Hi, @SpartanDrew . We saw anywhere from about 3-4 weeks on the longer side to as short as one day after submitting pre-screen videos - or in the case of William Paterson, pre-screen audio - well that wasn’t really a pre-screen, it was the remote audition. I think William Paterson was the longest, with Michigan and SUNY Purchase being towards the longer side of that range. It may matter by instrument, though. I know there is little else to do right now except to guess when the answers will come in. Definitely keep practicing, as it is possible, even likely, to become a better performer between now and the actual audition, which would be nice to show.
I just looked back at my son’s files, and the earliest audition invitation he received was Dec 16, and the rest started rolling in from there. That said, he just barely made most of his application deadlines–he wasn’t the on-the-ball early bird your daughter obviously is! 
I’d look at the posted audition dates for each place she applied to and draw up a tentative travel plan from there just so you feel like you’re somewhat in control/doing something while you wait. 
Mine only applied to 4 schools because he very much knew what he wanted (and didn’t want), and if those hadn’t panned out, he’d have gone another route entirely.
Love the advice to keep practicing…with that application/arts app/prescreen load off, she may well show some good progress!
Thanks @GoForth and @YertleTurtle. I agree that I think it does depend on instrument. I’d heard another bass player from last year also got an early nod from Frost and others. Wondering if the vocal profs are that quick or do they tend to take longer to extend the invitations. GoForth did you say Purchase was a longer wait for the invitation? I looked back at your posts from Mezzo Mama’s thread last year and couldn’t really tell when Purchase came through. And again, you’re right as far as it probably depends on the professor for that discipline.
On the practice end of things D met with her vocal coach Tuesday and they are starting some new songs to broaden her repertoire and hone some new stuff for live auditions. It’s really nice though not to be under the gun to get anything recorded right now. That’s all done. That being said, her first audition is January 20 at Western Mich and she can audition with some of her prescreen material since they didn’t require a prescreen. For the rest she will need to bring something new to the table and plans to work with her vocal coach weeklyup her game and be ready. Given how much progress she has shown in just the past year from last year’s YoungArts submission to an enormous improvement in this year’s submission I have zero doubt that she will grow in the next few months. I really can’t wait to see her exponential growth in college!
One thing to keep in mind…and I don’t “know” this…but I have heard it alluded to by my D who did some admin work for her teacher in UG.
At big schools with big depts, I would guess they have to get a critical mass together to listen to the pre-screens. It seemed at both my D’s school that everyone was extremely busy. Having worked in large institutions myself, I would guess that there are a few dates (or maybe one) to listen to pre-screens set up by the head of the music dept. My D mentioned that her teacher would complain about it…as she was always busy and pre-screens and auditions took a lot of time.
I imagine the pre-screens being collected and then teachers having a date or two to listen. And then off the results go to administration to hit a major traffic jam that takes maybe…mmmm…a week or two (or if you’re lucky they get to admin the week before winter break so…you aint hearing nothing until January!). Then admin will start sending out emails…and inevitably miss your kids…well you know how it goes… I think Dec until mid Jan are the most common times to hear back.
And, yes, smaller depts can probably get this done more quickly and efficiently.
My son had 4 schools with pre-screens out of 6 total. Audition invites came via email, arriving mid-December on. Auditions from late-January to early-March. (Exception to all that was Berklee – early action, no pre-screen, auditioned in early December, had acceptance a week later.)
Of the pre-screen schools, Thornton (USC) and Juilliard were the ones we knew would be the most selective and they were the latest to announce. Son got the Thornton invite on 12/18 for 1/23 audition date, and the Juilliard invite on 1/28 for 2/29 audition date. No alternative dates offered at either school. Got invite from Oberlin on 12/12 for a 2/12 audition. Don’t have records for New School but they were flexible – I know he was able to select or re-schedule in order to make one NYC trip.
I interview candidates at work and I happen to believe that there are common elements that are somewhat inevitable. The audition, like the face-to-face interview, is everything, but the steps before set up expectations: the resume gives me a picture of the background, shows me what to ask/look for. Then a phone interview, i.e.“pre-screen”, then perhaps bring them in for a in-person interview. So, while that initial resume may not be a deciding factor at the end, I think it’s important in creating an expectation and interest.
Thanks everyone. Very helpful information. After all of that, we keep getting emails from NEC and it’s niggling us in the back of our head that we should maybe consider an application there. I know their jazz program is stellar and D absolutely loves Boston. I wish we had visited when we were there in April for a tour of Berklee but D wanted to see the city so we didn’t do the NEC visit. I emailed D’s vocal coach about it and she responded with a resounding YES she should apply since she knows the vocal jazz faculty well and thinks they would be a great fit for her. So she may be working on one more prescreen. Ugh! It seems that none of these schools want the same thing for prescreens. I’m hoping it won’t be too much of a big deal to get those ready and fortunately she has until December 1 to record and submit it.
