<p>chrissyblue, I think those things may be positives but if your D is accepted and seriously thinking of attending, there are some questions she should ask before making her decision. Having auditions open to all in the school can be a good or a bad thing, depending on your perspective. Although anyone can audition, how likely is it that kids other than the BFA students are cast in shows? I'd want numbers from previous shows on that, actually, even for the BFA since that type of open audition system will affect the performance opportunities of the BFA students. I'd also closely compare the curriculum of the BA Theatre Studies program against that of the BFA. There may not be as distinct a difference in the two programs but it's something that I'd want to be sure of prior to committing to attend. I guess the last question I'd ask would be if there is little difference between the two, then why cut at all? For some, this isn't an issue but for most kids, it is, and it should be, as we've seen in discussions here on CC. Is the BA program by audition? Best of luck to your D this winter!</p>
<p>Please understand, those who are reading, that alwaysamom and I are not saying these things to be negative on any particular program. Not at all! :) It's just that after hanging around (metaphorically speaking, of course!) this and the MT forum for a few years, you get exposed to a number of posts from kids who have been the ones cut, and I don't ever recall reading a post from a kid who was OK with being cut or even moved to the BA track. Of course, what we get here is probably what a scientist would call a "skewed or biased sample," as people who are unhappy with something are more likely to complain about it! :) But, as alwaysamom said, if the BFA and BA tracks are almost identical, then why two tracks? </p>
<p>Again, this is not to say that a BFA is better than a BA or vice versa; it's just to point out that there are differences. </p>
<p>I just think it's imperative that students and their parents go into programs that have acknowledged cuts (that is, regular trimming of class size <em>expected/planned for</em> as part of the program) understand what that might mean to them and their kid.</p>
<p>Putting aside any philosophical issue about cuts, it is important from a "consumer" perspective to make sure that you thoroughly understand how the cut system works at any school being considered that has one. Being cut has a very real financial impact as well an impact on a student's educational plan. Usually, a student who is cut and ends up in another BFA program finds that the performance classes from the first program do not transfer for program credit at the second school and it is necessary to take the complete sequence of performance classes at the second school thereby resulting in an elongation of the student's college career. There can also be issues of how performance classes transfer for credit to a BA program. This has a tuition dollars impact and delays a student entering the work force.</p>
<p>Some questions to ask about cut systems:
1. Does the school admit more students than it intends to keep i.e. cut to a predetermined number. Under this approach, there are students who will be cut regardless of how well they are doing in the program simply because it is concluded that they rank below other students in relation to the cut off in the number of students the school wants to keep.
2. What role does a jury or eval play in the cut. Is it a 1 shot litmus test that controls the process? Is it like a "super final" that overrides a student's performance/grades in all the performance classes and if you score below a particular grade on the jury you are out? Or is it like a re-audition process where students are in essence re-auditioning and are in a sense competing among themselves, transfers and prospective freshmen for available spots in the program?
3. What are the criteria used for determining whether a student will be cut?
4. Is a student informed that he/she is cut in time to permit the student to apply to transfer (and audition) to another program or does notice occur so late that the student ends up with a gap year?
