<p>PLease forgive me if this has been concisely laid out elsewhere but I thought it would be helpful if those who have successfully navigated the application process would share their timelines. My wife is still in denial that our son is going to be an actor so I am the the one who must orchestrate the process. This board has been incredibly informative but I feel as if he should be doing more than just studying for the SAT and taking voice , dance and acting lessons. Did you hire consultants, talk to school representatives, visit school productions or is that all reserved for the senior year? Our high school is incredibly deficient in providing any help and the music and theatre departments are not very helpful in guiding my child. If this is handled in another thread, please send me there.</p>
<p>Jacksdad,</p>
<p>You are already ahead of the game. Take a look at the "Rising Seniors." thread on this page. It will give you a sense of what's in store for next year. Don't fret if your HS counselors are in the dark about this MT process. Most of the posters here have found that exact situation. They have relied on this board to help pull them through. However, I do think there are some things you can do this year:</p>
<p>Start searching for a vocal coach, one who will help your child find appropriate audition material. Many voice instructors are up to speed in this area.</p>
<p>Have you child start reading plays and start searching for monologues. By the time auditions are scheduled, he will have a great portfolio of songs and scenes.</p>
<p>Start talking to students in various programs-- not only in big name schools, but also in some of the up and coming, smaller or BA (non-audition)ones. Get informed.</p>
<p>If you can afford a trip to see productions or tour facilities, then by all means go for it. Although this isn't mandatory, it will start him thinking about what he wants next year. In my D's junior year, she attended some open houses of programs that were within a few hours drive. Then, during spring break, she took a much longer drive (with her Dad) to visit and tour 3 programs that were much further away. She was also lucky enough to see productions. Many programs will also allow you to sit in on classes. Visiting during the school year (opposed to summer) will allow you and your son to see things "up close and personal." But many students wait until on-campus auditions to do visits. There is no right or wrong way to approach this process. </p>
<p>Good luck on your journey. You are on the right path.</p>
<p>Here's what we did in the Junior Year:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Read just about all of CC. Make folders on the computer to file information (cut and paste from CC posts into Word document). It's amazing what you'll want to refer to later . . . and then cannot find. I found more BA program information on the Theatre/Drama forum.</p></li>
<li><p>Get a feel for the types of programs: conservatory style, BFA with liberal arts component, BA programs. </p></li>
<li><p>Explore type of school: small/large, geographical area, residential/commuter, etc.</p></li>
<li><p>Figure out where you kid might fit academically. For example, mine is not a candidate for NYU. Knowing early on will weed out schools.</p></li>
<li><p>Think about an audition strategy. Will he do the Regionals or on-campus?</p></li>
<li><p>Participate in a summer intensive program. This was important for my S to see the national talent pool and also to experience theatre classes and particpation from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (as opposed to a few hours after school each day). It helped him to answer the BFA vs. BA question. In Dr. John's BFA/BA survey his answers placed him pretty much in the middle. He wasn't swayed to either side which is why we were looking at BFA programs with a strong liberal arts component and BA programs. The summer experience pushed him over to the BA side.</p></li>
<li><p>Visit a variety of schools and programs. You won't have much time to do this in the senior year.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Is your son interested in MT or straight acting?</p>
<p>You wrote</p>
<p>
[quote]
Our high school is incredibly deficient in providing any help and the music and theatre departments are not very helpful in guiding my child
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I met with our school principal a couple of weeks ago for several reasons. First our D will be missing a lot of school this year and I wanted to be sure he knew why up front and that that would not be a problem. I explained to him what was going on and informed him that I was functioning as her guidance counselor. Not because I wanted to but because nobody in the district has clue one about how to do this. I knew more about it after 15 minutes on CC than their brightest counselor. Thats just the reality of this. Its either your kid is in an arts HS and they know how to do it, we learn the ropes and do it ourselves or there are people on CC who do it professionally. </p>
<p>Elliotsmom has given you a good list. I second the summer intensive. Each year for the past 4 we have sent D to an ever increasing level of intensity. If your son thinks he wants to go the BFA conservatory route he should be in an intense summer program at a real one and preferably at one of his target schools. That does a couple of things. 1) A taste of that lifestyle to see if its for him. 2) It marks off a visit to a target school and should get a pretty good feel for the school. 3) A reality check on talent. If he goes to one and auditions for placement and gets put in advanced group that would indicate one application strategy or if he got put in a lower level that might indicate another.</p>
<p>One additional reason to add to Wally's reasons for a summer intensive at "target schools" -- at many of them, the auditors are also the ones working with the kids during the summer. You are more likely to be less nervous going in to see at least a few familiar faces, and the fact that the auditors have seen you long-term as opposed to 3-4 minutes would give them a better chance of assessing whether you would fit well into their program. (Not that this would equate acceptance - it could do the reverse, if they weren't impressed by your work ethic, etc.)</p>
<p>No question that that is correct. Good point. At the one our D went to she was working with the regular year faculty all summer and the audition workshops were given by the very people that travel to the unifieds for the school.</p>
<p>Hi there! Ok this is really scary to me but I have a few words to share....eeekkkk! As the Mom of a senior in the throes of this process.....my thoughts:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Read read read.......CC can take you a LONG time to read but DO IT!! I found this to be the most helpful. It makes the fall a lot easier to handle...</p></li>
<li><p>Decide BFA or BA if possible....talk about pros and cons of each...look at conservatory vs more LA programs. Where do the strengths lie? DO you feel more like a "Renaisance <sp?> person"? WOuld a broader program be better? Or is a conservatory program better?</sp?></p></li>
<li><p>DO a critical academic assessement - are the tougher academic schools just out of reach? THere are some that if you cant cut the mustard academically you might as welll not apply (blessedly for us ...not an issue! but for many of D's friends, a BIG factor!)</p></li>
<li><p>Find a summer program if you can at all afford it ( I screeched at the idea right before senior year but am so happy we did it!)...it really gives everyone a good idea if at a NATIONAL level 'you got the goods' ....it gave my D a needed affirmation of ability in several areas (she chose the CAP21 program this past summer!) </p></li>
<li><p>Get the 'potential' list going...mom or dad you need to start files or spreadsheets or something including as much data as you can get. Encourage summer work on essays and apps........it is so helpful as fall arrives and you juggle dance, voice, AP, regular school, college courses AND a major community theater production to have something done!! I do what I can (I stayed up last night addressing envelopes!!!!)</p></li>
</ol>
<p>And most of all.......................BREATHE! and relax.......... and enjoy..... I keep telling myself exactly this......every day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</p>
<p>Have fun.....
MikksMom</p>
<p>
[quote]
it is so helpful as fall arrives and you juggle dance, voice, AP, regular school, college courses AND a major community theater production to have something done!! I do what I can (I stayed up last night addressing envelopes!!!!)
[/quote]
</p>
<p>And, I KNOW this is nearly impossible to convince many of these driven kids of this - but I would highly recommend limiting productions during senior year, and to be cognizant of scheduling. I know a girl who had her audition for her first-choice school during the run of a show, coming off hell week. Needless to say, the audition did not have the hoped-for result. </p>
<p>One more production on their resume is not going to be nearly as beneficial as going in and being able to show the very best you have to offer.</p>
<p>PS - thanks, Wally for the quote instruction :)</p>
<p>MusTHCC:</p>
<p>Don't we know that? But them....HAHAHAHA......:)</p>
<p>We have discussed senior shows A LOT.....but of course it is very difficult to do. We at least have discarded a few options but no way to eliminate them all. Ya gotta do what ya can and hope for the best!!</p>
<p>MikksMom</p>