Auditioning for 2017

[Caroline A-C]

That is so so unfair and makes me mad. Sorry, rant over. I never have understood why you gets lower amount in student loan if you are going to a "private" college. After all, it is a loan that the individual will have to pay back. We struggled to pay to get my DS through Arts Ed paying the difference between the college fees and student loan. That was back when degrees and loans were £3,000 pa. Everybody got the same amount regardless of whether the college was private or not. Why has that changed?

[Nickinoo]

I can understand why Scottish residents pay less but am confused as to why the rest of the EU but not UK gets such a reduction in fees? Who pays the difference? Do they get lots of funding from the EU to make up the difference? Sorry am totally ignorant about such things!

[Danceandsing]

You get London weighting for maintenance loan at Bird too. Also student finance drops in the 3rd year! That's a lovely little gift for everyone you only realise in September of year 3!

[islandofsodor]

From an earlier post on a different thread regarding degree course fees and loans:

The official line is that 'private institutions' can only have £6,000 borrowed towards the fees. However I don't fully understand what makes Arts Ed or Mountview a private institution while Bird and Urdang are not... All the degrees are validated by established universities but the colleges are separate and manage themselves.

The difference lies in how the courses are accredited.

To take Hammond & Bird as the first examples. Students enrol as a student of Chester or Greenwich Universities but the University sub-contract the teaching of the course out to the Hammond/Bird College campuses. Hence they are not classed as private institutions.

In the case of Arts Ed, students enrol at Arts Ed as a private college but as they don't have degree awarding status City University London validate the degree for Arts Ed.

[STEFFYSMUM]

RCS is actually free if you live in Scotland, we don't pay for any university or colleges places here unless private.

[Munchpot]

Hi All

Long time lurker. Thought I'd throw in my thoughts

My DD auditioned for: GSA, Arts Ed, Urdang, Bird, Performers and is today at Laban. She's so far been offered Foundation at Bird, 3 Yr Diploma at Performers and waiting on Laban. It was a no from GSA, Arts Ed and Urdang.

She felt that at least at Arts Ed and Urdang she actually auditioned. GSA was a waste of time. I was angry that for the Guildford School of Acting, they didn't act at all, just sung 32 bars of a song. There were 3 audition rooms running at the same time, all with just one person on the panel. Just seemed very unfair and a rip off to me. Arts Ed was always her dream, but after the audition came away not liking the place as she just didn't like the 'vibe' and attitude of the current students to those auditioning

Initially when offered the Foundation at Bird she was devastated, but now that seems to be her first choice and thinks that spending a year with extra training should help her 'smash the auditions' next year. She really wants Bird above all else.

It's so tough on them (and us as parents) but I suppose this is the sort of thing they will need to be used to as they progress in their chosen fields.

[afab]

RCS is actually free if you live in Scotland, we don't pay for any university or colleges places here unless private.

It's not what's stated on their website today, Steffysmum, unless there is something else I missed...

https://www.rcs.ac.uk/studyhere/feesand ... 2018-fees/

[jasmine2]

Hi All

Long time lurker. Thought I'd throw in my thoughts

My DD auditioned for: GSA, Arts Ed, Urdang, Bird, Performers and is today at Laban. She's so far been offered Foundation at Bird, 3 Yr Diploma at Performers and waiting on Laban. It was a no from GSA, Arts Ed and Urdang.

She felt that at least at Arts Ed and Urdang she actually auditioned. GSA was a waste of time. I was angry that for the Guildford School of Acting, they didn't act at all, just sung 32 bars of a song. There were 3 audition rooms running at the same time, all with just one person on the panel. Just seemed very unfair and a rip off to me. Arts Ed was always her dream, but after the audition came away not liking the place as she just didn't like the 'vibe' and attitude of the current students to those auditioning

Initially when offered the Foundation at Bird she was devastated, but now that seems to be her first choice and thinks that spending a year with extra training should help her 'smash the auditions' next year. She really wants Bird above all else.

It's so tough on them (and us as parents) but I suppose this is the sort of thing they will need to be used to as they progress in their chosen fields.

well done on her offers so far..It is so hard when they have their heart set on somewhere only to find it's not what they thought after all...
Have you considered Bodyworks in Cambridge? It is a smaller college which makes it very personal. Very hard work but an amazing place with a fabulous reputation. Graduates can be seen in several West End shows at the moment..
Good luck with whatever you decidexxx

[lyndahill]

Hi All

Long time lurker. Thought I'd throw in my thoughts

My DD auditioned for: GSA, Arts Ed, Urdang, Bird, Performers and is today at Laban. She's so far been offered Foundation at Bird, 3 Yr Diploma at Performers and waiting on Laban. It was a no from GSA, Arts Ed and Urdang.

