College Auditions - Choosing a Program
Over the past couple of months I have had a number of students approach me about college auditions, specifically choosing a program and material. Today I am writing to help those of you struggling! Below are some vital things to consider when selecting programs to audition for - you want the right fit. In order to choose a program that will get you where you want to be, you need to do some serious introspection. Some things to consider…
BFA or BA? The difference between the two degrees can be huge depending on the school. A BFA will be or will resemble a conservatory environment, meaning you will take very few classes which are not theatre related. A BA will be a more well-rounded liberal arts degree with opportunities for minors and potentially a double-major. If you are hoping to have a career in musical theatre, then a BFA may be the right choice for you; however, if you are not dead-set on having musical theater be your life, then a BA is probably the better option. There are even vocal performance and BM degrees (Bachelor of Music) at some schools which might be a great option for those of you who know you want a music career but you maybe aren’t of what kind (singing, song-writing, music production, etc.).
Does the school have a cut program? A cut program is when a school may accept 30 students into the program but only plan to graduate 15, asking a certain amount each year or semester not to return. Some students thrive on competition and need the threat of being cut from the program to push themselves to be their best. I, on the other hand, wanted a more friendly environment. If you are the kind of person who doesn’t do well under pressure, then a cut program may not be the best choice for you. Some programs will ask students not to return if they are not earning their spot, but do not have a set number of students they plan to eliminate. This is an important factor to weigh in.
Does the program have rolling admissions or do they wait to make decisions until the end of the audition season? Rolling auditions means that they accept people as they audition. If the school is your number one choice and they have rolling acceptance, then by all means go for it! But know that if you wait to audition for that school until February and they’ve already had 3 audition dates, they may have already accepted a student who looks and sounds just like you and won’t accept you for the sake of diversity. It’s best to organize your auditions with rolling admission programs first on the schedule and the rest later.
Does the program focus on acting, singing, or dancing? Typically programs focus on one of the 3, supplementing the focus in each of the others. I am of the thought that most people in musical theater will be able to sing, but not all of them can tell the story (act) - so I chose a program that was acting heavy. We had an acting class every day of the week, singing for the stage (singing songs, but the focus was primarily on telling the story of the song), while still having a weekly voice lesson and a minimum of 3 dances classes per week. If you are a dancer and want to be a professional dancer while still getting training in the other aspects of theater, then you may want to choose a dance-focused program. It’s all about you and your goals.
Do you get to perform as a freshman or do you have to wait until sophomore or junior year? Some schools will not let freshman be in school performances. Some people are determined to perform the second they get to college, so this is something to consider. A lot of schools are in the vein of “break your bad habits before we let you on stage” and I personally think this is a good idea. We all have more bad habits than we think, especially as freshmen in college! Plus, adjusting to college life can be difficult and take a while, so letting yourself get in the groove before jumping onstage is a good idea for some. The idea behind not letting freshmen perform can also be that the school wants you to learn more about the other aspects of theater (set design, costuming, lighting, etc.) to truly appreciate the team it takes before letting you focus entirely on performing.
Does the school have other, non-theater organizations on campus? Some students want to be surrounded by theater every second of every day, and that’s great for them! Other students want an outlet to broaden horizons and maybe make some friends outside the theater department - also great! I personally wanted to be able to have friends outside of theater for those times when I needed a little escape to freshen my mind and just be a college kid for a bit. Definitely something to ask of yourself before choosing a program.
There are a million things to consider when picking a program, and these are only a few, but I can always do a part 2 of this piece to help you make your decisions! Really though, you just need to be honest with yourself about what you want out of a school and what kind of career you are hoping to have. Make the choice for you and you alone and trust yourself. You got this!