<p>So, how did that work? Obviously, he’d researched the audition requirements (4 songs, 2 mono (1 Shakespeare)) and was prepared. Did you have a choice of audition times/days? Did you just go to the RCS audition room at Unifieds and inquire? or make a call? Did you pay a fee that day? </p>
<p>I scheduled the audition using email to the scheduler…not sure how I even got HIS email-- total fluke! (Looking back, I think it was a sign…) I was able to choose a day/time that fit S’s schedule. It ended up being his very last audition of the season. He did not research what RCS required, regarding songs, etc. He just went into the audition and “winged it.” His 15-minute allotted slot ended up lasting 45-minutes-- they really put him through his paces and even downloaded sheet music so S could sing a song not in his book. We did not pay any fees then, but when we returned home, paid the audition and application fees online. RCS did not hold their audition at the Palmer House Hilton-- We had to take a taxi to the Westin on Michigan Ave.</p>
<p>Thank you! Very helpful…</p>
<p>MTmom2015. My D is a 3rd year MT student at RCS and attended Chicago Unifieds 3 years ago. RCS was the very last of 7 auditions she completed at Unifieds. She had researched their MT program that fall on the recommendation of her Theatre History teacher in High School. He thought it was a good fit and so did she! By the time she began auditions she ranked it was her dream/reach school. My D applied/paid ahead of time through CUKAS, which is the acronym and official website for the Conservatoires UK Admissions Service. I think my D eventually arranged for the Chicago audition through the international student advisor at RCS. She is great and answered a lot of our questions.</p>
<p>My D is a strong actress as well, and decided to audition for both MT and Drama. Because she had time between applying and auditioning, my D followed the guidelines for the audition material for both departments. She auditioned for RCS Drama first and then went in to audition for MT. My D was most concerned about the instrumental assessment because she had only a few weeks of piano instruction before her RCS audition. With her usual spunk, though, she played her beginning piano piece and the reviewers applauded at the end to help make her feel more at ease. So, if you are not stellar at playing an instrument in addition to all the usual MT requirements, do not lose heart. Just do the best you can and express a willingness to learn and work hard. As I recall, the dance call back was held several hours after the main audition, so be aware of that since the auditions are not on site at The Palmer and are a taxi ride away. You may want to look for a coffee shop or restaurant to wait in between the auditions. That’s what we did. The year my D auditioned, Andrew Panton was unable to attend so all auditions were filmed and brought back for him to assess. </p>
<p>A week after Unifieds, my D was first sent a message from the RCS Drama Dept (through CUKAS) that she was on a list of those in consideration and would hear a final decision in the near future. About a week later, she received a conditional acceptance to the MT Dept. (and the condition was that she graduate from High School). My D debated whether to wait for the final Drama decision before deciding or embracing the MT offer. After a few days of contemplation, she decided to accept MT regardless. Once she accepted the RCS MT offer on CUKAS, she had to decline any other UK Conservatoire offers (pending or otherwise) so we never heard the final Drama verdict.</p>
<p>We were unable to tour the campus ahead of time, but my D did know a few other students from her HS that had attended RCS (in different departments) and she was also put in touch with current MT students who could answer more specific questions about the MT BA Program. Her Drama History teacher had also toured RCS and felt very comfortable with the campus and program.</p>
<p>My D has been 100% happy with her decision to study MT abroad at RCS. The training is phenomenal and she loves working with Andrew Panton and his talented MT staff. They guide and develop each student’s distinctive artistic voice. My D bought a used mandolin a month after she arrived in Glasgow and when her instructors saw her playing around with it they quickly found a teacher for her in the Music Dept. of the conservatoire and offered her lessons free of charge. It is truly amazing how much she has learned on the mandolin in two and a half short years of instruction. My D will actually be playing that instrument in the actor-muso show later this year :)</p>
<p>This is her final year and her class will perform 3 shows and have 3 showcases. They are working on “Our House” right now and it goes up later this month. They will perform “West Side Story” and “Godspell” in March and May respectively. Every third year student is in every show. They rotate leads and ensemble roles so everyone gets to experience both types. Many MT students are given leadership opportunities (such as Dance Captain) as well. The showcases are held in Glasgow, London, and NYC. American students attend all 3 showcases and UK/Other attend the first two. </p>
