what do ya think?

College Majors Musical Theater Major
1

<p>hey!
I'm just wondering what you guys might think of my "situation," being that it's kind of out of the ordinary...</p>

<p>I applied regular decision to Steinhardt for musical theatre. (Its obviously hard for you to determine my chances from the audition aspect), but I'm just curious as to what others think about my chances because of my situation... </p>

<p>I'm not sure how personal to get here...but we're all adults, right? Well, my "hook," I guess you could say, has been overcoming the burden and trauma of being sexually assaulted by the costume director during a "fitting" when I was in 9th grade, during the fall musical. I of course was 'scarred' in more ways than imaginable, but at the same time it has significantly affected me as a performer and my desire to go into musical theatre on many levels.</p>

<p>Obviously, I did NOT do well academically early in high school. However, I've had a 4.0 for about a year now, causing my cumulative GPA to go from a 3.0 to a 3.6. I know that's not a phenominal GPA or anything, but given the situation, I don't think a 3.6 in a short amount of time is too shabby. (My school doesn't weight grades. )
After the event, I gained the accommidations of a disabled student because of PTSD, which actually ended up hurting me, because I only got a 25 on the ACT. However, last month I found out I'm dyslexic, so I don't know if that affected anything lol. </p>

<p>I have really strong EC's, like being editor of the yearbook and great recommendations. This last semester of high school is also my rigorous. I have calc, genetics, etc. at my high school, and then I also take 7 credits at the local community college. I'm from suburban Minnesota--I don't know if that affects anything.</p>

<p>And not gonna lie...my essay was AWESOME! It was obviously about what happened, and how I've returned to the place that it happened daily, emphatically because I'm so involved in theatre; I kind of had some irony going on there. I also tied in a story about returning to my childhood house, so then the reader can relate to the experience as a whole. It was kind of like a frame story, but anyway...
I don't know if that made any sense? sorry HAHAHHA </p>

<p>Musically: I've been taking private piano lessons for 10 years and private classical vocal training for 4 years. One of my instructors went to Juilliard! (excuse the name dropping hahahha).
-I've done all of my high school's musicals, which wasn't emotionally easy. I was Cinderella in Cinderella this year.
-Some community theatre--Footloose (Rusty), Christmas Carol (Belle)
-lots of choir stuff, etc. through school. </p>

<p>I'm basically just curious as to what a stranger thinks of my chances, I guess you could say. I'm not really sure how NYU treats things like this because its a big university, but then again, its musical theatre program is smaller.
OH!!! I almost forgot...because I didn't apply early decision, I'm writing a letter to the program director just letting him know why musical theatre is important to me, and why I want to study in his program (don't worry, it's not cheesy or self serving).</p>

<p>I was trying to jam as much information as possible into little space, so I'm sorry if this entire post is confusing, lol.</p>

<p>THANKS!! wow, I didn't mean to write that much</p>

<p>I read this board everyday--I love you guys!!! No matter what happens, and where we end up next fall, it's comforting to know that we have found what we love...that's truly a blessing!!</p>

2

<p>Hi, I auditioned ED for Steinhardt, I truly feel it is the perfect program for me. </p>

<p>I had an amazing audition, I really connected to the faculty, they worked with me on my songs for quite a good amount of time. the current students waiting outside kept on telling my mom how great I was doing, that they could tell they really loved me. So I had my heart set on getting in. Well, I didn't. Because of my grades. They took 8 people and admissions told me that if it were just based on my audition I would be in, no question. I had written the director after my audition thanking him for letting my audition for the program and he wrote back after I didn't get in to tell me how great of an audition I had and that he strongly encouraged me to transfer. </p>

<p>The thing is, I have great grades. I'm a solid A student, 1300 on SATs, on high honor roll, NHS, I have a huge amount of ECs. What I'm GUESSING they did was that the program choose the top 16 or so people they wanted to accept in their program, then the 8 with the best grades out of that group got in. Unfortunately for me, this was the most competitive year for Early Decision academically, I was told by admissions that my SATs would've been good enough to get me in last year, but that this year I was up against kids with nearly perfect scores. I don't think this is fair, at all, but I guess I understand why they do it. It is much easier to get into Tisch, they take many more people and it's a lot less competitive academically, however I wouldn't applied to Tisch if I had known I wouldn't get into Steinhardt, I still believe that that was the program for me. I do plan on applying as a transfer.</p>

<p>So I guess it wil really depend on what kind of academic competition your up against for regular decision. Just because it was their most competitive year for ED doesn't mean it will be for RD. I hope all works out for the best for you and that you get the opprotunity to work in such a wonderful program. I look forward to hearing what happens!</p>

3

<p>prairieflower, what a horrible thing for you to have gone through and at such a young age. I applaud you for your tenacity in pursuing your dream of MT, and wish you the best of luck.</p>

