Performing Arts 2025

[doesanybodyhaveamap]

Starting a thread re: performing arts applicants for 2025. If one already exists, happy to be redirected!!

Anyone pressed 'send' on their applications yet? Curious as to timelines for initial responses and to submit self tapes....

Buckling in for a long and nervous journey!

I’m interested to hear this about Acting courses. My daughter has been accepted for Acting at Leeds Conservatoire - on her first application straight from school. It’s not a world I know anything about, but she is thinking of turning the place down, partly because she says LC doesn’t have long track record in teaching acting and therefore it’s a risk. Does anyone have any views on this? Is she right? I’m worried that if she turns the place down and auditions elsewhere next year, she might not get anywhere…

Did she apply for many places mimi? If she got lots of recalls and offers she might be in a strong position. If lots of places turned her down, less so? The very famous schools eg rada get I think 3000 + applications for 20 places so it’s a long shot

@MimiGCLC definitely has the vibe of a place on the rise. Has she looked at showreels from recent grads vs those from other more ‘prestigious’ places? A friend of ours went through this recently and actually chose LC over a more established and prestigious offer, because they felt that Leeds on the whole offered them a lot more (they are a fantastic singer / songwriter and are building their career in that area too). Generally people do better where they’re happy, regardless of anything else. If she liked LC and felt good there, there’s a lot to be said for that.

My son is currently at LC (not acting though). We are hoping he will complete his final year but he may not because he has already had to take time off to work on panto plus a national tour, a respected regional theatre production & more recently an international transfer of a west end show.

one of the very first MT graduates walked straight into a prestigious MT contract & one of his classmates followed shortly afterwards. I don’t know many of the acting graduates personally but I do see announcements about contracts they have secured.

Where else did she apply for & did she get any recalls? If she feels that Leeds isn’t for her then she should try again next year. But if it’s just that the course is new, then take a look at some of the alumni.

She was also offered a place at Chichester for Film Acting and MT. All her other applications were for MT, which weren’t successful and in the intervening months, she’s decided that she wants Acting rather than MT.

sounds like she hasn’t applied for many acting places yet then so perhaps feels she should. Has she made a list of which ones? Would she like to live in London where most of them are (eg central, Bruford, rada etc?). Is the cost ok? Sounds like Leeds C is a very good option and getting good outcomes already. GSA very good - that’s Guildford rather than central London.

I think that’s part of the issue ie that she effectively ‘wasted ‘ some of her application choices on MT courses, when she should have used them all for Acting. But part of me also wonders if it is post-hoc rationalisation on her part. Her two offers were for Acting, the rejections were for MT. But she was very ambitious with her MT applications eg GSA, Central. Given how competitive those places are, I’m not surprised she didn’t get in. She’s a good singer, but not really at their standard, if I’m being frank.
To be honest, I have steered her away from London, as the cost (of rent particularly) would be crippling, but I do feel bad about that, as that is obviously the main place to be. Given the kind of conservatoire type training she is interested in, getting a part time job seems unrealistic.

I can tell you that although yes, the hours are long and hard, lots of the MT students at Leeds have part time jobs so I can only assume the acting ones do too.
The other place to consider for acting would be LIPA. It's very cheap to live in Liverpool but my daughter has found it hard to get a job there as there are so many students vying for the vacancies.

GSA as you say is ultra competitive and I have heard that for MT you really do need to be a phenomenal singer. It is expensive to live in London. My daughter did a year at a London drama school (and worked alongside in a West end theatre) but it was hard, her course suffered due to her work hours and ultimately the finances didn't work out for her.

If you’ve got time there are still open days happening in London schools I think - ot at least go and look at the buildings and locations. That might help her focus on a decision. My dd didn’t like central and rada as so small. But that might suit someone else (and surely no one would actually turn down rada anyway) but go and have a look?

I would rank Leeds Conservatoire significantly above Chichester so personally I feel she's made the right choice. If London rents are prohibitive then I feel Leeds is really a good option - on the up, for sure.

I’ve been following this thread with interest. My DD is only in Year 10 so it will be a little while before she starts applying for an MT degree. But I’m wondering where all your DCs went post GCSE? And I’m wondering how many did BTECs or UALs in performing arts, or A Level drama and dance, or completely unrelated A Levels with all their MT training outside of school? Thanks!

Mine did drama A level amongst other A levels at state secondary school and got very good teaching

(as well as local youth theatre and national youth theatre)

Mine is going to train as an Actor Musician rather than MT. A levels included drama & theatre studies and music at a specialist music school. They’ve also worked with NYMT since they were 12, sometimes as a musician and sometimes as a performer.

The people they’ve met at auditions come from a wide range of backgrounds.

I think for an Acting degree, it doesn't matter what you do for 6th form. If you'e academic, get some A levels. If you just want to perform, do a BTEC. However for MT, although I don't think you need to have gone to vocational school all the way, I do think those who have done an MT 6th form start with an advantage at auditions. Their dance will no doubt be stronger, and they'll have seen the standard of their peers and have done practice auditions etc. The way things seem to be going, talented kids with A levels are more and more having to do a Foundation year to get to the standard, which is fine if you don't mind and can afford it, but I suspect the most efficient route if you're sure MT is what you want is a MT BTEC at EDA, CAPA, SOTE etc. No need for the likes of Tring or Arts Ed 6th unless you have serious money to burn! And I'll add a caveat that of course MT 6th form isn't strictly necessary - it just could probably help.

