@cruisemama4 Thanks for the info on the Marymount video audition. It seems like a lot of others have heard from them so maybe they hold back on the videos until the end.
My D and I get it about rejections but so far zero BFA acceptances, 8 rejections and 6 redirects (which sorta feel like rejections since they are rejections from MT) and only 1 school left from MT prescreens, though some other non-prescreen schools still pending. I keep telling her (and myself) that she only needs one and that a gap year is on the table but, honestly, if she has to do a gap year it will likely result in completely abandoning BFA programs of all sorts and redirecting to a traditional liberal arts program. Neither she nor I ever want to go through this again.
@actorparent1 THANK YOU!!! That’s exactly what I was looking for!!!
@WDWMom Thank you for sharing. We also are getting a bit flippant and punchy about all the rejections, especially those that are followed a day or two later with the big “congratulations” envelopes with academic acceptances. Maybe we should have a competition! Right now, I think we have you beat. My D has 14 rejections if we are allowed to count the 6 redirects from MT to Acting? Are you counting those? 
It would all be hilarious if it wasn’t so heartbreaking. I just want ONE YES
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I hear you on the gap year. She keeps mentioning it, and every time she does the little angry bird inside my head says, “No! We are not doing this again!” I feel like I would be the dad from a couple of years ago who told his son he would support his gap year decision only to change his mind late one night and say (basically), “Suck it up and go to one of the schools you got into…we are NOT doing this again!”
I honestly don’t remember which schools are pre-screen schools and which ones are not (D went to Moonifieds where a lot of pre-screen schools waved the pre-screen, so my stats are confused on that). I can roughly tell you we are still waiting on a ton of schools, and D expects the majority of them to reject her. She is not bummed about this, she is just thinking statistically and realistically.
Hang in there, and try not to get too caught up on the BA vs. BFA thing. I know we are both going to Wagner, and that’s a BA…a really good one if what everyone says is true.
I am sure she will find the place where she belongs and will thrive. ?
@CaMom13 I agree on Syracuse - and for the price tag - thank god they seem to deliver. BTW, we are waiting on Syracuse decisions - prepared for a NO for sure!
@MTisNutz While it is indeed a “first world problem” this does not mean that it is not a legitimate one to those of us who literally borrowed against our home to fund a gamble that looks like it will result in absolutely no opportunities and yet another year of applications (though, as I posted earlier, we will not spend this time or emotions on this particular process again, just stick to the "normal’ number of “ordinary” college applications, with no lessons, prescreens, travel, special outfits, etc.) As it is, I need to work a second job to think about paying for my next child’s application process.
Sorry but I just felt the need to point out that not everyone on this thread is “blessed with abundance.”
@AnxiousNovice - don’t automatically dismiss the redirect programs, from what I have been told, many of the redirects to acting still allow opportunities to sing and dance. There is a lot of info on CC about this - don’t give up hope that your D can pursue MT. The mantra we repeat is, it does not have to do with talent, but just what the school needs. There are many crooked roads that lead to the same path. Sending you and your D support - this is a brutal process.
@AnxiousNovice if I may…
I feel for your D’s situation, though it is only February and this process is not yet over, and so the final results remain to be seen. That said…IF your D doesn’t get into a BFA in MT program, I truly think that rather than a gap year, she could consider the BA programs she applied to and got into where she can study theater and have MT opportunities are a solid option (rather than picking a brand new field altogether during a gap year and new admissions process) OR you say she was admitted to a few BFA in Acting programs. A BFA in Acting may be a very good opportunity if it is at a school that allows acting students to take voice and dance, and be in musicals. Many musical theater performers have come out of BFA Acting programs. Just as an example, at my D’s school, NYU/Tisch, I know of many graduates who were in the Acting studios, not MT, who now perform professionally in musicals. In fact, one of her good friends is about to star in a new Broadway musical, and he was in an acting studio at Tisch, and I readily can think of another one who has been in several Broadway musicals in significant roles and trained in an acting studio as well, at Tisch. It sounds like your D may have some viable opportunities. A BFA in MT is not the only avenue to a career as a MT performer. I know several people who have attended BA schools and studied “theater” and have been in major MT professional productions.
@AnxiousNovice That turn of phrase was not intended to trigger anyone, so I apologize. The love and support you have shown your D will last long past the vagaries of your experiences this season. We are all rooting for you.
My D’s “backup plan” is to attend one of the schools she was academically accepted to and that she really liked, and that allows non BFA majors to audition for shows and to have vocal, dance, and/or acting minors. I know both Texas State and FSU allow this. Might be others as well. Maybe it’s an option for others?
I also know kids in past years who received rejections all of January and February and finally received acceptances in March - it was rough!!! But, they all ended up loving where they ultimately ended up.
PS we’re still waiting for our Montclair socks; they should have definitely been here by now - maybe tomorrow!
