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Hi all! I applied last year, got into one program, but ultimately turned it down. This year I've only applied to UT Austin, Yale, and NU. Interviews scheduled next week for UT and Yale, nothing yet from NU (looks like their invites went out this past week?). 20 minutes does seem short - wonder if they're just matching the length of the URTA interviews they're conducting?

Well, I think I'm totally wrapped on applications this year. I received one offer (from UC Irvine) but decided to turn it down. While I haven't been formally rejected at every other school, I think it's safe to say I won't be heading anywhere this fall. UCI was tempting because the financial package was great and there are many production opportunities. Ultimately though, I felt like the education and professional opportunities I'm looking for would be far better served at other schools, and that it was worth waiting. Even if I don't wind up reapplying, I feel like there are too many opportunities in the world to spend 3 years somewhere you aren't 100% excited about. Nearly everyone I've talked to about different programs has said something to the effect of "don't go somewhere you aren't incredibly excited about" and "make sure you know exactly what you're looking for from a program and how you'll get it". It was incredibly hard to say no, but I think in context of all the advice I've gotten, I had to. Just to wrap up how everything went for me (and to help future applicants who might be reading this): - I submitted to TSU, FSU, and OU via URTAs but they did not interview me. - I applied to Columbia and UCSD but did not receive an interview. I knew I couldn't afford Columbia, but I thought my work was very in line with their style and I just wanted to see how it went, basically. I was surprised that I didn't make it to interviews with them, especially considering how many students they admit. - I interviewed with CMU, was called back for their digital campus visit (I was 1 of 10), but was told this week that I was not accepted. - At URTAs, I interviewed with UCI, UCLA, Boston, UT Austin, CalArts, and South Carolina. - Boston told me I was a finalist but that there were no callbacks. - UT Austin called me back for a second interview, but did not invite me to their campus visit. Technically, I am still waitlisted. They let me know that I was one of the top 9, but that only a few students were invited to campus. - UCI had two rounds of callbacks, the latter of which was a digital campus visit. At first I was told I was the first alternate, and then received an offer a few days later. If I reapply next year, I'll probably be a bit more narrow in my selection. I'm interested in reapplying to CMU, UT Austin, and UCLA. Plus next year Yale, Brown, NU, and Brooklyn will all be back on the table (knock on wood!). If nothing else, I feel like applying was a great clarifying process for me artistically, and I learned a lot about the graduate program ecosystem. No regrets on applying (except maybe giving $100 to Columbia) -- not like we have much else to do these days. Congrats to everyone accepting offers! I would love to hear other people's "closing thoughts" or summaries of how your app process went. It's been great to hear from people on here, since we obviously aren't meeting in person at school visits etc.

Fuck yeah, you're going to do great! CMU callbacks are tomorrow too all day (starting at 7am for me since i'm west coast ). I wore a suit jacket and shirt with no tie to URTAs, but it was so casual that I took the jacket off pretty quickly. I think the bar is pretty low when we're all sitting in our homes. I do think there's something to be said for getting at least a little dressed up though, just to get into the interview mindset.

CMU has not put out offers. I was invited to a campus visit/callback for the end of the month.

A few updates on my end: - UT Austin - in the same boat as @MissSpentLife , alternate. They mentioned that there were 81 applicants and 9 semifinalists, of which I was one. - UC Irvine - they've put out offers. I was not offered a spot, but was told that I am the first alternate, and that I would receive an offer if either of their other two asks turn down. I was told that there were 60-something applicants this year. - Columbia - They did auditions over this past weekend apparently. I never heard anything from them. - Boston and CalArts have both said that they are not doing callbacks. I'm expecting offers to go out from both within the next week. Through the grapevine, I've also heard that OU, FSU, and ASU have all put out requests. Anyone hear anything from UCLA? Genuinely unsure if I should write them off or not. @ctbck - any update on DePaul for you?

CMU sent out interview requests today!

I have a similar-but-different problem. I have a few main points for all the typical questions I get asked, but the interviews are always short and I'm always kind of amped up, so I either forget to mention a few points or I rush through them all without explaining properly. Anyone hear anything from UCLA, CMU, UCSD, Columbia, South Carolina, or CalArts?

Thanks! I'm very excited. Not sure what you mean. Yes, I interviewed with those 3 at URTA. Have not heard anything from them. UCI just invited me to their second callback -- what would have been a campus visit in non-covid times. They're letting us sit in on digital classes and rehearsals. All schools should be doing this!

Can confirm, UT Austin has contacted finalists. BU and UC Irvine as well! I've heard nothing since my interview from UCLA, CalArts, and South Carolina. Have heard nothing since applying from CMU, Columbia, and UCSD.

URTA update: I felt pretty good about my interviews! 25 minutes flew by with each school, so my only regret maybe is that I wasn't more concise with my answers. No questions out of left field, a lot of "why grad school?" and "where do you see yourself career-wise after grad school?", etc. I do primarily devised work, so I got a few questions about my process. I was asked to pitch plays for 5 of my interviews, but 2 of the schools didn't actually bring it up. Every school that laid out the next steps for me indicated that callbacks would consist of more interviews. No one said anything about having to direct over Zoom (knock on wood). I asked a few schools about their plans for the fall in terms of in-person vs zoom, productions, etc. My main takeaway from that was just that no one really knows where we'll be at in the fall. Oh, and I know we talked about Boston a while back -- something I was unaware of is that they have a total change in leadership -- brand new program head. Anyone else interview yesterday? How's everyone feeling? On a different note -- I think Brooklyn may not be taking a class this year for directing. They pulled out of URTAs, and when I emailed them about it and to ask some other questions, I got no reply. Anyone know anything else about it?

Interviewing with UT Austin, UCLA, UC Irvine, Boston University, CalArts, and South Carolina. OU, Indiana, FSU, and TSU did not elect to interview me. Yeah, that's my sense too with Carolina. Hoping to learn more about the program in the interview!

URTA schedules came out today! 4 of the 8 schools I sent LOIs to scheduled an interview with me, and 2 schools I did not submit to scheduled with me anyways. The 4 that are not interviewing me are more traditional programs, so I knew that I already wasn't a perfect fit. Overall pretty happy! How'd everyone else fair? Anyone know much about University of South Carolina's program? Based on their website, it's non-existent. But they requested an interview with me, so I'm assuming it's a new program. Directing head looks like a big Shakespeare guy, which is not at all my area of expertise.

They take SIX DIRECTORS A YEAR. Would love to study there but the lack of funding is terrible. I applied but unless I get some magical scholarship I'm not sure I'll be able accept.

Finished my URTA letters today. Wound up applying to 8 schools through the URTAs: UT Austin, FSU, UCLA, UC Irvine, Boston, Ohio, Indiana, and TSU. It was tempting to put in for East15 and CalArts but I knew I wouldn't be able to attend because of $$. Also got an email today from the URTAs letting me know that the deadline to submit was extended through Monday. Possibly a low turnout sign? I am still planning to apply to UCSD and Brooklyn. Not sure if it's annoying, but I keep posting every update I have just because I got so much out of reading threads from previous years. It's shockingly hard to find info about this stuff outside of admissions websites. @jimminy_cricket I feel like you can get away with reading anything as long as you find a way to relate it to the moment.

If you already were applying to other schools, it doesn't take much to ask your references to send the letter to one more school. Numbers being down might work out well for those of us who apply (especially if covid is under control by fall 2021). But I wonder if numbers are way down, could more programs decide to not take a class like NU, Yale, and Brown? I'm still cranking through these URTA LOIs. Thought it would be easier than my other materials, but somehow they're taking me forever.