<p>Just so you don't think we're crazy, the reason we ask that the headshot and resume not be attached (which is contrary to standard professional practice), is that we take all the pictures, resumes and audition profiles over to the copy center on the morning of the auditions and run copies for each faculty member. Copying goes much faster when there are no staples involved ;)</p>
<p>I agree with Susan on this. For college admission auditions, the resume should be complete, even if it's more than one page. This is not for a professional open call where they really only want to know 'what you've done lately'. A complete resume will show the whole picture of your student's experience, and allow the auditors/admissions office to see that. </p>
<p>I'm surprised to hear that some colleges are now asking for only a one page resume. Which are doing this, letsfigureitout? In our experience the artistic resume goes along to the audition and is submitted along with the headshot (or photograph), and is not submitted as part of the application.</p>
<p>Re: headshots. If your student is going to sit for headshots prior to the admissions audition circuit, consider getting a selection of both color and b/w shots to have available. Although it's true that color shots are becoming more popular, b/w are still in use more widely than is often portrayed here on CC.</p>
<p>I think my D had the one-page-only-even-for-college-auditions impression is because she was at CMU's Precollege with letsfigureitout's S, and that is definitely what they were told. In fact, they talked a lot about this in their Auditions class. My D has only done one audition so far, and for that, she condensed all her training and roles (community and school) as well as training and awards into one page, and that meant leaving a lot out. I will say that, at the audition, we saw everything from the one page "selected roles and training" resumes stapled on the back to long, long resumes given separately from the headshot and everything in between. For the next one, she will definitely bring a complete resume.
Re: headshots in color vs black and white. For what it's worth, at the one audition D has done so far, no one that I could see had a black and white headshot. Just in case they were needed or wanted, the photog who did my kid's gave her digital files in both color and black and white. I have to admit that when I first saw color headshots, I had the same reaction to them that I had to color photos in the newspaper: I didn't like 'em! But now I am so accustomed to them that black and white seems odd to me. After all, people are seen in living color in real life, so why not have photos that look just like the person? :)</p>
<p>The one page route may very well be what CMU wants, and obviously they have the right to request that of their applicants, but the problem I have is them telling kids in an audition class that this is the correct way to go for every college application/audition. Not every school wants it done this way and applicants should be checking with the schools they are applying to, to inquire about it, and not just take as gospel what an instructor in one audition class tells them! :)</p>
<p>NMR, having the digital files in both color and b/w is exactly what I meant. It's useful to have the opportunity to have both available. My comment about headshots was for headshots in general, truthfully, because I do not think that it has reached the point where colleges will only accept professional headshots.</p>
<p>alwaysamom, I agree with you completely, as I usually do! :) My D ought to have checked with the school in question to ask what they wanted, but did not do so, taking what she learned at one summer program as gospel. Of course, there is nothing that can be done about it now, but at least it was only one school. I admit that I wondered about this, as it seemed to me to behoove a student applying to college to give that college program as comprehensive as possible a portrait of what he/she has been involved in as far as training and experience. Next time, I am sure my kid will contact the school ahead of time and ask what they prefer. That way, she can be clear on what to do for what school. Thanks to all here for their input!!</p>
<p>It seems to me that CMU was imparting conventional wisdom when it comes to theater resumes in general. After all, they are primarily a college that trains students to go out on the audition circuit. However, for college ADMISSIONS purposes, I don't think a student needs to keep it to a one page theater resume. Some of my clients DO have a one page theater resume as that fits what they have done. Some have a two pager. It depends more on what they have. This is the resume that goes to auditions. They ALSO have an annotated ACTIVITY resume that went in with their applications. That is longer than a page as well. My own children also had annotated activity resumes with all of their undergraduate applications. My D who applied to BFA programs, had a two page theater resume at the time. Ever since applying, she has gone to a one page theater resume as that IS the INDUSTRY standard for auditions. She has a second one page resume for her work in music directing and related work. </p>
<p>Getting into college is not the same as trying to be cast. For instance, if a student has directed and choreographed shows, this may be on a college theater applicant's resume but not on an actor's resume for casting auditions. A student may have garnered many arts awards and these should be shown as an applicant to a BFA program. Now that my kid is in college and auditions for casting and not admissions, she has cut almost all her awards in the arts off but two of significance, which may even come off as she grows older and is working more professionally. Here is an example.....on her theater resume for college auditions, she had on All States. Her auditor at Tisch actually COMMENTED on the All States. In order to get her roles, training, directing, recordings and awards on the resume, it didn't fit on one page. Like I said previously, NOW she has eliminated numerous roles on her resume and awards, and all directing type credits as well.</p>
<p>I think CMU's advice is in keeping with what they advise their BFA students about the industry and auditions. But for the purposes of admissions, it is important to show about yourself and I do believe more than a page is allowed. My kid had a two page theater resume at auditions for college and a three page annotated activity resume for the applications. Her admissions outcome turned out well for what it is worth. It did not turn out well because of this (LOL) but I'm simply saying it was not a problem to do it this way. As far as CMU itself, she made the Priority Waitlist which indicates willingness to accept her if not all those who got offers took them and a spot opened up. So, they didn't take the two page theater resume as a negative, it seems. </p>
