactorstraining.com/about.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.completeactorstraining.com/about.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p><a href="http://www.thestickingplace.com/html/Meisner.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.thestickingplace.com/html/Meisner.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>And here is what Tisch says about the meisner extension when you apply:</p>

<p>THE MEISNER EXTENSION</p>

<br>


<br>

<p>SOURCE: Tisch Audition Confirmation E-mail (had to look back in my emails to January! whew time to clean out the inbox, huh?)</p>

<p>Susan, thanks again. "Wish that I knew now what I knew back then - when I was younger" - or last year! Or maybe that's backwards. I'm making notes for the theatre sponsor at D's school for next year's kids! D has declined all but one offer and is thrilled to be in honors at the place she is accepting. Will follow through with the suggestions just in case, but if she doesn't get a call she is cool. You folks are wonderful! I hope everyone comes out with a great experience and a marketable skill!
Sandy</p>

<p>Just a thought, OddEyes, the experiences in different studios vary so, you might want to call the studio and ask to be put in touch with a current student. That way you'll be sure to get the perspective of someone actually going through the experience instead of someone who has only heard about it.</p>

<p>Sorry for the delay. This is going to be brief to keep all of my responses managable.</p>

<p>WAITLISTED APPLICANTS
If you've been waitlisted, and some of you have, congratulations! It says a lot about the high quality of your child's academic, extra-curricular and talent portfolio. Of course, every year the competition gets tougher and the bar is always raised higher.
As a student, my recommendation is not to rejected the other programs that have admitted you and wait for NYU - keep your options open so that when you do hear back from NYU - if it is a yes you can choose NYU and if it is a no [hopefully not!] you won't be left without schools.
As usual, if you are still highly interested do what every waitlisted student for any program to any school should do: Send in a letter stating that NYU is still your top choice. Briefly summarize your highlights that have occured between Hanuary 2006 and now, and reaffirm any weak points that you may have had in your application. That does not mean sending in five more recommendations and copies of awards, prizes, headshots/resumes, etc. Basically: Keep it simple and persuasive, don't over do it. Good luck! [Soozievt has given valuable tips in #21 if i recall correctly, but make sure to always follow the specific college's instructions!]</p>

<p>CLASS STATISTICS
Statistics for this year's incoming class [2010] is not released for awhile - I'm not aware of the date. Even statistics for 2009 and 2008 I am not aware of - though they may have been released. Somewhere on the NYU website it lists admitted/accepted statistics for each school; I've encountered them before but never read the stats in depth. Studio statistics I believe are not officially released, for many reasons that can be explained if you would like.</p>

<p>TRANSFER STUDENTS
There is no early decision for transfers - it is a separate regular admission process. Tisch, I believe, accepts transfers at all stages - not just junior transfers.</p>

<p>ADMITTED/ACCEPTED/MELT INFO
It is a true that Tisch "overadmits" students. This is done for several reasons, but most important is to note that usually the students that accept NYU are not the same amount that are admitted. For CAP21's 2009 class, 75-80 students were admitted and it is true to my knowledge that 79 or 80 students accepted [though I might be wrong!]. That does mean that there was no melt, which does say a lot about our programs. For other studios, there was little melt as well. As said before, I do not ever have factual statistics for admits/accepts.</p>

<p>Note: Waitlisted students for the drama program are to my knowledge, not waitlisted to a specific studio. This is based on only one person I know of who applied to CAP21 2-3 years ago as a first choice, PHTS as second, was waitlisted, and placed into PHTS. Flexibility is always good- and truly all of the drama programs are very strong.</p>

<p>LOST RING
My personal feeling is that since it was two months ago, that most likely the ring is permanently lost. My suggestion would be to e-mail [e-mail is always a better way then calling to get in touch with someone] the auditors [Maybe Mr. Bartow] and inquire personally. Good luck.</p>

<p>STUDIO INFORMATION [CAP, ATC, Meisner, etc.]
Though all of these personal insights are very much appreciated, I just want to note that these are all personal experiences - positive or negative please do not let their experiences influence yours. Definetely take it into consideration but by no means should it make or break your decision to commit to a studio or influence which studios you prefer.
Meisner training is very intense - as you do know it is based on Meisner's approach and because the studio is very small you will definetely not be able to dissapear as easily as you could in other schools/studios/programs. I will inquire with friends about what a day-in-the-life of a Meisner student is like and get back to you.
Oddeyes: I was also accepted to Northwestern and USC among other programs. Weightload for every student is different, depending on what you like to do. For example, when you stage manage or crew on a show [and just about every student will for experience] there will obviously be a lot of evenings that will be devoted to that. Depending on each studio, as well, outside studio work will fluctuate. But in the end, if you have good time management skills and a good sense of your capabilities [and most here at Tisch do], you'll be fine. Yes, you will be overworked, overstressed, and sleep-deprived, but that's the same for ANY college, and we all really do embrace it happily. Sometimes it'll be because of the lines you have to memorize and the homework and essays you have to write, and sometimes it'll be having too much fun out in NYC or with your friends. That's college!</p>

