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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Looks like dd will be here for a year.....

34 replies

arlagirl · 13/01/2015 07:25

Dd got her final rejection for a Musical Theatre degree yesterday.Sad
No university for her in September.
She is now rethinking that perhaps its not for her.

So its time to think about jobs with the possibility of applying for year after for different course.

Has anyone else's DC been in a similar position?

OP posts:
FishWithABicycle · 13/01/2015 07:41

My DH was. He lived at home for a year, and did a vocational course at a local college whilst re-applying (and got into an excellent uni)
But tbh it wasn't the best thing for him to do it that way - it would have been far better for him to live away from home for at least some of the year.

I guess musical theatre itself would be too oversubscribed for there to be any chance of that in clearing, but don't give up on this autumn yet. There are always loads of opportunities in clearing. She will need to do a lot of research in advance of a-level results day, and be prepared to spend a lot of the next few days after results come out on the phone. She also needs to buckle down and get the best a-level results she possibly can.

When clearing opens, there might well be places on interesting courses at universities that offer the course she wanted. In some universities you can take an elective module or two in another department, so she can be half-way there that way. It's also not at all uncommon for students to drop out before Christmas in their first year, so with any luck there might even be a place for here on the course she wanted that she can swap into (though she should keep quiet about this hope during clearing as the person she speaks to then will want to know she's genuinely interested in that subject)

It's also worth ringing around all the universities who offer the course she wanted on clearing day - if several people they made offers to got poor a-level results, they may have an unexpected place, and they wouldn't bother advertising publically to fill a single place so your DD might be lucky.

hellsbells99 · 13/01/2015 08:07

Sorry to hear that ariagirl. Can your DD apply for additional courses through extra?

LineRunner · 13/01/2015 08:22

It is really common. A lot of students on these courses, and on acting degree courses, have applied for years before being successful and are in their early 20s.

Original poster
arlagirl · 13/01/2015 08:33

I know linerunner
I'm being a bit selfish as I was looking forward to her going away, in the nicest possible way.

OP posts:
KatyMac · 13/01/2015 09:05

Did she get any feedback from the auditions? Does she know what she needs to improve before re-auditioning?

GentlyBenevolent · 13/01/2015 12:29

I know several people who were successful on reapplying one or two years after their first attempt. It's tough - but so is the world of MT. Which doesn't help your DD obviously but it might help to know her situation isn't unusual. The people I know - who are now on good (some excellent) courses (or who are older and have now finished) all did relevant stuff in their year(s) out as well as working - some did A level drama (not having already done it) some did additional drama or MT qualifications. Some worked extensively on their perceived area of weakness. Some found relevant work, one guy though (the most talented) worked in WH Smiths for a year.

LineRunner · 13/01/2015 12:49

Will she consider another type of course - something really different - via clearing / ringing round?

BoredChurch · 13/01/2015 14:25

She can apply in UCAS extra if she has had four rejections?

Hakluyt · 13/01/2015 14:31

There are one year courses you can do to gain experience before applying again- dd's friend is doing one before having another go at RADA- I could find out about it if you like? The only (!) problem is that you have to self fund..........

Kez100 · 13/01/2015 16:24

I know nothing about Musical Theatre specifically but everyone I have known go to drama school has been accepted when they were older and it was not an easy ride. I guess now it is a case of her working out if the rejections were due to it simply being commonplace and she needs to keep her passion going and reapply or did she not exhibit right level of ability. If it is the latter, then is her area for improvement something she can work on from where she is now? Can she do the (LAMDA?) Musical Theatre grades? Other grades? Work on improvements for a reapplication?

Also, does she have anyone who can guide her that she knows - her drama teacher, music teacher or am-dram theatre director etc?

cathyandclaire · 13/01/2015 16:34

Has she just applied through UCAS, or for the other courses too..Mountview, Artsed, Royal Scottish, PPA, MTA, Laine and LSMT? They all run great courses, although the last four may have funding issues as they are diplomas not degrees.
DD wants to do MT/acting as a career but is probably going to go to Uni and then do a one year postgrad. Is that a possibility, could try for a subject she likes in clearing maybe?
Having said all that, we know loads of great people who haven't got places in their first year of auditioning, I think experience really does show and a year of working/saving money and doing lots of amdram stuff (or working n her dance/singing/acting whichever is the weakest) could really help her gain a place next year.

Sorry, I'll stop droning on now, Lots of luck!

KatyMac · 13/01/2015 17:04

DD is doing a pre-voc at performers (which her grandparents are funding) & her singing & dancing have come on unbelievably - I don't know much about acting tbh so I can't comment about that

But it has seemed remarkably worth the money (I'll tell you whether it was or not in May when we hear about DaDAs)

LineRunner · 13/01/2015 17:06

Are Dadas still around?

Moominmammacat · 13/01/2015 17:09

Anything doing in European conservatoires?

GentlyBenevolent · 13/01/2015 17:10

KatyMac I know someone at Performers! :)

KatyMac · 13/01/2015 17:10

I hope so - we haven't been told that they stopped (since last year when DD didn't get one)

LineRunner · 13/01/2015 17:18

I think they went the way of the EMA in England - individual colleges / institutions dole out some limited funding? May be wrong, but I think I read that.

KatyMac · 13/01/2015 17:24

Not sure about limited they changed the way they were awarded and became means tested but seem fairly generous to the low income DaDA

Original poster
arlagirl · 13/01/2015 17:38

Thankyou!!!
She went for Mount view, CSSD, GSA....bit nothing.
Is talking about doing Drama with a view to teaching now [shock

OP posts:
LineRunner · 13/01/2015 17:40

Thanks for the link Katy.

eatyourveg · 13/01/2015 17:45

She doesn't have to wait until next September. Ucas Extra exists for exactly this sort of situation.

BoredChurch · 13/01/2015 17:47

I made a mistake in my earlier post about UCAS extra - I said she would be eligible if she had four rejections, I meant if she had FIVE rejections.

cathyandclaire · 13/01/2015 17:50

I know it must be demoralising but 4,000 go for 60 or so places at GSA and CSSD, I'm sure great people are missed, not succeeding in your first year doesn't mean you won't in the future...could she add LCM, Chichester, Bird or Urdang (all degree options via UCAS) to her application before the 15th? There's still time and she'll have learned loads from her previous auditions.
have you been on NAPM lots of audition advice and chat there :)

BoredChurch · 13/01/2015 17:55

I know it must be demoralising but 4,000 go for 60 or so place

Shock Shock Shock yikes!

That makes applying for medicine look like a walk in the park.

KatyMac · 13/01/2015 17:55

I agree loads of info on NaPM - I lived there last year but this year DD is working by herself so I'm a bit out of the loop she's growing up

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