We had the opposite experience. We felt the on campus auditions were a huge time and resource suck and we were glad we limited them to just two that did not do unifieds. My kid was able to get insight to the feel/culture of the program by meeting the auditors and also observing and talking with the students who helped outside or in the rooms and dance calls. There’s no way you can do 15 or more on campus auditions! It was good to get a sense of type of campus. One was quite remote and part of the reason they require on campus auditions is because some people end up realizing it’s too much a stretch for them.
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I have said this before and will say it again and again, the best part of the pandemic was doing all virtual auditions and not having the opportunity to fall in love with a place and a program. Once my S was accepted there was plenty of time to visit schools and get a feel for everything. Getting overly invested in a school (both further financially for a visit and emotionally from being there) when the likelihood of acceptance is so low was not the right choice for us
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I agree sometimes the all day on campus audition can bring a heightened sense of nerves like this is it.
At unifieds there’s no time to dwell- it has to be on to the next-easier to rebound. On campus is very nice to really get a feel of the program and also meet more of the staff and students. At unifieds colleges "send representatives’ many times that includes the Department head but sometimes they have two rooms and you may be in the room of a professor etc like singing your song for an acting teacher and one room has the music director…its a crap shoot! 
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I couldn’t agree more. We were at two this weekend…different from you. But had an almost similar experience. A school our daughter felt she would love turned out to hate. She actually got offended by one of the professors and an ignorant comment she made about actors apparently. That to say, the other school, that was toward the bottom of her list, has now made it’s way to the very very top! All because of her auditions. Such a valuable experience for her.
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This!!! I feel like I can guess the 2 schools! We had 2 two top 10 schools 2 weekends back to back and had the same experience. I highly respect both programs but it was very clear they were run differently. Again not bad just very different. I think it is so important to find your child’s fit /home and you often know from the feel of the program!
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Our daughter loved Unifieds in Chicago. You might just discover a hidden gem! And everyone was so supportive of one another - the kids, the parents, the auditioners, the monitors, the info sessions. Very positive experience, overall. The on campus auditions use the the same process as Unifieds. Having said that, it’s great to know (or find out!) what works for your kid and go with it. In hindsight, we would have visited fewer campuses junior year and saved the campus visits for artistic acceptances. We did some crazy road trips! And then at the end of March, we hadn’t visited her top four finalists at all. What a process!
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@CC_Jon - will you please pin this thread under Musical Theatre Major to make it easier to find? The Class of 2026 – Sharing, Venting, Discussing! MT
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@CC_Jon Also this one - thanks so much! 2026 BFA Prescreen Results
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An aspect I would like to see reviewed and changed are the schools that requiring complete portfolios, unique essays and teacher recommendations as part of the pre-screen process. I can’t imagine these factor even the slightest when a school is making their initial screening cuts. Based on their own admission, most school reject a high % of applicants in this phase, and my impression is that some aspects of a performer are weighted heavier than others and the written part of the application doesn’t factor very much.
We have encountered some schools that have asked interesting and thought provoking questions that have taken significant reflection and research; also we have had to make multiple follow-ups with counselors and teachers to submit what one can imagine is one of many student recommendation requests, only to get a pithy “thanks but no thanks” back from the the college.
Once a school has reviewed a candidate and decided they want more from them, then by all means, request as much detail as they want.
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I was literally just thinking this. These schools are looking at your prescreen only to decide whether to pass you. Is all the work you put into the application even being viewed before making prescreen cuts? My guess is the MT department does not even look at application until they have a giant pile of final yeses that needs to be significantly cut.
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Yes! And of course some might add that they shouldn’t require you to pay an audition fee until you are actually invited to audition. And if you do remote audition shouldn’t the “audition fee” be waived as they aren’t paying for travel or hotel for professors on remote days. Just sayin’
My Husband mentions that by the time your child has finished the process you don’t have any skin in the game to “fight the system”. It’s in your past. This is why it continues…and I’m on my second time through this.
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just saw this post. 4th time! yikes! I’m here for a second time. I also have a Senior graduating college. This process is crazy and now, yes, even more so! As much as I knew that things needed to be done early, my D had other senior year priorities. Games, indeed!
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I seem to remember three fees for some schools, an application fee, a prescreen fee and then an audition fee, it was insane. And that was without any travel expense.
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Exactly this. It really is a racket. I honestly feel that prescreens should go forward and be resulted before any further application is necessary. I know the schools make their money off these fees, but it’s really highway robbery. I would propose a nominal fee for prescreen review, then if passed, a more substantial fee for the “real” audition, live or virtual, plus application to the broader college (with fee) and then more detailed artistic application if they want. Truly, I see they must believe the more barriers they put up, the more likely they are to get only the most serious applicants, but there must be a better way.
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Totally agree with this. My D applied to one school where you provide the prescreen first and then after learning the result of that would either complete the full application or not. She didn’t pass the prescreen for that school, but I was so grateful that we didn’t have to spend the time and money prior to knowing whether or not that school was an option for her.
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I would gladly pay a larger prescreen fee to not have to fill out applications where my kid doesn’t pass the prescreen.
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Been a bit since I posted here, don’t come around as much, D is a sophomore class of 24 at what many would consider a tippy top school. The only reason I mention this here is for people who may be lurking and not posting bc they are having a tough pre screen experience feel free to go read my final decision post for class of 2024. We had a very rough pre screen experience & had a good outcome with options, conversely we know of kids who had flawless pre screen results only to have a very rough audition season, so for those of you lurking but not posting for fear of embarrassment or sadness, or whatever, you are just approaching ‘ halftime’ long way to go and most of you will find your place. My daughter could not be happier right now, but you would not have expected her to be where she is and thriving back in October of 2019 .HANG IN THERE it’s a brutal process.
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Oops, meant to post in the prescient result thread, hate the new format….oh well , I’m sure the right people will find this
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*prescreen
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I agree with NYYFanNowMTdad! My son went through the prescreen/audition process for the Class of 2025. To anyone who is feeling overwhelmed by this whole process, I highly suggest to go back a couple of years in Venting and Prescreens. You will find so much support, information and commonality in others stories on this CC Community. Keep positive strength, this is a long process
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