<p>Milkshakespeare – I continue to marvel at how well you are able to express yourself and in a language that is not even your first language.</p>
<p>I was away from my computer so I missed a lot on this thread! You are all making good points. And Connections is absolutely right that different people leave schools for different reasons. The girl I know did not leave because of any personal issue she was having or because the program wasn’t nurturing. It was more the culture of the school and the dorm life there. The school was a big disappointment to her.</p>
<p>I think that just as a kid should not write off a school because of negative comments on cc, one should not go to a school because of its prestige on cc. My kid loves NYU, but I’d be the first to say it is not for everyone. Same goes for Purchase. On this board it is touted as being an amazing program, but many or most cc’ers have not been there or don’t know anyone personally who is in the program there. I think the feel you get while visiting is incredibly important and it would be a mistake to go to a school you get a bad feeling from just because its program is “prestigious”. </p>
<p>I think Sillymoms is also right that a school that doesn’t take the time to be pleasant or friendly during tours or auditions because it is selective is a huge warning sign.</p>
<p>I think Milkshakespeare’s description of an actor’s life is spot on. Actors have to be vulnerable and share an emotional life on stage. My son once described it as embarrassing yourself for a living. Trusting colleagues and teachers is not only valuable to your craft, it helps you deal with a career and lifestyle that can already be difficult.
In regards to the girl who had to do a scene in her underwear - my son’s school had a professor in charge of overseeing any sex scenes and making sure the students were OK with it. One actor we know had to appear naked in a scene, but it was all handled so professionally that neither he nor the actress he was working with were uncomfortable.
When my son’s theater company was interviewed for various articles recently, they emphasized how exercises in learning to listen actively to each other in drama class helped lead to their success. They had to stifle heir individual egos to some degree to succeed as an ensemble, which is not always easy for actors.
His school was also one that doesn’t let students perform in mainstage shows until junior year. In his case, at least, it was a good thing. It let the students take risks and experiment when failure didn’t matter much, it was just a learning experience.</p>
<p>Thank you for your kind words about my son. Such kindness and support–it happened five years ago but I feel like we’ve all only processed it recently.</p>
<p>NJTheatreMom, you make a good point: “I am saddened by what happened to Connections’ son, but when an individual teacher is emotionally abusive, it doesn’t necessarily reflect the philosophy of the whole school.” </p>
<p>I agree. My son’s experiences were due to a confluence of factors, including where he was at the time. Even with abusive teachers, it’s possible for a student with a different personality to seek out the positive mentors. At this same program, he had an absolutely fabulous teacher. I was more using the incident as an example of what I mean by nurturing as opposed to destruction. Certainly my son did not feel safe in the classes and he is the sort who acts by exposure of the self (some others don’t).</p>
<p>Piggy-backing on Milkshakespeare, I don’t believe that any class - particularly a first year acting class in which you barely know each other - should expect exposure of the self simultaneously along with the constant fear of being attacked. The fact that two of his classes were like this as opposed to one, and that other students followed the professors lead, though, made this issue seem more part of the school culture than a couple of errant teachers. I have no way of assessing this however, at all, and it may well be moot by now anyway. Again, how a program hits you is very very personal. I can’t stress that enough. Visit and check it out for yourself. Trust your gut, too.</p>
<p>connections: absolutely agree- “trust your gut” and I have had a visceral reaction to each audition, either positive or negative and from what I can tell it not only rings true to the philosophy of the department, the whole student experience and the outcome. It should not be discarded, the audition and the presentations tell alot about the school and what you can expect.</p>
<p>I have to admit that I also thought highly of the Purchase program, going on what I have read on CC and other web forums. When S said he wanted to do early decision at BU, I kept bringing up Purchase (yes, the price tag played a part) and wanted him to apply there and a few other schools instead of the ED.</p>
<p>But he had just completed the summer program at BU. He worked closely with the professors, and the TA’s who are presently upperclassmen. He lived in the dorm - he lived in the city. He LOVED every aspect of it. So he fought for what he wanted and did the ED. He said he felt challenged at BU, and safe. He used the word safe a few times, because as milkshakespeare said, these kids are putting themselves out there! So can we say that he felt nurtured? Yeah!</p>
<p>That said, D also did ED, going on reputation (Wesleyan), and it was a disaster. She withdrew from the school because the culture was nothing that she expected. Is that the school’s fault? I’d say no, it was her misconceptions, and her own feelings. I loved Wesleyan, and I am so sad she passed on the education there. But it ain’t 'bout me!!!</p>
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<p>This made me chuckle, marbleheader, it’s so true! We have done several family vacations through the years to Williamsburg, VA and I always dreamed that one of my five Ds would go to William and Mary so I’d have a good reason for visiting for four years. 
