<p>Its a small local LAC of 1,000 students without a real theater program. She decided to rack up gen ed credits to transfer to a BFA program. Her biggest problem was she set her heart on one school (UCLA) and only auditioned at two others last year and then ran out of time to make decisions. I’m not sure she will even pursue acting if she doesn’t make it this time.</p>
<p>abtsmom- he settled for Western Carolina , his safety school. The program was just ok but the location is horrible, or at least he thought so. The only thing to do there is go to Walmart…LOL, no kidding, at least he worked getting his GPA up and had the time to focus on his major. He audtioned this year for Shenandoah, Roosevelt, Hartt and UNCSA. He was rejected by UNCSA but he expected that, that’s a VERY hard school to get into. I agree, this process of auditioning is very hard on the students and parents, but hang in there, it will all work out in the end.</p>
<p>proudmom-- when did he get the UNCSA rejection, and how (by email? or…) D is waiting with bated breath…</p>
<p>He received his rejection last week by mail. I believe it was Tuesday when he received it, this was his second year for audtioning there.</p>
<p>Thank you! Keeping the old fingers crossed here. We liked Shenandoah too and loved Hartt.</p>
<p>Thanks for explaining how a school was a “lesser” choice - it really helps people think about how they might decide about how to handle options more on the disappointing side. </p>
<p>I agree that some theatre departments just really don’t give a serious student what they want - many BA schools are upfront that they only provide a literature-based, more academic program with little opportunity to train, or even to act at all. I’d say that really isn’t a good choice for most of the kids who post here. What’s done is done, and I wouldn’t want anyone beating themselves up, but for future kids - try to find safeties that do provide the fundamentals of what you are looking for, even if everything else isn’t ideal.</p>
<p>A school with a decent program that just isn’t a great fit is different - and that can happen to anyone, even if they get into their “dream” school. Sometimes you just don’t know until you get there.</p>
<p>I admire all of these kids - and want to send special regards to those who are trying to transfer. That takes strength and self-knowledge, and I wish them all the best.</p>
<p>Proudmom, How early in the season did your son audition for uncsa?</p>
<p>He auditioned for UNCSA on Jan 28.</p>
<p>Omg, i auditioned on the 3rd. I should be getting something any day now, WOAH!</p>
<p>proudmomNnc, my s auditioned on 1/28 at NCSA too. I remember your son–very nice young man. My s received his rejection letter Thursday but it was a very nice rejection encouraging him to reapply next year and to not consider it a career failure. The nicest rejection letter so far!</p>
<p>Do you really remember him??!! Tall, dark , curly hair? not sure if he introduced himself to you, his name is Jordan. Thank you for the compliment!!</p>
<p>Yes, I remember he talked with all the other kids auditioning since he was a transfer–he talked about how West Carolina hadn’t met his expectations and he was exploring other schools as a transfer. I thought it was great that he shared that because, as others have posted, even if you think its the school you want, sometimes it just turns out to be the wrong fit (for all kids, not just theater majors). Good luck to him at his other schools!</p>
<p>It sounds like someone got everything mixed up…again (mom). I LOVE Western Carolina. The training that I have received in just one year has gone above my expectations. The students in the program are all dedicated and constantly work hard to meet the faculty’s expectations. Honestly, I cannot recall a single weekend where I wasn’t auditioning, or taking classes. I don’t want people to think that WCU is a “lesser” school, because it is everything BUT. I just personally feel that I would fit in better at a conservatory, and I think that it would be better if I were to transfer now as a freshman rather than spend three more years there and wonder the whole time what it would be like at a conservatory. I am very sad that I will be leaving my fellow classmates and faculty, but I have to do what I THINK is best for me. </p>
<p>But yeah…please don’t think that Western Carolina is a bad school or anything, because it definitely is not. It’s a great school with terrific faculty that will support you with anything. I would definitely recommend checking it out if you want a small school in a location with no distractions, passionate peers, and dedicated faculty. </p>