Looking at the auditions dates for her, the only other issue is getting everywhere. If she is invited everywhere to audition (which we certainly hope) then we will spend 2 weeks flying around the east coast. Yikes for my wallet, vacation time and her missing school. It seems extremely daunting. I know many of you have already been there but this is a bit overwhelming at the moment. I’m sure it will all work itself out.
I hope all of the kids and parents that are 2018 grads will post on this thread as they submit applications and also hear back on prescreen invitations! Good luck to everyone!
It is overwhelming. Just be overwhelmed. Soak it all in. It will be fine.
@GoForth I just :)) out loud!! Good to know at least I’m doing something right! I have “overwhelmed” down pat!
There is a UNT video on YouTube that is meant for prospective jazz studies majors. One of the senior jazz students says in it that many students come here and feel overwhelmed. He then says that is fine. Come here and feel overwhelmed. It is a part of the experience. I repackage and forward his words to here.
Yes. I think “daunting” was my favorite word that year. GoForth has it right though, just have to go with it. It’s a little like drowning; if you can keep yourself from thrashing around, you somehow pop to the surface. The applications and prescreens nearly killed my kid – he got mono in the fall and we had to reschedule a bunch of things, regroup and rethink priorities.
But the good news is that audition trips can be an amazing experience. We had so much fun. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
Thanks so much for your comments @ScreenName48105. That really helps. I am looking forward to the trips…just not the expenses LOL. But I’m certain it will all be worth it in the end.
It’s good practice for the future. For some students, this is only the first set of “big” auditions. My D is doing pre-screens and auditions now while working full-time (and without a mom to coordinate it). It seems like she’s always trying to “dock the Titanic”. I get the calls from the airport with the delayed flight and connection and the audition in the morning and omg! I just hang up and do a little shudder and think “oh well…hope it all works out”.
@SpartanDrew Right there with you as far as being overwhelmed with all this. As for the auditions, (based on experience with a dance student) the audition dates usually fall into place. With the dancer, we made a tentative calendar of preferred dates and we got all but one. We were able to make it work. I have heard of situations where the school worked with students when there were conflicts and it all worked out. Doing the same with my music student. We have a tentative calendar of preferred dates and we will have to wait and see how it all works out.
@ScreenName48105 We are going through the same issues with mono! I have been hesitant to post much because I’m not sure how this is all going to turn out. DD is struggling with mono and trying to complete college applications and prescreens. The stress is overwhelming for both of us. Thank you for posting. It’s good to know that someone survived this process despite mono and gives me hope that we will survive this too.
Many schools do work out a schedule for you that takes care of conflicts.
diglass, so sorry about the mono. Been there. I don’t know how severe a case it is, but the best advice my kid (and I) got was to give in to the mono. Recovery is shorter and it won’t recur if the mono is made the priority. I wonder if schools would give him some extra time-? Terrible timing, again, so sorry!
@compmom Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately, the Dr didn’t acknowledge that the mono was positive until 6 weeks after the test! Very frustrating and with other autoimmune issues it may be a slower recovery. We are taking one day at a time and focusing on what she can do that day.
The mono story brings up an important point. Be sure you and your daughter (and everyone in your family) has flu shots. D and I just went and got ours today. Can’t afford to get sick in the middle of auditions and have her voice affected for who knows how long. Stay as healthy as you can. @diglass I’m hoping for the speediest of recoveries for your son.
Not so sure the flu shot is a good match for the flu strain this year, just a warning…
They updated the A(H1N1) strain in the shot earlier this year. The H3N2 strain is causing the most problems so far and appears to be a good match.
Spartan Drew, was so glad to hear NEC might be on the list. They have a brand new building, very nice, if you do go. Wonderful school.
So D and her vocal coach are working on prescreens for NEC and that application is almost done. One more essay (of course!) for D to write. Good grief none of these schools want the same thing! The very good news is that of the 3 prescreen requirements that they want, one is already recorded and the other two are asked for unaccompanied so no need to go back and record with the costly and difficult to schedule jazz combo. Whew! She needs to learn one new song that was on their list but it adds to her repertoire and she can also possibly use it at other schools for a live audition so there is no downside to doing this at all.
I feel better adding one more to the list and interestingly this application is so different from all of the rest. They ask for a first and second choice for a voice teacher there. Her vocal coach had already emailed two that she knows well and thinks would be a great fit for D so that was easy. Otherwise, if you don’t know anyone how can you possibly choose on a college app??? I’m happy we are adding NEC but also cautious that I haven’t heard that they offer much in merit aid so I’m not sure how realistic it is for a college possibility. Oh well…at this point I think you throw a bunch out there and hope something sticks!
Good luck to everyone finishing up applications, prescreens, essays, etc. Still no word on prescreens but thankfully many on this site and thread have said they didn’t hear until December so I won’t freak out…yet! Haha!