She felt that at least at Arts Ed and Urdang she actually auditioned. GSA was a waste of time. I was angry that for the Guildford School of Acting, they didn't act at all, just sung 32 bars of a song. There were 3 audition rooms running at the same time, all with just one person on the panel. Just seemed very unfair and a rip off to me. Arts Ed was always her dream, but after the audition came away not liking the place as she just didn't like the 'vibe' and attitude of the current students to those auditioning

Initially when offered the Foundation at Bird she was devastated, but now that seems to be her first choice and thinks that spending a year with extra training should help her 'smash the auditions' next year. She really wants Bird above all else.

It's so tough on them (and us as parents) but I suppose this is the sort of thing they will need to be used to as they progress in their chosen fields.

well done on her offers so far..It is so hard when they have their heart set on somewhere only to find it's not what they thought after all...
Have you considered Bodyworks in Cambridge? It is a smaller college which makes it very personal. Very hard work but an amazing place with a fabulous reputation. Graduates can be seen in several West End shows at the moment..
Good luck with whatever you decidexxx

You do know that a Foundation course is self funding - no help available. I am sorry to say that my feelings, and that of a few of my DD's teachers, is that the Foundation courses are a way of making the colleges money as they are about £9000 for the year. Not saying they aren't good or anything as I am sure for some students they are, but what I saw at a few Open Days from the students on the Foundation courses I felt my DD could do at where she is now and it wouldn't cost me £9k. Just our thoughts.

[afab]

You do know that a Foundation course is self funding - no help available. I am sorry to say that my feelings, and that of a few of my DD's teachers, is that the Foundation courses are a way of making the colleges money as they are about £9000 for the year. Not saying they aren't good or anything as I am sure for some students they are, but what I saw at a few Open Days from the students on the Foundation courses I felt my DD could do at where she is now and it wouldn't cost me £9k. Just our thoughts.

[/quote][/quote]

We felt the same...

[2dancersmum]

I think foundation courses can be very useful and for some students will provide that extra boost to training required as not everyone will have access locally to training of a high enough standard. However, they are unfunded and expensive and personally I would never choose a foundation course over an offer for a 3 year diploma from a reputable college, not for dance or MT anyway (I don't know much about straight acting to say) as ultimately the qualification and a performing career are the end goal and I don't believe spending so much money on a foundation year because you are aiming at one particular college is worth it. Apart from the fact that you still may not get an offer at that preferred college, whichever college you attend you will be leaving with the same qualification level 6 Trinity diploma or degree and I don't think any one college is worth £9k plus more than another.

[Katymac]

For my DD the foundation at Performers really helped

1st year she got 2 diploma offers no funding
After the foundation she got 7 offers 6 with funding

It made a massive difference to her; but you have to remember she only started ballet/tap/modern/contemporary in yr9 so was playing catch up to get any offers after 3 yrs dancing was pretty good

I was very dubious at first & thought my parents were wasting their money - but when she got places I had to eat my words & apologise to my parents

[2dancersmum]

yes i missed the crucial word ' funded' from my post.

I would not personally choose a foundation course over a funded offer or an affordable offer for a level 6 diploma course at an reputable goal. Its obviously important to be happy at college but it is nonetheless still only a stage on the route to the end goal - a performing career.

[Munchpot]

Thanks for all your comments. I understand what some say about foundation courses, but as we live a short walk away from Bird th cost of the course would equate to living costs and, even if she got a DaDa, the contribution we would be making annually for the diploma at Performers would not be much different

Ive also heard of quite a few people who have done reputable foundation courses and had much better offers for Diplomas with funding or Degree courses the following year

My DD had such a good feeling about Bird that, at the moment, that's where she really wants to study a degree course, so this may help her achieve her dream

Again we are very lucky to live literally around the corner from the college

[Munchpot]

1st year she got 2 diploma offers no funding
After the foundation she got 7 offers 6 with funding

This is what we are hoping for. She's good, but hopefully a year at foundation may make her great