Auditioning for 2023 entry

[Ditzi]

That’s great, thank you Sahara and lotsolaffs

Sorry, just realised I posted the MT course not Acting!
https://www.surrey.ac.uk/undergraduate/ ... cting/2023

No problem, the fees would be the same for acting and mt foundation

[Ditzi]

Can someone shed some light on me please. Looking on the GSA website for info about the foundation course in acting, it says that student loans are available. Is this something new, as far as I was aware the foundation was not covered by student finance. There’s a link attached but it but it gives you info about the course starting in September 2024. Am I missing something or looking in the wrong place? I’m trying to get some info in case dd ends up with a foundation offer after her recall or she falls in love with the school like everyone else did and decides to apply for foundation after. Thank you.

It might be awaiting creditation - ArtsEd had their MT foundation course done in the year my DD was applying but they weren't sure it was going to happen on time for September.
Funding at ArtsEd was for around £6,500 via SFE and rest had to be privately funded.
My DD is in her final year at GSa, has absolutely loved it and as a parent wondering now about how it will be when she finishes, she will really miss it.
If anyone thinks that applying and auditions are stressful - you have no idea how tough it is in 3rd year!

Thank you and good luck to your dd for the rest of the year, and with the final shows and agent auditions.

[oscar]

Hi. Anyone know number of places on offer for Urdang degree 2023 intake?

I’ve been wondering that too. DD is on the reserve list. She tells me that it’s not done in order of how they scored, but more of if they need someone with a similar look. Are you in the same position ?

[didancer55]

We are in a different position this year. Dd has been lucky to secure several offers including Urdang (2nd year of auditioning) & we are now looking at pros & cons of each college before making a final decision. Lots of factors to take into consideration including how many students in year group.I know Urdang used to have approx 170 students about 3 years ago when they offered both degree & diploma but not sure of numbers now they only offer degree. Sorry I don't know anything about reserve list but good luck to your Dd on her audition journey.

[oscar]

We are in a different position this year. Dd has been lucky to secure several offers including Urdang (2nd year of auditioning) & we are now looking at pros & cons of each college before making a final decision. Lots of factors to take into consideration including how many students in year group.I know Urdang used to have approx 170 students about 3 years ago when they offered both degree & diploma but not sure of numbers now they only offer degree. Sorry I don't know anything about reserve list but good luck to your Dd on her audition journey.

DD is reserve for several places with another recall to go. I have no idea how it will pan out as I understand offers can come in very late. What I don’t understand is how people work the accommodation out, as once you’ve signed you are tied in. There is one particular school that she would love to get and this one tends to offer later than the others. It isn’t near any of the others she is on reserve for. Not enjoying this

[K8t]

We are in a different position this year. Dd has been lucky to secure several offers including Urdang (2nd year of auditioning) & we are now looking at pros & cons of each college before making a final decision. Lots of factors to take into consideration including how many students in year group.I know Urdang used to have approx 170 students about 3 years ago when they offered both degree & diploma but not sure of numbers now they only offer degree. Sorry I don't know anything about reserve list but good luck to your Dd on her audition journey.

DD is reserve for several places with another recall to go. I have no idea how it will pan out as I understand offers can come in very late. What I don’t understand is how people work the accommodation out, as once you’ve signed you are tied in. There is one particular school that she would love to get and this one tends to offer later than the others. It isn’t near any of the others she is on reserve for. Not enjoying this

I agree, it’s not an enjoyable experience! Our poor children, having to put planning on hold. Personally I think all schools should make their offers by a certain date, so decisions can be made.

We’re waiting on LIPA MT after the recall, but there’s another two offers on the table, one of which is a possible. We’re also waiting a GSA foundation outcome, which would be top trump. It all feels so much in limbo s d dd is talking about taking a year out, which I think is partly because she is getting so anxious.

I’m worried about accommodation too.

[lawn]

We are in a different position this year. Dd has been lucky to secure several offers including Urdang (2nd year of auditioning) & we are now looking at pros & cons of each college before making a final decision. Lots of factors to take into consideration including how many students in year group.I know Urdang used to have approx 170 students about 3 years ago when they offered both degree & diploma but not sure of numbers now they only offer degree. Sorry I don't know anything about reserve list but good luck to your Dd on her audition journey.

