I totally agree with @HappyDancer98. I would advise people wait until after you are accepted to visit for several reasons. Besides the obvious challenge of getting accepted, the kind of visits offered to an accepted student - spend the night and attend classes all day in your major - is dramatically different than visiting on the weekend and doing the generic campus tour. I look back and think I wasted money visiting places and doing the general tours. It is great to do general tours to get excited about the idea of college but we are repeating the same experience now that my S has choices with much more focus. Also, what my S wanted in his junior year versus his senior year evolved a lot throughout the audition season.
I truly feel for the original poster on this thread. My D used a coach last year and ended up taking a gap year because she wasn’t happy with the results. We didn’t have a great feeling from the beginning because they seemed almost too busy - but we didn’t know much. I blame ourselves rather than the coach as we didn’t speak up about audition material choices and needs.
This year we used MCA (Chelsea Diehl runs it) and my D and I couldn’t be more impressed and happy. We told her what we were hoping to improve and she really listened. She helped make a list of programs that were fits and reaches filled with programs we hadn’t heard of but have since fallen in love with. It was a team effort, something I felt was missing last year. She answers our emails promptly and I email a lot! I think the feeling of support was what we (me? HA!) needed and so far the proof is in the pudding. 4 acceptances we are thrilled with. Also, we have only met her on Skype.
so, to the original poster, I guess I am saying two things…it’s okay to take a gap year and if you want to repeat the process, make sure you have someone you connect with in your corner. It made a difference for us. And don’t be afraid to speak up!
@dramamama412 I saw you said you used Chelsea Diehl. We met her at a summer camp
Once and she was very nice. I am curious since you said you only used Skype to consult with her ., did you find that sufficient? I saw a couple coaches want to meet in person at least once if possible it seems or it seems like that would be beneficial… So did your child sing for her over Skype or send her a video so she could evaluate her? It seems like it would be hard to not meet on person at all. Do the coaches get a feel for your child by only meeting virtually? I know this seems like a dumb question but I’m curious…what other info besides I guess financial concerns are they using to determine school fit?
@theaterwork My daughter did not use one of the national coaching programs. She was coached by teachers in our community that she had worked with for years and knew her well. We researched a ton and she chose the majority of her material based on that research (do not do lists, ect). She has done a lot of community theatre and has had many lead roles, but all local. No high dollar summer programs. Not a trained dancer(a good mover), never had time to pursue with rehearsal schedules. So far she was accepted at Pace and Shenandoah, wait listed at bw (video submission), and had a priority hold at Texas State (has been released). She has had some rejections as well and we are still waiting on 5 programs. It might have been worth the money to go with a national coach, as we are now seeing that most kids seems to do so. It certainly would have helped with making a list of schools that were a good fit. Some were obviously not by the audition experience alone. But you can also do it yourself if you have trusted professionals/teachers in your community to work with and a strong support system. A lot of elbow grease choosing material/schools, but it is certainly possible:) Feel free to pm me, I would be happy to share in more detail how she prepared.
We found the same with Chelsea as @dramamama412 , and we only Skyped, also. We almost didn’t use a “national” coach; it wasn’t until last summer/early fall of D’s senior year that we contacted Chelsea, and we used her lightly compared to how often most people seem to use these coaches. However, Chelsea zeroed in quite perceptively to D’s personality and desires, and she always made us feel that she was there for both of us with truly personal attention whenever we needed. So many helpful emails! While both D and I agree that we are happy D used a national coach, I do not think coaches are a magic elixir. (Chelsea would be the first to say that, too.) As evident in this thread alone, there are people who are happy and unhappy with results with or without coaches. It’s impossible to say whether results would’ve been different with or without a coach. Even when people have more success auditioning a second year, but with a coach or a different coach the second year, I think it’s difficult to say exactly why the outcome was different. It could’ve been the experience of the previous audition year, growth in voice or acting or dance, maturation, a need for one’s type in programs… Also, I have heard (even from their own mouths) that there are heads of programs who prefer auditioners not use or maybe just over-use a coach; they feel they are a bit robotic (yet some of the students using the coach gets into these very programs, so…) However, having Chelsea definitely helped us both feel more prepared, greatly helped D pick out monologues, gave us another valuable and educated perspective (in addition to the excellent local coaches D had who truly know this process), and helped keep us both sane and grounded.