<p>Each of the 3 years in conservatoire is filled with great instruction and performance opportunities. Some of the first year students will be appearing on MTV EMAs (European Music Awards) this Sunday at 7:00 pm Eastern, so watch for them! They will be performing from the Hydro in Glasgow :)</p>
<p>Awesome asoldo and SU88BFA! Very cool to hear! For those who are interested as well - to add to this very informative post - my S is at LAMDA. I didn’t know this starting out this process, but in case others don’t, LAMDA (like many UK schools) doesn’t have a separate track for MT versus straight. They all train in acting, MT/opera, dance, voice, mask, clown, combat, singing, voiceover, radio, screenwriting etc. </p>
<p>However, for LAMDA and other UK drama schools, the audition is more focused on the acting aspect, particularly classical acting. I also have a slightly different experience as well with logistics if anyone cared to pm me. </p>
<p>(Still popping in with questions… fascinated!!!) So, what are the employment prospects for grads of overseas programs? Do most end up back in NY after grad… or do they stay in the UK? </p>
<p>MTmom2015, my impression is that most end back here because the visa issues in the UK are pretty daunting. Asoldo, does your D know how many stay in the UK from RCS and if so for how long? It’s very hard to get a work visa, so I’m thinking it would be on a case by case and year by year basis. LAMDA does have showcases in LA and NYC. I think regardless, the UK schools have strong links with US agents. I know I’ve seen several RCS grads working here in the US. </p>
<p>One benefit of RCS is the housing situation. Liberty in Glasgow is a really nice dorm-like facility, very close to RCS and reasonable in price. You do have to do your own cooking, but when my son was there for 4 weeks, he got into the swing of things fairly quickly (although I think he made one sandwich over and over–but it had protein in it!). Whereas most of the schools in London (excluding Guildhall) don’t have housing. Now, my S is loving his housing situation - he’s in a house with 4 other LAMDA boys in a great location – but a) it took a ton of work for me to arrange b) required me to pay 6 months in advance, and c) it’s just good information to know when there isn’t dorm-like housing in case your kid wants this. My S actually prefers the house so that’s good, but it’s really good to know these things beforehand. There was a lot of little and big things I myself learned along the way in this process (and will probably still learn). And my S is my third theatre major! </p>
<p>It is my understanding that it will very hard for my son to stay in the UK after graduation. He knew this when it was decision-time back in April, but he still decided to attend RCS because of all of the other “pluses” associated with the program/school/international education. His student visa is very strict-- for example he cannot work and get paid doing any performing, unless it is work coordinated thru RCS. He IS allowed to have a job outside of the entertainment industry and work part-time during term-time-- no more than 20 hours a week; and can work full-time during vacations. </p>
<p>Regarding after graduation-- He can stay in the UK until mid- October 2017 (when his student visa expires), and prior to that deadline has to actively look for a sponsor-- basically an agent that signs him and says he has a job. But it’s MUCH more than that-- and difficult to obtain. He’d need to recognized as a “Exceptional Talent” which is what the Tier 1 visa is called. </p>
<p>RCS is taking a very active role in promoting itself in the States… I think the 5 Americans in this year’s first-year MT class are a sign of that. So, the pool of graduates (and “contacts”) working in the US will continue to grow. RCS grads have been been getting some good press lately: Acting grad Sam Heughan is Jamie in the Starz show “Outlander” and 2014 acting grad Crystal Clark (an American) was just cast in the new Star Wars movie. (I bet she doesn’t have to worry about her visa!) Alan Cumming and David Tennant are also acting program grads. (The MT program is only 5-6 years old.)</p>
<p>As asoldo mentioned in an above post-- Several first year MT kids were picked for the MTV EMAs. My son was one of those. They were given 2 tickets to the stage front standing area and access to the Red Carpet. I can’t tell you how super-excited these kids are. He couldn’t text me about the MTV tickets yesterday because all the kids were off to see the fireworks for Guy Fawkes Day. It’s opportunities like these that make me really happy that he’s there. </p>