DD is reserve for several places with another recall to go. I have no idea how it will pan out as I understand offers can come in very late. What I don’t understand is how people work the accommodation out, as once you’ve signed you are tied in. There is one particular school that she would love to get and this one tends to offer later than the others. It isn’t near any of the others she is on reserve for. Not enjoying this

A couple of years ago my DD moved from offer of foundation to BA Acting at a drama school, we'll call it school A l It was the right course but the wrong school (she'd also had another offer from drama school B which was the right school but the wrong course and decided to decline it). She intended taking it and we paid £500 deposit for her place. Unknown to me she was also on the reserve list for foundation at a more well-known school, drama school C, who offered exactly 5 weeks before she was to start at school A. we'd also found her her accommodation (private shared house) to attend school A, but fortunately because DH thought some terms in the tenancy agreement a bit weird and had queried it, we hadn't signed or paid a deposit. So when the offer came in from school C, we *only* lost the £500 deposit. If we'd been tied into an accommodation contract that we couldn't get out of, it would have been a no for her taking school C's offer.

[38ta]

After a few years of watching these threads and feeling the stress and joy of your children’s journeys it is nearly time to go through it! My ds will audition for 2024 but is watching his friends go through it this year- starting to panic and making lists of where to apply etc.

We are going to do a spreadsheet with all the info like location, class sizes, costs, success of alumni, focus of training etc etc .

He will be applying for musical theatre degrees but maybe also long shot acting at rada, lamda even though he knows there is likely more chance with a lottery ticket .

I’d say acting strongest , was always confident singing - did lcm grade 8 with distinction but struggling to find songs he loves for auditions. Had a bit of a gap with dancing but at a musical theatre 6th form and absolutely loves the dancing side of things.

It’s such a minefield and ideally it would be a degree with full loan but he also wants to apply to be places like arts Ed, mountview which as well as being highly competitive don’t really give funding options we can afford .

Any top tips from anyone who is coming to the other side. He’s already saying he’d rather take a year out if he doesn’t get the right school first time! Think I might need to stock up on the gin!!

Thanks

[lawn]

After a few years of watching these threads and feeling the stress and joy of your children’s journeys it is nearly time to go through it! My ds will audition for 2024 but is watching his friends go through it this year- starting to panic and making lists of where to apply etc.

We are going to do a spreadsheet with all the info like location, class sizes, costs, success of alumni, focus of training etc etc .

He will be applying for musical theatre degrees but maybe also long shot acting at rada, lamda even though he knows there is likely more chance with a lottery ticket .

I’d say acting strongest , was always confident singing - did lcm grade 8 with distinction but struggling to find songs he loves for auditions. Had a bit of a gap with dancing but at a musical theatre 6th form and absolutely loves the dancing side of things.

It’s such a minefield and ideally it would be a degree with full loan but he also wants to apply to be places like arts Ed, mountview which as well as being highly competitive don’t really give funding options we can afford .

Any top tips from anyone who is coming to the other side. He’s already saying he’d rather take a year out if he doesn’t get the right school first time! Think I might need to stock up on the gin!!

Thanks

Hi. mine is in her 3rd year of applying for straight acting courses. She has done 2 foundations, one private, the current one funded. She did initially toy in the first year with applying for MT as well, but by now has decided it's not for her and acting is her strongest.

Try having a look at how the classes are divided up. We've tended to find that acting has the least hours allocated to it on MT courses but we won't have looked at every single school. There are more space on MT courses as well as taking them from a younger age. The straight acting schools have less spaces and tend to prefer students older with life experience. At 17/18 when first applying that used to frustrate my DD, at 20 she understands it more. That doesn't mean it's impossible to get onto straight acting degrees at 18 we know of people who have done it - it's just less likely.

Don't dismiss the funded foundations. There's been talk further up this thread of GSA getting it which will be for both MT and acting. Italia Conti offer it and for acting foundations so do East 15, Fourth monkey and LIPA. These are all fully funded for tuition via student loans as far as I know. Arts Ed also do a funded foundation for both MT and acting but you can only borrow £6K student finance, the rest has to be paid yourself. A quick glance says the foundation tuition for the year there is £9550 total.

Make sure you and he are both on the same page with what he considers as the 'right schoo'l. We lost a £500 deposit as DD decided at the last minute that the place she'd accepted wasn't for her.

[38ta]

Thank you @lawn that’s really helpful. Until I saw the post recently I didn’t really think about funded foundations but definitely worth a look.

