Auditioning for 2020 entry

[Tess50]

For Performers I think it's just the Dada - my daughter got her Dada from Performers too and nothing for maintenance etc but we're from Ireland so we can't get anything for maintenance but our message was very clear on what you get - they don't have further bursaries for maintenance but your own dada will tell you if you received funds for maintenance or not.

[lotsolaffs]

I think it's all unexpected expenses on top, food, going out the train fare coming home. Mine stayed with a host for £100 per week which included food, washing, everything,term time only in her 2nd year as first year host didn't include anything except wifi so we moved her out.
We underestimated expenses massively, after 2 years - well 18 months training I am glad we aren't paying a host anymore.
I went back to work full time so she could study at EDA , with a boy in his 1st year at Uni and a 11yo it was very tough at times and to round it off nicely just before two tyears were up I was made redundant.
I would advise just going through everything finacially -
A few tips- the 16- 17 railcard helped with train travel massively,it can be used anytime of day and lasts up to their 18th birthday.
Also a Totum card is handy for Superdrug, Coop and Pizza Express etc.

[Munchpot]

I think it's all unexpected expenses on top, food, going out the train fare coming home. Mine stayed with a host for £100 per week which included food, washing, everything,term time only in her 2nd year as first year host didn't include anything except wifi so we moved her out.
We underestimated expenses massively, after 2 years - well 18 months training I am glad we aren't paying a host anymore.
I went back to work full time so she could study at EDA , with a boy in his 1st year at Uni and a 11yo it was very tough at times and to round it off nicely just before two tyears were up I was made redundant.
I would advise just going through everything finacially -
A few tips- the 16- 17 railcard helped with train travel massively,it can be used anytime of day and lasts up to their 18th birthday.
Also a Totum card is handy for Superdrug, Coop and Pizza Express etc.

Sounds like you had a nightmare with your host family - They're not all bad. At least I hope we're not. We rent out a room to a student each year (and have done for 4 years now) and always include food, wi-fi, use of washing the lot - I just don't understand how anyone can have a student living with them and not treat them like they are part of the family when living under your roof and, usually if using a host, 16 or 17 years old. I suppose it helps that our DD is at the college but hate it when I hear of tales like how your DD was treated

If you are planning on using a host family do make sure you find out exactly what's included and get it in writing.

[Munchpot]

I think it's all unexpected expenses on top, food, going out the train fare coming home. Mine stayed with a host for £100 per week which included food, washing, everything,term time only in her 2nd year as first year host didn't include anything except wifi so we moved her out.
We underestimated expenses massively, after 2 years - well 18 months training I am glad we aren't paying a host anymore.
I went back to work full time so she could study at EDA , with a boy in his 1st year at Uni and a 11yo it was very tough at times and to round it off nicely just before two tyears were up I was made redundant.
I would advise just going through everything finacially -
A few tips- the 16- 17 railcard helped with train travel massively,it can be used anytime of day and lasts up to their 18th birthday.
Also a Totum card is handy for Superdrug, Coop and Pizza Express etc.

Sounds like you had a nightmare with your host family - They're not all bad. At least I hope we're not. We rent out a room to a student each year (and have done for 4 years now) and always include food, wi-fi, use of washing machine the lot - I just don't understand how anyone can have a student living with them and not treat them like they are part of the family when living under your roof and, usually if using a host, 16 or 17 years old. I suppose it helps that our DD is at the college but hate it when I hear of tales like how your DD was treated

If you are planning on using a host family do make sure you find out exactly what's included and get it in writing.