@WDWMom Good advice on the BA/BFA thing. I am really only negative on the BA programs that also have BFA programs (my D got rejected from BFA at both Millikin & Columbia College of Chicago but got into their BA programs) because folks say to be wary of second-class citizenship/reduced opportunities if you are in a BA program at one of these schools.
The BA programs in schools without any BFA programs are all absolutely fine with me. (I know you can’t share schools yet but the ones in this category that are still pending for my D are American, Muhlenberg, Wagner, Northwestern). The challenge with these four for us is only that a) my D hated American when we visited so it is her absolutely last choice, even if she is lucky enough to get in (and she had to do a video audition so that is not so likely); b) Northwestern is a HUGE reach academically; and c) I don’t perceive any of these four BA programs to be any more likely to accept her than the 14 BFA programs that have rejected her already. I know, I know, it is not consistent or rationale. You can get rejected from a mediocre program and get into a great one. I tell myself all that nightly but until we have one yes (either BFA or one of the 4 BA programs above) I just cannot believe that in my heart. Still, let’s hope it is true for both of our D’s.
Are you driving to Wagner? My D has a tech rehearsal until at least 6:30 pm on Saturday so we are driving after that. Waze says 3 1/2 hours without traffic or stops so I am figuring we will check in around midnight. Memories of our trip to Syracuse (although it looks like this time we won’t have to drive home in a snowstorm–there’s a silver lining–knew I’d find one somewhere if I just typed long enough).
@Looney2020 Thank you. my D did audition to every redirect and would take any of them. Will hang in there. Too many sleepless nights trying to catch up on my own work. Things will seem less bleak in the morning,.
@soozievt Thanks for the thoughtful advice.
Just to clarify, my D has NO acceptances to ANY BFAs–not BFA MT, not BFA Acting. She was redirected to a number of BFA Acting programs and she auditioned for each and every one of them and would go to ANY BFA program (MT or Acting) that accepts her but so far not one has.
On the BA versus gap year advice, she applied to four BA programs. These are all performance-oriented BAs. Two required auditions, two did not. She would go to any of these four. We have not heard from any of them yet.
In contrast, the only programs to which my D has been admitted are two BA programs at schools that have BFA programs and they rejected her from the BFA program. While she might end up at one of these, if these are her only two choices, I will lean towards a gap year and have her broaden her applications to non-audition non-performance oriented BA programs. She is academically very well qualified (3.5 GPA, 1470 SATs) so college counselors told us she would have been very competitive at some of those types of schools. In fact, they pushed hard for her to apply to some but she didn’t want any school without a performance program.
Anyway, this is all a mother worrying in advance. We will cross this bridge in April or May but I am starting to prepare her (and me).
@MTisNutz Sorry I overreacted to your comment. I am exhausted (sleeping 4-5 hours a night trying to catch up on my work) and your post just pushed some buttons. Everyone seems to make so light of the cost of all this and it is a really big burden for our family. We really considered not doing this process for financial reasons and had to take out loans to do it so, in the face of zero acceptances, it is really upsetting to have lost all of that money and be in debt over this process. Anyway, I should not have lashed out at you. I know that you meant no harm. I apologize.
@AnxiousNovice i am sure you are sick of applications, but did your D consider Hofstra? It’s a non audition BFA and then you can audition for a MT minor. They are pretty generous with merit aid and those academic stats should get her in and eligible for merit. No second class citizen and they have excellent dance department and the acting training seems top notch. They have rolling admissions.
@CBSQandA Thanks for the Hofstra tip! That is exactly the type of program I wish we had applied to. I figured it was too late to do applications for these schools this round so psyched to see that at least this one has rolling admissions. Makes me wonder if others like this do as well so you have inspired me to do a little quick research.
@AnxiousNovice glad to help! Some other programs are still accepting applications (and video auditions). I think March 1 may be a deadline to watch for…look at Arcadia University, Adelphi and maybe Drake, if Iowa isnt too far away from home, I know last year there was a thread of schools still accepting apps in early March.
@AnxiousNovice check out West Virginia University (digital submissions accepted) and George Mason University too! Both are NEW MT BFAs, so not on a lot of radars. George Mason has had phenomenal dance and vocal performance programs for a long time. It’s not going to take long for their MT BFA to reach those levels. Their facilities are incredible.
@AnxiousNovice Sorry that I misunderstood your use of “redirect,” and thought you meant to a BFA in Acting (which is still a good option if such an opportunity arises). Still, your D has programs left to hear from. Did she apply to Muhlenberg? I would think with her stats she would get in. I second the suggestion of Hofstra. Unfortunately, the deadline for UNH has recently passed, but that is a great BA by audition option. I have a student who chose it who wanted MT but not a BFA degree program. By the way, she also got into Hofstra, among many BA theater programs.