Nope, not one was interested. I agree that it has to be the student who makes the choice, the student’s feelings are what is important, and that the parent should keep their opinions in check and not allow what they feel about a particular school to intrude on the student’s decision. It’s sometimes not easy, but in the long run, it’s best.</p>
<p>That’s funny, Marbleheader. My oldest daughter and I thought, after research, that Wesleyan was going to be a perfect fit for her. But our visit to that campus, and the tour guide’s speech and behavior, gave both of us such a strong negative reaction that she decided not to apply. Same with University of Chicago, a school she had long been told was perfect for her, but when she visited, she felt uncomfortable (okay, maybe it was partially because she was there on a cloudy, bitter cold March day, and everyone on campus was raving about the wonderful break in the weather.) She ended up at Swarthmore, a school she had not initially wanted to apply to, but visited for a “practice interview” since it’s not a far drive from where we live. She set foot on campus and knew instinctively that it was perfect. I still remember that moment, marveling at her discovery. This was a trust-your-instincts experience that ended up right for her.</p>
<p>I totally agree on fit - I know I’m a big voice here for curriculum and program, but that’s in contrast to rankings, prestige, and other reasons, NOT fit. </p>
<p>And I also agree that fit is an elusive butterfly - you just never know once you get there if what you thought was fit was what is really the experience. That’s just how it is with any of these college choices. </p>
<p>I do believe that at most universities there are wonderful, nurturing people. And I do think theatre kids are more vulnerable - by personality and by the nature of their work. I think the adjustment can be hard for them, for that reason, too. </p>
<p>I try to be very open-minded about any kid who withdraws, transfers, etc. It’s a tough decision, and it’s not the end of the world. It helps to let kids know that they are OK, even if their choices end up turning them down different paths. Theatre kids certainly need to know that taking risks, trying different paths, and switching gears are going to be constant in their lives.</p>
<p>Thank you all. Everything I wrote was from my own experience, but I imagine many students would also agree with me. I’m happy to say that the two schools I auditioned for so far all meet my “requirements”. Although I didn’t get a callback at Central, it was a pretty nice experience. The head of the BFA Acting at CalArts said something today that I’ll add to the list: it is important to find a school that won’t treat the students as mere numbers, but as artists who are different from each other and therefore have different ambitions, so the school needs to help them be the best artists that they can.</p>
<p>Hi there! I applied in Atlanta this weekend and it was great! I went in the room and they asked some personal questions, then I did my two monologues and sang my song (Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific). Afterwords, they took out a camera and videotaped my monologues, asking me to make some slight modifications to them. They worked with me a little bit and then let me go. After seeing the campus, this is definitely my school of choice. Fingers Crossed! Break legs everyone!</p>
<p>Aha, my son’s MyPurchase page has changed. Instead of listing his audition date (from over 2 weeks ago) it now says his application is now complete. I wonder if this means there will be a decision soon. Anyone care to read the tea leaves? (They seem to be done with auditions, but the web site says “Students are notified of decisions on or around March 15, 2013.”)</p>
<p>That is odd. I checked my page, and it still lists my audition time. My audition was Wednesday, but I haven’t received a message saying my application was complete. Best of wishes to your son!</p>
<p>I just checked my S’s MyPurchase. It hasn’t changed. His audition date and time are still there, and it was quite a while ago. So much waiting… Guess we all have to hang in there! :)</p>
<p>To those accepted or rejected from Purchase, did your mypurchase change? My S’s has not, and he auditioned in December. It still lists his audition date and time. It’s been so long! I keep thinking a letter may have come months ago, and it got mixed up with Christmas cards on my dining room table!</p>
<p>I got the phone call from the dean today and I got in! My online mypurchase has not changed though!</p>
<p>Congrats NT Corbin !!!</p>
<p>Excellent, NTCorbin! Great news!</p>
<p>Congrats! My S just got the acceptance call as well!</p>
<p>Well, here comes the Purchase class of 2017!!!</p>
<p>Yeah acting17!</p>