<p>^^Also, the talented Alexandra Silbur is a very successful RCS grad. She found work in London on graduation a decade or so ago, and is now working very steadily in the US.</p>
<p>MTmom2015 & Connections - SU88BFA is correct. Most American RCS grads head to NYC or LA after graduation now. About three years ago the visa rules changed and it is much harder to stay in the U.K. now after graduation. I have heard it is not impossible to stay and get work there, but also not very likely. Someone would have to sponsor you (meaning hire you for a long term role or deem you an exceptional talent) in order to stay. I think the American students still do the Glasgow and London showcases, though, on the off chance that someone might step forward as a sponsor (& it’s also great practice for their last NYC showcase).</p>
<p>The encouraging news is that many of the RCS MT graduates have representation before or shortly after they graduate. This helps tremendously as the American graduates transition into the competitive NY and LA markets. One of my D’s friends, who was an RCS MT graduate last June, moved to NYC this past summer. Through her NY agent, she just landed a role in a SAG film & she has been getting steady audition opportunities for prominent shows (TV, Film & Stage). She has only been in NYC for a few months & already has been given fantastic opportunities. Some of the other recent American grads have found jobs in Regional Theater Companies and one of the recent MA MT graduates appeared in, “The Hatfields & McCoys”. </p>
<p>The RCS MT Program is fairly new, though. They used to take only 2 -3 American students per year, so there are not a lot of American alums yet. I think the RCS MT NY showcase was only added in two years ago. Like SU88BFA said, RCS is trying to expand it’s presence in the U.S. and this year’s class has the largest # of American students so far; however, the RCS Acting Program has been around for a long time and has a very long list of famous graduates. </p>
<p>Connections - so glad your S loves studying at LAMBDA. Very good school. Congrats to your S! I agree with you, the ACTING training in the U.K. programs is more extensive and also phenomenal. No wonder I love to watch their programs on the BBC!</p>
<p>One thing I didn’t know is how MT and straight theatre is not separated in most UK schools (with the exception of RCS). I offer this to anyone who is interested in MT studies and who wants to go to the UK: RCS MT is of course excellent but also be aware that schools like LAMDA, Royal Welsh, etc train quite rigorously in MT as well.</p>
<p>Again, I offer this to share information since I actually didn’t know this beforehand. In general, the UK training philosophy is different from the US, which tends to separate out its specialties. In the UK, most schools have a philosophy of graduating a working artist who is exposed to as many areas in the acting profession as possible. For instance, LAMDA includes not only rigorous acting training, but singing, MT, opera and dance, as well as film and radio and voiceover work, as well as scriptwriting. Plays written by undergrads can eventually find their way to a professional production. You graduate with a reel in film and voiceover.</p>
<p>But the main thing I want to convey is that I had no idea how much voice/MT and dance training my S would get. Again, I offer this information not to contradict RCS’s training (which is excellent) but to add information to those who might be interested in MT training in the UK. </p>
<p>I don’t know much about Royal Welsh but I’ve always heard that LAMDA is a great school and has an excellent course of study. So glad our kids seized the opportunity to study abroad in these programs. They are definitely worth considering for students who are independent, adventurous, and highly motivated. </p>
<p>RCS looks enticing; and the general idea of my S studying abroad sounds like a once in a lifetime opportunity. What worries me about the RCS program, besides its relative newness,is the cost. You expect in-state (or in this case, in-country) students to pay less. But non-EU students (US) pay 10 times what they pay! Granted even at 10x its still not ridiculously expensive. But that makes it worse! Scottish students pay roughly $2800 a year to attend here. How good could they be if their tuition is only $2800 a year? If he in classes 40 hours a week for 24 weeks, that’e like $2.90 an hour for instruction?? No wonder they are promoting to Americans; I would too at 10X the income. </p>
<p>Imagine if a kid from Scotland was going to come to the US cause he heard the acting program at your local community college was awesome. He doesn’t know for sure; that’s just what he read. And instead of paying $3,000 a year, he has to pay $30,000 a year. Would you agree that that was a good move for him? See what I mean? </p>
<p>I get the whole study abroad thing; I think its awesome too. But the perceived vs. actual value concerns me.