[Munchpot]

I think it's all unexpected expenses on top, food, going out the train fare coming home. Mine stayed with a host for £100 per week which included food, washing, everything,term time only in her 2nd year as first year host didn't include anything except wifi so we moved her out.
We underestimated expenses massively, after 2 years - well 18 months training I am glad we aren't paying a host anymore.
I went back to work full time so she could study at EDA , with a boy in his 1st year at Uni and a 11yo it was very tough at times and to round it off nicely just before two tyears were up I was made redundant.
I would advise just going through everything finacially -
A few tips- the 16- 17 railcard helped with train travel massively,it can be used anytime of day and lasts up to their 18th birthday.
Also a Totum card is handy for Superdrug, Coop and Pizza Express etc.

Sounds like you had a nightmare with your host family - They're not all bad. At least I hope we're not. We rent out a room to a student each year (and have done for 4 years now) and always include food, wi-fi, use of washing machine the lot - I just don't understand how anyone can have a student living with them and not treat them like they are part of the family when living under your roof and, usually if using a host, 16 or 17 years old. I suppose it helps that our DD is at the college but hate it when I hear of tales like how your DD was treated

If you are planning on using a host family do make sure you find out exactly what's included and get it in writing.

[Munchpot]

Sounds like you had a nightmare with your host family - They're not all bad. At least I hope we're not. We rent out a room to a student each year (and have done for 4 years now) and always include food, wi-fi, use of washing machine the lot - I just don't understand how anyone can have a student living with them and not treat them like they are part of the family when living under your roof and, usually if using a host, 16 or 17 years old. I suppose it helps that our DD is at the college but hate it when I hear of tales like how your DD was treated

If you are planning on using a host family do make sure you find out exactly what's included and get it in writing.

[Tess50]

That's the thing - thanks for all the tips - my daughter just turned 17 and finding it difficult to get her accommodation near Performers - her friend was supposed to be going with her so we were initially looking for 2 rooms in a shared house but they were all gone - her friend hoped to get a Dada but didn't but Masters offer everyone some type of funding and she had gotten in there and had 40% scholarship and asked them for more and they gave her more so my daughter is now left looking for a room by herself which isn't turning out to be easy - trying to get her somewhere near Performers to lessen the travel expenses etc and she'll be back and forth to Ireland as well so yep I think it's easy to underestimate how expensive it all is and we're lucky that we don't have to pay her tuition due to the Dada - she couldn't have gone if she hadn't received one.

[MygirlsloveMT]

I think it's all unexpected expenses on top, food, going out the train fare coming home. Mine stayed with a host for £100 per week which included food, washing, everything,term time only in her 2nd year as first year host didn't include anything except wifi so we moved her out.
We underestimated expenses massively, after 2 years - well 18 months training I am glad we aren't paying a host anymore.
I went back to work full time so she could study at EDA , with a boy in his 1st year at Uni and a 11yo it was very tough at times and to round it off nicely just before two tyears were up I was made redundant.
I would advise just going through everything finacially -
A few tips- the 16- 17 railcard helped with train travel massively,it can be used anytime of day and lasts up to their 18th birthday.
Also a Totum card is handy for Superdrug, Coop and Pizza Express etc.

I know what you mean, it’s things like this you don’t think about. We had living expenses that we sent our daughter money for, she tried to get a job but had no luck where she was and without a car. Then there was her train to and from college, plus we would try and go to see her once a term which cost petrol money plus eating out for all 4 of us easily cost us £100 a time! When she moves to Wilkes she’s hopefully going in her car which should give her more opportunity to get a job but there are definitely a lot of expenses you aren’t aware of, and that’s even before uniform, theatre trips, show tickets etc etc. I’ve always said you can only go down this avenue if you have some kind of money, how many kids are out there who could be phenomenal performers that just can’t afford even the audition process?

[MygirlsloveMT]

That's the thing - thanks for all the tips - my daughter just turned 17 and finding it difficult to get her accommodation near Performers - her friend was supposed to be going with her so we were initially looking for 2 rooms in a shared house but they were all gone - her friend hoped to get a Dada but didn't but Masters offer everyone some type of funding and she had gotten in there and had 40% scholarship and asked them for more and they gave her more so my daughter is now left looking for a room by herself which isn't turning out to be easy - trying to get her somewhere near Performers to lessen the travel expenses etc and she'll be back and forth to Ireland as well so yep I think it's easy to underestimate how expensive it all is and we're lucky that we don't have to pay her tuition due to the Dada - she couldn't have gone if she hadn't received one.