<p>FINAL NOTE: Every studio has different strengths and weaknesses and this is not something that can ever be avoided. The same goes for any theatre program in any school. Now remember the weaknesses at your assigned studio are also matched with the strengths of the program - and if you are dissatisfied you have your third and fourth year to switch to another program that you'd like to try! NYU's drama program structure really is outstanding in that if something's not working for you - there is somewhere else for you to try.</p>

<p>"Meisner training is very intense - as you do know it is based on Meisner's approach and because the studio is very small you will definetely not be able to dissapear as easily as you could in other schools/studios/programs. I will inquire with friends about what a day-in-the-life of a Meisner student is like and get back to you."</p>

<p>Thanks very much, Tisch<em>arts</em>rep! I'd be really interested in what your friends have to say.</p>

<p>Soozievt, thanks for responding and trying to help. I did say in my post that I know about what they actually teach, having read Sanford Meisner's book and looked on the NYU site - hence it was my first choice because I think it best suits me as an actor. What I was looking for were opinions/anecdotes based on personal experience of the program, similar to those expressed earlier in the thread about CAP21, Atlantic etc. Sorry if I didn't make that clear enough.
Also, I realise this is an MT forum, but there isn't one for acting, so when I saw posts from NYU students who seemed to know a lot about various acting programs, I thought it was worth a shot!
Thanks for the advice, I will look in to calling Tisch (it's just so expensive calling from the UK!)</p>

<p>Jenny, yes, I realize you must have read enough about what Meisner is about to have chosen it as your first choice studio and are seeking some personal anecdotal experiences. I think you are doing the right thing. I just haven't found any Meisner people on this forum and thought if were to contact Tisch or even Meisner studio directly and ask for contacts, that would beneficial. Due to the cost of calling, could you try email first and ask for email contacts and then when you get those, ask some specific questions about Meisner? That's what I suggest trying. There is an straight theater drama section on CC but it is not as active as this MT forum. But if you look on the forum for ARTS MAJORS there is an ongoing thread about colleges for theater/drama and it is on about Part 8 or so as it has been around on CC for a very long time. Again, I don't know that anyone with first hand experience with Meisner would be reading it. Thought I would point that thread out to you anyway. </p>

<p>Good luck! </p>

<p>Thanks Tisch Arts Rep for trying to help all these prospective students!</p>

<p>Soozievt:</p>

<p>Re: CMU MT class of '09- according to my D they selected 4 MT girls from an audition pool of approx. 650+---all four accepted (incl. my D). However, one girl advised them in early May that she would not attend CMU since she was offered a recording contract. They did NOT fill her slot from the waitlist and so that is why they only have three girls in this year's Freshman class. I don't think any of the boys came off of the waitlist.</p>

<p>Yes, that was my assumption regarding CMU last year. It is mind boggling, however, to have only 3 MT girls in the class. While it felt like an accomplishment when my D made the priority waitlist, I started wondering if it was worth applying and the money to travel there because it was a VERY LONG shot, the way the numbers turned out last year for girls at CMU. </p>

<p>Your D REALLY achieved when getting one of those four slots at CMU and must be extremely talented. I bet we hear more about her in the coming years!</p>

<p>Tisch Arts Rep - You wrote above:</p>

<p>"For CAP21's 2009 class, 75-80 students were admitted and it is true to my knowledge that 79 or 80 students accepted [though I might be wrong!]. That does mean that there was no melt, which does say a lot about our programs. For other studios, there was little melt as well. As said before, I do not ever have factual statistics for admits/accepts."</p>

<p>I am sure everyone here appreciates your taking the time to respond to the many questions raised, but I don't understand what you mean by the above answer to the question about admits/accepts for CAP. First you say that X number of students WERE admitted and TO YOUR KNOWLEDGE 79 or 80 accepted, but than say you have no factual statistics?</p>

<p>I think this is the kind of question for which only facts are meaningful and relevant. If Tisch chooses to not make those numbers available, it is certainly their right not to do so. But then let's not say "I know but I could be wrong....." It may (or may not) be misleading and doesn't really say anything about the program.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>I read Tisch-Arts-Rep to mean "to his knowledge" and he admitted he could be wrong and that he doesn't have factual statistics. So, it was clear to me that these are not facts but what he has heard, as others have mentioned. Therefore, one shouldn't take them as facts but like many other things mentioned on the forum....it is what one has heard but it has been qualified as not factual and may not be accurate even though that was his understanding. </p>

<p>Let's remember that Tisch Arts Rep is a STUDENT, not an official who works for Tisch. If I wanted the exact factual information, I would go to the source, an administrator or adcom from this university. Perhaps one will contribute here, I don't know. For now, we only have several people who have "heard" similar numbers of accepting about 80 students to yield 64 but 80 have matriculated. The details or facts are not known by any poster here in a way that can be confirmed. At least Tisch Arts Rep is admitting that it is just to his knowledge but he doesn't have factual statistics or admits/accepts. So, take it for what it is worth and for what he has said it represents. I read LOTS of "information" on CC about schools that is not absolutely correct. Unless I get it from the direct source, I have to know that is all it is. In this case, several have mentioned similar numbers. No poster who entered into this latest discussion actually works for NYU. It would be misleading if stated that it was a FACT. I think Tisch Arts Rep qualified it and I understood it was just what he was saying....something he has heard but can't prove.</p>