I think some of the uni acting courses do ask for minimum A level grades or equivalent.

And boom like that we are done. Dissertation being filmed today and then that’s it MT degree is done and she’s a Conti graduate. Signed with an agent about a month ago and is already teaching to the next generation to pay the bills whilst she goes to auditions. She has had to change her name as hers was already taken on spotlight,
@Biscuitsneededher agent was super impressed to see Peter Pan on her profile as the director and choreographer have gone on to do great things.
i am a super proud mum particularly when I hear her talk about her pupils.

Yes, but a Btec is fine as it is equivalent as far as UCAS points go. GSA asked DS for the UCAS equivalent of three C grades for his Acting degree, but that could have been achieved via BTEC, IB, a levels etc.

Yes, but a Btec is fine as it is equivalent as far as UCAS points go. GSA asked DS for the UCAS equivalent of three C grades for his Acting degree, but that could have been achieved via BTEC, IB, a levels etc.

That's great news. Many congratulations to your DD! Great to hear she has an agent too. Has she started auditioning already? Very best of luck to her. It's good that BYMT and NYMT shows can be included on their Spotlight. Who were the creatives on Peter Pan?

Aww huge congratulations to her on completing her course and getting that agent and even more so at being savvy enough to find something she enjoys to do whilst auditions are underway.

It’s just such a tough road for them and it sounds like she’s really got it together. I’m Hooks mum and he’s getting towards the end of his first year at drama school then I need to start the whole audition process got his sister shortly so I definitely need wine! Off to a Conti open day next month 🙂

We’ve watched a few shows that Nicola Mac choreographed since PP and it’s great to see.

I think @Biscuitsneeded has it spot on. For acting degrees a practical 6th form isn’t really required and they might even prefer a more academic route however it will come to the audition process and I can’t see them saying to someone really talented we’d prefer an A level to a BTEC.

With MT there can be advantages to doing a performance 6th form. My ds started 6th form doing quite academic A levels - maths etc. he didn’t even consider doing a performance course but a few months in we went to a careers event and he realised he wasn’t putting himself in the right place to get what he wanted ( there was no real opportunity for him to dance locally).We took a gamble and he started a MT BTEC late in the November alongside a drama A level. It was the best decision we could’ve made for him.

I think going back 5 years very few did MT BTECS etc and auditions were more even. But I see year on year the increase in numbers starting Btecs increase and in some cases the standard of teaching is very high and they are used to the pressure and reality of what a performing course requires. They are alongside their peers and know how talented they are and have to start auditioning etc at an earlier age so are more used to the process. In some cases it might help give an early indication that it’s not the life for them and in others it gives them what they need to progress.

I’d also say there are lots of benefits from a foundation course and it should be more normalised as a route in and not seen as being less talented, just not quite ready.

obviously there are others who will have fab local training and get straight in but doing a btec if you are sure you want MT can be a good option. And there are plenty of colleges outside of London delivering top training.

Good luck!

Thanks, @Mcmumager, this is really useful. @Biscuitsneeded also really helpful, thanks.

My DD is adamant that she wants to do MT but I was wondering whether she might be better off doing A Level dance and drama (and one other) so that she keeps her options open. But as you say, lots of unis accept Level 3 courses so there’s no real reason to not do a Level 3 course. I suppose my concern is that she doesn’t get into any of the “good” courses and she ends up doing a BTEC at a sixth form that isn’t particularly strong on performing arts and she spends two years there but doesn’t really gain the necessary skills, experience and quality training she needs. We can’t really afford outside MT training as she already does the CAT programme and that takes up a lot of her time and too much of my money!

She’ll be getting good training on the CAT scheme which is great.
The things with a performance BTEC is also how much time it takes up. My dd is currently at one and has kept up her local dance and MT but these last few months have been crazy. Basically juggling 4 shows at once and going from rehearsals from college to perform locally meaning 15 hour days at times! I guess it proves your stamina but it can be a lot.

Maybe write down all the training she currently does and see if there are any gaps. There is also the opportunity for summer schools and BYMT/NYMT which are great for audition and performance experience.

I would say if the BTEC isn’t good quality then it wouldn’t be something I’d recommend. It just depends what you have nearby. She could always attend open days/auditions and see what she/you think.

my child’s college does year 10 taster days and open days so you can experience it.

Gosh, 15 hour days! She must be exhausted! She’s actually doing her first BYMT residential this summer and she’s super excited about that.

We’re in London so we have a few places she can apply to. We’re thinking she’ll do A Levels instead of a BTEC if she doesn’t get into any of the good ones.

My daughter has just done MT at BTEC Level 3, but also did A level English alongside, plus an EPQ in a drama related topic. That gives an abundance of UCAS points.