I just think it is interesting that the only three kids from Cal are from the same coach. I am in Cal and it would not have mattered anyway as I do not have that kind of money. But had I known about the coaching and how much it is helpful I may not have applied to certain school as the expense of applications was a bit for me. I wish all the students well and for those who can afford it, it seems like it is clearly helpful.
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Just sent you a message
Wow - so MTCA, Moo and Trifectaā¦hmmm
Oh wow - just doing a bit of research. Oh my goodness. I am shocked. I will try to PM you.
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hey @OnBroadway please just post it publicly. There is no place for posting cryptic gossip.
I have only spoken up because I immediately contacted Michigan and learned that much of it was misinformation. Just posting gossip is kind of sad.
Coaching, of course is a much bigger conversation.
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Itās insanity, particularly when the party line is āwe want to see you!ā
I chose a different path, but so many of my classmates went on to incredible careers on stageā¦and one who repeatedly got told by the faculty sheād never make it won a Grammy this past Sunday!
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I thought I was not able to post a link. I am not trying to be a cryptic. My D is happy with her choice but I will say this, When she auditioned it was with someone who teaches master classes at Trifecta. I am sure U of M would say it is just gossip and maybe it is a coincidence.
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Iād like to believe that the payoff intimation is not true. And coaching is needed at some level, whether itās voice or acting coaches. It seems that if the coaches were known to the school it could have given them a leg up. But I take issue with three from the same coaches and same area. In all of a big state like California they took 3 from San Diego?
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My D auditioned in front of someone from U of Michigan and who teaches masters classes for Trifecta. Maybe that it just how it is. I guess the instructors have to work in the summers.
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I was going to chime in earlier, but didnāt, but am glad that by now, @singoutlouise did, because she has a child on the ground in Michiganās BFA in MT program. I do not, though I have been to the program twice and know many who have attended.
When I read the article, here was my take:
On the issue of diversityā¦I feel this article is not well informed. To my knowledge the percentage of students of color in the MT classes at UMichigan is on par with the percentage of people of color in the populationā¦I feel their program is indeed diverse.
On the issue of the coaching group in San Diego, etcā¦
I have never heard of them and donāt know them and so am not defending on any personal level. Hereās my takeā¦there are several MT coaching groups out there. Several of them present workshops with MT faculty from different MT college programs. Their students are seen by these faculty ahead of ever formally auditioning with them. This Trifecta group in San Diego is not unique in this regard. In fact, one national coach not only has workshops and mock auditions with MT college faculty, but holds actual private auditions for her students with college reps that count as their real college auditions. Back when that all started, I admit I was taken back by this. I was surprised that college reps would hold auditions with private coachesā students! I am a private college counselor (not audition coach) and in my field, we never have direct contact with the college reps at the colleges our students are applying to. It just is not done. So, these private auditions shocked me years ago when they began, but I guess colleges want to see and get anyone they can be exposed to, and certainly well prepared kids. And the workshops they give with these coachesā students are also a money maker.
But ya know, this Trifecta group is not any different than what some other coaches offer with college reps. Andā¦not only did my own kid get into many well known BFA in MT programs and had never been seen by or heard of by any of the colleges before her live audition on campus, and didnāt have a national coach, and so on, but lots and lots of students are admitted who likewise were not in front of the college reps prior to their official college audition. I DO recommend coaching on oneās audition materials, by anyone who has experience working with BFA applicants. Iām all for it!
Iād go into this process in the same way we did when my girl auditionedā¦not worrying who else had this or that exposure or opportunity, etc. We also did not have performing arts high schools in our state. Things worked out great anyway and my daughter is doing just fine as a professional in the MT world. Pursue your dreams and donāt worry about what the next person is doing.
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I am glad you posted that and I agree with you. I have no money so have no option and my daughter also did not go to a performing arts school either. I think she is happy with her choices and things would work out fine with her. I do; however, wish I would have known about the coaching programs just so that I could better prepare my daughter for the fact that our financial status would not allow us to afford the extra coaching. I think it all works out in the end and I feel very terrible for those kids who were admitted. I am sure they are talented and deserve to be there. I hope they get past this and enjoy their experience.
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What school was saying that to a student? Thanks. Choosing between Pace, Emerson, and WMU
I was pretty sure the description in the article of UMICH was flawed and that there were likely a inaccuracies in the article.Doesnāt change my view. That it is permissable for a selection process for, in many cases, public universities to involve audition events open only to applicants coached by specific coaches is wrong. So we didnāt participate. D got in to some good schools and has options. All is well.
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Gosh I was so naive to all of this.
Some people can afford coaching and some canāt. But itās a completely different issue when you tell me that the only three kids from CA were from the same coaching company and that company has ties to Michigan. Itās unnerving. How does that actually happen?
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I can only imagine how this happens and it all makes sense.
Some facts in the āarticleā (more like a blog post given its lack of editorial rigor) are easily challenged, but the underlying premise - the deck is stacked for families with resources - is completely on point. Resouces available for upper/upper middle class families, including summer intensives, private lessons, etc. are also beyond the average familyās reach, let alone the truly economically disadvantaged.
The thing is, this is not limited to MT schools. The arms race for entry to college is embarassing. Fueled by the false premise that a college education is required for all to have a succesful career and parental insecurity/ competiveness, a cottage industry available to only the very well to do contniues to grow. A testing coach in a doc I just saw that a ālow end/below averageā coach can make $200-$400/hr. The good ones make $1,500. I doubt these folks make many trips to the South Side of Chicago or the outer boroughs of NYC to recruit.
Why is this not as prevalent in other countries? Mainly because they do not let the free market rule the roost in higher education. Just like healtcare.
Rant over.
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So true. Itās just as prevalent in sports and science camps and you name it. S was a good baseball player. Good, not great. He could have narrowed the gap with private coaching, elite camps, higher octane summer ball, etc. All very expensive and we felt unnecessary as his focus was on academics beyond HS. Easily could have played D3 somewhere but was way more interested in the college experience. Several of his HS teammates did go the private coaching and elite travel route and upped their game to play in college. Most have flamed out but thatās not the point. It certainly takes talent, but the ones who can and do get the extra support have an edge for sure. But thatās true in life in general.
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Yes, this is why the US sucks in Menās soccer. Because in this country itās a ārich kidsā sports. In Europe or South America, if you are good at a young age, they recruit you, train you and donāt charge you. We have really messed up with specialization in anything at a young age in this country. So many kids are burnt out by high school, much less college.
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I mean I know that coaches help, money helps and contacts help. But 3 kids out of 24 from the same city and same coaching group out of 1800 applications is statistically very unlikely.
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