<p>And for those of us who are getting these stupid letters, just remember that you will end up where you need to be. Last year DePaul was my first choice, they sent me my rejection letter and I was devastated. Now that I look back, I’m realizing that there program is not really what I’m looking for. The same thing happened with Fordham,I loved their program, on the website…and then I went to audition and I felt so uncomfortable in front of the faculty, I knew right then in the audition that Fordham was NOT the place for me. But this past round, when I went to Shenandoah, I felt very secure and comfortable. The feel of the campus and faculty was a lot like Western in the sense that everyone you see will welcome you. Just know that if you go into your second, third, fourth, or backup school with the mindset of “I wish I were at ____” then you will not succeed. I had to face the fact that I wasn’t in Chicago, but instead in the little town of Cullowhee NC. I got over it and to be honest, I’m so busy, I don’t even notice. AND Cullowhee is a beautiful place, mountains everywhere…</p>
<p>But just keep in mind that you will hear 100 no’s before your first yes.</p>
<p>anxious4answers, thank you so much for that. I totally agree with you 100%. My D has been rejected from Emerson, Juilliard and Rutgers, she was called back for DePaul, but if she doesn’t receive a “good news” letter from them, then she will move on to the next school and then the next. I have no doubt that whatever school embraces her and her talent, she will make the best of it.</p>
<p>I posted this on the MT rejection board too</p>
<p>We also have to remember that college (prestigious program or not) does not “make” performers. Every Broadway actor doesn’t have a BFA, and students with BFAs don’t always end up on Broadway. What you get out of the college training is what you make of it. </p>
<p>I had the wonderful opportunity to talk with Mo Brady (ensemble, understudy for Lucas in "The Addams Family) and he said he didn’t even know what he wanted to do when he graduated from high school. He ended up getting a BA in Theatre from Whitman College, a liberal arts school in Walla Walla, WA. After graduating he got jobs in professional productions in Seattle, including the premiere run of “Catch Me if You Can”, and also taught at the local KIDSTAGE program. Years later he got a gig on Broadway. He said he probably went to over 100 auditions, and only got that 1 job. </p>
<p>In comparison, we can’t be dismayed by the number of rejections we get from schools. It’s also the nature of the business. If you want it bad enough, keep trying and never think you’re not good enough because a few places won’t take you.</p>
<p>^^ great post on a great thread EmyB! When D started this process we considered actors who were working regularly, in New York and regional theater and a combination of those-- most of them had BA’s, not BFA’s-- and often from colleges no one on CC gets excited about. What they did have, in abundance, was a passion and a work ethic that carried them through difficulty and allowed them to thrive wherever they were.</p>
<p>It is so hard to wait, but I hope you all keep in mind how much you’ve done already and how much you have to offer through your talent. Your love of the art will help you find the right people to learn from no matter where you are.</p>
<p>I saw somebody post something in a different thread about how certain programs are accepting students already before the Unifieds and other auditions were even over. Can anybody address this topic? Does it just depend on the type of applicant? I’m a transfer trying to get in to 5 different BFA programs and I’ve read others’ posts on CC about getting their acceptance letters already who auditioned around the same time I did. I’ve also read of several others getting rejection letters. I haven’t gotten any rejections yet so I suppose no news is good news at this point…?</p>
<p>csheakay, I think it is a different process for transfer students, depending on the school. Did the schools you applied to tell you that you would be coming in as a freshman again or as a sophomore? I know conservatories make you start over as a freshman but some place you are admitted as a sophomore since you will have many gen eds done.</p>
<p>Although, at Chicago Unifieds, one school was outright rude to my son and dismissed him after 30 seconds. The next day, I was talking to another mom whose D was from a very large magnet arts school. She told me that 3 boys from that high school had already been admitted to that particular college. I thought perhaps they were admitted ED and so the need for additional boys was slim. I wish we had known; we wouldn’t have bothered showing up!</p>
<p>Some schools have ED (NYU, BU, Emerson are 3 I know of), some have rolling admissions, Hartt has an Early Notification, for which you have to audition in December. So most of the admissions you see here are from those schools. Others will accept a few outright and defer a number of others until all the auditions are done and they know what they have to choose from. Some of those will send their rejections in batches too. So no news really might be good news! Or it might just be no news…</p>
<p>Quick correction: Emerson is Early ACTION, not Early Decision. HI Gwen!!!</p>