Drama School Application 2013

[pg]

Ah, that's good that it could be refunded though. I didn't know that was the case

Neither DS nor I had to pay deposits in the end as the offers from the schools we wanted to attend came in before the deadline for accepting other offers (think I'm remembering that correctly - possibly DS did accept one and then wrote to say he'd changed his mind when RADA offer came in, I know neither of us paid deposits except for the schools we ended up attending).

Ugh. I'm rambling. Time to stop doing so.

[Welsh Mum]

Hello all,
Can anyone fill me in a bit more regarding accepting a school place if you're lucky enough to be offered.
So for example on the non ucas drama schools given that each application is separate and that the decision dates are all different is it possible to be in a position of having several offers?
Does a school give the candidate a limited time to accept/reject the place?
Can you accept one while waiting for a decision?

Thanks

Like everything else about auditions, it depends on the college
But you can have more than one offer at the same time - my DD had 3 (but each had a different deadline!)

[Genevieve]

(according to website):
The cut-off point for accepting an offer for a place at a Conference of Drama Schools (CDS) school is set by the CDS, and is usually 1st July each year.
The CDS monitors the accredited drama schools so that any one candidate cannot accept a place at more than one school.

However, the UCAS deadline is 7th May for accepting offers - so important for those who apply to drama schools such as LIPA, Central.

So this could be an issue if you're applying to CDS schools via UCAS anddrama schools outside of UCAS because some offer very early on in the process, and others can potentially offer you a place past the deadline of accepting a place at other schools

[JTBmum]

Has anyone's dd or ds done the RADA foundation course?

[tikka]

Hi
Trying to get my head round all this! Sorry to sound so dense but there's a lot to take in.

Have I got it right so far?
To do an Acting Degree you can go to a University or a drama school, but its preferable to go to an accredited drama school if you are to stand a chance of working as an actor.
The best drama schools are part of NCDT, or CDS, or both (is one higher in perceived status than the other?)
Most unis and drama schools charge £9000 a year and you can get a student loan, but you can't get a loan for all of them (haven't yet worked out which ones you can't get a loan for).
There's something called a DADA, but its changing and I'm guessing in the drama schools where you can't get a gov grant they give out DADAs to a few students, and the rest have to find the cash upfront.
You apply either through UCAS or direct to the drama school.

Is it a good idea to try and do any of the short courses, like 'prep for audition day' at Rose Bruford, or the LAMDA 2 week audition course, or are they really aimed at students who are studying other subjects at A level, rather than those doing acting courses - or should you take all the help you can get regardless, or is it better to be more natural and not be too well prepared?????

tikka

[tikka]

forgot to ask....

if you do a foundation course would you be able to get gov funding, or is it cash up front?

tikka

[Caroline A-C]

Drama school fees tend be more than the £9000 university fees -more like £12,000 or so. You can get the student loan for the accredited schools but only for part of the fees (think I was told it was around £6,000 odd as from 2012 entry). My ds's fees are just over £12,000 and as he started in September last year, he is only entitled to the student of £3,000 which makes the course very expensive, so those going this year, it is a little easier on the finances (although there is more loan to pay back eventually).

I do know of somebody who is studying at uni on a two year course and then can go to one of the drama schools for the final year so that may be an option. Sorry, don't know much more about that though. Maybe some of the NAPM's have more info about this.

There is a wealth of knowledge on this site and I am sure that somebody will be able to answer your questions far better than me.

Good luck x

[tikka]

Thanks Caroline. It all sounds very expensive. At least with the gov student loan you don't pay it back if you don't earn much money, but paying up front without a loan sounds a bit painful. Hope he is enjoying the course.

tikka

[Welsh Mum]

Some drama schools charge £9,000, generally those in UCAS - CSSD, RWCMD etc. Their fees are the same as other uni courses, and you get full student loans. I think RADAs fees are the same, and Guildhall and LAMDA.

Most uni courses (though not all) tend to be Drama courses not Acting. Again, the devil is in the detail of each course as to how much practical/written work there is.

[pg]

Is it a good idea to try and do any of the short courses, like 'prep for audition day' at Rose Bruford, or the LAMDA 2 week audition course, or are they really aimed at students who are studying other subjects at A level, rather than those doing acting courses - or should you take all the help you can get regardless, or is it better to be more natural and not be too well prepared?????

I think this depends on the applicant really. Personally, I am in no doubt at all that an applicant should do their speeches in front of a reasonably knowledgeable and honest person before they go to an audition. The reason for this is (as son of pg said in a post on this subject ) that you can't be certain as an actor how you are coming across - this is one of the reasons shows need directors! Even if it is someone who can just tell you "did you know you sigh a lot?" or "you shift your weight from foot to foot" this will be of some help. Better still will be someone who can help the actor "explore" and give them confidence.

I don't think there's any need to do a course (plenty of actors get places without attending a course) but I expect some of the things learned would be helpful.

I do think you need to be natural, yes. Without wanting to sound too pretentious (probably failed already ), I don't think being well prepared need stop you being natural. In fact, if you are really well prepared you should be able to relax and put any "training" or practice out of your head completely (trusting that it is there for you) and then go in and be bold and take risks and yet be vulnerable and open. (told you I'd fail )

I think being well prepared doesn't mean practising your speeches all the time, it's broader (and more useful) than that. To be honest, a lot of the NAPM applicants will be well prepared in the way I think of it. It's going to the theatre, watching and learning, reading plays, performing whenever there's an opportunity - that kind of thing.

[tikka]

Thanks pg, sound advice as usual
tikka

[Welsh Mum]

I think that one other thing to think about when applying ( I admit when my DD was applying we didnt think of this) is finding out about the class/year size at the colleges. Apparently the size of intake has increased, possibly (rather cynical I know) as more bums on seats without increasing staff means better finances

For example I have bene told that next years' graduating year for MT in GSA is 53 . This seems like a big class and is certainly bigger than in the past (this years' was 41, not sure of year before).

I cant see how this helps the students - more students means less individual time and more difficulties when casting shows etc. My DDs year is considered big and there are just 18. Lots of individual advice and help, all the class have bonded well and good chance of roles when casting.

Jusr thought I would add this into the mix