I agree with the above! Even beyond the prep it has been nice to have someone to listen to us and be a sounding board. Though I am completely confident this can be done without a coach. For us, however, it made sense and alleviated some stress. Yes @theaterwork only over Skype! We wanted to get there in person but between show schedules and work it just never made sense. We sent videos before the first lesson and my D also sang and performed a monologue in the first lesson. In terms of school fit, Chelsea asked my D to give some “non-negotiables” to help make a list after hearing her perform. Location, liberal arts or conservatory, campus or city, etc.
Hi–thank you all:) I felt that my coaches were nice enough–some were truly great…but all along I got the feeling that they were not overly invested in me. They weren’t very understanding when I couldn’t travel and have not checked in on me once since auditions…I would like very much to hear from them first. I honestly think that they just take on too many clients and while kind, are not readily available–at least not to me. There is a Facebook group that is very active but I don’t know anyone haha. Oh well. I really do appreciate everyone’s support and I am sure I’ll love college–wherever that ends up being!
We got a late start and used Mary Anna Dennard on referral of an older boy my sons knew. She was a godsend because we literally knew NOTHING about the process and needed all the help. We did have local voice teachers, a great high school drama teacher, and local theatre people on our side, but something about having an expert who understood the process and the players involved was the magic ingredient we needed. None of our local experts had any actual college audition experience. Plus, god forbid, when we met Mary Anna, we knew almost nothing about Pace – I know, shocking! And now one of my boys is about to graduate from the program. I think one of the most valuable things about the coaching was the ability to take part in mock auditions with real college reps. They were the best tool for giving my sons an “in the room”-type experience and for shaking off nerves. For the record, however, the year my boys coached with Mary Anna, she lived in Los Angeles, so the vast majority of their coaching was in person. She has since returned to the Dallas area. Because of schedule conflicts and finances, we only used her for monologues, college audition basics and mock auditions – we did not go to her private auditions or use her team for song rep or song coaching. We hired another experienced MT actor in LA, for a few sessions for that aspect.
In terms of “connecting” with my boys, I know they took a lot of the initiative and would email or text her frequently with questions or for feedback throughout the process. She seemed to me to be very invested in them and their journey.
A final note for those coming up. If you feel strongly that your coach hasn’t selected material that truly reflects you, remember that you are the one who has to go in the room and be confident delivering it. Speak up early in the process and say you aren’t connecting with the pieces, that you’d like to try other material, or discuss why your coaches see you fitting those selections. Maybe your coach sees an angle you hadn’t thought about? Talk about it, because you should feel like you are walking into your audition with the PERFECT selection for you.
You should know we also used a big name national coaching agency and were very, very happy with the support my D received. She is active on the FB board and has made friends through the agency. But her coaches have not checked in with her either. I wouldn’t take that personally. I’m not sure that’s how the relationship works.
My D’s coach checked in with D frequently, even after her decision was made. While I’d be a bit disappointed if she didn’t, I wouldn’t take it personally if she didn’t (unless I knew for a fact that she checked in with others), but I also wouldn’t say that it’s not the way the relationship works. In my mind, it shows a level of investment and care. But, as with colleges, any coach (local or national) has to be picked based on fit as well as credentials, and this sort of thing could fall under fit. (We looked for expertise and track records as well as down-to-earth, personal, caring care.)
