NotaPushyMum.Com

well done als. we have been on this journey this year and it has been an incredible experience. well done to everyone .

Live_thedream wrote:Thanks Munchpot.

DS didn't get the GSA recall not sure whether it was too late, the grades or that when they asked him about his dance experience he said minimal and keen to learn. Or maybe he's not for them. Hey ho. It's all new to us and a lesson to be learned.

Have you looked at UCAS extra? If you are not holding any offers you can continue to apply one place at a time. Central is UCAS so might be worth calling them. They are still auditioning so maybe would fit your DS in? There were mt courses in clearing last year even at top places. Type musical theatre into UCAS and list of courses comes up. Also have you looked at Bristol old Vic theatre school? Not MT but singing is taken seriously there and part of audition i think. They have some good summer courses. If your DS is going to do another round of auditions next year then maybe a summer school would be good, GSA do a good one for 2 weeks plus an extra week audition preparation and all the schools do summer weeks. I think they are often good value. Disneyland Paris have auditions in April if your DS fancies working for a year. A boy at the bird auditions had done that after not getting in last year and had a great time.

lyndahill wrote:
Tell him not to give up, something will come. I know students who have tried 2-3 years in a row and finally got places at GSA/RADA and many other colleges and I thought those students were amazing actors and all round performers from seeing them at my DD's stage school and always winning at festivals. They didn't give up as they knew what they want to do and where they want to train. Kids need a thick skin in this industry, as do the parents, Go along to as many open days as you can as your son may find a college that he never considered before and may eventually see that GSA maybe isn't the right place for him. Good luck.

Thanks Lynda, you are right. On one side I do think the experience will do him good, toughen him up.

Really pleased for you and your DD als17

Robin64 wrote:
Have you looked at UCAS extra? If you are not holding any offers you can continue to apply one place at a time. Central is UCAS so might be worth calling them. They are still auditioning so maybe would fit your DS in? There were mt courses in clearing last year even at top places. Type musical theatre into UCAS and list of courses comes up. Also have you looked at Bristol old Vic theatre school? Not MT but singing is taken seriously there and part of audition i think. They have some good summer courses. If your DS is going to do another round of auditions next year then maybe a summer school would be good, GSA do a good one for 2 weeks plus an extra week audition preparation and all the schools do summer weeks. I think they are often good value. Disneyland Paris have auditions in April if your DS fancies working for a year. A boy at the bird auditions had done that after not getting in last year and had a great time.

Thanks for all the advice Robin64 - Central and BOV are on the list for next year. I have checked and both are not accepting any more applications for this year. And will most certainly look into the other options too and discuss with DS.

BOV is a fabulous place. My D was shortlisted there last year.
Personally, I would be loathe to pay out a not inconsiderable sum to GSA on Summer Courses etc, given their rather inflexible entry requirements.

jaybeeyellow wrote:BOV is a fabulous place. My D was shortlisted there last year.
Personally, I would be loathe to pay out a not inconsiderable sum to GSA on Summer Courses etc, given their rather inflexible entry requirements.

I do see your point but DD loved the summer school (no audition required for that) and has stayed friends with the people she met there. Some stayed for the extra 3rd week for audition preparation but we couldn't stretch to 3 weeks (haha probably should have done it - might have had more success!) Joking aside it was pretty good value and the accommodation is on campus so a nice taste of campus life plus they saw several shows in London and had faculty staff teaching them.

I actually think the grade requirements are less annoying than a totally unrealistic funding arrangement like the student loan situation at artsed or the totally unfunded courses or trying to get a DADA and I say that with a DD with dyslexia so I know the grade thing is hard. She worked her socks off to get good top marks at GCSE then opted for BTEC to try and aim for distinctions rather than A levels. The BTEC counts for UCAS points and I think is less risky than A level exams for some students.

However I can see where you are coming from with you knowing someone who has so cruelly missed out due to grades.

BOV also do a 10 week course over the summer but it is around £5000 and no funding - it sounds great though.

Hi everyone, I'm quite new but have been following posts for the last month, my dd, is hoping to get somewhere for September 2017, she has so far had a no from gsa, ... she's a strong singer , but predicted grades are a, b, c ... but completion there is tough & she didn't make it to recall
She has an offer from Chichester on their triple threat course , and we were hoping they would count her countless dance exams that have ucas points, but unfortunately not , so fingers crossed ... not sure how flexible they are with grades ??
And then there Is bird college , she loved it there ... would love the BA or diploma , her dance friend auditioned the week before & has been offered a foundation course , she is a good dancer , but can't sing... so my dd is now stressing that she won't be offered anything , which if she isn't will seriously dent her confidence, given the fact that she can sing ...
so if she is offered a foundation, what funding is there for accommodation??
And should she take a foundation over a ba ?? But at a uni ?? Decisions, decisions
Sorry for the long post , just need some reassurance

Barrysue wrote:Hi everyone, I'm quite new but have been following posts for the last month, my dd, is hoping to get somewhere for September 2017, she has so far had a no from gsa, ... she's a strong singer , but predicted grades are a, b, c ... but completion there is tough & she didn't make it to recall
She has an offer from Chichester on their triple threat course , and we were hoping they would count her countless dance exams that have ucas points, but unfortunately not , so fingers crossed ... not sure how flexible they are with grades ??
And then there Is bird college , she loved it there ... would love the BA or diploma , her dance friend auditioned the week before & has been offered a foundation course , she is a good dancer , but can't sing... so my dd is now stressing that she won't be offered anything , which if she isn't will seriously dent her confidence, given the fact that she can sing ...
so if she is offered a foundation, what funding is there for accommodation??
And should she take a foundation over a ba ?? But at a uni ?? Decisions, decisions
Sorry for the long post , just need some reassurance

Hi Barrysue

Sad to say that there's no funding for foundation courses, but I understand that if living away from home, there's a possibility that your DD could claim housing allowance towards her accommodation costs, but don't take my word for it

I would double check with Chichester about dance exams. My DD was offered the MT course at Chichester with a points requirement not grades. Those points could be made up from A Levels and her LAMDA and Dance exams (as long as dance is intermediate and above)

Hope that helps

Thank you , well that's interesting , my DD has RAD 6,7, 8 lamda grade 6 & is at diploma BTDA , I called them 2 weeks ago & the admissions dept told me that they don't count dance exams towards UCAS points!!
She needs 120 ucas points , and has more than half with her dance exams , I think I need to drop them an email !!

Barrysue wrote:Thank you , well that's interesting , my DD has RAD 6,7, 8 lamda grade 6 & is at diploma BTDA , I called them 2 weeks ago & the admissions dept told me that they don't count dance exams towards UCAS points!!
She needs 120 ucas points , and has more than half with her dance exams , I think I need to drop them an email !!

The unis will count exams that have been affiliated by a Uni. Our DD has a grade 8 at distinction for her singing her certificate is from the Uni of East London and it counts towards UCAS points, her dance exams don't count towards UCAS points.

My dd has put all her dance exams in on UCAS , So do they not count ??

Barrysue wrote:My dd has put all her dance exams in on UCAS , So do they not count ??

When we filled in DD's UCAS form we got all her certificates out, we had to find the exams she has on UCAS to complete her application there was a pick list that you had to match the exams to, none of our DD dance exams were on the list but her singing exam was so she earned points for that exam. You had to pick what you have from a pick list, you can't just write what you have in free hand.Hope this makes sense.

Yes , we found them all, flipping hard though , they don't make it easy...
I will get her to email them tomorrow
Thanks

Barrysue wrote:Yes , we found them all, flipping hard though , they don't make it easy...
I will get her to email them tomorrow
Thanks

Good luck.