How to narrow the choices?

A place to talk about full time schools and post 16 training.

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islandofsodor
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How to narrow the choices?

Post by islandofsodor »

With so many colleges how do you narrow down which ones to apply to? Most don't offer open days, you can only attend so many summer schools & then there is the age 16 or age 18 dilemma.

Dd is so far liking the sound of Tring, Arts Ed, Bird, RCS & Mountview but they are all very sought after places.

How did your children decide where to apply?
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2girlsmum
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by 2girlsmum »

When my DD was in Year 10 we starting discussing the future and she decided that she wasn't ready to on to full time training away from home so she made the decision that it would be at 18 for her.

In Year 12 she started researching all the places that could provide her with the course she wanted. She has known from a young age that it will be MT not straight acting, so that was another decision made. In Year 10 we attended as many open days as we could and also watched end of year shows. This gave her a good feel of what the students from each college was like. DD also attended 2 schools pre-audition courses - these were really good as they give an idea of how their classes run, staff etc and one of these made DD decide that it really wouldn't be the right place for her so she removed that one from her list. So at the end of Year 10 she had a list of where she wanted to consider, in her perceived preference order.

She has attended a part time performing arts school from the age of 6 and also decided to do a BTEC Ext Level 3 in MT and both places suggested she audition after Christmas.

Out of a list of about 17 in Sept she narrowed it down to 8 that she wanted to start off auditioning for. She applied for them and got audition dates back. Once she started attending the auditions she got a better feel for the colleges and sometimes, after only being in the college for about an hour or so she already knew that it wouldn't be the right place for her. So during the audition process her preference order on the list changed constantly. I personally feel that trusting them to know what is right for them or not is really important.

Once DD had received one offer that she knew she would accept and be happy with, she then compared the other auditions she had, so if offered both which would I take. This meant that she wrote to one college cancelling her audition as she knew that even if offered there she wouldn't take it over the offer she already had.

We also had contingency plans that by Feb if she didn't have any offers, there were other colleges to apply for (from lower down her long list).

She had also looked into Foundation courses, I know this is a hot topic on other threads, but we personally think they can be very worthwhile, so would have considered one for DD had that been the right path for her.

Sorry the post is so long, I hope this has helped a little.
jennifer1972
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by jennifer1972 »

For us, we started on the basis that it had to be commutable,as at least for the first year DD will be staying with family on the Essex/London border. For me, she had to have her A-level (Baccalaureate in her case) completed. As we live in Spain we couldn't attend any open days but made a list of about 6. As 2girlsmum said, going for the auditions gave her a real feel for the places, which meant that her favourites suddenly weren't and ones she thought she wouldn't like, she did!! She was lucky to get offers at all of them, so went for her favourite. Also, I did a spreadsheet and jotted down any info I had gleaned from this forum, which helped make the original list eg. some colleges specialise in year 1, others in year 2, some places offer more singing compared to others, some have the possibility to do teaching grades,things like that, so she wasn't just basing it on whose showcase she like best on youtube!!
Munchpot
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by Munchpot »

Hi

Have to agree with the two posts above. My DD wanted to do MT from a young age, but also wanted to make sure she had A Levels 'to fall back on' in lean times and also believed that 16 was too young for her to start full time training

She made a list of her favourites and went to as many open days as possible. We also went to Move It each year to talk to the colleges and students and watch the showcases.

I totally agree with 2girlsmum about trusting them to know what place feels right for them. My DD for years had her heart set on one college - was convinced that's where she wanted to train and nowhere else would do, but on the day of her audition she said within 15 minutes she hated the place and just knew it wouldn't be right for her. On paper they are an amazing college, but she just didn't 'feel' it
islandofsodor
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by islandofsodor »

We visited Move It last year but were unable to this year as we needed to save the money for summer schools/audition fees. I had wanted to take dd to the CDET conference last autumn but it clashed with a compulsory rehearsal for her school show which was unfortunate.

At the moment she does want to do A levels but because she is away at vocational school it is very difficult to even get her the time off to visit local 6th forms/colleges never mind vocational 6th forms. If she goes to a local school we then have to find a dance school for her to attend.

She likes the look of Tring or Arts Ed for 6th Form but both are expensive options. For me Arts Ed offer very limited A level choice but dd was very taken with them at Move It. She says she does not want to do a Btec diploma.

At 18 she is currently looking as I said earlier at places like Arts Ed (the degree) Mountview, Bird & RCS. I think she likes those places because we know people who have either been there or taught there who have said good things. She was put off Performers as the people on the Move It stand seemed like they couldn't be bothered to talk to her but we do know students who are very happily and sucessfully training there. I quite liked the look of LSC but dd said she thought their red London Bus at Move It last year was a bit showy, it grabbed your attention but there wasn't much details about the actual course. I wonder whether she should consider Northern (Manchester).
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Caroline A-C
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by Caroline A-C »

My DS went down the MT route doing the BA at Arts Ed. He too got a feel for the colleges only at audition. The college he had decided was definitely for him he actually really did not like at audition and he probably would not have paid to audition had he known that in advance. He did go to see the showcases/shows of some of the colleges which was helpful.