<p>I think both color and black and white head shots are being used now but I'm seeing more color in the last couple of years as the trend. Either are acceptable. It is good to get the shots digitally in a way that they could be made up in black and white or color. My D had black and white when she auditioned for colleges but her most recent headshots, taken a year ago are now in color. Most of the college applicants I am working with seem to be getting color. Either will do.</p>
<p>Thanks, sooz. What you say makes sense. Next time, my kid will definitely bring her complete resume (when I say "complete," however, I don't mean every single role she has had since 6th grade, but every role more recently) along on college auditions, as well as an activities resume. That just makes sense to me, because, as you say, college admissions are not the same as going on auditions for a part.</p>
<p>NMR....first, I wouldn't worry at all that on her first auditions, she brought a one page resume. It is totally fine. I'm just saying you don't have to hesitate to bring a more complete theater resume for a college audition and if your D's stuff doesn't fit one page, it is OK. </p>
<p>You mentioned bringing an activities resume to auditions. That is not what I normally suggest. I suggest the ACTIVITY resume go in with the APPLICATION. But for the AUDITION, just use a THEATER resume (ya know, credits/training, etc.). The activities resume is relevant for the admissions review (with the academic stuff, recs, essays) but for the purposes of an audition / artistic review, you just should show ONE resume.....the theater one.</p>
<p>Wow--what a discussion. I never dreamed there was so much to say about resumes! </p>
<p>Alwaysamom asked about colleges that ask for a 1-page resume. So far I've found one: Otterbein. I'll keep checking through the materials we have collected for the schools to which my S has applied, and post more if I find them.</p>
<p>letsfigureit, it's my fault that this discussion about Unifieds (originally) has veered off into a discussion of resumes and what is appropriate, when. Brian, sorry if I somehow inadvertently hijacked the thread, though I do appreciate the advice. Sooz, you're right: by "activities," I meant to say that my D's theater-related awards and volunteer work/stuff could be included in her theater resume. That would be OK, wouldn't it? For instance, she's part of a touring troupe that delivers (in the form of a short drama) public health information to schools and senior centers. Should that go on the theater resume for college audition purposes?</p>
<p>Notmamarose: No "fault"! Mine was an observation, not an accusation. Keep on talkin'!</p>
<p>Three cheers for tangential, even freely-associative blogging.</p>
<p>Has anyone been told that, at Unifieds, they conduct callbacks at a time (perhaps same or different day) not contained within the assigned 3-4 hour block? Also, I have encountered two programs that hold required callbacks in March: Guthrie and the University of Oklahoma.</p>
<p>I was told that Rutgers MIGHT hold call backs in the evenings at the Chicago site. The person I spoke with wasn't sure but offered it as a possibility.</p>
<p>I learned about the Guthrie call-back weekend on CC.</p>
<p>NMR....I would definitely put the arts related awards on the theater resume for auditions. I would not put all volunteer work but the one you mentioned is one that could go on it because it was a performance troupe. I'd have to hear the others but I would mostly have performance based stuff on the theater resume and not volunteer work that is related to the arts but not really performance in nature.</p>
<p>letsfigureit out. I am thankful that you brought up the possibility of a Rutgers callback. I was about to make reservations to fly out Wed. PM from Chicago after the Guthrie interview.
If my recollection is correct, Guthrie asks about 60 to come to Minneapolis (again, all my info comes from CCers and not Guthrie). I suspect that a number of these say the heck with that. I'm hoping that we at least get a callback, as I want an excuse to visit the city and the 'U' after leaving it 20 years ago.</p>
<p>I spoke with a woman at Minnesota/Guthrie BFA a few months ago and she said that the University does not count it against kids who are invited to the callback but who cannot make it. She said that the Univ. understands that there are kids who are, at that time of year, already involved in spring productions (musicals and plays) at school and others who just cannot afford, financially, to fly out, stay and come back. I recall that she said that those who cannot come are asked to send a videotaped performance of some kind (another monologue?? not sure) and that is considered. But she also said the callback has a two fold purpose: not only does it give the Guthrie program another look at the student, but it allows students who have not visited to experience the program <em>and</em> the weather in the Twin Cities in March. :)</p>
<p>Brian: I'd call Rutgers before making travel plans. I talked with them a while ago, and things seemed really tentative at that point. I wouldn't want you to spend an extra day and then learn that Rutgers is planning NO callbacks. It's not an issue for us, as my son is auditioning for them earlier in the week. We're leaving after the 4-hour Ithaca audition on Wednesday AM. I'm assuming they will have seen enough at that point. Hope I'm right! My son has to get back--he is in a show that opens on Thursday evening!</p>
<p>NotMamaRose: Thanks for the clarification.</p>
<p>letsfigureitout: We are now leaning toward auditioning at Rutgers, which means that we have to be at Hartt one day and Rutgers the next. Rutgers seems to be the only program thus far that is resolute in not scheduling auditions before everything is in, which complicates the logistics of scheduling at Unifieds. Purchase forwarded a request card witout all the material beng forwarded. Low and behold, though my son submitted HS transcript forms six weeks ago, he called me this AM to say that the Guidance guy had not forward anything yet - and there are only 230 kids in his HS class. So much for trusting third parties.</p>
<p>Brian, your post points out something I share with all students. Nobody is going to care about your process as much as you do. A student needs to check with each rec writer and guidance counselor to make sure they have sent what is needed to be sent, in advance of the deadlines you provided (hopefully) to these people for each school (and let me add that schools such as Purchase that require an app to be filed in order to secure an audition appointment should have been filed by now). Further, it behooves each applicant, about two weeks after they have sent in their application materials, to check with each college that the college has received all the pieces it needs and that the file is complete. Some schools have online sites or send postcards to indicate this but not all do. I have a child applying to graduate schools right now and the first two are due this week and she has surely repeatedly checked in with each rec writer and transcript sender, etc. and not relied on that they would do it by the dates she provided. So, just offering this suggestion to the masses.</p>