Should we stop auditioning?

[34ballet]

My DD is a senior this year. Until a month ago, the college audition process was completely foreign to us.

 

DD auditioned for 2 schools this month -- one is her absolute dream school, the other is another highly competitive top rated program. She received acceptances to both this week! This was completely unexpected.

 

We had 3 more auditions lined up next year (Jan, Feb & Mar). Now DD wants to stop auditioning. Having never been through this before, I'm unsure of how to proceed.

 

Is there any reason to keep auditioning for more programs at this point? DD really doesn't enjoy auditioning. On one hand I think that she already has 2 great choices, why further complicate matters if she gets more acceptances. But, then I think maybe she has a chance to get into another really great program that we wouldn't have thought would have been possible a month ago.

 

So confused.

 

The college audition process makes the university acceptance process seem like a piece of cake.

[Victoria Leigh]

34ballet, I would think that if she has acceptance from her "dream school', plus another top notch program, why spend the time, money and energy with more auditons?

[Twinkle Mom]

I agree with Ms. Leigh. I just went through this a year ago with DD. If yours knows that her dream school is where she wants to go, and has no interest in exploring other options, I think you should listen to her. Take her out for a celebration and celebrate the fact that she has bee accepted, made a choice and is finished with applications! Then put the money you will save from not attending more auditions toward her college expenses.

 

Your last line made me laugh! It's so true--and your friends who have senior children are probably constantly bemoaning the university application process, not understanding that you have had to watch your senior apply to the university and apply to the dance department and audition--and then watch her wait for acceptance to the university and the dance department.

[tutu2you]

My DD continued to audition even after her first acceptance came - which was to her top choice college - because there were several more in which she was at least interested. Also, we were waiting to see what scholarships and financial aid were awarded as that made a difference in where she was able to attend. Once she knew that, she cancelled her last audition since she already had three wonderful choices.

 

I agree with you about the college process with auditions. My friends were so unbelievably stressed with just the normal application process. Now I'm starting it again with my next in line, and it seems so easy without the constraints of the whole arts and audition process. And without the stringent requirements for a performance program that ballet required.

[Treefrog]

Now DD wants to stop auditioning.

 

This is as far as I needed to read in your post to know my answer. Your DD has reached a stage in life where she can and should make her own decisions. You of course can set some boundaries, chiefly around financial issues such as how much you can afford to contribute. Does she need to keep auditioning to see if she can get better financial offers elsewhere?

 

More substantively, has your DD had a chance to really visit the campus(es) in which she is most interested? or is her designation of "dream school" mostly based on reputation? It's fair to ask her to articulate why she really likes that one place.

 

Often, kids really do know what feels like a good fit. When my DD was applying to college -- liberal arts, not dance programs -- she had visited a large handful and applied to several already. Then, about this time of year, she visited the school she now attends. She called home and said she wanted to apply Early Decision; she was that sure it was right for her. The postscript is that she was absolutely right. She has been blissfully happy there and feels totally at home.

 

From my standpoint, it was wonderful to have everything settled so early in senior year. SO much less stressful.

[msd]

Congratulations on the acceptances, especially to the dream school! Sounds like you are done...if the dream school is a reality school (that is, she has visited, loves more than just the idea of the campus/teachers/major/life AND you can afford the program). Sounds like she can now put her energies into enjoying the rest of her senior year, secure in where she wants to go. As long as no one has a lingering case of the "what if's"....it's time to celebrate, and order a sweatshirt from the school's bookstore!

[Momof3darlings]

The only reason I see to keep auditioning would be if there was a HUGE financial package available at one of the school's left that should be thrown into the consideration pile. If you've got the finances under control, then if she has decided on one of those schools, no real reason to continue. The financial package would be the last consideration. As an example, when DD auditioned, the package from one school (academic and dance) would have been about $15,000. The other, about $3000. Big difference in the "consideration" equation from the person who would have been paying for out of state schools.

[calamitous]

Congratulations on her two acceptances so early in the season. I agree with Treefrog on checking to be sure these are really her dream schools based on real knowledge of how the program fits her, not just based on reputation. DD found the audittion process at schools beyond what she thought was her first choice very eye-opening. She ended up at a school, where she is extremely happy, after a full audition when she really could get a feel for the dance program, instruction, style, and ...

It was also useful for us to wait until the very end when we got her full aid package to really compare costs. If this is not an issue for your fmily and/or her acceptances that may not need to be a full consideration, but for the the difference in about $4000. a year between her last three choices was a huge factor.

It is all a very difficult balance- between the cost of auditioning, the time and stress, and long term cost of college.

I personally would take a cautious route at tjis point and maybe wait until December to cancel the final auditions (and accept at her first choice). See how she feels after the excitement has settled a bit before making a final decision.

[tutu2you]

We did the last audition in January, as by then she had many choices and the scholarships were being offered. At that point, it is easier to make the decision since you have all the information you need. However, while some merit scholarships are awarded early, financial aid packages don't usually come out until February or March. So while we quit auditions, DD still waited to make the final decision until all financial aid was determined since that was an issue for us.

 

Moreover, as the other posters have stated, the audition process gave her a better idea of class level and style of teaching, and she is now considering transferring to a school that she thinks might be a better fit. Had she stopped auditioning after her "dream" school acceptance, she would not know of the alternatives available.

[34ballet]

Thanks for all of your great responses. DD has visited her dream school (many times) and she really does loves it there. I think we all thought that would definitely be where should would end up (until she received an acceptance from the program that we all considered to be a long shot).

 

My major reservation is probably the financial one. So far, both schools have told her that she would not hear about scholarships until March/April. I'm thinking maybe she should audition for one more program, just so she might have a chance at getting a better aid package.

 

I think I should probably take my own advice -- I told my daughter not to think about making any decisions right now -- just bask in the glow of the acceptances for a while .

[tutu2you]

However, auditions tend to fill up quickly. So it might be better to go ahead and reserve a spot at the other schools you are considering, as you can always cancel if you get the aid packages early. We did an audition at an in-state school with a conservatory as a safety school in case the other schools with higher tuitions and top reputations didn't offer a satisfactory package.