<p>This is probably an insanely stupid question, but what exactly are the Unifieds? I know that when you click the apply button on the BoCo site it takes you to a list of Unifieds schools, but what exactly does that mean?</p>
<p>brdwybound:</p>
<p>There are very few insanely stupid questions, and yours is not one of them.</p>
<p>The "unifieds" refer to a consortium of schools (click here for the list and this year's dates: <a href="http://www.otterbein.edu/dept/thr/unified.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.otterbein.edu/dept/thr/unified.htm</a>) which hold auditions together in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles in February every year. These are not "mass" auditions, as at Thespians, but individual auditions by appointment with each school. We do this in order to relieve some of the cost of travelling to each college. </p>
<p>My first post on cc.com was about the unifieds. Click here to see it (scroll to January 8, 2004, 6:48 p.m.), and the subsequent discussion: <a href="http://www.collegeconfidential.com/cgi-bin/discus/show.cgi?4/39529%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegeconfidential.com/cgi-bin/discus/show.cgi?4/39529</a></p>
<p>Hope to see you in a few years.</p>
<p>(I wrote too soon and had to edit - I was a little off...)</p>
<p>I believe the Unified are "combined auditions," like the the URTAs are for grad school - one stop shopping for actors and schools/companies alike.</p>
<p>Many schools come together to audition students in one venue, at the same time. The students audition in front of the school reps, then callbacks are posted for individual meetings</p>
<p>It's a wonderful opportunity to travel only once, yet be seen by many schools.</p>
<p>Hope this makes sense.</p>
<p>Ahh, ok, it's making sense now! Thanks a lot :)</p>
<p>Ok, one other qucik question: Doctorjohn said that these combined auditions are held in Feb. of each year, but if you want to get a scholarship isn't it strongly recommended by the school to audition as early as possible, usually in December? While the Unifields sounds like it cuts down a lot of costs in travel, does it make it harder to get financial aid?</p>
<p>bumped for brdwybound</p>
<p>brdwybound:</p>
<p>No school that I know of gives away all its scholarship money in December. Nothing could be more self-defeating. So I wouldn't worry about needing to do all your auditions early. On the other hand, there is probably some value in doing one or two before January. There's been a lot of discussion on these boards about the best strategy for spacing auditions, about which ones to do on-campus and which at the unifieds. I just bumped an earlier thread about the unifieds which you should read through.</p>
<p>(CollegeMom, it might make sense to combine these threads.)</p>
<p>Eve, just a correction. The unifieds are not run like U/RTA's, where students audition en masse for graduate school and professional reps. Rather, each school is assigned a meeting room, typically at a hotel, and there it holds individual auditions. Some schools (like ours) will give students a specific 20-minute slot. Others want students to show up for an information session and/or dance call first thing in the morning, then take a number for their monologue and song audition. That will require them to be on-call for the entire morning. In any case, students have to contact each college directly and individually for an appointment. </p>
<p>The colleges which participate in the unifieds generally do their best to make the unified audition as close to the on-campus experience as they can. And, of course, they must give the same consideration to students auditioning at unifieds as to those who audition on campus. Our own statistics bear this out.</p>
<p>The great advantage of the unifieds to students is the chance to audition for more schools than they could otherwise afford to visit. The great advantage for the colleges is the chance to see students whom we otherwise might never see.</p>
<p>brdwybound, does this clear it up for you?</p>
<p>Yes! I finally completely understand. Thanks so much :)</p>
<p>Thanks doctorjohn!</p>
<p>Hello Everyone, </p>
<p>I have merged the thread on "Unifieds vs. On Campus Auditions: Inquiring Minds Want to Know" with the thread on Unifieds. This way, the discussions regarding Unified Auditions are together. </p>
<p>However, please be aware that when merging two threads or discussions, the posts all get put into chronological order. Therefore, the discussion up until this point MIGHT feel disjointed at times because there are responses to previous posts from one discussion, mixed in with those from another. Obviously they all relate, but the posts were not meant to be ordered quite like they are now. Still, now we have it all in one place. Keep it going....
