dancelifemum wrote: ↑Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:25 am
2dancersmum wrote: ↑Fri Apr 23, 2021 10:19 am
If it helps, I'm not sure that the students themselves ever really know where they 'rank' on the list. The colleges will offer a batch of DADA's initially - they know how big their pot of money is and how many students they can cover fully for DADA requirements and then more will be offered as forms are returned and they see how much will actually be allocated to those students. But don't forget that not all students will be eligible for DADA - some will be self funded. My DD certainly did not find it was ever an issue or ever really discussed as to who had a DADA and who hadn't and they all soon discovered that absolutely everyone had strengths and weaknesses
sadly at our dance school they put too much emphasis on the 'dada' award....when in reality some have to self fund as they are ineligible, so when 3 girls previously went to Laine a big hoo ha was made about the girl with the dada offer even though the other two couldn't actually apply as their parents were just above the threshold. It has just stuck with us as they left for college feeling their offers weren't as impressive as the other one. Sadly!
Sounds to me like the dance school wished to boast, probably to say to other prospective students 'come to us, we've got our kids into ......with Dadas' without fully exlaining or even understanding what this means.
Even if you are on the talent register, if the pot of money has run out before they get to your name because the people before you need more financial support you'll not get a Dada. Another drama school the person the same number as you on their list could get one purely because of the household income of the students above you.
I do find it very frustrating when funding isn't explained adequately or at all. Last year daughter's course tutor mentioned diplomas to them but purely focussed on the academic content of them versus a degree and didn't explain any financial implications.
Dadas don't work for us despite having an income below £90K because husband has a company car and doesn't pay for fuel. All this affects his personal tax allowance (the amount before you start paying income tax) so he has a lower net income but then we have to add on these 'perks' as income. It adds another £10K+ to his salary as benefits in kind and the amount we report his income to be. His wages pays the mortgage and bills. Then when I work mine pays the 'extras' such as daughter's rent and living costs but but it's not enough to fully fund the diploma, I don't work in a field/area where there's part time work, so it;s full time or nothing, so add hubby's situation plus my full time wages and a request for me to work overtime or hubby getting an unexpected bonus and it'd throw us just over to the amount where we'd have to pay full fees. For this reason we've had to tell daughter places only offering diplomas are out, even for just acting courses. Oxford school of acting is one that comes to mind that we've said she can't apply to.