DD did a walk-in audition in Jan. And the school encouraged her to send in an application as she had not applied to that school. We now got a call asking for some scores and stating that she has to pay $100 audition fee to find out her admission decision. Is that typical? No one mentioned a fee for the audition when we were there.
I don’t necessarily mind paying: but don’t want to pay $100 to find out that she was not accepted? any thoughts.
@MTquest24 that was for Ball State?
@neensmom no it was not
@MTquest24 I wouldn’t say it is typical, but there are schools that do walk-ins that require you to pay an audition fee before they will release your results, even if it’s a no.
@crazytheatregoer D was accepted academically with scholarship several weeks before audition was scheduled, but we did receive an email with time slot. When we tried to move it due to conflict last week (a late prescreen accept), they told us they are all booked up for Chicago. If you don’t have your audition slot yet, you should def call the school and make sure you still can in Chicago.
Hello everyone.
I have just finally switched over to this thread from the pre-screen thread. I stayed off the site entirely for awhile because the success stories were demoralizing and anxiety provoking, so thanks to those of you who shared your “no’s” as well as your passes on that thread.
I did find the advice on that thread VERY helpful so thanks for that too.
I have a couple of questions at this stage in the process. I apologize if these have already been addressed on this thread. I tried to skim through it to avoid being redundant but the thread is now 60 pages long!
These questions may seem premature at this stage but I am hoping that answers to them may help to allay some of my D’s (and my) anxiety about her dwindling options. She she only passed 2 (out of 13) PS for BFA MT programs and she has already been rejected from 1 (out of 6) non-PS BFA MT programs, leaving only 8 possible MT programs. So here are our current questions:
-
My D did not pass MT pre-screen for Millikin but was offered a spot in their BA Theatre program and they claim that it has a lot of curriculum overlap with the BFA MT and BFA Acting programs and lots of performance opportunities. I am skeptical about this because, unlike schools like Wagner and Muhlenberg that only offer BA programs (not BFA programs), this feels as if you will always be a second-class citizen within the performing arts department. Does anyone have any experience or input on this?
-
My D was rejected from CCC’s BFA MT (after audition) but has been offered a seat in their BA MT program, which they also claim is performance-oriented. Again, I am skeptical. Although this is at least a BA in MT (versus BA in Theatre, like Millikin), it is still a BA program at a school that also has a BFA in MT (and a BFA in Acting) so, again, I worry that my D will always be a second-class citizen within the performing arts department. Any Experience or input on this?
-
My D did not pass MT PSs at the following schools but was offered auditions for their BFA Acting programs: Pace, Point Park, Rider, Shenandoah, Syracuse, CCM. She has accepted all of these invitations. We have heard that some schools’ BFA Acting programs have a lot of overlap with (and/or enough flexibility to allow participation in) much of their MT programs, allowing students to effectively do the BFA in Acting with a sorta “minor” in MT. Does anyone have any input on this, particularly at the six schools listed?
Sorry for the long post and thanks in advance for any input!
@DancerMTMom Thank you so much! I was planning on doing that today.
@AnxiousNovice I’m sorry that your D’s pre-screen experience has been so painful. It’s a truly brutal process! With acceptance rates at the top schools down to .3% (that’s POINT three) and regular “reach” schools at 5% (which is more selective than getting into Harvard), the only “safety” option regardless of talent and experience is a school that doesn’t have auditions. And very few of those exist anymore.
I’m wondering if your daughter has considered any of the newer programs that aren’t on everyone’s radars yet but are showing great promise. George Mason and West Virginia University come to mind…I’m sure there are many more. Some of the new “hidden gem” schools could be next season’s reach program. (Rider, for example, has only been around for 5 years and it’a already exceedingly selective!) Also, I believe that Indiana University has a BA Musical Theatre program that is non-audition, alongside its audition BFA program. Apparently the kids have all of the same classes and faculty, and are allowed to audition for everything equally. PLUS the BA students can audition for the BFA MT again their sophomore year if they want. If I remember correctly I think they said that the only thing that is different between the BA and BFA MT students was access to private voice lessons.
