Auditioning for 2023 entry

[2good2hurry]

Is she on degree or DADA and if DADA does she get any finance at all for living costs? Up till now we've always paid full rent for our kids when doing degrees and left them their student loan to live on. Nearly 10K for DD's halls is just too expensive for us to do this way. We're taking all her student loan and topping it to pay rent then will send her money to live on. She's got some seasonal work lined up that should give her money to live on and hopefully will find a job down there too.

No DADA sadly, so we will be topping up the fees ourselves. She’s got student finance but not enough to pay the rent since the change in student finance and expectation of parental contribution a few years ago. It’s so tough when there are fees to pay as well. She will have to work too. It’s a good idea about taking the student finance and topping up to make sure the rent gets paid. I have to confess DD needs to learn to budget!

Good luck with finding accommodation for Arts - it’s tough but something will turn up. If she knows people that are there already get them to go an look at properties for you - my son has just sone that for someone who was looking and they got the flat. As someone said local landlords like Arts students and that helps in the current climate with several viewings on properties before they even go on the market. If you speak with Agents always ask them if they have anything else coming on the market to get ahead of the game.

Thanks for the advice. We are still looking and getting better at it now so not panicking just yet. May do in a few weeks though. Lol.

[Fizzintheshire]

Yay, finally our DD got her offer in from Bird College last Tuesday.
Such a long wait being on the reserve that sadly she won’t be able to go. 3 weeks to find accommodation is just a no go and she has signed contacts for accommodation elsewhere. A real shame as was her dream school. If only she had found out sooner.
Good luck to anyone else waiting on reserve, will be one extra place now

[lawn]

Yay, finally our DD got her offer in from Bird College last Tuesday.
Such a long wait being on the reserve that sadly she won’t be able to go. 3 weeks to find accommodation is just a no go and she has signed contacts for accommodation elsewhere. A real shame as was her dream school. If only she had found out sooner.
Good luck to anyone else waiting on reserve, will be one extra place now

Yes this can be a big issue. 2 years ago my DD was about to take her degree place at a smaller drama school when a last minute foundation offer came up with a more well known school. Only because we hadn't actually signed any papers for her accommodation were we able to decline the degree offer and *only*!!! losing the £500 deposit! If we'd already committed to accommodation then she wouldn't have been able to accept the alternative offer.

Add in the difficulty and stress of finding last minute accommodation, we were almost scammed out of £1K for a non existent flat and with A level results due out and an area that has a sought after Uni then we had to grab what was available before results day. Those who can change last minute have either the finances or the situation where they can afford to do it. It's hard to tell them to hold their nerve in case a last minute offer comes up if there's already an alternative on offer and risking the chance they won't have either and be looking at a year out.


Everything tends to turn out for a reason though, so good luck to your DD at her new college.

[biscuitsneeded]

September is here, so I just wanted to pop on here to say a huge GOOD LUCK to the DC who are starting their training this month after the vicissitudes of the last year of auditioning, and to those who didn't get what they wanted in 2023, much courage and determination for trying again. All the kids who are this stage of life and contemplating professional training are so talented, and have worked so hard to get to this point, and if they have the persistence and self belief I'm sure it will pay off. @Ditzi I'm addressing you particularly as your DD and my DS were at such a similar juncture. I hope 2024 brings your DD the success she no doubt deserves. Please keep posting so we know where all the DC end up and how they all get on!

[Ditzi]

September is here, so I just wanted to pop on here to say a huge GOOD LUCK to the DC who are starting their training this month after the vicissitudes of the last year of auditioning, and to those who didn't get what they wanted in 2023, much courage and determination for trying again. All the kids who are this stage of life and contemplating professional training are so talented, and have worked so hard to get to this point, and if they have the persistence and self belief I'm sure it will pay off. @Ditzi I'm addressing you particularly as your DD and my DS were at such a similar juncture. I hope 2024 brings your DD the success she no doubt deserves. Please keep posting so we know where all the DC end up and how they all get on!