5. Is a student informed along the way of any performance issues and of their status in the program so as to have an opportunity to remediate their performance and hopefully avoid being cut?</p>
<p>Cut programs come in various shapes and approaches. If considering a school with one, it is critical to ask a ton of direct specific questions so that you are fully informed.</p>
<p>The BFA and the BA students both have to audition. My daughter was there with BA Theatre Studies kids that were also being expected to audition. But from what I understand alot of the BA Theatre Studies kids are looking to go into things like theatre management, artist management, and programs like that, versus the BFA kids, who are going to try to be actors, or if that does not work, go for MFA's and become teachers. Obviously, my daughter is trying to get into a program without cuts.... but we just don't know what is going to happen. I know how she has done in our little corner of the world and that is very good. But I don't know how she compares to the rest of the universe, so I don't know if she is going to have an opportunity to be in a program without cuts. If it were left between a program with no cuts but she didn't have to audition for (UCI, for example) or Emerson with cuts she would chose Emerson just because right off the bat, she probably will have a more intensive group to work/compete with. But, if lightning strikes, and she were to get into NYU or CCM or CMU, I think she would go there.....</p>
<p>Hi I'm a senior and kind of new to this whole CC thing, but I've read through a lot of the Theatre/Drama School part (Insert Numerical Value Here) threads, and just wanted advice on these unifieds. Currently I'm scheduled to do 7 auditions while I'm in Chicago, and I wanted to know if I'm going to be too much to do two a day like I have planned. From what I gather, it doesn't seem impossible, but I've scheduled them so I have like a 9:00 A.M. and then a 2 or 2:30 P.M. I know in NYC the auditions for various institutions not affiliated with the unifieds are spread out, does anyone know if this is similar to the Chicago ones, or does mostly everyone tend to stick around the Palmer House. I've never been to Chicago and I just worry about my already poor sense of direction in an unfamiliar city. Is it a fairly navigable city? </p>
<p>The schools I'm doing in Chicago are SMU, Uarts, Purchase, CalArts, CMU, U Minnesota and Juilliard.</p>
<p>Thanks so much :)</p>
<p>Hunter, we're new to this also and the scheduling does seem overwhelming but from everything we've heard, you should be fine scheduling 2 Drama auditions a day at the Chicago unifieds ... </p>
<p>It's our understanding that unlike NYC, the Chicago unifieds all take place at The Palmer House hotel, and so you will literally be running from audition room to audition room at The Palmer House without having to go outside ... </p>
<p>And while it will undoubtedly be crowded there, Drama auditions generally don't take TOO long, although you probably should keep the better part of your Juilliard day free (and maybe UMinn/Guthrie, also) in case you're called-back.</p>
<p>I know that NMR and others who post here regularly attended the Chicago unifieds and can probably provide more detailed information. Like you, we're just in the process but my child has oodles of friends who participated in Chicago last year, so until someone else jumps-in with a response based on their own personal experience, I thought I would post what I learned second-hand from those kids ...</p>
<p>I don't think Minnesota/Guthrie has callbacks <em>at</em> Unifieds, per se. Minnesota spends between 10-20 minutes with auditioners and some weeks later, those who in whom the faculty is very interested are phoned and invited to a callback weekend in Minneapolis. </p>
<p>At least, this is how it worked when my D did her Minnesota/Guthrie audition during NYC Unifieds. (Minnesota/Guthrie does usually audition kids during that time period, though they don't rent space -- or didn't, last year -- as a formal part of the National Unifieds. My kid had to go to a different studio in New York to do her audition.)</p>
<p>I am not sure how an offsite Juilliard audition works. The kids I know who auditioned there did their auditions at the Lincoln Center campus and just stayed there if they were called back.</p>
<p>I may have some answers about the cut program at Emerson since I'm a student there as well as the differences between the two tracks. The BFA acting cut is indeed a "cut" but it's not a true cut system (unlike the musical theater cut). Normally 22-24 students enter the BFA program freshman year, and at the end of the second year there is a re-audition to get into the BFA studio classes, because for the first two years the Musical Theater majors as well as the BFA and BA acting majors take their acting classes together. Throughout this process many BFA students discover that they want to double major or minor and drop to the BA acting program on their own. At the end of the two years, there is a re-audition process, and if the re-audition panel and the student feel that they would be better suited to the BA program then that happens.Normally the student will have known if they will not be invited into the BFA studio classes. As students we are told that the re-audition process is mostly for the us to evaluate where we are and what fits us best.</p>
<p>The differences between the two degrees are really minor, basically BFA's take the studio classes while BA's don't and instead take a second theater emphasis (such as directing), minor, or double major. BA's can still take all of the advanced acting courses Jr./Sr. year that the BFA's take such as Acting for the Camera, Adv. Stage Combat, etc. As stated above an advantage to the BA program is the LA program senior year. Also, BA's are treated no differently than BFA's, the audition process is the same for both, and in terms of percentage admitted they are very similar. </p>
