Student Blog: What I Know Now: A Guide to Prescreens from a Transfer Student!

I remember how stressful and draining the college prescreening process was my senior year of high school. Trying to get the perfect takes, find the perfect lighting, all while trying not to think about the hundreds of other applicants who could’ve had more training or better quality headshots. I was so relieved to finally have it over and have a school picked out to go to… and now I’m doing it again. As of last year, I decided I would be taking a gap year to take time off to audition for schools again and transfer to a new program, but with all the excitement of that also comes the dread of having to re-put myself through the prescreening process again, which is a well-known stress mark on most performers careers. BUT! Having this be my second time participating in prescreen season, I feel much more at ease and prepared the second time around– and I’m here to share my prescreen tips and advice from someone giving it another go!

My first piece of advice is that while you’re making choices about schools, make sure you have an understanding of where you’re at as an artist. While giving yourself grace, realistically ask– what level are you at? Would a more rigorous or a more relaxed program be better for you? I had my heart set on getting into one of the top NYC programs my senior year, and I was crushed when I got rejected from it. But looking back after a few years of school at a level that was much more suited to my current level of strengths and weaknesses, thank god I didn’t get in! I would’ve felt so discouraged by the experience level of everyone around me being so different from my own, which there’s nothing wrong with! It’s just a matter of finding a program that is best suited to where you’re currently at while accepting that it will grow regardless of where you go! On that note as well– there is so much elitist culture in terms of colleges with theatre. If you end up at one of the “Ivy League theatre schools,” that’s great! But if you don’t, that’s okay too! Either way you’ll be studying what you love, it’s just about making sure the education you’re receiving is best suited to you. Be easy on yourself at this time! Comparison and anxiety are very common. The best thing you can do is present yourself as the talented artist you are and the right school will see and enrich that artist.

In terms of timing, while this is also a personal choice due to things like school/jobs/commitments, I would recommend starting as soon as possible. Not just for the sake of getting your name in, but also for the sake of getting it over with. My senior year I had auditions dragging on through April, which kept me in a year-long state of stress around schools. Schools have acceptance periods starting as early as September to early October, and the sooner you move on submitting your materials, the sooner it’ll be taken care of and you’ll be hearing back. Scheduling to get these kinds of things done can be tricky, so I’d recommend if you’re still in high school/college or have busy weeks in general to try scheduling tasks by week! The way I organized this myself was researching schools the last week of August through the first week of September, second week was picking my prescreen materials, third week was practicing them, and now fourth week is filming! This weekly task system helped me stay on top of my submissions to get my videos in nice and early, giving me more time to focus on upcoming in person auditions and other tasks on my college to-do list!

When it comes to picking materials I’d recommend picking pieces that are comfortable and authentic to you. If you’ve worked on any specific songs, monologues, or dances in a class or workshop– maybe give those a shot! If you’ve already been coached on a piece it could be a strong choice to choose one of those, as several of the submission materials I’m using for myself are songs from my vocal juries or dance classes at school. Quick tidbit specifically for transfers– if like me, you’ve already been through the process, consider comparing and contrasting what did and didn’t work for you before. You can absolutely use the same selection from your first time doing prescreens, just take some time to reflect. Have you grown into new styles? Have you found even more depth from pieces you’ve already done and want to give it another go? Personally I’m reusing the same monologue I did my senior year of high school, as I really love the text and want to revisit it after all I’ve learned my two years of school, but I’m switching up my other materials. Have fun playing around with different contrasting styles to see what shows your full artistic range!

Lastly, something I’ve already stated but just want to drive home the importance of, DO NOT COMPARE YOUR JOURNEY TO OTHERS! Prescreen season is one often filled with tears, imposter syndrome, and even self-hatred at its worst. Remember the reason you’re doing all of this in the first place: YOU ARE AN ARTIST! You love to make art and you’re good at it! And you believe in yourself enough already to apply to go to school for it and pursue it as your career! YOU! Not anyone else! Your only job is to represent yourself and the kind of art that you personally make, the kind that feels so satisfyingly good when you know is entirely your own and handcrafted. The right school WILL see that in you, even if there are bumps, confusions, and cry sessions along the road. You will always end up in the room you’re supposed to be in with the people you’re supposed to know, it’s only a matter of getting there. So even though it may sound cliche– believe in yourself and don’t give up! You don’t go to school to have someone else's career, you go to have your own, and I promise wherever you end up that that career is waiting for you too. 

That being said– happy prescreen season! Stay strong and remember the love you’re going to get back from all the stress one day. Stay in it, and remember I’m in this with you! From one auditionee to another, happy filming! YOU’VE GOT THIS!

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