The Dennard woman is the woman who does the Moonifieds auditions for only her students correct? Are those “mock” auditions or the real deal? When are they held? If they’re the real deal then that must be a huge benefit to using her service…
@theatrework - Mary Anna Dennard hosts “Moonfieds” each year in Dallas in November and students of Dave Clemmons also attend (Mary Anna’s nickname is “Moo”). These are “real” auditions and I think 20+ schools attend, including (at least when my daughter went) Texas State, Baldwin-Wallace, Penn State, Otterbein, Wright State, Point Park, Viterbo, Oklahoma, Rider etc.
For some of the schools, the audition is a live prescreen (Texas State, Penn State, Otterbein, Oklahoma, Coastal Carolina, and others) but it is a “final” audition for others (Baldwin-Wallace, Point Park, Wright State, Viterbo, Rider etc.).
There are usually Master Classes taught by MT program heads the night before the auditions. The year my d went, Robin Lewis from Rider did the dance call.
It is a huge benefit for students of Mary Anna and Dave Clemmons.
One cautionary note: Moonifieds, like Unifieds, is not for the faint of heart. The level of competition is very high (almost everyone in the dance call is a very solid dancer) and auditioning for 12 or more programs over 2-3 days can be stressful.
My d loved working with Mary Anna.
@theaterwork My son used MTCA last year, and ended up with acceptances to four BFA and one BA programs + a couple of redirects, a wait list, and a non-audition safety admit. NYU, Rider, Hartt & Point Park were the BFA’s. But there were lots of rejections too. Those were all rough, with the roughest being Otterbein, because after passing the pre-screen, and still being in the pool after the audition, he got really attached to the program. What I kept telling him, was that he could only go to one college.
Thanks for the info @EmsDad I thought that was how that worked. Yes as I stated earlier my D is not dance heavy so that wouldn’t be a good place for her to be anyway lol. We are not planning on using them as a coaching service , I am just curious about the whole process. It’s very interesting. I would think if one could travel to TX for that and were a student of those people it would be phenomenal to be shown to those college reps that early in the season. Your child is very fortunate to have been able to experience that.
not all Moo’s students do Moonifieds as it tends to fall on a weekend that is a popular weekend for High Schools to do their fall musicals (Alas!) – it also coincides with Texas Thespians / North Texas Drama Auditions / Booker T Washington showcase, which is why all the college reps are in Texas that week. But yes, it can be a very valuable head start to the college audition season for those who are ready to dive in!
@MTTwinsinCA - Texas Thespians no longer held on the same weekend as Moonifieds. North Texas Drama Auditions are still on that same weekend, though.
Quick question re: Moonifieds or other similar audition setting…is there a downside to having your final audition with BW, Rider, etc. in November rather that waiting until Jan/Feb? I would imagine a few of those early auditions prepare students for the “finals” so to speak and wonder if kids feel like they’ve had a final with one of their top choices before “getting all of the nerves out”. This is strictly a wondering on my part.
The only downside to the early audition in 2013 was getting a no before Christmas but on the flip side there could also be a yes for Christmas! That’s true of some fall auditions regardless.
Thanks for the correction @EmsDad! Hard to keep it all straight! 
Lots of wonderful advice here not just for @mtgirl225 but for all kids who might be feeling less than thrilled with their options or having remorse about the audition prep process. As @soozievt said, any acceptance to a BFA program is something for which to be proud. My kids coached with MTCA from 3000 miles away and always felt well cared for and about and connected. But no matter who you coach with my advice would be that you have to advocate for yourself and your needs for you are ultimately responsible for your own journey. Coaches are wonderful and valuable but they are coaches, they are there to help and give guidance but in the last analysis this is your journey. Finally, I would encourage you to give feedback to the coaching group with which you worked so they can hear your perspective and you can hear theirs. It’s possible that your coaching group has a more “hands-off” approach during the waiting time or feels that this phase is a family decision based on finances or other more sensitive issues so waits to hear from the student. Who knows? But without reaching out you might be feeling neglected because of a misunderstanding. Hang in there and be proud of what you have accomplished because you have indeed accomplished something! xoxo