Regarding the schools you mentioned, My D was at the Pace audition this past weekend and they said specifically in the information session that acting BFAs are cast in the plays and musical theatre BFAs are cast in the musicals with very rare crossover.
Best of luck moving forward.
@AnxiousNovice - I am glad you posted these questions - I was wondering about some of the same issues! Regarding Syracuse - my D just auditioned on campus and it seems there is much integration between the Acting and MT students. They all take most of the core acting classes together, everyone can audition for shows, they do a combined MT/Acting senior showcase in NY (which is by audition), etc. They also have a new “Actor/Singer” track in their BFA Acting program because they said they realized they were turning away some fabulous singers and actors for the MT program because the dance skills weren’t quite there, but they want to offer a track for these talented students. Best of luck to your D in this crazy process!
Just a suggestion, check for walk-ins at Unifieds.
Hi @AnxiousNovice ,
You’re not alone! I think if she’s getting passes to acting that is a great opportunity, if she’s open to it. The process is brutal but also an opportunity to figure out how to navigate this really competitive field. There are many who do BFA acting and still take voice and dance. These kids are SO YOUNG. They have years to grow and train. It might not be what you or she wanted initially, but it is what it is so you have to be flexible and adapt. I would definitely ask if the acting programs have voice (several ask them to sing in the audition), and if they can audition for musicals and take dance. I would also re-look at programs that are newer, less impacted but show strength in leadership/training, and definitely do walk ins if you’re going to Unifieds.
I do agree the BA in schools with BFA may not be ideal as many directors say outright they prioritize their BFA’s.
@Anxiousnovice, regarding your questions, I would really ask the schools individually. I would call them, or have your D ask at auditions. At one of the school’s my D auditioned for, they brought in a BA to talk to the kids. It was a non-audition BA, and she chose the major so she could double-major. She loved it, and said she absolutely did not feel like a “second-class citizen”. However, another school she auditioned for said that BA’s do not have access to many of the classes that BFA majors have because the school tries to keep those classes small so BFA majors get the greatest benefit. So, I think it can vary wildly.
Talk to the schools, and maybe even see if there is a BA student you could speak to as well.
Thanks for this. Very helpful. My D has a certain geographic radius but I will check out the schools you mentioned.
We were at Syracuse this weekend too! Hope you had an easier time getting home in the snowstorm than we did. I did get mostly (though not exactly–maybe you were in the morning session?) info that you posted, which made me hopeful and actually prompted me to post the question about the other programs.
Thanks. We are planning to do this, though still trying to figure out strategy to fit these around scheduled auditions. Any tips on this welcomed.
@AnxiousNovice - we were there on Friday morning. 
Flew out Friday evening. Beat the snowstorm thankfully!
Thank you to everyone who has replied. Much appreciated. I am still hopeful that my D will be admitted to one of her two MT PS “pass schools” or one of her remaining 5 audition-but-non-PS schools but I am definitely going to start researching alternatives.
@AnxiousNovice Unfortunately, I can’t answer your questions, because I don’t have intimate knowledge about those programs. But, I would like to tell you that I know kids who applied to Muhlenberg without auditioning, got into the school and are enjoying their experience studying theater, music and dance there very much (FWIW).
Thank you Twelfthman Muhlenberg is one of the schools that my D applied to so fingers crossed that she gets in there. She is not excited about Allentown (would prefer a big city) but I have heard many good things about the program and her current director has said that it would be a good fit for her.
this probably belongs in the pre screen thread but not going back there due to PTSD …
Stealing a line from Michale Corleone ( AL Pacino) of the Godfather- " just when I thought I was out they pull me back in"
But I share this for those who will inevitably face pre screen waitlists in future years, it was a new thing this year, we originally were waitlisted from pre screen for auditions at Indiana & Boco…
today D was offered an audition slot to Indiana…another flight I guess but happy to have the additional opportunity.
hope this info helps someone.