My DD is wanting to go down the straight acting route and we have found Saturday workshops at RADA which she says are really good. They are aimed at giving you a really good insight into life at RADA. She is also doing the two week audition technique course at LAMDA in the summer - bit pricey but hopefully she will get a better insight into the audition process and how best to prepare. I think Guildhall do a similar course but that is even more expensive!!

I really think these colleges should have open days - they charge such high fees so you really need to have a good look at what you are paying for before you commit to anything I think. Surely one or two open days a year wouldn't be too disruptive!
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Munchpot
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by Munchpot »

Caroline A-C wrote:
I really think these colleges should have open days - they charge such high fees so you really need to have a good look at what you are paying for before you commit to anything I think. Surely one or two open days a year wouldn't be too disruptive!
I totally agree with you Caroline A-C. I always wonder whether those colleges that don't have open days have something to hide. Surely a college wants you to see what life is like there before you apply to make sure it's right for you, after all they wouldn't want students who don't want to be there!

There have been a few that I just think rely on their reputation and have the attitude of 'you should be grateful we accepted you for an audition' and yet want you to part with £14k a year
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Caroline A-C
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by Caroline A-C »

I think it is probably a financial thing. Open days are free (at least Ive never come across one you have to pay for) and auditions are not. Nice little earner really!!
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martint
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by martint »

You can get a feel at open days, summer schools or the CDET event. You may be able to have a look around if you phone them.

My daughter did a couple of summer schools and fell in love with one place. It was her first choice until audition time came then it went further down the list and the place she's settled on is somewhere she hadn't visited.

Talking to other students when we've done visits this seems to be a common thing. So many had their heart set on one place then when they auditioned it didn't feel as good as somewhere else they'd not considered before.

I do think it's important to find the place that suits you as an individual. I've also met several who've done a full year somewhere, hated it, then moved and loved the new place.
Munchpot
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by Munchpot »

martint wrote:You can get a feel at open days, summer schools or the CDET event. You may be able to have a look around if you phone them.

My daughter did a couple of summer schools and fell in love with one place. It was her first choice until audition time came then it went further down the list and the place she's settled on is somewhere she hadn't visited.

Talking to other students when we've done visits this seems to be a common thing. So many had their heart set on one place then when they auditioned it didn't feel as good as somewhere else they'd not considered before.

I do think it's important to find the place that suits you as an individual. I've also met several who've done a full year somewhere, hated it, then moved and loved the new place.
Totally agree. For years my daughter had her heart set on one college - it was the only place she wanted to study at. They didn't do Open Days (Attitude was Audition Day is your Open Day - as if you're able to ask the sorts of questions you need answered at an audition)

She walked in for her audition and within 15 minutes decided she hated the place.
paulears
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by paulears »

One of my dancers told me a sneaky way to get info - Facebook. Look for students of the schools you fancy, and send friend requests. Dancers usually accept requests from other dancers, even if they don't know them, and then you just ask them what they think. Her younger sister had done this and had over a 75% success rate - and young students are never backwards at moaning and groaning. Sometimes social media can be very revealing.
kzgirl
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by kzgirl »

My DD only applied to places that she thought we could afford and where she felt she would have a chance at getting an offer. I suggested she put one outsider in that she felt she would like to try and if offered she would like to go to she chose GSA for this. I know some will disagree with me but I feel a foundation course is a waste of time/money as it is only for one year, I don't think a student will improve by attending a foundation course but it may help to deal with nerves at the auditions. The older your child is the more I feel your child will cope. These are just our experiences and it has worked out very well this year for our DD.
martint
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by martint »

paulears wrote:One of my dancers told me a sneaky way to get info - Facebook. Look for students of the schools you fancy, and send friend requests. Dancers usually accept requests from other dancers, even if they don't know them, and then you just ask them what they think. Her younger sister had done this and had over a 75% success rate - and young students are never backwards at moaning and groaning. Sometimes social media can be very revealing.

Not a bad idea but one size doesn't suit all.
Katymac
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Re: How to narrow the choices?

Post by Katymac »

KZgirl, DD improved dramatically over the foundation year; she had only been dancing for 2 yrs (yr9 & yr 10) when she auditioned (in yr 11) the extra year made a massive difference. She moved from 2 offers no funding to 7 offers 6 with funding, so for her it was vital. They had 7 hours a day of really intense dance training she was fitter at the end of the foundation than she has ever been before or since.

But for islandof sodor's daughter it's completely different she has already done a very high level of dance & singing. so for her a foudation wouldn't be needed in the same way

The training your child has had up to the end of yr10 decides whether or not the Foundation is a good idea or not
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