@Shel325 @MarciaMarciaMarc while I get the reasons why people often don’t name specific school on this site in most of the posts, I also think in this instance calling those schools out for their unprofessional pressure tactics serves a greater good. & might prevent them from doing so in the future, it happened w many schools in the past who used to have " cut systems"…would love to know if its the same school as repeat offenders or more schools starting to behave in this manner?
What school is requiring this? Is this more common now - given so many schools vying to confirm their freshmen MT class by Chicago unifieds? I couldn’t see how to see how to find older links referring this practice. Would be helpful to know how best to approach…
I think @NYYFanNowMTdad is spot on! We’re all anonymous on here anyway. If these programs (or one program) is/are doing this we would all benefit by knowing that in advance. It seems very unfair not to let kids explore their best options before committing. It’s insecure and a selfish. If the program is THAT good, why wouldn’t kids want to go there without being forced? It’s such a stressful journey to have this thrown in too. I can’t remember who it was that commented that their kid was crying over an acceptance because of this pressure, but that’s heartbreaking and not fair. @VoiceTeacher thank you for that insight! That was a piece of the puzzle none of us would have known. How horrible that at least one program is seemingly taking advantage of the rules that were put in place to PROTECT students.
I believe once an MT student at OCU you can audition / request to double major, adding VP. This might involve a jury or just review/discussion with the teachers involved. It is worth calling the department to clarify.
I don’t mind naming the school as you are right I would rather others know up front and not get caught off guard like we did and now are scrambling, rearranging, disappointed. It’s Western Carolina. And I know this school has been mentioned on this thread (or maybe it was the prescreen thread) but not this aspect so again just really surprised.
It is surprising and this goes across all of their theatre programs. Once they reach the class size they want - they say it is a first come first served basis for acceptance - then all admitted students will be put on the waitlist. This solves their dilemma of offering too many acceptances too.
I hate to suggest anything unethical or improper or against the rules, but if I were in that situation and the school wasn’t playing fairly, I might consider accepting, making the deposit and if a better offer comes along then losing my deposit…I know this is not the ethical way to do it but as the infamous John Rambo said " they drew first blood" 
@Shel325 Funny, I had to do a remote audition for Western Carolina and was notified that I was placed on the wait list about 2 weeks ago. If they have declines, they will notify me . I know someone else posted on this board that their son got into there last year off of the wait list and on a digital audition. So that seems to be how they work - put kids on waitlists and then push for commitments or declines early and move kids in off the wait list.
@VoiceTeacher Thank you for explaining why schools may be able to get away with this approach this year.
It seems from reviewing the Class of ‘23 how/when/where thread that people sort through their decision process and waitlist results even after May 1, where presumably you would have to notify your chosen/deposited school “Sorry I was offered another opportunity.” You could withdraw and commit to the new school—but importantly you would have only one active acceptance.
If schools won’t hold your spot until May 1, it seems like @NYYFanNowMTdad has the only reasonable counter-be prepared to serially lose one or more deposits.
It’s not like students and their families have additional power with respect to the other parts of that rule regarding accepting multiple offers—one or more schools could revoke offers at any time for accepting more than one at a time.
Of course if all schools or a majority of prospective students start bad behavior the whole system will break down. That’s why rules are created in society, but it seems we are out in the Wild West.
Another Rambo, “I did what I had to do to win.”
A school posted that their applications have gone up 50% this year - I wonder how many are new people in the total pool of kids applying and how much the increase is because we’ve all lost our minds and are applying to too many given the odds and rampant fear we have of not getting an opportunity (my guess is that is indeed both but why not wonder while we sit and wait for results or for auditions). I wish there was some way to apply some rational thinking to this process - but my 8 months ago brain vs today brain are not the same!
@intheburbs which school? If a new program getting buzz that could be the reason. Also curious where they posted that?
@mamaboyz It was Oklahoma U, on Instagram.
You are correct. My D attended an audition there the beginning of November, and that question was asked and answered. If you start out as a MT major, and then want to add VP as well, you notify the faculty before you next jury, and they will evaluate you to see if you can be allowed to double major.
Thank you for sharing that info. It is not a school my D is auditioning for, so it does not affect us, but it is good to know. It seems like it may be their “procedure”, and if one school is doing it, others might follow.
I think this process is terribly flawed, and yet, I know people at colleges try really hard to make it as easy as possible. I think they must panic and fret over getting the kids they want as much as we panic and fret over our children getting into the schools they want.
