To address what @toowonderful mentions in post 17 above. I don’t see it as binary. I mean sure, you hire a coach or you don’t, but the attitude one can have about the role of coaching in this process can run the gamut. There is plenty of outrage expressed here for example that at least one coach holds a private college audition event, There is also a ton of angst that we’ve see expressed after the fact from people that navigated this process on their own and felt severely at a disadvantage. Somewhere in the middle are people that didn’t even know private coaching was a thing or did but went ahead on their own anyway both with success and regret.
My feelings about the whole thing have evolved but mostly been consistent. I fall into the camp that believes if you want to hire a coach you should. And your decision to do so has (had) zero impact on my daughter who didn’t have one. Zero. So honestly, I don’t care. But I do think that people should also not be led to feel like they are necessary. They are not. Frankly nor is really knowing what the heck you are doing in these college auditions. You can show up dressed like Millie and sing “Jimmy Jimmy” well and if you cast a wide enough net, some school out there will take you. And also some schools will also not take you simply due to your choices while ignoring your talent. That’s the risk you run.
And then you will graduate and attend an equity open call audition for a national tour of a much loved musical and in the room will somebody dressed up in costume as the lead. And you will chuckle and sneak a picture of that person and send it to your friends for a good laugh. And that person won’t get seen but then again, neither will you. You will realize yet again that the choices others make have nothing to do with what happens to you whatsoever. You can only control you own choices and not someone else’s choices, luck, connections and influence naturally acquired or paid for. That only drives their outcomes, not yours.
I inderstand the thoughts @toowonderful mentioned above. During Unifieds this past year another parent asked me if “we were with _____(coach)?” I didn’t even know who it was. So, no, not with them or any coach. She seemed very shocked. It disturbed me a bit.
Later I realized more people we met or knew going through auditions didn’t use a coach and did just fine. I also knew my child was very prepared.
I think the main benefit of a coach would have been about navigating it all (scheduling, how Unifieds work, etc)-- in other words, a coach for me - not my daughter! (Lol)
We actually considered a coach at one point several months ago. We don’t live near any of the main ones so we were considering Skype & perhaps making one in person visit which I felt really would be necessary so my D could be evaluated etc & actually met in person.
So…,contacted one company/ person mentioned on CC & I was somewhat familiar with. My emails were returned w/ info, the person asked for a video clip of my D singing etc, and general prices were given for services offered. I was not, however, impressed w/ the c service per se of said company for all the $$ I would have been dishing out. I felt very much like I was just another number so to speak. They seemed to think my D “would do well in the process” & said as much but I did state that the large package price for combined services was beyond us financially & that we would have to go w/ less. I never heard from them again…no follow up afterward…
we were supposed to have a “phone appt” one day where they were to call me at a specified time to discuss things & they never called me. I then had to contact them & say “Um we had an appt but no one called…”
I’m sure people who have used coaching services have great stories but I wasn’t impressed by my initial contact … so I bagged it lol
@toowonderful - I think what elicits such a heated response regarding coach/no coach is fear - a parent’s fear that they haven’t done enough to “ensure” their kid will have “the brightest of all possible futures”. I rarely venture off the MT forum here on CC. Things are even more rabid when talk turns to “best majors” and “best schools” and “best prep” on the other forums. I can’t take the heat. Here in “MT Major Land”, we all know we’re nuts and are “allowing” our kids to pursue a dream which has a “crucial-to-life” value no one else understands. But we’re scared. The risks are huge. We want are kids to be happy, healthy AND fulfilled. As parents we would like to align the stars to make it so for our offspring. For some, hiring a coach is the answer. Those of us that do/did it can say it made all the difference. Those of us who don’t/didn’t might say, “If we had hired a coach, things would have turned out differently”.