CollegeMom</p>
<p>I made a couple of the Unified (NY) appointments today and found out some that could not yet been made. </p>
<p>As mentined by Doctorjohn, Otterbein is taking appointments. So too, is Penn State once you have sent in a short form available on the website. </p>
<p>I also called Hartt, Univ of the Arts and Miami-- none of which are ready to take these appointments. If my memory is correct (notes are not in front of me) all or some of the application and/or fees have to be paid before they take the appointment. But the applications aren't yet ready. These schools said watch their websites, call back in September.</p>
<p>DoctorJohn, is it best to get a room in the hotel for the night before and the day of auditions? I think I remember someone mentioning this a looong time ago, and that they could just run upstairs and freshen up. Also, would I need it for two days, since check-out time is 12? Is it worth the cost (280 to 330 per night)? I'm doing the SF unifides for Emerson, Hartt, and Ithaca, and I live about an hour away. </p>
<p>What my mom was wondering was that if anyone else on here is doing the SF unifides as well, would you like to split a room, especially if it's only for the day? That way we would have the space for down time and freshening up, but would only have half the cost. Anyone interested?</p>
<p>Be<em>a</em>Star:</p>
<p>I suggest you ask the hotel if you can have a late check-out. This will not cost you more, but will allow you to stay in the room longer than the noon check-out time.</p>
<p>I think that getting to an audition location the night before is a good idea, if you are traveling a long distance. You need sleep; you need to acclimate to the new environment; you need to feel fresh at the top of the day; and after a long car or plane ride, you need to properly hydration. HOWEVER, if it is a matter of expense, I don't think that it is vital to have a room all day, or even at all. Do what you CAN do, and don't go beyond your means if you don't NEED to.</p>
<p>For example, you said you are about 60 minutes away from the SF unified? If so, you might have your parent or a friend drive you in on the morning of the event, so you can focus, relax, hum, visualize success, etc., and they can drop you at the door and find a parking space if you are running close to your call time (allow plenty of time for traffic). [It's also nice to have moral support there with you, and so you can chatter about all the events afterward and share them with someone who cares about you.] If you do this, you can carry a large "dance-type" bag in with you with your dance shoes/clothes, make-up touch-up supplies, hair brush and combs/clips/scrunchies, maybe a travel toothbrush, a few extra pictures and resumes (you never know when you will find these useful as your "calling card"), and your (minimal) purse items such as ID, money, etc. And then you can leave in the car (which will be accessible, if you find a good close parking space/lot) a "freshen up" kit including powder/talc, baby wipes, a towel, deodorant, foot refreshing gel, a change of shoes, an extra outfit and extra dance clothes, etc., in the event you have a little time between your audition appointments and can slip down to use these items. It takes no more time than it does to get in the elevator, go upstairs, and get into your room... </p>
<p>The most important thing is that you can focus on your auditions, and making the best impression possible; and you don't need a hotel room to do that if you live close. Take it from a single mother who watches EVERY penny, and who must travel (at least!) one hour to audition in Los Angeles. Granted, this frugal approach won't be as "glamorous" or pampering as having a room for the night/day, but you will get a great taste of what being a professional actress will be like (yes, I carry a kit like this in my car at all times during audition cycles/seasons, meaning when I'm not teaching/directing). And after your auditions are done, if it is not too late you can take ALL that money you saved and drive to the Presidio for a lovely walk, then eat dinner at a cute place on Chestnut Street or in The Mission neighborhood (the total gas, parking and meal will be MUCH less than the $280 to $330 you would spend to stay in the host hotel - and that figure isn't even counting gas and food while staying in the hotel, right?).</p>
<p>Hope this helps, and break a leg!,</p>
<p>eve</p>
<p>be<em>a</em>star:</p>
<p>Eve has given you terrific advice, and everyone can use her suggestion as a way to approach not only the unifieds but on-campus auditions as well, if the drive to the audition isn't more than a couple of hours and you can get your parents or a friend to drive. Even if you decide to travel the night before and stay in a hotel, her suggestion about the dance bag and its contents is right on the mark. Don't forget your music!</p>
<p>Follow Eve's advice on this one! From our experience......even though we did not go to unifieds..... While we did have to stay at a hotel for each college audition (we don't live anywhere near any of them, nor unifieds for that matter), the hotel room was NOT used whatsoever on the audition day besides getting up in the morning like you would at home to get ready. Some schools' auditions were all day or half day and all the kids had a dance bag or some such with all their supplies and there were bathrooms or something along those lines where kids would go to change and get ready for the next facet of the audition (dance, sing, etc.). So, even at the college audition sites, nobody was going back to their hotel rooms or anything. Just take everything you need for the day (like Eve's list) plus water bottles and a snack and use the facilities at the site, as that is truly what everyone else will be doing. Also, in your case, you only live an hour away and I would not go to the expense of a hotel. I would leave early in the morning and allow more time than you think you need and also have a parent or other support person drive and be with you for the day. You have an advantage over some of us by not having to go to the expense of a hotel or airplane. Save the money if you can. This whole deal is expensive enough. There would not be any big advantage in your case of having a room. The little times in between can be had in a ladies room doing the changes or freshening up your make up or hair. Best to you....
Susan</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! We were even thinking of just taking the train up, so we wouldn't have to worry about parking and traffic. Apparently the marriott is really close to the station. And thanks for the advice on what to bring. :)</p>
<p>Bump and...am still curious about the schools that don't participate in Unifieds but hold auditions off their campuses in Chicago. Past experience anyone?</p>
<p>Point Park will audition in Chicago in January - not at the Unifieds, but if it is closer than Pittsburgh, that's an option. They also hold auditions in January in NYC and Atlanta.</p>
<p>Bump for a friend checking this info out...</p>
<p>hi! I have a couple of questions about the Unifieds.</p>
<p>1) are all of the reps in one room, or do the students shuffle through multiple rooms?</p>
<p>2)yes do them, or no, don't do them? What's your opinion.</p>
<p>love,
ToTheStage</p>