He is really looking for a musical theatre course-so whilst that isn’t easy I appreciate that straight acting is a whole different ballgame especially straight from 6th form. Only straight acting might be a punt at rada and lamda but think we all know that’s probably impossible lol.

I wish your dd every success- these kids are so resilient - I don’t know how they do it!

[oscar]

DS went to Arts Ed. The first year of auditioning he got LSMT and Trinity Laban but decided he wanted Arts Ed so did a foundation at GSA and the gamble paid off. A foundation year makes all the difference. My advice would be to audition with the goal to get in, but be prepared to take a foundation and don’t look at it as second best, but as a stepping stone.

[LizzyBee]

On the issue of foundations, I had a look at graduating years profiles from the top places we were targeting to see how many had done foundations before the BA (they usually list on spotlight profile).

So for instance, GSA MT 23
37 grads
1 Bird foundation
5 GSA foundation
1 Arts Ed foundation
1 Emil Dale foundation

Arts Ed MT 23
58 grads
2 GSA foundation
1 Arts Ed foundation

So majority on those courses didn’t do a foundation. Also, if you consider how many are in the foundations at GSA, Arts Ed, MC, IC etc, not to mention ED, SOTE there are an awful lot NOT getting in to what are considered the top places.

I think MT foundations may be mostly useful for dance skills and therefore getting into the more dance led MT courses

[Hilltop]

On the issue of foundations, I had a look at graduating years profiles from the top places we were targeting to see how many had done foundations before the BA (they usually list on spotlight profile).

So for instance, GSA MT 23
37 grads
1 Bird foundation
5 GSA foundation
1 Arts Ed foundation
1 Emil Dale foundation

Arts Ed MT 23
58 grads
2 GSA foundation
1 Arts Ed foundation

So majority on those courses didn’t do a foundation. Also, if you consider how many are in the foundations at GSA, Arts Ed, MC, IC etc, not to mention ED, SOTE there are an awful lot NOT getting in to what are considered the top places.

I think MT foundations may be mostly useful for dance skills and therefore getting into the more dance led MT courses

Do performers always add their foundation training to their spotlight profile? Is there anyway of finding out the destinations from these foundation courses instead do you know?

[Harry2003]

On the issue of foundations, I had a look at graduating years profiles from the top places we were targeting to see how many had done foundations before the BA (they usually list on spotlight profile).

So for instance, GSA MT 23
37 grads
1 Bird foundation
5 GSA foundation
1 Arts Ed foundation
1 Emil Dale foundation

Arts Ed MT 23
58 grads
2 GSA foundation
1 Arts Ed foundation

So majority on those courses didn’t do a foundation. Also, if you consider how many are in the foundations at GSA, Arts Ed, MC, IC etc, not to mention ED, SOTE there are an awful lot NOT getting in to what are considered the top places.

I think MT foundations may be mostly useful for dance skills and therefore getting into the more dance led MT courses

Do performers always add their foundation training to their spotlight profile? Is there anyway of finding out the destinations from these foundation courses instead do you know?

This is a tricky one to pin down. If you know a school very well you can look at the information they give out and do a bit of detective work. My DS did BTECH at EDA, each year they post their progression starts for both the BTECH and Gap year students. It only lists the ones that the student got accepted for, not where they actually end up going. I found it interesting info. My son could obviously tell me where some of those students decided to go to. I know a few EDA students who went on to train at GSA, Arts Ed & Mountview but looking at their spotlight, not all of them list their previous training. So unless you know of them personally you have no idea whether they did foundation, BTECH or full time PA training from 11 years old etc.


In my sons year at GSA there are a fair amount of students who have done Foundations, PA BTECH’a or full time dance/pa training from secondary school. Very few have gone straight from A’levels without some form of full time prior training (not impossible but it seems to be getting less and less likely - and I think it’s hard on them, clearly talented but they have a lot to learn that a full time student already has an understanding of)

Slightly off tangent but something that really annoys me which I find quite disingenuous is when a school lists ‘graduate’ getting job in industry and not identifying that that student was actually a BTECH student who also went on to study at GSA or Arts or Mountview. It makes it seem they did their BA course (I think that’s misleading). So it’s very hard to get to the bottom of it all. Marketing is clever and a bit manipulative.

[K8t]

Has anyone had auditions or rejection from RADA after sending in their self tape?

DD sent hers end of February, she knows it was received, but has heard nothing back yet.

Thanks.