We did not hire a coach - voice teacher, acting coach, private music lessons, dance classes, acting studio, yes - but we made all the college choice and audition decisions on our own. It worked out well for my S (so far @halflokum - the tadpole will be dumped out of the bucket into Lake Superior in two short years. Hopefully, he’ll at least resemble a frog by then. With, or without lead character costume). Like someone else posted above, I googled something like “musical theater college auditions” and a thread on CC popped up. It took me QUITE awhile to figure out that one thread was part of a whole forum (hah!) and pretty much everything I learned about the process came from the wise folks on this forum. BUT - and it’s a big “but” - I did the first google search when S was in junior high, and once I figured out there were other threads, I studied the questions and responses like I was working on a masters thesis. At one of S’s auditions, a faculty member said to stay away from CC, that it was filled with nonsense. I get why he said that, but just like with any social media, you have to use your “brain of inquiry” to discern wise kernels of truth from rants of fear, anger and frustration. So for four years, my other part time job was gleaning useful info from the sometimes rambling posts on CC (this is probably one of them). What started as an hour or two every week or so when S was in junior high, turned an hour or three most days of the week by the time he was a rising senior (currently holding at 15-30 minutes a day - most days). I became the “general contractor” for S’s college audition prep and applications. I did it because that’s who I am (love solving tricky problems with no obvious solution) and had the time (H might disagree on that point). If I hadn’t the inclination or the time and the wise folks here on CC, we would have been lost. While our city is filled with folks knowledgeable about and skilled in the Arts (home to one of the top tier MT programs on this forum) and we could get terrific private lessons, my S’s PA HS faculty/counselors were no help with this crazy process. Even S’s private teachers were somewhat out of touch with the entire process. S just wanted to sing and act and dance. All the time. Maybe sleep and eat a lot.
My belief on this “coach/no coach for success” question is that there are four options - in no particular order: 1. be in the business, related to someone in the business, or best friends with someone in the business - the MT college business as it is right now. 2. hire a reputable coach. 3. have parent - or an incredibly driven student - be the “general contractor” for putting this entire production - and it IS like mounting a new show - together. Many hours of CC reading/posting required. or 4. close your eyes and jump. Most of us feel the “fear” (especially if you’re on this forum). Do what will help you sleep at night (alcohol and/or donuts may be involved. Three years post-audition year - PTAD?? - I am proud to say, I have rid myself of the excess poundage accrued in that final stage).
@myloves my child was asked at a top tier school whether she had a coach. She had not had a coach. The percentages of getting in to a top program are so low it’s probably a pretty good idea to at least get evaluated by a top coach to increase your odds. I’m not sure what that meant. She was not accepted at that program @halflokum you are spot on. College auditions are so much different than the real world. Also I’m very glad I was not on cc during the process. I think it would have skewed my view.
Part of the issue is we all seem to spend a lot of time trying to justify to the rest of CC why we do or don’t think coaches are good. When in reality they are neither good or bad. They are simply an option. Perhaps it is incumbent upon those of us currently on CC to change the way the subject of coaching is addressed. It is not going away. There are more and more coaches and coaching services available to kids every day. I have a few thoughts on the matter:
- I think the "term" coaching is often misunderstood. I find that there is an assumption that coaches require much more time and money than what we found to be true. Some of us spend far less working with a coach than others do working with their regular voice, acting, dance and "other" teachers.
- Which brings me to my second thought. Advice that one person gets from their current voice or acting teacher may be exactly the same advice someone else gets from a coach. If we called the "coach" "teacher" or "mentor" instead of coach, I don't think people would be as critical. There is something about the word "coach" that really concerns people.
- We need to understand that most people who use a coach do so because they do not understand the process or do not have someone close to them that does. They are seeking the advice of a professional who knows what to do. Nothing wrong with that. What is perceived to be an advantage by some may actually just be an evening of the playing field. If you already have access to people who can help with monologue and song choices, pre-screens, school lists, etc... you probably don't need a coach. But realize that many students are not that fortunate and a coach helps guide them through the process.