<p>There seem to be further questions regarding the number of freshmen applicant students invited to study at NYU, Tisch Drama's CAP21 for musical theatre students. The controversy seems to center around one year (2004-05) when a larger than normal class was admitted to CAP. Recruitment is not an exact science. The number of students a school invites in order to make a certain number of admits varies from year to year. In the year of the large class the number invited to attend was based on the fact that the previous year (2003) CAP was underenrolled, meaning that fewer than anticipated accepted their invitation. So the number of invitations in 2004 was increased to take that into consideration. That particular fall of 2004 a LARGER number than usual accepted the invitation making for a larger incoming class than we anticipated. Thus, the following year we decreased the number of invitations. This kind of variance occurs from time to time in each of the eight primary studios in the Drama program. There is a certain complexity in accepting the correct number of students into eight different studios. It is difficult to hit the right number precisely for each one of them. There can be a spike in responses or a decrease in responses for a particular studio. There is no significance to any of this other than the Drama program aiming for a class of 64 students for CAP21.</p>

<p>How many students are in Stella Adler each year?</p>

<p>This information is from a current first-year student in Meisner Extension. JennyD, hope this helps you.</p>

<p>"This year's class started with 21 students in ME, but usually around 20 are accepted. [1 student who had dropped out earlier rejoined the class]. Classes are held at the studio itself, and first-year curriculum consists of:</p>

<p>Yoga twice a week
Voice/Diction [IPA] twice a week
Meisner acting 3 times a week
Movement [WIlliamson] twice a week
Clowning once a week
Stage combat [1st semester]
Voice/Singing [2nd semester]</p>

<p>That's most of the information that I gathered. Hope it's enough! If you would like to hear directly from a student, what I suggest is that you called the Office of Student Affairs and see if there's any way they can connect you with a current ME student - I'm not sure if they can but it's worth finding out.</p>

<p>In regards to CAP21, the numbers I got were from current CAP21 first-year students. 80 students were in the first-year training in Fall of 2005 [80 is the number that has been given to me by two different current CAP21 students]. IF the number of admitted students to the CAP21 program is 80 - then yes, that would imply there was no melt - that every single student admitted to the CAP21 program chose to accept it.</p>

<p>Again, I DO NOT have exact statistics on how many were accepted - and frankly, as Arthur B. [our very cool artistic director!] has stated, there are no "quotas". That is why when so many people ask for exact numbers on admit/accept rates they're not available.</p>

<p>theatremom, I did not mean to insinuate that these were my guesses. I always note in my posts that these are not 100% solid facts because I could be wrong. My main purpose here too is more for students who have questions about the program and training from A STUDENT'S perspective; I'm trying not to cross into admissions because obviously I have no say about that. Hopefully this clears everything up. Thanks soozievt for clarifying on my behalf.</p>

<p>ADLER #s. [this number given to me by a current Adler second-year] "there were bout 70 adlerites my firstyear."</p>

<p>Hello,</p>

<p>Interesting thread, indeed! My daughter is a sophomore at the Strasberg Studio and there were approximately 80 admitted last year when they were freshman. I'll sak her if she would be willing to post here about Strasberg. She is incredibly busy this week, getting ready for her audition for the mainstage production in Hair. I will ask her, if she doesn't think she will have time, I will post and share what she has told me about the studio and why she likes their approach and plans on continuing there her Junior year.</p>

<p>Tisch arts rep -</p>

<p>I KNOW that you are a student and thus I did not ask you to provide information about these stats for CAP - Soozievt asked you to weigh in, not me.</p>

<p>I will repeat one last time that the reason I have pressed this issue is that a 100% rate of acceptance of offers of admission in a pool of 80 students, i.e a 0% melt would have to be a record in college admissions and I remain skeptical that it occurred at CAP last year. A 0% melt in a pool of four offers, such as Soozie referenced at CMU, is statisically not any where near as significant as a 0% melt in a pool of 80 would be. I'm not sure what the issue of "quotas" of any kind has to do with this discussion and I have never raised it or surmised that a quota system of any kind has been used by Tisch. It is clear from Mr Bartow's post that he does not wish to reveal how many students were actually OFFERED admission to CAP last year, and while I reiterate that I respect his right to not reveal this number, it is the ONLY number I have have been trying to ascertain all along. And yes, I understand that many programs alter the number of offers they make from year to year - to reflect and accommodate recent melt statistics - for example, I know for a fact that UM has altered this number every year for at least the past four years - but I do not know of any other program that keeps this number a secret or why they would want to. We all know that 80 students ACCEPTED offers to CAP - some because they applied ED and others as a choice after applying RD. That has never been the question.</p>

<p>I feel I've said all I need to about this issue and am ready to let it go as it is clear that no more factual information will be forthcoming.</p>