ps… absolutely no disrespect intended to those with kids their now. Just wondering if you saw this disparity and how you perceived it. </p>
<p>On a side note, can you continue on with your MFA in the US if you get a 3-Yr degree from the UK? Or will they make you take more classes?</p>
<p>Students in France pay nothing to go to college…they have to have grades and recommendations that are even more rigid than in the US. Are you saying that kids that go to college for free are not as qualified as kids who have to pay? I’m confused…Maybe I am misreading…</p>
<p>Countries in Europe and elsewhere see educating children as part of their function as governments and, so, heavily subsidize tuition. </p>
<p>“Countries in Europe and elsewhere see educating children as part of their function as governments and, so, heavily subsidize tuition.”</p>
<p>I guess that’s the concept I was missing. The additional funds RCS gets come from the government for UK students. Thanks Kelly. </p>
<p>RCS gets it funds from Scotland, not the UK overall. It’s in fact one of the differences between Scotland and England. England has been moving away from subsidizing education, although they are nowhere near our own crisis. If you are a Scottish citizen, you go to university in Scotland for close to free because your taxes help subsidize education, much as we go to secondary school for free. Naturally, if you’re not a citizen, why should Scotland subsidize you? If you are from England as opposed to Scotland, you still pay less, but not as little as Scottish citizens. If you go to school in London, you pay a lot less than an American, but it’s still a sizable enough sum, and then there’s housing. European citizens in general pay less than internationals like Americans because they’ve agreed to. All in all, though, an international paying for 3 years of college in the UK will often pay less than or the same as 4 years at a US college. </p>
<p>As far as recognition, many are world-class internationally-known prestigious schools.</p>
<p>I am sure you can’t just walk into a college in Scotland and attend without completing an admissions process that is rigorous and demanding. Just because it is free doesn’t mean those who attend aren’t of high caliber. </p>
<p>RADA had 5000 people worldwide audition and fewer than 30 accepted; LAMDA had around 3500 accepted and 29 accepted. Royal Welsh accepts 4 Americans and auditions many hundreds. Same for RCS. I don’t know the stats for Guildhall or Central,but I’m sure it’s similar. British kids commonly audition two or sometimes three years in a row for a chance to get in to one of these schools. For the OP to worry that these schools might be like community schools is like worrying that an elite school of music, Curtis - which is also free - is like a community college. It reveals a lack of education in the process. Again,I’d suggest the OP read up if he/she is interested in UK education.</p>
<p>As already mentioned above, the Scottish students do pay a lot less then the English and American students-- but it’s the taxes they pay that pays for it-- Same for their health care system. By no means is the RCS BA MT program a sub-standard program! My son tells me that several students in his program are a few years older than him because they’ve been trying for years to get in-- it’s extremely competitive. None of these kids are slouches by any means.</p>
<p>Regarding the Q about an MFA-- The RCS BA is recognized in the states. RCS also offers a Masters (MA) that takes 2 summers and 1 academic year to complete. So, in an ideal world, a student could take 4 years of schooling there and finish with a Masters (in the same time it takes the US kids to get their Bachelors).</p>