Joinedtoolate

Not if I take you out to lunch first...

I'm going to Indiana, bluebane. I wish it wasn't at your expense. You and I may have been the only campus visitors from what I could gather (there were none after me, I know that for sure), so I guess they really use the Skype interviews to figure out their top prospects. But I didn't even get an interview at Yale, or any visits my first year applying, so you must be doing a lot of things right. I think applying a second year in a row, and staying in touch in between, helped me a lot with Indiana, so I recommend everyone thinking ahead to another year of applications do the same with their favorite programs. If you visit again I'll look forward to meeting you, bluebane! I actually just had a phone call this morning with the program head, about fall classes, and teaching (my first semester even, not waiting until spring like normal), and assistant directing, and plays to pitch for different production slots, and now I'm too excited to go to sleep. Which is why I'm checking this thread so late (I thought I had set up to get an email notification of new posts, but I guess not). (and my visit to Irvine was pretty amazing, you are correct to regret passing that up. Jane Page seems like an amazing mentor, and she's built a formidible program in her short tenure. UCI generally only recruits every other year, so if you're still at this in 2017, definitely put them back on your list)

Well, hi. Philly director here. Wow. I wish I'd known about this site while I was still doing applications (hence my handle). Thank you Bluebane for writing the theatrebayarea article, it's very useful (I also wish I'd read it two years ago) and also how I found this site. And I completely agree with clementiney, it's bizarre how little resources there are online about all this (what would we do without that mostly-accurate list of US programs on Baylor's website?). I have a though about how to build a better mousetrap, but I'm not sure I have the web design skills or free time to pull it off. Even though I'm done with apps, I feel compelled to post. I admire the support and community you've all built in this thread (and in others, but this one's my favorite). A few observations from things said on this thread: ~I applied to CalArts through URTAs last year, and while they had me apply directly right away, they waived the fee because I applied through URTAs (I even dug up the email to fact-check my memory). If they changed that policy this year, then they're greedy avant-garde bastards (who already give very little financial aid anyway, from what I've heard). ~RoRiloRo: I applied to UMass Amherst this year, and was invited up for a visit. The visit itself was poorly organized and brief (8:30ish until about 2pm), and their department has no grad actors or playwrights and seems bizarrely dramaturg-heavy. I had an awful time, partially because I was exhausted from my previous visit, and partially because I got a 12-hour stomach bug at 2am the day of my interview... somehow managed to not vomit on the carpet in my AirBnB... I also managed to avoid shitting myself in the interview, so I give myself credit for that). I can talk more about the program if you have other questions, but that was the only school I visited that I'd have said no to, even if it was my only offer. I didn't apply to Penn State b/c it's focused on musicals. My application history follows. If anyone has questions about any of it (to help with next year's apps maybe), please ask, I'd like to help shine light where I can, and I know you guys would have helped me if I'd been posting earlier and you could. LAST YEAR: I got first-round interviews with Indiana and CalArts (through URTAs), Brown and Carnegie Mellon. No interviews at Yale, UCSD, and BU Had a second-round Skype interview with Indiana. No campus visits anywhere. Quit my stupid day job while I waited to hear back (oops, oh well, screw them anyway). THIS YEAR: Indiana, Temple, UC Irvine, Ohio and Florida State (through URTAs, I spoke to everybody except Florida), Brown and UMass Amherst. No interviews with UT Austin and BU Had another second-round Skype interview with Indiana, and then visits at Irvine, UMass Amherst and Indiana. Far better directors than I have also struck out their first time applying, so none of you should be discouraged. There's lots of schools that recruit every other year, or 2-out-of-3 years, or once every three years, so it's always a slightly different pool when you get on the horse a second time. And even if you're not a better director 1 year later, you'll certainly be far more savvy at the applications themselves. If you felt like you connected with an interviewer, especially if you got past the first round, send them the occasional email about what projects you're working on, keep on their radar etc. Have a great weekend, storytellers. ~JTL