Don’t give up! My daughter had this last year when looking for 2 rooms for her and her friend, we couldn’t find anything and by the time we realised she had to find one on her own then all the single rooms had gone! All I would say is give your details to as many landlords as possible, we were just about to book dd in with a host (something at 18 she REALLY didn’t want) and got a phone call from a landlord asking if we were still looking for a room as someone had dropped out, you can understand our relief! Don’t think it helps that we struggled last year with an intake of around 150, this year there are 235 looking for rooms!

[Tess50]

Ah thanks so much - I'll do that and hopefully something will show up - with the increase alright it's going to be even harder but I'm hoping to get sorted as with the year thats in it who knows what's going to happen.

[Red]

That's the thing - thanks for all the tips - my daughter just turned 17 and finding it difficult to get her accommodation near Performers - her friend was supposed to be going with her so we were initially looking for 2 rooms in a shared house but they were all gone - her friend hoped to get a Dada but didn't but Masters offer everyone some type of funding and she had gotten in there and had 40% scholarship and asked them for more and they gave her more so my daughter is now left looking for a room by herself which isn't turning out to be easy - trying to get her somewhere near Performers to lessen the travel expenses etc and she'll be back and forth to Ireland as well so yep I think it's easy to underestimate how expensive it all is and we're lucky that we don't have to pay her tuition due to the Dada - she couldn't have gone if she hadn't received one.

Don’t give up! My daughter had this last year when looking for 2 rooms for her and her friend, we couldn’t find anything and by the time we realised she had to find one on her own then all the single rooms had gone! All I would say is give your details to as many landlords as possible, we were just about to book dd in with a host (something at 18 she REALLY didn’t want) and got a phone call from a landlord asking if we were still looking for a room as someone had dropped out, you can understand our relief! Don’t think it helps that we struggled last year with an intake of around 150, this year there are 235 looking for rooms!

Wow that’s a huge jump in places. Is this at Performers?

[Tess50]

They have increased the degree intake mostly from 85 to 130 - pre vocational staying at 50 and diploma max will be 50 - they are increasing the studio spaces and buildings and they will not be trained together (diploma and degree) like they previously were and the class sizes will actually be smaller - I queried this with the principal when I heard the increased intake but they are so efficient and prompt getting back and assured me that other things are coming on board which they will share when they deem the time is right.

[lotsolaffs]

They have increased the degree intake mostly from 85 to 130 - pre vocational staying at 50 and diploma max will be 50 - they are increasing the studio spaces and buildings and they will not be trained together (diploma and degree) like they previously were and the class sizes will actually be smaller - I queried this with the principal when I heard the increased intake but they are so efficient and prompt getting back and assured me that other things are coming on board which they will share when they deem the time is right.

When a college first starts to offer a degree numbers are restricted in the first year, maybe second year too. It has recently changed hands and was bought by BIMM , so it may explain the many changes.

[MygirlsloveMT]

Yes that is Performers and this September is 3rd year of the degree so the lift in restrictions sound about right. Can’t fault them at all, has been a fab Pre-Voc year for my daughter and it was a tough decision for her to choose Wilkes over Performers but she just had to go with her heart x

[Tess50]

That's great to hear - my daughter loved it on her audition day and felt she would be very happy there - as you say they have to go with their heart - my daughter loved Laine and Performers and wasn't as mad on Bird, London Studio and Urdang which at the outset wouldn't have been what she thought so just shows you - unlikely to get funding at Laine so happy to go with Performers and I have to say have found them fantastic - anything you ask they get back to you immediately too which as a parent is great.