How many colleges should you visit the open day for?

[Caroline A-C]

My ds is at Arts Ed doing MT and absolutely loves it. Fees are around £12,500 odd a year but if you have a DADA that is drastically reduced to about £1,500(ish). The student loan for maintenance is just under £5,000 per year. That covers about 9 months of my ds rent. There are no student digs which does mean that accommodation is more expensive. He has a Saturday job to help with the costs he has. It is a struggle but one worth the sacrifice when we see how committed he is and how he has developed since being at Arts Ed.

Other ones for MT are Mountview, GSA, Central. Think Central is UCAS so the fees are as with universities. Think somebody here has a dd there so would know more about that. There are other colleges and I am sure others will fill you in more on here.

Don't know about the dance courses I am afraid - don't envy you having two dc going the same year but I it will all work out well - good luck.

[amanda]

Hello Caroline,
I was under the impression that you couldnt get both a DaDA and a student loan. Am I wrong? (I certainly hope so!)

[Caroline A-C]

You can't get a student loan for the tuition fees if you have a DADA but you can get the maintenance loan - pretty sure that is correct.

[amanda]

Thanks Caroline. I was thinking that if DD was lucky enough to be offered a DaDA we might not be able to afford to accept it! Your explanation makes more sense.

[Welsh Mum]

My Dd is doing MT at Central -it's a different style course, very big emphasis on Acting, lots of singing, not as dance based as some other courses. She loves it - as she is strong dancer anyway she has enjoyed being stretched in Acting. She also feels she will be well prepared for non MT roles. Grads have done well - students from last year have been touring with Sister Act and Dreamboats and Petticoats, and one is one of the leads in new Spice Girls musical. yes it is in UCAS so loans cover the fees. However, still costs us a lot due to high cost of rents etc.

[Katymac]

Do you think it would be good to go to the Hammond Taster Day - it means missing a class so I'm not sure

[2dancersmum]

My DD thoroughly enjoyed the Hammond taster day. It is one more for students than parents as they spend the day in classes and get to tour the school etc and parents basically drop off and pick up. It became my DD's favourite school after spending a day there as she loved the teaching and the whole atmosphere. They did talk alitle to parents and when you went to pick up you were allowed into the upstairs of the theatre to watch the end of the final class and watch a couple of dances/songs performed by existing Hammond students.

Having said all that there is no need to do all the visits in yr 10, especially if it is inconvenient for you. I am under the impression that their taster day is aimed at year 11s as they will contact those they think have potential afterwards to invite them to audition.

[dadadance]

Under current DADA awards you can only get the maintenance grant if your household income is under about 30,000. Though this may change from September if they ever get round to publishing the new arrangements for DADA.

[Katymac]

Thanks

We just came back from seeing Tiffany's - we were just blown away. The people (staff & Students) were so lovely and DD really enjoyed the classes she sat in on and the one she joined in with.

[Katymac]

We went to Millenium yesterday; DD was blown away! The jazz was the most amazing thing I have ever seen!

Each place we go is fantastic - how will we decide where to audition, never mind anything else

[FelixGirl]

Millenium is a brilliant college!! (But then they all seem to be fantastic!!)

I think you just have to go with your gut feeling......and then consider with whether getting a place there would be practical from a funding/travelling/housing point of view!!

Your DD will know which her favourites are (mine certainly did!)......

[Katymac]

I think she will always love the last one she went to.....(so maybe I need to decide what I want and make sure that one is last)

Hammond on Tuesday!

[mathsmum]

apologies if mentioned before - but many/most colleges do holiday courses (generally a week) - we are booking into b&b's for the next 2 years

[Katymac]

Yes we are sorted for Feb haf-term & don't know about the summer until after the YMT auditions.

We are still looking for week 2 of Easter & May half term plus possibly Oct half-term.....but auditions start after that

[Katymac]

She went to Hammond on Tuesday for a Taster day; this was mixed - problems with Contemporary & Street but she loved the rest of it

She wasn't sure about the atmosphere at first; but soon warmed to it

It's now second on her list