Thank you biscuitneeded, fingers crossed this will be a less stressful year with a better outcome. Good luck to your ds, I bet he is excited to start!

[Proseccoplease]

Just came on to echo biscuitsneeded sentiments. DS is so excited to start tomorrow-this time last year he was doubting wether he should still pursue MT-amazing how things change! Have a fantastic first year everyone and to anyone taking a year out to get their dream school-it’s definitely been worth it here-although I won’t deny it’s been a toughie. Ditzi I’m with you in spirit and sure your DD will smash it!

[lawn]

Mine has also already moved and starts tomorrow. Don't worry if they haven't got something this year, it took DD 3 years of auditioning before she was accepted onto a degree course at a place she wished to be on a course she wished to do. Keep going - their day will come.

[Ditzi]

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[Ditzi]

Proseccoplease and lawn, thank you - and all the best to your dc’s and everyone else starting! Let us know how they get on! I am a strong believer that everything falls into place eventually, even if earlier for some than others. September soon came around, and one thing dd is sure of is that if she doesn’t get a degree offer this year, she will definitely apply for foundation - she doesn’t want to take another year out if it can be avoided. Although it seemed like a good idea at the time, the reality is different - she went from having too much on her plate to not having enough - not ideal. She’s been trying to keep busy, but seeing most of her friends move on makes it a lot harder.

[amo185]

Good luck to everyone starting this week - or very soon! And congratulations to them all. I can't believe that DD is going into her final year and is nearing the end of her training journey (and all the anxieties that will no doubt bring!) DD still feels so privileged to be having these amazing opportunities but it flies past! So I hope your DC all have the time of their lives over the next few years and enjoy living the dream! There's really nothing like it! And once they're settled - treat yourselves to a few drinks. You all deserve it!

[biscuitsneeded]

Best of luck to Lawn and ProseccoPlease's DC! Have a wonderful time. @Ditzi, I'm sorry to hear your DD is feeling a bit left behind. Are there any NYT things she could get involved in? Do you live somewhere she could get some work at a local theatre? I'm sure she will soon feel busy enough with monologues, applications, self tapes etc. Do please post her progress here - and tell her to get that GSA application in nice and early! Best of luck!

[Ditzi]

Best of luck to Lawn and ProseccoPlease's DC! Have a wonderful time. @Ditzi, I'm sorry to hear your DD is feeling a bit left behind. Are there any NYT things she could get involved in? Do you live somewhere she could get some work at a local theatre? I'm sure she will soon feel busy enough with monologues, applications, self tapes etc. Do please post her progress here - and tell her to get that GSA application in nice and early! Best of luck!

She signed up for a week long course with NYT in November and is going to work some extra hours. Now September is here she will start working on her monologues and she’s been asked to help with the open days and auditions at her old college, so she’ll soon be busy again. I think she finds it hard to see her friends go and will miss not having them around but I’m sure she will be fine.

[Proseccoplease]

Ditzi I totally feel for you and DD-my DS felt exactly the same and it was so hard to begin with. Are there any theatres nearby she can work at? Once DS started working front of house at our regional theatre he felt much better-he was back with ‘his people’ as most who work there are usually training in/have trained in/just love theatre. To be fair the amount it cost in commuting to his work meant he barely saved anything but it was worth it for his mental health and was also a great thing to chat about in auditions.

[Ditzi]

There is one not too far, that is a possibility. There’s also a local theatre group she would like to get involved with if the opportunity arises. And she’s hoping to get more involved with NYT over the coming months, I seem to remember last year they had a few things on starting from September which she couldn’t do because she was too busy.

[Helenb76]

Ditzi I’m sure your daughter will soon get in to the swing of things- it’ll be audition time again before you know it!
We moved my daughter down over the weekend and she started today- will speak to her later although I suspect we will be lucky to get much more than a grunt from her, I think she will be exhausted! Good luck to everyone else over the coming weeks, let’s hope they they all settle in quickly.