As a parent of a gap year success story, I do want to throw out there that none of us know what next year is going to look like. I have a daughter at ShenCo during distance learning (going as well as well as could be expected, no complaints there) and a son who will be going somewhere in the fall for BFA MT. We don’t know what fall will bring.
For all of you considering a gap year, please know that past data on what has worked well and what results you can expect are not going to translate well to our current national situation. I have absolutely no idea what advice I’d give to anyone who is mulling a gap year, I’m just saying that we are in unknown territory here and you have to make the best decision you can with the information at hand. It’s possible that the audition season next year could be really, really hard. Some current reporting on this being seasonal (coming back in the fall) will really impact how auditions are scheduled and organized. We may see a much larger push for video auditions only, which would be interesting (less costly and dangerous, yet many don’t feel they do their best work on video).
Thank you @DivaStageMom …appreciate your Mothering me with sage advice:) and to @CaMom13 and @BrennaK, a huge thanks for the resources and wisdom…I guess we’ll all have to stay healthy and wait to see what the Fall brings…
Sorry @DivaStageMom for the delay- I got caught up with work- we were waiting on CCC and I thought 4/1 was a deadline for other schools as well- maybe not???♀️ Good luck to all those still waiting!
Does anyone think Missouri State is holding some kids in a non-official waitlist? Way back when we got the “you’re in the final pool of consideration” email, and have heard nothing since. Do they do a waitlist?
@SavsMom My D got an email from Missouri State yesterday(?) or maybe Monday(?) that was phrased as a reminder that she had been invited to the program. This was the first she’d heard of that, so we figured some communication fell through the cracks in the insanity of the past month. She’s Design & Production, though. We’re still waiting for something official-official.
@SavsMom that sounds to me a little like what TXST does - they email a small pool of applicants to tell them they’re still in consideration and then they released/accepted bit by bit. I think that’s how they avoid having an official waitlist after making offers. I have a friend whose D went through that at TXST only to be released from consideration at the end. Maybe Missouri State is doing that this year? Anyone know for sure?
@lilac30
I don’t have the link but could write a draft for you. It would contain the words “please please please” a lot.?
Seriously though, if there is any possible way to have a phone call or FaceTime with an admissions officer or program director (or both), it is a far better approach than a letter. In our limited experience, most school’s BFA directors have only a relatively small pool of “talent money” that they are trying to distribute fairly evenly among their first choice candidates. When people start to decline and a program moves to wait list, it may free up a small amount of discretionary money to top off an initial offer so it is a good discussion to have close to decision day.
On the other hand, if it is a conservatory within a larger university, the conservatory admissions staff may be willing to go to bat for you with the larger general university admissions staff and find some extra dough.
Both of these things happened for us, but it took an earnest conversation with these individuals face to face, that their school is your top choice, as a parent you want to work with the school to make it happen, etc etc.
@lilac30 You may want to check the school website to see if they have an FA appeal form to fill out. We had an admitted students Q&A session via Zoom with CCPA a couple days ago and were encouraged to submit an appeal form/letter if needed (not wanted).
I was going to wait until the last minute before we can enroll to increase my negotiating power as instructed by CC ? but I assume there will probably be a lot more students who are going to appeal considering the reported number of unemployed at this time. I’m not sure when would be the best time to reach out to the office of admissions as now many schools have extended their decision date from 5/1 to 6/1.
@AbigCurveBall and then not to mention with what is likely an increase in appeals due to the shutdowns, I worry about submitting too long and they are so backed up it is now taking 4 weeks to get the result, instead of 2 and now it’s up against the 6/1 date…the never ending process!!! LOL Good Luck!!
@onette Emerson released their decisions a couple weeks back. When we did not hear back, I called them. They said if there was any information missing that they would be passed up. My D was missing one academic reference. I then asked if we submitted it if she would be considered – sounded very doubtful. FYI
@SavsMom Same situation here with Missouri State. Same letter, etc. Still nothing. I agree that they have a large accepted waitlist. If you sign into the portal, you will see a preadmit into the program. Good luck
@user_752736 He did reach out when the acceptances came out and they told him he would know something by 4/1. When that date hit, he reached out again this morning and they told him they were missing a teacher letter. I’m the one who supplied the letter (LOL), so I know it was uploaded/sent but that’s what they told him! I’m not sure what that means to possible acceptance. Disappointing, but that’s the way it goes, I guess. He has plenty of acceptances to choose from but was particularly interested in Emerson because of their comedy program. Comedy (improv, sketch) and character acting are his strengths and he was looking forward to developing that as well (including possibly writing/directing in addition to MT).