I remember hearing the head of one department say in a podcast, “Ultimately, all of the top colleges are going for the same 15 kids.” Yikes!! My daughter is not one of those 15 kids, although we know a couple who seem to be falling into that category this year.
I wonder how colleges work this if everyone has until May 1st to respond. If people actually wait (although I imagine many do not), then when colleges get a no on May 1st, it may be really hard to fill that spot. I do not know if the only ramifications of telling a college yes and then telling them no are losing a deposit, or if there are other legal things that could happen (maybe someone here can enlighten me).
I cannot think of a better way to handle this…I wish someone could. Maybe if some organization “tiered” the colleges based on how many apps they get compared to how many they accept, and have the colleges agree to rolling signing days based on that. So, for example, “extreme reach” schools send out offers in Feb, and are due back in March, “reach” schools send out offers in March and they are due back in April, and “fit” schools send out offers in April, and they are due May 1st. That might help kids adjust their dream schools with their realities. But, I imagine schools would be reluctant to allow their quaility to be categorized in that way…they would all want to be “extreme reach” schools.
My daughter has passed pre-screens at amazing schools, and has failed pre-screens at some that have completely surprised her, but she knows the hardest cuts are yet to come. That has left her feeling GRATEFUL for the schools where she did not pass her pre-screens. Being able to move them to the “no” stack and move on has been kind of theraputic for her. It is weird to see that is her reaction, but she really wants to find the perfect fit, and any school that doesn’t want what she has to offer is obviously not a fit. We don’t know what type of kid attends these schools, and if the school thinks she would not fit in well, be happy, or if they already have too many of her type, she is happy to know that early.
I will be happy when all of this is done.
@WDWMom Jennifer Johns at Broadway Artists Alliance has exactly that list, every single MT college program in the US (and some in the UK) ranked by the percentage of kids they audition and ultimately offer… Extreme reach is less than 2%. Reach is 2-5%, etc. She’s an amazing source of information. We used that list to create the perfect personalized list for us. For anyone reading this for next year… I HIGHLY recommend BAA…I give Jennifer all of the credit for FULLY preparing my kids for this process. from resumes to headshots, songs, monologues, experience auditioning, and on and on… Then, to top it off, this year we did the college express… one weekend in NY and we came home with every single pre-screen video prepared, performed, shot, and ready to upload and backtracks recorded too!
Just an observation for everyone posting and reading. This is an intense process for these wonderful kids. Something they’ve never been testes with before (for virtually all of them).
The school that chooses your kid will not define them. Their uniqueness and talent will.
No dream schools, just dreams (and a lot of hard work). I think they’ll find this isn’t the end of a process, but just the beginning. Actually kind of good it’s so difficult as it will really show them what it’s like out there.
This is great info, I just emailed Jennifer. We are on the west coast so we would need to do skype sessions. I had no idea people were putting this level of preparation into the audition process. I actually feel really guilty that I didn’t prepare my D better for the prescreens. I just found this forum a week ago. Everyone is so helpful and supportive! At least we can still get her well prepared for her live auditions!
^ This is all great info. Just a word to those that don’t know of (me included) and /or can’t afford the additional resources out there, no worries. At the end of the day it comes down to what the programs are looking for and talent.
I equate this to the academic students who have coaching and college test prep, essay help, etc. It certainly helps, but the biright kids without those resources do just fine.
I sense many on the CC MT threads , especially first timers (again me included) feel overwhelmed, unprepared and lacking knowledge. “If only I knew this or that…” Please don’t fall in to that bucket. I’ve felt “I don’t know what I don’t know” for some time now. You learn as you go, do what you can, and let the chips fall where they may. Hopefully you can get your kids to be very involved in the process. That was a challenge but now she’s owning it. Time to schedule flights and let her do her thing.
I take comfort in hearing from people who know that post college, a casting director won’t really care where or if your kid went to school. They’re casting a show, that’s it. These BFAs are great training opportunities. Most of these great kids will get in somewhere and that sparkle in their eyes will take off in one form or another.
Best of luck to everyone!
New question…if your child auditioned for MT at Elon, did the audition take the entire day? We are trying to figure out how to plan for a pass in the spring since all the dates are on Fridays and we have conflicts for most…haha!
Yes Elon takes all day–plan from 9:00 am -6 pm—you may end earlier but you don’t know. BAL @CBSQandA