<p>Now, as far as Steinhardt goes, it's a tricky one. As you know, admission to the arts programs at NYU, either Steinhardt or Tisch, is selective and balanced equally between artistic and academic review. If your cumulative gpa is a 3.6 in your core academic subjects (which is how NYU calculates it), then you're in the ballpark. Your ACT score is low for NYU, did you take the SATs? How about SATIIs? I honestly don't know how much leeway NYU will give for this kind of circumstance, in that your academics were affected by your experience. I'm worried that it won't be much but I'm not positive. If you've written about it in your essay, then at least they're aware. I can't help but wonder if perhaps you should have allowed your guidance counsellor to write about that, though, rather than using your essay for that. Anyway, that's a moot point now that it's done. :)</p>

<p>Steinhardt usually aims for a class of about 30. There's no way to know who you're competing against but since you're confident in your audition and your academics are in the ballpark, a yes is at least a possibility. There's no way to know, of course, for sure. :) </p>

<p>The comment about Tisch by fingers_crossed aren't entirely accurate. It's not much easier to get into MT in Tisch. Generally, 3000 kids audition for Tisch with around half of those specifying CAP21 as their preferred studio. CAP21 usually enrolls a class of about 60. While it's true that it may be easier to accomodate a few kids with lower academic stats in Tisch (because there are approximately 300 drama kids enrolled), the majority have excellent academic stats. In fact, traditionally Tisch stats are second only to Stern of all the NYU colleges. The numbers may make it a bit easier for someone with slightly lower academics to get in but it would only be a few in the context of the numbers accepted. It doesn't really matter in your case, though, because you applied to Steinhardt. </p>

<p>Where else did you apply? Do you have any results yet? I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Only a few more weeks and you should hear. :)</p>

4

<p>fingers crossed--i'm sorry to hear that you were rejected! Still you have to admit, that it's pretty cool, that they wrote to you! If I'm not in for next year, I plan to apply for transfer as well! I feel very lucky--and I'm sure you feel the same way-- that I've found MY school...not everyone can say that! I really really hope that some day we see each other at Steinhardt!</p>

<p>alwaysamom--I actually did have my guidance counselor write a letter. I forgot to include that. Believe it or not, Steinhardt is the only place I applied to for musical theatre. It was kind of a last minute decision that this is what I really want to do, so I was kind of late getting in the game. Because of this, I did not take the SAT or SATII's. </p>

<p>Thank you both so much for you insights!!</p>

5

<p>I am not sure how your grades could have tanked you, Fingers crossed. An "A" student solidly is about as good as you get. Perhaps the SAT1? I looked at a list of acceptances at Tisch and Steinhardt, and it seems to me that the grades are very important, but there are kids with some B/B+ averages. Below that, I did not see a single on. THere were also some slightly above average SAT1s sprinkled in there among the acceptees. It seems to me that NYU more heavily weights the gpa than the SAT1s. They do not have to lower their standards very often because there are enough academically qualified kids auditioning, and they can take a bit of a chance in the SAT scores because so many of those kids have such high marks in that area. </p>

<p>My friend's son applied ED to Tisch. He had a great audition, lots of compliments, and was turned down. His advisor called to find out what the issue was at each of the schools where he was not accepted, For most of them, it was the grades, as he does not have a 3.0. He is a New Yorker and this advisor was able to have a pretty thorough discussion with his auditioner, and it was pretty clear what the problem was. NYU takes less than 2% of the kids with below a 3.0. The formula is very heavily grade driven. But about 25% of the kids have SATs below 1200, and I personally know of a couple of kids at Tisch with SATs in the 1100 range but they were excellent students. I don't know anyone even with 1500 SATs with below a 3.0 or really without about a 3.5 or so. They also do not take into account the difficulty of the school. Again I am relating info given to me by a highschool counselor who has dealt with the school for years, with many students applying to NYU.</p>

<p>For those with their hearts set on NYU, I do want to tell you that I know of several kids who transferred in. Once you are in college it is those grades that are important, not the highschool grades or SATs.</p>

6

<p>Yes, by grades I meant grades, SATs, etc etc, everything besides the audition. They did tell me that it was mainly my SATs that kept me out. I also did not take any SAT2s or any AP courses (my school only offers a few and I was in an internship program that prevented me from taking any), which may have affected it. I had heard about people getting into Tisch ED with SATs as low as 1100, so even though both programs weigh academics the same, I think the competition academically was just higher for Steindhardt this year for ED.</p>

<p>But transfering is always an option and I'm sure I will love whereever I end up.</p>

7

<p>I am sure that you will. My friend's son may have auditioned with you at the Buffalo auditions as she had to cancel out on a trip we were going to take for those. I just heard he got into the MT program there--he was in the morning group, so you may have seen him.</p>

8

<p>I auditioned in the morning group as well for Buffalo, I'm sure we met briefly.</p>