Auditioning for 2023 entry

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Scotbean
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by Scotbean »

oscar wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 3:50 am
Scotbean wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 1:12 am Hi
DD just had offer for Italia Conti foundation. Is this worthwhile? Anyone any experience of foundation courses? This is the only offer (apart from academic courses at other unis as she is still torn about what route to follow)
Advice or info appreciated! We live in the north of Scotland so this would be a big decision and expense
I would 100% say it is worthwhile if she wants her future to be in MT. Feel free to PM me for info.
Thank you so much PM sent
Scotbean
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by Scotbean »

2good2hurry wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 9:54 am
Scotbean wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 1:12 am Hi
DD just had offer for Italia Conti foundation. Is this worthwhile? Anyone any experience of foundation courses? This is the only offer (apart from academic courses at other unis as she is still torn about what route to follow)
Advice or info appreciated! We live in the north of Scotland so this would be a big decision and expense
I'm just here to bang on about SOTE in Birmingham. Fantastic course without the expense of living in London and its got DD into her dream drama school! :D :D
Thanks - so you would advocate for foundation?
2good2hurry
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by 2good2hurry »

Scotbean wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 1:30 pm
2good2hurry wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 9:54 am
Scotbean wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 1:12 am Hi
DD just had offer for Italia Conti foundation. Is this worthwhile? Anyone any experience of foundation courses? This is the only offer (apart from academic courses at other unis as she is still torn about what route to follow)
Advice or info appreciated! We live in the north of Scotland so this would be a big decision and expense
I'm just here to bang on about SOTE in Birmingham. Fantastic course without the expense of living in London and its got DD into her dream drama school! :D :D
Thanks - so you would advocate for foundation?
I can only speak for my experience of SOTE and say it was a fantastic decision. When she applied, DD was a strong singer who could act and dance a bit but her foundation strengthened all of those and made a huge difference to her legit too. She commuted - so very long days (50 miles each way) but it made her even more determined and knew that she could hack the rigours of a degree. For any foundation, its about developing among like minded people and pushing yourself against strong talent whilst making friends along the way.

DD had been offered foundation at Conti and Emil Dale but we did lots of homework and saw that the progression from SOTE was really strong with the top drama schools. If you are set on Conti, then try and see where their foundation students end up. That was the key thing for us.

Feel free to DM me if you need to know anything further :)
Proseccoplease
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by Proseccoplease »

Ditzi wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:40 pm
Proseccoplease wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 9:38 pm Thanks Ditzi! It’s been a tough slog and I have so much admiration for these kids coping with all the no’s. Has been terrifying as he turned down Foundations last year but relieved he appeared to make the right decision. Good luck to your DD!
Thank you, she is planning to take a gap year over foundation (if she gets any offers). Any tips?
Hi Ditzi, so sorry for the late reply, hopefully my response will also be of some relevance to Scotbean too!Ds taking a Gap Year felt like a terrifying risk but so far has had degree offers from EDA and RWCMD and recalls yet to do, including at Mountview where he didn't get a recall last year. DS felt having done a very good Btec he was already ready for degree and that a Foundation would have been a repeat of that and was advised similarly by several teachers. BUT he knows he is not auditioning for dance heavy courses, he is very much a singer/actor who can dance when needed. Instead of the £10,000 it would have cost to do the Foundation plus the cost of living in London he has come home and got himself a job working in a theatre. We found someone who can do two hours audition coaching a week who helped him through the audition prep alongside weekly singing lessons and attending a MT associate course at the weekend.We were very worried about the lack of dance but he is also going to the gym regularly to stay fit and so far actually has done better in dance auditions as he's learning to 'perform' the dance moves and not worry if they are not technically perfect. We hired the local village hall for dance audition videos and he had 1:1 coaching for them. Taking a year out has meant he has developed in maturity, confidence and knowing exactly what he wants from a course. There are degrees he has gone for this year that weren't really on his radar last year and ones he has dropped as options as he realised he wouldn't fit there or enjoy the course. Having the time to dedicate to UCAS and the whole audition process generally has been a revelation. Last year he was in the middle of exams and performances so everything was done with half the effort it needed. I think for those who have come from a purely academic background a Foundation is great bridge to a degree but if they feel they are ready but there were other factors stopping them from getting the degree offer than I don't think it's terrible to choose another path. Sorry, will stop rambling, hope it's helpful!
VB48
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by VB48 »

:-k
Helenb76 wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2023 10:59 am
StartingLate wrote: Sat Mar 04, 2023 1:46 am Yay, offer from Wilkes today. And such a lovely offer letter!!
So now decision time, Performers Vs Wilkes. She absolutely loved them both.
I guess time to do Pros and Cons. It will be a hard decision, and a very close call.
Fabulous news! How long was the wait for the letter please?! It’s so nail biting! 😀

Congratulations! How lovely to be in a position to choose. Still waiting for auditions to start here. First one isn’t until the end of this month then they go through to the end of May. Fingers crossed for everyone else waiting.
Ditzi
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by Ditzi »

