Intermission: How to Regroup After a Tough First Half of Your College Audition Process

As you well know at this stage, the college audition process is an epic production in three acts - with plenty of spectacle, high highs, and low lows.  By now, you’ve likely given maximum manic jazz handing through the first act (Prescreens) and tried your best to keep on smiling through the second act (Early Auditions).  Now, it’s intermission.  Get some water, rest, and pull up a chair at your dressing room station.  Once you’ve caught your breath, it’s time to strategize for the third act of this show (Regular Audition Season); reflect on how the show is going so far, and make adjustments accordingly. 

Now that I have adequately proven my theatrical metaphor skills, here’s the deal: if the first half of the college audition process didn’t go the way you had hoped, that’s okay.  Rejection is part of this process and, while it absolutely stinks, it does not mean that you aren’t meant to do this.  You are.  And, while hearing “no” is one common bond that connects every student pursuing the college audition journey, your path to the perfect place for you will look completely different than that of any of your peers.

Whether prescreen results didn’t go as planned, early round auditions rattled your nerves more than you bargained for, or personal circumstances threw you off your timeline, now is the moment to take a deep breath and let go of what you cannot control - the past.  Time to look ahead and focus on what you can control.  If you’ve yet to stick the landing like you wanted to by now in this process, here is some advice as you regroup for the big audition season:

Take Stock of Your List

Now is a great time to reexamine your college list and see where the chips have fallen.  As always, it’s important to have a balance of Reach, Match, and Safety programs on your list.  If prescreens took out a significant number of your Reach and Match schools, consider adding a couple of new schools to the mix, or submitting a prescreen for a school’s Acting program if you originally submitted for Musical Theatre.  Look for schools with rolling admissions, later deadlines, and those accepting video auditions.  While some deadlines have passed, it is not too late to apply to many awesome programs.  This is a perfect moment to learn about some new schools, bulk up your list (and your confidence), and give yourself more options for the rest of the process.  If you’re looking for some guidance on your list and which specific schools would be best for you to target at this stage, I recommend booking a consultation with one of our expert MCA Consultants.

Consider Walk-In Auditions

Walk-In Auditions are a great way to supplement your list later in the process in exchange for a reasonable lift on your part.  Many schools in attendance for New York and Chicago Unifieds will post sign-ups for “walk-in” audition slots the day before or the day of.  If you’re someone who could use a few more solid schools on your list, you can sign up for a slot, perform your audition material, chat with the faculty to get a sense for the school, and fill out an application later if you’re still interested in the program.  You can also do walk-in auditions virtually! Acceptd is organizing and hosting a Virtual Walk-In Weekend on February 17th & 18th, and registration for students opens on January 1st. Check it out!

Get New Eyes on Your Material

If you haven’t yet sought an outside perspective - someone other than your school director or longtime voice teacher, for example - it may be a good time to find someone with trustworthy, fresh eyes to take a look at your audition package and give you honest, objective feedback.  If you’ve been feeling like some of your material is falling flat, a new perspective might be just what you need to pivot, reenergize, and refocus.  It could be a matter of content - you may need to switch out a piece or two.  Or, it could be a matter of style - a new voice can suggest some useful acting map or vocal shifts to breathe new life into your material.  The folks in your corner know you and love best, but they may not be experts on what works best in this process.  So, if you are able, seek some outside advice!

Reach Out

I say this to my students a lot but, despite the cheesiness, it bears repeating: when in doubt, reach on out!  If you find a program that you really feel excited about late in the game, you’ve got nothing to lose in reaching out and asking a question.  Don’t be afraid to shoot the school an email and ask if you can still submit a video audition, or see if they’ve had any audition spots open up.  This is the time of year when some students may release their audition slots at a few schools, and you never know what you may find!  You’d be surprised at how far a polite, heartfelt, well written email can carry you.  Obviously, you don’t want to do this at more than a couple of schools you are truly interested in, but use your best judgement.

Follow Up

If you’ve been deferred to the regular decision pool or waitlisted in any capacity at a school you remain interested in, these coming weeks are the time to follow up.  I know it may not feel like it right now, but the fact that you were deferred or waitlisted is a good thing!  This means they like you, they could see you at their school, and they want to keep you in consideration.  The door is still open and that should be celebrated!  Don’t flood their inbox, but do send them an email to thank them for their time, remind them how much you love their program, and offer to send them anything else that might be helpful as they make their final decision.  In this time of the virtual + in-person hybrid audition model, it’s never been easier for a school to say “actually yes, we would love to see a pop song if you can send us something!”.  Give them that opportunity and show them how strong your interest is.  Everyone likes to feel wanted and, again, you have nothing to lose in reaching out to them.

To borrow a mantra we love to use at MCA: Trust The Process.  Rejection is simply redirection toward the place you’re truly meant to be. Keep working hard, keep being kind, and keep the faith!  Your standing ovation may still be yet to come, but your perfect fit is out there. It’s just going to take a little more pivot-turning, kicking, and ball-changing to get there!

Need some help to regroup?  Use the code REFERRAL15 to schedule your initial consultation by 12/31/22 and receive 15% off!