<p>My S auditioned for Interlochen's Summer MT Workshop last Tuesday and heard today (Tuesday) that he has been accepted. They have given us a 2/11 deadline for accepting his spot and committing with a (rather large) non-refundable deposit. We are pretty excited that he was accepted, and so quickly... HOWEVER, he is also auditioning for The Performing Arts Project in Chicago on Sunday. Their website says they will notify of their decision on 3/4. In researching both programs, S thinks that TPAP is more 'him' but these dates are making me stressed. </p>
<p>Is it bad form to mention the Interlochen acceptance/deadline at the TPAP audition and inquire about an earlier decision? Or ask Interlochen to extend the decision deadline? Any insight/thoughts would be appreciated!</p>
<p>My D had similar issue and has attended both camps/intensives in the past. Interlochen will not extend deadline per my experience as they have a waiting list. D had a great time Interlochen but claims TPAP was a life-changing experience. If I could afford it, she would be going again this year! If your child is a junior or senior in HS, I think they’ll get more out of TPAP as they truly get to meet faculty from some of the top schools and learn from a wide range of industry pros, rather than one or two visiting ones at I. Let TPAP know about the Interlochen deadline. They seem more flexible…</p>
<p>My daughter had the same problem – we are waiting on M Pulse – we emailed Interlochen and they gave us an extension to put in our deposit. My D would be in her second year at Interlochen. Maybe that is why she heard so early? We didn’t hear until March last year – shocked when we heard last Friday!</p>
<p>Hi all, can i join this conversation? We were accepted to OCU’s Musical Theater program this morning. We are thrilled! Our daughter is also auditioning for TPAP and is waiting on MPULSE. OCU wants an answer by mid-month but I do not think we will have heard from either of the other 2 by then. Also, can I ask if anyone else knows about the OCU program as compared to TPAP or U Arts? Thanks!!</p>
<p>My daughter did UArts and OCU a few years back, two different summers. UArts was more like classes, had planned field trips to amusement parks and ‘the shore’ among others, which were optional, and kids were allowed free time to wander around town, after being told which were safe areas. She loved the freedom and got to know downtown Philly well. I always felt she was well monitored and safe, and still got some of the college feel. They put on a well organized revue at the end with a lovely reception for families, not a show. She learned a lot, and a month later we received personally written reviews from her instructors. I couldn’t believe it! Don’t know if they still do that, but I think it may have been a part of why she was admitted to their MT program (altho attending somewhere else), since her Chicago audition went a little oddly. It seemed like most kids only attended UArts for one year, as the program repeated itself each summer at that point. Like OCU, the MT program instructors are the same ones used during the school year. At OCU the kids were more strictly supervised and pretty much kept on the rather small campus. A large part of the attending population were repeats from previous summers who still felt like they made great growth. That did lead to a small amount of ‘cliqueing’ though. They had classes during the day and were cast in and rehearsed for a full scale musical at night, which they presented, along with a revue for folks who had smaller parts, at the end of the term. My daughter loved the instruction here, as well, but each of the 2 programs had their own, unique personality. I don’t think she would tell you one was better than the other. Both were very reasonably priced. Both were good ways for her to get a taste of the college program and see the campuses. </p>
<p>Congratulations to your D lauramomatty! I think you can call OCU and ask for more time to respond. It never hurts to ask.<br>
I’m not sure how old your D is. Our daughter went to both OCU and mPulse in different summers and both are great for rising sophomores-seniors in high school. Both are great programs! Our D also was accepted to BTP the same year she went to mPulse. (This was prior to TPAP existing) We chose mPulse over BTP because of the ability to be on a college campus with all kids her age and the great faculty at Michigan. At BTP she would have stayed in a hotel and participants were up to age 25 or so. However she had a friend who chose BTP over mPulsethat same year and he loved BTP i believe some of the people who organized BTP now run TPAP. and she has since had friends who have gone to TPAP and had great experiences there. i just don"t have firsthand experience with those programs to tell you more. She did also had a friend who did dance camp at UArts in the summer. I believe she liked it as she is now there for college. But we did not look at the UArts camp so really don’t know anything about it.
Each of these camps have their own strengths and your D will have good experiences at any. The big difference in OCU and mPulse was the addition of doing a show as part of the OCU experience. At both they spent their days with classes similar to what a typical college day would be. But at OCU the evenings were spent rehearsing a show - which was phenomenal I must say. And our D enjoyed that very much. both OCU and mPulse were great preparation to see if she would really like to study MT in college. I’m not sure she would have gotten that at BTP although she would have gotten great training at all of them. And I like the way TPAP brings in representatives from different schools.<br>
I will say OCU was our D’s favorite of these experiences. But every kid is different. </p>
<p>Thank you all for the useful information! I will see if they will give me additional time, great idea. Mpulse is supposed to let us know by late Feb, TPAP not sure. Although going to Oklahoma (from Callifornia) is a bit daunting to my surfer daughter, the program sounds really exactly what she is looking for – to see what a BFA MT program is like. She goes to a performing arts school and is used to all day/evening rehearsals, that is not scary to her at all. </p>
<p>I’m also in that boat of having been accepted at OCU’s summer program and waiting on MPulse. I’ll probably just wait until the day before the confirmation email for OCU is due and see where I’m at then… :)</p>
<p>We are doing TPAP next weekend – very excited! I really don’t know what to do about OCU – they do not want any money yet so I easily could accept but that just doesn’t seem right. What do I tell them when asking for additional time? That I am waiting on other programs? Is that ok? Any advice appreciated – I need to call them by monday.</p>
<p>If they aren’t requiring money I think it’s ok to accept then change if something you prefer comes along. I am sure they have a wait list for people more than happy to take your place should you relinquish your spot. This is not dishonest. This is making the best decision that you can given the time constraints you are given. Unless it specifically says not to. </p>
<p>I have been reading posts for awhile and not posting much but would love to give you my experience with TPAP. My D has attended both years and it literally changed her life the first year. I can’t speak highly enough about the team that they have assembled. It is definitely a place that is about becoming more of an artist than just a performer. The kids are the focus, they do bring in well known and working artist in the different industry, BUT everything is about the students. The artists/producers/teachers that come in are there for their love of building the next generation which makes the intensive so very incredible. They want the students to learn to get outside of their boxes and to embrace walking through their fears. I could keep going on and on. In the end I think there are tons of great programs out there and just like the colleges, it can sometimes just come down to who your student clicks with. However, I would say that if your student EVER gets the chance to experience TPAP either now or while in college, I would say RUN into accepting it. I believe it will be one they will never forget and would always be grateful they went. </p>
<p>From my D: If your D has been to Interlochen before, she will WELCOME the air conditioned dorms at Wake Forest U! AND she gets to keep her phone the ENTIRE duration of the camp (big plus for a teenager)! And the food was much better (per my D) at TPAP. Those are the “little” side benefits she enjoyed aside from the overall Awesomeness of the curriculum and staff. :x This summer my D was going to stay home for various reasons, but has decided to apply to the OCU summer theater program last minute for another perspective. We just sent her stuff and they confirmed receiving it. Fingers crossed! </p>
<p>My daughter got into MPulse for MT but declined in favor of returning to Interlochen and hopefully adding at week at Baldwin Wallace. Hard decision, but she adored Interlochen and is not as sold on UM. </p>
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