@theaterwork if it is a school that you really want to audition for, do not rely on a walk-in. Not all schools will have the available.
Thanks, entertainersmom, for pointing out why it’s so important to read each school’s directions so carefully.
Just to explain Otterbein’s peculiar approach to applying. Before we changed the policy, we sometimes received as many as 900 applications every year for Theatre. Less than half of the applicants actually followed through and made appointments to audition. But in the meantime, the Admissions Office had to process all of those applications, an incredible commitment of time. So Admissions asked our department if we could handle the process differently.
Before the existence of Acceptd, we wouldn’t have been able to. We could not have waited until students auditioned, for example, to ask them to apply. But the Acceptd pre-screens give us an intermediate step. We can look at pre-screens and decide who we want to see at an audition. Those students are then instructed to apply to the university for admission. The others, knowing that they are not going to audition for us, are saved the task of applying, and the application fee.
We think it’s sensible, and in everyone’s best interest.
^ I thought the policy was great. The application fees, test score fees, etc. add up, and I found Otterbein’s approach to the process refreshing.
Any chance of getting a hotel discount if we mention Unifieds? I tried and the agent got quiet, checked with someone and then got back with me and said no.
@bunnymum, did you call the hotel directly? I find the people on the general reservation are not always knowledgeable about discounts. This was two years ago, but I remember that when I called and spoke to someone at the hotel, I was asked if the reservation was for the college auditions and I got that rate.
Thanks GSOMTMom, I actually did speak to the hotel directly. Maybe I will try back. Any chance neighboring hotels might give a good rate for the audition dates?
If I remember correctly last year the hotel New Yorker offered a discount through Groupon that was good during Unifieds.
@bunnymum, which Unifieds is your child going to attend?
If Palmer House is full, call the Hampton Inn Magestic. Very short distance away.
Our year Southwest had a great deal for flight + hotel for Palmer House that friends used. We had Marriott points, but you might be able to sign up to be a member & get a better rate? It’s worth a try!
I remember calling Palmer House last year and their Unifieds discount rate was higher than what I found on the Hyatt.com website. Also, on the Hyatt website there were a number of packages available with credits towards food, wifi, parking and other incidentals that effectively reduced the nightly rate. We also saved a few $$ booking a separate reservation for the Saturday night prior to the official start of Unifieds. They allowed us to combine the reservations and stay in the same room once we got there.
Another nice thing about the Palmer that we appreciated was that if you booked on the executive floors it came with breakfast and a very filling appetizer/evening snack time that we used as dinner most nights. The rooms on the executive floor are a bit more expensive but they have TWO bathrooms, which was great for us.
The quietness and calmness of the executive floor was also nice. It was a nice area to hang out when we didn’t want to be in the room or the louder, busier lounge of the hotel. We also took full advantage of the breakfast, snacks and water bottles throughout the day, and appetizers. I think we only went out to dinner twice. It is more expensive, but it’s be worth it, and I don’t think it’s much more expensive if you take advantage of all of the food they offer. (Full disclosure: Our family had the luxury of charging the room to my husband’s business because he had meetings with clients while we were there. We still would’ve thought it was worth it if we were footing the bill.)
Wait, isn’t the Palmer House a Hilton?
The Palmer House is a Hilton.
There are large, dual-bathroom rooms throughout the hotel, not just on the Executive Floors.
Breakfast on the Executive Floor did me no good once I made the walk to Do-Rite donuts (other than provide a quiet place to eat my donut…ok, I confess, donuts - so many to try, so little time…).
Does a student attend Unifieds in the Junior or Senior Year?
@KK1999 ~ senior. You are auditioning for admission to schools the following fall.
Is it possible to know (prior to Unifieds) which schools do walk-ins? I only have one audition at Unifieds (most of my programs aren’t audition programs), but I’m starting to wonder about auditioning for some additional schools. Because I only have one audition, I’d only go earlier if I thought there was a possibility of doing some walk-ins at schools I’m marginally interested in. 
My daughter was in a dilemma this morning. Tried to call CCM to find out more about her audition and a possilbe conflict and got quite a chilly response. Firstly, she found they changed her audition time without alerting her. Then they added a dance audition time that hadn’t been sent to her which conflicts with another call. When she asked if she could keep her original time she was declined and said there were no more options. But if she REALLY wanted to change, she could pay another 100.00 dollars!! The man of the phone was really curt and unhelpful. He couldn’t even tell her what studio the auditions were being held.
She has decided against going since she figures with 800 people (she was told) expected at the two audition days, she had little chance anyway.
Just thought I’d put that out there so anyone else could check on their times again.
@mtmcmt, that is terrible. Since CCM changed her audition without asking or notifying her, I think she should demand $100 from them! What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.