Whittling down colleges to apply for; how?

[KatyMac]

Courses are broadly similar
Discarded those too far away
Discarded those we have visited & disliked

It's so hard - we still have twice as many an we should have

Can you investigate what advantages some have over others - e.g. what tuition support there is, how easy it is to switch courses if the original option is not liked, what clubs/activities, etc. are available?

It's not uni, so no switching possible
The tuition is fairly full on so no time for clubs etc

I think we are just going to have to make arbitrary cuts; maybe the ones we haven't visited?

This is for performing arts presumably, Katy?

Have you had a chance to visit them all or maybe even attend some of their shows - that might give you an idea of the 'feel of the place '. And do your DD's dance teachers have any suggestions as they will have been through those colleges, perhaps, or have contacts and colleagues who have been various of the colleges?

From your point of view, though, rather than your DDs, you might be interested in transport from Accommodation, availability of accommodation, whether a catered option is available etc

It is for performing arts - but I'm trying to think dispassionately plus parents deciding on uni have the same issues

We have visited 2 with a possible 3rd coming up - we have discarded 4 through visits

We have discarded a load using the teachers recommendations

Very few have halls etc - mainly shared flats (which make me want to cry) landladies (won't be like Britannia High) or host families (my favourite option)

Transport is a massive option & I think I'll add a 'time to college from home' box onto my spreadsheet

We have seen end of year shows and Move-it shows & we only discarded one through those

How many can she apply for? Is it like UCAS and you choose 5 on the same application or is it a little different?

For example, she would be able to apply to five through the UCAS route ( eg Falmouth, Bath Spa - those kind of places) but then several more through a direct route for those specialist colleges not funded through the HE route?

If so, is it worth applying to lots, on the basis that there is onky about a 1 in 10 success rate? ( I get this from just anecdote of listening to other performing arts mums - no first hand knowledge )

If there is no limit then you keen to now put in order of priority. Then consider the likely chance of an offer as - maybe - she will need to apply to all. Or, like Uni students do where they ahve five choices, ensure they pick the one with most likely chance of an offer along with some harder ones. Consider if she applies to all if that will reduce the quality of her auditions (due to having too many to prepare for).

Let your daughter decide on guy feeling too, I would say.

We can apply for as many as we like; allowing for a £40/£45 fee plus hotels & trains

Each one has it's own application form

Lots is good but too many costs to much & may wear her out (it's very stressful) plus they all have slightly different requirements for audition

Gut not guy!!! Although that might me a good way of choosing!

Nah - most of the guys wouldn't be that interesting

Positives of applying for many

1. get better at auditioning
2. more chance of getting in Negatives of applying for many
3. might get stale
4. costs a lot

Positives of applying for few

1. costs less
2. stay fresh Negatives of applying for few
3. might not get it
4. might not be good enough at auditioning

Can you tell I'm conflicted?

How long have you got To decide, Katy? What's the timescale and deadlines?

I know nothing about performing arts. Whittling down university choices was partly by what do I think they are looking for and do I fit that? Is there anything different about the emphasis they place on particular skills or experience? Who interviews as they may tend to favour people like them. If that doesn't help what sort of place do they want to live?

We have forever to decide - some colleges are still auditioning for places

But DADA (Dance & Drama Awards) generally get awarded by Easter - so ideally we would need to apply before October

One of our big issues is we don't know how good DD is; she had good reviews from the teachers she spent the last 2 weeks with at Summer School, her main teachers think she is great - but we left a school where she really didn't fit in & they were very negative about her abilities (but that could be that in a crowd of very talented children she was average or that their teaching style didn't suit her - we are avoiding schools with similar ethos)

Is it worth looking at public transport there as well as driving distance, in case she wants to come home on her own sometimes?

I know nothing about the area, so ignore if these are stupid ideas....

What is the college's success in getting people into arts careers in the area that your DD is looking at?

What are the rules on professional performing whilst at college? Can you take leave of absence if offered an an important part?

Do they have links to a good agent/post college support?

Also the pastoral care, the kinds of rules they have etc - I know a friend who went away to residential college at 16 got up to loads of hair raising stuff and they were barely supervised. She wasn't ready for it at all.

At this point I am open to suggestions.......

They are the top college in their field (we have a second list for if she doesn't make the grade) - which is knock on to the agents etc

They can generally go if they get a part (as long as it's a good part) & there is a facility for returning - but funding may be affected

WRT transport I have done "Getting back to college at 7am on a Monday morning (from home) by train" difficult to do howeasy to get to from digs as we don't know where they are. But have discounted 2 because there is no public transport

TBH I'm 'fishing' for things I haven't thought of - so far the answers are all known to me - which helps because it suggests I am on the right lines (iyswim)

Thanks everyone for comments so far they have really helped confirm our choices so far

What worries me a little is all the we going on. I know she needs guidance and I know you need to be happy she is entering the right pastoral environment and I know you will be paying for all of this. But, it's a tough business, and she will be 16. There comes a time where she needs to start to be independent.

How does she feel about the number she wants to audition for?
From your long short-list, does she have any that she has (almost) set her heart on?
Do audition dates mean some clash closer than others?
What about trying her best to nail a few this year, while minimising the effect on her final year GCSE studies and, if she gets no offers, study drama and associated subjects at AS level at college next year, whilst applying for many more?

I'm presenting information (as unbiased as I can - my favourite is off the list & has been for a while) & DD is choosing

It's very hard - she is 15 she has picked one college & would like (in her heart) to audition to that one get in & forget everything else or audition for everything and hope for the best and we alternate between those two states depending upon mood.

This weekend we have rejected teacher training as a 16 option (another of my safety options gone) on the basis that if she doesn't have a place by 18 that can be considered.

There does come a point where if she isn't good enough at 16-18, she may well never be good enough for dance so we have capped attempts to that point.

A levels are not an option, the coursework would stop her dancing at the level she needs to be at (issues with where we live)

She is happy to audition at the 13 we are down to - I am less so (simply on a time off school/cost of auditions basis)

Another 2 rejected on the grounds of distance from home

negotiating is hard work

I can see why she might choose to dedicate herself to her passion 16-18 and, if it doesn't work, worry about that at 18/19. In areas like this where they take the best of the best well, I suppose you have to aim to be one of those and if you 'keep options open' then may not actually make it. I get the impression it is easier to return to another route at 18-21 than it ever was in our day. Even if it costs a bob or two.

If the worst came to the worst and she got no place offered (however many she applies for) can she take the year off to dance etc and get even better - or does she have to formally go somewhere until she is 17?

No - she has to go somewhere formally as she is the school year that has to stay on.

This won't cost us too much (IF she gets in & gets a DADA) - but who knows........it's a gamble, a massive gamble for just 10 years of work then a career change

I know two dancers who have been offered post GCSE places (and scholarships) this week as a result of summer schools they attended (at two different places). And a couple a few years ago who were offered scholarships at somewhere very good as a result of national dance festival success. Are these ways if getting noticed a possibility for her (without having to formally audition)?

Possibly but the two she was at this summer didn't, neither did her half-term course, the one at Easter (they wanted her to apply this year until they realised how young she was) nor the one in February (although the administrator on that one remembered her as 'a pretty little dancer')

It happens particularly in Ballet; but that isn't her first love

Actually only one of the people I mentioned is mainly ballet - the others are all more, you know, showbiz. And they all have pretty good singing.

Given that you can audition right up to, well, now, in some places at least, perhaps the sensible thing would be to apply for about half now, and if nothing happens then apply to more later? The fee thing is such a disincentive, isn't it. I'm not looking forward to funding Dd1's auditions in a few years (music not dance).