You meanie, @halflokum! My kid had to learn to navigate the bus through the “bad” parts of town - sometimes to make connections to get to/from the CCM area, sometimes after dark. He was SUPPOSED to call me to let me know he wasn’t lying in a pool of blood. The down side was that then I practically had the bus “Lost and Found” on speed dial - twice for his wallet, but the most important one. . . a bag of dance shoes, dance belt and tights he needed for a performance that evening. The people in that office were SO nice.
If only there was public transportation as an option for my kids growing up! The only option was driving…meaning the parents, until each got their license. No public transportation. No walking to anything.
It’s obviously fine that some auditioners still had their usual full schedules during the college audition season, but don’t worry that your child won’t be able to handle the busy schedule of a BFA if your he/she decides or is advised to cut out some activities during this. It doesn’t at all mean he/she won’t be prepared for the rigors of a BFA. All of the students I know, including my D, who chose to scale back for the crazy months of November–February are thriving in their intense BFA programs. (Remember that my D chose to not be in shows during those months. Granted, she just completed her first semester, but she is absolutely thriving and loving it.) They likely have been preparing for it by their performance and academic (and other) lives for a long time.
And here’s another question as this all becomes a reality. I know that everyone would probably love to be at one of the “top ten” programs and the training you receive there is obviously incredible, but is it worth it? I am assuming that many students in those programs are already very experienced and highly trained, with regional and perhaps equity credits. Would it be better to go to a program where you could receive great training, have less pressure, and probably get stage time?just thinking about best way to build confidence and seeing the big picture that these are still 17/18 yo kids. Thoughts?
^^^^^^^^You may wish to visit the following thread that discusses that topic:
I miss the driving a little. It was the main time I found out what was going on in my son’s life.
I don’t miss the driving… mine is going to audition for a show in March…lots of folks say that is a good time to be busy 
Our fall show is long over thank goodness.
There is absolutely merit to being busy once the auditions end (which for my D was early February) and the results come in…
Hubby and D left this morning for Virginia auditions this weekend. I am so sad I cant go with but thankfully I have seen both schools already on previous visits. Will be home praying and praying all weekend!
Oh, yes–staying super busy after auditions are done is absolutely recommended no matter what one chooses to do during the months of actual auditions! I also suggest picking up a new hobby or learning something new. For D, this included ceramics and glass jewelry making lessons on top of her regular activities, plus lots of day trips and even more little weekend trips. The added bonus is that I took the art classes with her and we went on those trips together; I cherished every second, knowing she’d be leaving in a matter of a few months. Plus, I had to do this stuff, too, or I may have gone nuts, as well!
I wasn’t able to schedule a lot of auditions since I’m a single mom who works full time plus, and I have limited time off and even more limited money. Fortunately, we do live close to NYC. My S scheduled 7 auditions and my D 4 or so (the rest were BA). I could not have done much more. I’m saying this not to disagree with others but to share my own experience; it’s obviously enhancing if you can give your kid all the lessons and can drive them, but if you can’t, it doesn’t mean all is lost.
It’s not just that I couldn’t do all the stuff many of the remarkable parents here do. My kids also were not the sort to do a lot of things–they were the type that prefer to focus on one or two things and do that deeply. Not saying that those who do a ton of things don’t do it deeply; more that my kids weren’t really able to do that then or they burned out.
That was part of the reason my S decided to homeschool and throw all his energy into full time regional acting starting in 9th grade. He didn’t continue to take dance lessons although he’s a strong dancer, nor did he continue to take music lessons although he’s strong instrumentalist, and he did sporadic voice lessons to keep his voice in shape–I simply did not have the money or time, and he didn’t have the time or energy. Fortunately, he had many wonderful opportunities and internships with several professional theaters; also fortunately, we live close enough to a city that once he was 15 or so, he took public transportation. He’s at LAMDA.
Likewise, my D was at a regular high school & took the other path and focused on school. She was a regular strong public school student, Merit Finalist. She did school plays (not MT). She did nothing particularly remarkable or renaissance; she was the lead in one semi-professional show, that’s about it. I couldn’t have possibly navigated her doing more, and neither could she. I had 4 acting lessons for her and about that many voice lessons–at the time that was all I could afford. She’s a senior at Northwestern.
I’m not disagreeing with anyone- looking at peoples’ schedules I’m both in awe and a bit sad that I’m a single parent with not much money (but I don’t want to waste time feeling sorry for myself!) — only adding that if you can’t or don’t want to do a lot of different lessons and driving and auditions, it can still turn out ok!
@connections I think your post is great and really important for people to remember. There isn’t a right way to go about any of this. Each person’s school has different resources. Same with their community. Same with the parents’ money and time. If I had been a single parent (but I wasn’t) or had more than two kids (but I didn’t), there is no way my kids would have been able to do everything they did outside the school day. Even so, I believe they would have turned out the same as they are now. Plus, I gotta say how much I admire you being a single parent of five kids who turned out well.
@mtmcmt - the Wright State audition S is attending is Feb. 21…maybe you were thinking possibly a January one they may be having?
@Dankadon. thanks, I was thinking of the pre unified on Jan 22. Thanks for the clarity.