- Rather than fight for what we feel is "right" or "wrong" with regard to coaching, I think we all need to allow each other the freedom to decide what is best for our own student. Sometimes we are trying to justify our own choices to ourselves and it comes off as preachy or judgmental to others.
- It does not make anyone better or more talented to not need a "coach". You are lucky indeed if you have the resources you need which make a coach not necessary. But be aware, not everyone is that fortunate. Likewise, for those who use a coach, be grateful for the opportunity to learn from someone well versed in the process. But realize having a coach does not make you better or more talented than those who don't use a coach. A coach can only prepare you for the process. You are all lovely and talented people. How you choose to prepare to audition is your choice and yours alone.
- For those of us who have been through the process, after it's all said and done, we typically wonder what would have happened if we made different choices along the way. And often times what you read on CC is a bit of regret for choices made whether it be buyer's remorse or wondering if we should have invested more. We wonder: If I had used a coach would I have gotten in more schools? or If I had saved the money I spent on coaching, would I have still gotten in the same schools and had that $ in my pocket now to help pay for school? It is natural to wonder. But it's best to look forward, not back. We will never know what would have happened had we made different choices.
So whether you choose to work with a coach or not, let’s lift each other up, not tear each other down. Share what we know in an effort to be helpful. Commisserate in the hard times because we will all experience many highs and lows as we go through this process. . And ultimately, let’s celebrate each others successes remembering again that what defines success for me may be different from what success is for you. May all of these students find just the right school and program for them. Hopefully they all land somewhere they are happy, and when they do, whether or not they use a coach to get there becomes irrelevant.
Like others here, I did not know anything about the MT process prior to reading the information on these threads. Son decided mid-January of Junior year he would like to pursue MT (and we his parents, finally admitted to ourselves it was his journey, not ours). He started private voice lessons, attempted beginner dance (long story). I could not find a private drama instructor in our area, small town Maine. I learned what a dance belt was in the knick of time 
We used money inherited from my mother to send him to CMU pre-college to learn if he wasn’t on a wild goose chase. I had very conflicted feelings about using a coach, but in the end decided to get him six sessions drama, six sessions voice. I thought the coaching service was for me, because I felt so out of my depth. I have yet to meet one person in our area whose child has gone through the process. The coach did not change one school on the list. I was not privy to the sessions, but I think my son would say he benefitted from the process. Fast forward to meeting with a department head after son had been accepted. The department head asked if I had any questions, and I asked what they saw in son that led them to accept him. The department head answered, We liked his goofiness! In other words, they saw his authentic, genuine self, which I imagine most auditors are hoping to glimpse in any prospective student.
I think this is such a controversial topic because it is not a black or white issue. There is so much grey involved. While I agree much of what happens in that room is up to each of our children, I’m not sure I agree that is is completely independent of those who are auditioning in your cycle. There is a reason that many schools wait until they have seen everyone or almost everyone to make offers. You are certainly being compared to others in your class. Is raw talent enough versus a well coach candidate? I think this is where the schools opinion about coaching matter. I also agree with whomever said the comments are probably not aimed at every coached auditioner.
If I was to be honest, I referred to a group of students who appeared to be all from one coach/company as Stepford Wives and Husbands. I’m an observer of people and I watched how they interacted when they knew people were watching and when they didn’t. It did NOT seem very authentic to me outside of the audition room and I would imagine the professionals can identify authenticity inside the audition room. I also saw coached kids who seemed lovely (knew some of them personally) and I couldn’t guess their affiliation to any coach had I not seen them in their group.
I’ve said on CC before, we did not use a coach and I wish we did. However, my S was praised in all his auditions for his authenticity, two auditors called him refreshing, and he had excellent results. Would he have received those comments had we used a coach? We will never know. If I was doing it again would I use a coach? ABSOLUTELY!! I stumbled on CC when he was in middle school while looking for a summer program, so I feel like I had years of research to work with, but a little more guidance would have saved me a lot of stress and a few stupid mistakes.