Proseccoplease wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 4:14 pm
Ditzi wrote: Thu Feb 23, 2023 1:40 pm
Proseccoplease wrote: Wed Feb 22, 2023 9:38 pm Thanks Ditzi! It’s been a tough slog and I have so much admiration for these kids coping with all the no’s. Has been terrifying as he turned down Foundations last year but relieved he appeared to make the right decision. Good luck to your DD!
Thank you, she is planning to take a gap year over foundation (if she gets any offers). Any tips?
Hi Ditzi, so sorry for the late reply, hopefully my response will also be of some relevance to Scotbean too!Ds taking a Gap Year felt like a terrifying risk but so far has had degree offers from EDA and RWCMD and recalls yet to do, including at Mountview where he didn't get a recall last year. DS felt having done a very good Btec he was already ready for degree and that a Foundation would have been a repeat of that and was advised similarly by several teachers. BUT he knows he is not auditioning for dance heavy courses, he is very much a singer/actor who can dance when needed. Instead of the £10,000 it would have cost to do the Foundation plus the cost of living in London he has come home and got himself a job working in a theatre. We found someone who can do two hours audition coaching a week who helped him through the audition prep alongside weekly singing lessons and attending a MT associate course at the weekend.We were very worried about the lack of dance but he is also going to the gym regularly to stay fit and so far actually has done better in dance auditions as he's learning to 'perform' the dance moves and not worry if they are not technically perfect. We hired the local village hall for dance audition videos and he had 1:1 coaching for them. Taking a year out has meant he has developed in maturity, confidence and knowing exactly what he wants from a course. There are degrees he has gone for this year that weren't really on his radar last year and ones he has dropped as options as he realised he wouldn't fit there or enjoy the course. Having the time to dedicate to UCAS and the whole audition process generally has been a revelation. Last year he was in the middle of exams and performances so everything was done with half the effort it needed. I think for those who have come from a purely academic background a Foundation is great bridge to a degree but if they feel they are ready but there were other factors stopping them from getting the degree offer than I don't think it's terrible to choose another path. Sorry, will stop rambling, hope it's helpful!
That’s very helpful and reassuring to hear, dd feels the same. She’s currently in her second year of an excellent mt btech course, but is auditioning for acting courses. When she decided which schools to apply to, I asked her to take into consideration if they offer funded foundation, knowing it is more likely to get a foundation offer this year (if that) rather than BA. She decided not to, as she’s adamant she doesn’t want to do a foundation and she would rather take a year out. So far she’s had too rejections, a recall at one of preferred schools (yay!), first rounds lined up and waiting to hear on video submissions. She might change her mind if she gets an actual foundation offer, who knows, but none of the schools she applied to offer one and funding would be an issue. Good luck to your ds with the rest of his auditions.
K8t
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by K8t »

Scotbean wrote: Tue Mar 07, 2023 1:12 am Hi
DD just had offer for Italia Conti foundation. Is this worthwhile? Anyone any experience of foundation courses? This is the only offer (apart from academic courses at other unis as she is still torn about what route to follow)
Advice or info appreciated! We live in the north of Scotland so this would be a big decision and expense
Difficult one, but I think a foundation at somewhere like Conti may be better than an BA offer in a less impressive school!

DD was turned down for GSA, but they suggested she apply for foundation. She’s got two offers, one Chichester one ICT Brighton, but said she would turn them down for GSA foundation!

I’m not convinced about that, she’s spent two years in a performing Arts 6th form studying MT BTech and winder if she’s be better taking a year to concentrate on her dance and singing, dance being her weakest.
Marissa
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by Marissa »

I don’t know if this helps but my dd did it the other way. She didn’t want to wait another year and so after not getting the schools she wanted ( only offered foundations) she accepted a funded ba at Hammond. Then after that with her agent spent a year working and then decided she wanted to do a funded masters. She’s now at GSA and loves it! She still has her agent and feels she has improved even more with GSA training. Just to say there are many options. Good luck.
VB48
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by VB48 »

Anyone DD or DS audition for Wilkes Academy on 1st March? Wondering if any news for anyone yet? 😳
Dancemum007
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by Dancemum007 »

VB48 wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 8:49 pm Anyone DD or DS audition for Wilkes Academy on 1st March? Wondering if any news for anyone yet? 😳
My DD auditioned on a Tuesday & got her offer on the Saturday. Might be worth phoning to see if it’s lost in the post x
Helenb76
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by Helenb76 »

Dd has an audition at performers in a couple of weeks. Originally a friend who was also auditioning on the same day was going to drive them both there but she has now had her date changed. Looking at public transport it seems to take about 2 hours from where dd is living (she’s on a foundation year so will need to get in to London and then out again), so I don’t think travelling on the morning of the audition is an option. Are there any hotels close to performers she can stay at with easy public transport (or walking) to the college? Thinking she could make her way over on the Friday night then and have a much shorter journey the following morning. I’ve had a Google but nothing seems very straightforward and I’m not at all familiar with the area so struggling to figure it out! Thanks
MygirlsloveMT
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by MygirlsloveMT »

Helenb76 wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2023 10:02 am Dd has an audition at performers in a couple of weeks. Originally a friend who was also auditioning on the same day was going to drive them both there but she has now had her date changed. Looking at public transport it seems to take about 2 hours from where dd is living (she’s on a foundation year so will need to get in to London and then out again), so I don’t think travelling on the morning of the audition is an option. Are there any hotels close to performers she can stay at with easy public transport (or walking) to the college? Thinking she could make her way over on the Friday night then and have a much shorter journey the following morning. I’ve had a Google but nothing seems very straightforward and I’m not at all familiar with the area so struggling to figure it out! Thanks
There’s a Premier Inn not too far away (the Basildon South one), not walkable but a taxi shouldn’t be too expensive, we used to stay in it when our dd did Pre-Voc at Performers. Can’t remember there being much else any closer x
Helenb76
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by Helenb76 »

Great, thanks! I’d seen that one and thought it looked the most likely option. Is it close to the train station or would it be another taxi?
MygirlsloveMT
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by MygirlsloveMT »

Helenb76 wrote: Fri Mar 17, 2023 10:55 am Great, thanks! I’d seen that one and thought it looked the most likely option. Is it close to the train station or would it be another taxi?
Not near the train station, it’s kind of in the middle of nowhere off the duel carriageway so I think it would be another taxi.
Helenb76
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Re: Auditioning for 2023 entry

Post by Helenb76 »

Ok, thanks very much for your help.
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