<p>I think the important thing to note, and something that I've found, is that Emerson wants you to be the best actor you can be. They don't want to break you down and create a new person, they want best possible version of you. </p>
<p>If you guys need any questions answered I will be here, lol. This site helped me a lot last year, and I would love to give back.</p>
<p>Thanks for that info CTnapier! Can you elaborate some on the cuts for MT?</p>
<p>Programs that have what are referred to as traditional cuts are programs that deliberately take in more students than they plan to graduate in four years. They use the time with the students in order to see which ones they think are the best (usually, a set number or close to a set number) and then cut the others loose. This is different from programs that only "cut" students who are not making the grade.</p>
<p>Thanks NMR. So for Emerson they state that they accept x number of MT freshmen but only graduate x number? If so, what are those numbers?</p>
<p>MamaBear, I don't feel qualified to answer that question about Emerson's MT cuts. My daughter was not interested in Emerson's programs for various reasons (including the cuts) and thus didn't apply or audition, so what I know is very cursory and on the surface. However, I feel sure that someone else here may have the answer. If so, bring it on! :)</p>
<p>Thanks, CTNapier... my D was just accepted BFA Acting EA at Emerson and is very excited. She is still not positive she will attend, as she has other auditions pending, but Emerson is in her top four schools, so this was a very wonderful Christmas present for her. </p>
<p>NMR and MamaBear: When I was at the parent meeting at Emerson Auditions this year in Boston, they said that they audition close to 600-700 for MT (400-500 for Acting), accept around 50, of which around 24 will accept. Between sophomore and junior year, they want that 24 to be around 16-18. That number is usually achieved through natural attrition, and then some "cuts." However, the director claimed that the cuts are usually not a "surprise", though I know there will be some on CC that will disagree with that statement. According to Emerson, the typical US Drama College graduates 16-18 each year. They are just trying to get to that number. They will also try to achieve the same number for BFA Acting.</p>
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Between sophomore and junior year, they want that 24 to be around 16-18.
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<p>I think this is the key issue that prospective students must consider and determine if they want to attend a school whose plan, from the beginning, is not to graduate ~1/3 of the members of its entering class. And, indeed, if ~1/3 of its class is leaving through attrition, that is also an issue that needs to be investigated by prospective students.</p>
<p>And I am sure that alwaysamom would agree with me when I say that it is ALWAYS worthwhile/important to investigate how many/what percentage of the original class who matriculates ends up graduating at the end of four years, as a result of cuts and/or attrition. </p>
<p>I do think it is natural and expected that a certain number of kids in any BFA program (heck, probably in any college program at all, but especially a BFA) will discover that studying acting or musical theater (or voice or visual art, etc.) is not what they imagined or else is not what they want anymore, and a certain percentage will leave the program to pursue other majors. No one is disputing that.</p>
<p>What would concern me, as a parent, is when I hear that a program deliberately accepts more students than it plans to graduate and/or when a large percentage of the original number decide to leave. I would want to know why and would take a closer look.</p>
<p>As a parent, it does not concern me at all. Similarly, it does not concern my D at all.</p>
<p>I only think it is fair to remember these kids don't get pushed onto the street at Emerson. I just heard of a kid at CCM who was "cut" and that was it. Nothing else. No place to go. At Emerson, the BFA students just move into the BA Theatre Studies program. (Keep in mind at UCLA, you can ONLY get a BA, so this isn't such a bad thing.) At Emerson, recently one of the BFA Acting students went into BA Theatre Studies and decided to pursue theatre management, and probably will be more successful than the actors in the end. Furthermore, at a program like Emerson (and NYU, I admit), a student will get a strong liberal arts education which will be of value to them for the rest of his or her life.</p>
<p>Obviously, the idea of cuts is unpleasant. But I have to point out the obvious. This acting bizness is a tough bizness and when you have a thousand people going for one job, you need to get a tough skin. Cuts, rejection. All part of the deal. </p>
<p>And moreover, I remember more than my share of friends who changed their major during college. I know Acting and MT students tend to be a little more fanatical than the average students, but they are also prone to change their minds as well. I'm certain that Emerson knows they will lose some of these students to attrition and that is a reasonable expectation.</p>
<p>It just seems sometimes like there is a definite anti-Emerson bent on this Board and I believe one needs to present both sides of the story and let people make up their own minds. The vibe on that campus is very special and positive. Its not a stripping down kind of place. It is a building up kind of place. I think the parents on this site are more concerned about the cuts than the posts I've seen by the kids on the same subject.</p>