Ultimately there is no wrong choice. I hope all parents who helped with time, money, research, or whatever never feels bad. Parenting is hard work and most of us genuinely have done our best… college auditions included. Take a bow parents that have gone through it and feel encouraged parents who are on the way.
@entertainersmom - love that story about goofiness. I definitely think a similar factor played into my daughters top acceptance. There were plenty of talented kids there but they told her after acceptance what they liked and she stood out because of it. her personality came through in her monologue and they liked it.
“@myloves my child was asked at a top tier school whether she had a coach. She had not had a coach. The percentages of getting in to a top program are so low it’s probably a pretty good idea to at least get evaluated by a top coach to increase your odds. I’m not sure what that meant. She was not accepted at that program”
^^^^ @Ducky312 , I’m sorry–I’m a little confused. You’re not sure what it meant when the person asked your D if she had a coach, or you’re not sure what something else meant?
@myloves just wondered why the question was asked in the first place. And did it matter to her acceptance.Sorry for the confusion.
Post #15 from @halflokum is actually a good response to almost every thread on this board. Brava!
Adding on to @vvnstar thought in post 26, “coaching” is not limited to college auditions. For student athletes there are school and private coaches. In my field, we have people who are writing coaches and editing coaches. And there are leadership coaches and interview coaches who help people find better jobs. And the professional performer world, now that my boys are graduates from their respective BFA programs, there are still acting coaches and voice coaches and audition coaches to help them prep for big auditions and callbacks. (Happily, they pay for them out of their own pocket now, though!)
Another thought – if you are considering spending money on a summer intensive, there are several that incorporate college audition prep into their programs. I believe both TPAP and BDF do for sure – check with the programs to get details. That might be a way to combine some “camp” dollars with some “coaching” dollars in one shot.
What schools said this? Coaching is not out on resume right? So they wouldn’t know…
Wow…original poster here…I literally was just “thinking out loud” when I posted, I had no idea how much of a response my question would get…but I’m glad it did! It confirms to me that we are or were
all in the same boat, just trying to do our best whether we choose a coach or not. Finances play a part, etc. still trying to figure out what we will choose for my daughter…we already pay for dance and voice lessons, so maybe a monologue coach…I don’t know…again just thinking out loud. And as for people asking which schools said this…I specifically left that out of my initial question because I did not want comments like “oh, that school…blah blah blah”. But I will say that one of the schools is quite prestigious when mentioned on here and the other is one that gets bashed on here…which I also thought was interesting…
Edit: maybe I shouldn’t have said “bashed”…but definitely not held in the same regard as the other one.
–@Ducky312 , no apology needed! It’s sometimes hard to get clarity on forums, especially when we don’t know each other. I wonder why that adjudicator asked that question, too, and I would’ve wished my D had asked them why (but I doubt she would’ve–nor would I have at that age).
–The 3 schools that said something about the coach/company (again, being vague) are high quality ones with great reputations, 2 for acting and mt, and 1 for acting (because they don’t offer mt). I’m not comfortable offering the names of the schools or the coach/company.
–@DVCmember , you are definitely not alone. As I’ve said, we hired a coach in August or September of D’s senior year. I had wondered if we should hire one since November of D’s junior year, but D’s local support was fantastic (at least with vocals and with knowledge of the process and programs), and, as I said, one coach scorned national coaching. But, we both had a moment of panic when D said she didn’t like her monologues and had searched high and low for them. (This was even with working with a local professional who came recommended from a good source. It just wasn’t a good match for D.) So, I contacted Chelsea, and we’re both relieved and happy we hired her! Chelsea was a fantastic support and help in many areas. But, I’m also glad we didn’t spend an arm and a leg. Not that she wouldn’t have been worth it–she would’ve been–but because we were already spending so much on this process.
@myloves I’m really glad we didn’t use a coach though in hindsight I do believe those who use them did seem to have an advantage. We did do a variety of summer programs so it wasn’t like we were Unknowledgable on what we were getting ourselves into