<p>I’m a high school senior and am in the process of putting together my apps and getting my auditions figured out. I’m torn about where I should audition for UMich and would love the input. UMich is my top choice school by far and accepts students into MT on a rolling basis, so there’s a definite advantage to auditioning early. They audition from November to March on campus plus in February at the Unifieds. </p>
<p>Here’s my predicament - money is tight and we can only afford one trip to audition for schools. I’m planning on going to Unifieds to audition for the other schools on my list. I have a good amount of money in savings that I could dip into in order to pay for a trip to Michigan to audition earlier (thus increasing my chances of getting in), but it would probably cost around $1000 (airfare for myself and a parent, rental car, hotel, food)… </p>
<p>To further complicate the matter, I was accepted into theater performance at University of Evansville while at the Thespian Festival in Nebraska this past June. I’d love to visit their campus, especially since because since the program is not musical theater-specific I want to check out what MT opportunities there are and how they compare to those at a BFA MT program. If I didn’t go to Michigan’s campus, I could visit Evansville, but I don’t think I have the money to do both. </p>
<p>Since you were accepted to University of Evansville you could wait on that visit until the spring. That way you can see where else you are accepted to and then make a decision if you want to go out there. University of Evansville does give you $150 to fly out there, but that is only a small amount in the total cost for the visit. They will give you another $150 if you decide to go there.</p>
<p>I agree with Judy's advice that given that you are already accepted to Evansville (congrats!), you can hold off the visit until spring when you have all of your cards on the table and are deciding between offers and can visit or revisit as needed to make your decision. Right now, you don't have to decide on a school. You just have to decide where to apply, and then see what happens. You also should decide how much it matters to you whether you do a BFA in MT vs. one in Acting which is a big difference in terms of your curriculum. </p>
<p>While UMich is rolling, and it is good to get your application in on the early side (in order to be reviewed and hopefully be invited to audition in a more timely way), there is not a real advantage to an early audition there. They do not fill up the class early. In fact, after some audition dates, they may make a handful of offers but then reject many and hold onto some by deferring them until more auditions are completed. So, I don't think you need to aim, necessarily toward an early audition date at UMich. I know kids who have gotten in who auditioned in winter.</p>
<p>I would advise you to use your trip money to go to unifieds and audition for UM plus as many other schools as you can fit in. These schools are very competitive to get into. Visit Evansville later after you see where you are accepted.</p>
<p>I agree with Ericsmom's advice. I would not just audition at UMich and only have that and Evansville as options. Use the trip money for Unifieds and audition at more schools that are appealing to you.</p>
<p>I realize my original post was pretty confusing... let me try again:</p>
<p>My parents will pay for one college audition trip, which is undoubtedly going to be to one of the Unified auditions.</p>
<p>If I were to go to UMich and audition on campus, I would be paying for it - about $1000.</p>
<p>The reason I would visit Evansville this fall rather than this spring is because their one mainstage musical of the season is in November. They also have an extremely generous visitation program that would put a long weekend on campus at around $200 for me (airfare, food, lodging, and transportation) and even less if I actually enrolled at the school.</p>
<p>Basically, is it worth the extra $1000 for me to go for an earlier UMich audition? I'm willing to pay that money if earlier auditions really are an advantage (not to say that it necessarily would be for me in particular, just for the general MT applicant). UMich is my dream school and while I would certainly love to not have to spend the money to make a separate trip, I don't want to regret not having done that come next April 1.</p>
<p>Thanks to all for the responses! I really appreciate it!</p>
<p>An earlier audition at UMichigan is NOT an advantage, as I wrote earlier. It is an advantage to get your application in early so that it can be reviewed and you hopefully are invited to audition and can have a better choice of audition dates or in your case, to get an appointment at Unifieds, if you prefer. As I mentioned, while UMichigan does accept some students as the auditions progress, rather than all at one time in the spring, they truly do not fill up the class early and in fact, do not fill it until all auditions are completed. They may make offers to a few people before all auditions are done and send notice of denials to many early on, but they hold onto several in a deferral type of way until more audition dates are done. Plenty of people get in who audition at Unifieds or later in the audition cycle. I do NOT think a fall audition at UMich is going to be an advantage. </p>
<p>I personally think the issue, as you presented it with regarded to UMich, is a nonissue. You could decide to audition on campus vs. at Unifieds if you wish, but the date of the audition is not going to affect your chances, in my view. If you doubt this advice, you can call the department and ask if there is any advantage to an earlier audition date at their school. I truly believe there is not. I think Feb. will be fine for you. My D's friend who is attending UMich, auditioned in Jan. but was NOT told for some time, other than a deferral that he was being considered, until they held more audition dates. That is how it works or else they could fill the class and not bother with the later auditions and in fact, they DO bother with later auditions and they DO accept those who audition on later dates. They hold onto several under consiration in earlier rounds until they can see more. What they do do is to inform those who will not be admitted, sooner rather than later.</p>
<p>While CC is a small sampling, here is the data from the five members whose kids or themselves were admitted this year. While they may not have posted the day they got the word, some appeared to do just that. </p>
<p>Even from this small sample, it correlates with what I have observed which is that a large number get admitted between Feb. and March, even if they auditioned earlier in the season. I don't think a lot of acceptances are sent out prior to February, but a few may be.</p>
<p>My d auditioned in Ann Arbor in feb. They accepted her right before the final deadline! I actually feel that the unifieds are essential to make this process realistic and achievable. One really should apply to and audition for as many as he/she can (my d did 8). I will say, that auditioning AT the school was beneficial in just about all cases. The unifieds are a bit of a zoo, in terms of the sheer numbers of students and schools (we went to chicago in feb) in attendance. The overall feeling at unifieds was positive, but her success rate was higher at the individual schools (could be just our experience) and of course, the experience of seeing the school, the facilities, etc. is invaluable in terms of one's personal "feel" for the program. If at all possible, GO to Ann Arbor. Go to your top choices. But reality will dictate that the unifieds are the only way to go.</p>