Being well prepared for the audition is hands down the most important thing a student can do if they are serious about getting accepted into OCSA. Okay, that may seem really obvious. But, the question you need to ask yourself is, what does “well prepared” truly mean? Your child may be super talented and so you are thinking, No sweat! But it is not just about talent. There are a lot of talented kids who audition but not everyone gets in.

On the other hand, you may be asking yourself, “Is my child talented enough to really shine and stand out among the competition?”

Ultimately, that is a question that only the conservatory director can answer. It is the director of each conservatory that conducts the slew of auditions/interviews that occur each year. And in the end, determines who will get acceptance letters, and who will not.

As you hopefully know by now, I am all about doing your research and if you’ve found me, you must be all about doing your research too. GREAT. You are off to a good start.

Here are some other things you should do first, the sooner the better, because time can be of the essence.

• Read FAQ (Frequently Ask Questions) and review the Admissions Process on OCSA’s web site. Understand the process, know what is required to apply and audition.
• Decide what conservatory or conservatories your child is interested in and make sure his or her choices are grade appropriate. Not all conservatories accept students in all grades. Prospective students may audition for up to 2 conservatories.
• Attend a Preview Day! I can’t stress enough the importance of this. Caution; they are held early and you have to pay attention and register to attend or you’ll miss it. Click here to sign up for an email that will notify you when registration begins for the 2014-2015 school year Preview Days, which are usually scheduled for October,  November and January. These sessions offer an excellent opportunity to meet one or more conservatory directors, ask (intelligent please!) questions, look for cues and clues. They give an overview of their conservatory and will tell you about their expectations, pet peeves, and other nuanced tidbits of information that you won’t get by reading FAQ. Just go.
• As soon as it is available, download the admissions application from the OCSA web site and very carefully review the audition requirements for the conservatory/conservatories for which your child will audition. Take it to heart, do what it says. If it is a conservatory that requires an interview in lieu of an audition, work with your child and help them prepare. Sure, you want it to be “their work’ and authentic and in fact, it has to be. But this does not mean that you should not help them organize their portofolio/project in a way that comes across as neat, organized, professional or just well thought out. The hard-copy of the application must be received by a set date, usually in January or February to guarantee an audition in the arts conservatory/conservatories of choice. All student applications received after this date will be placed on a waiting list and auditions will only be scheduled if space becomes available. Don’t let this happen to you.
• If your child is doing a traditional audition, there is simply no substitute for knowing their craft. The guidelines are clear, make sure he/she comes prepared to do what they’ve been asked. Be well dressed, clean and polite. That will go a long way.
• For Music and Theatre, pick an appropriate song; and avoid overused monologues. I’ve heard that it’s best to avoid “teen monologues.” Remember: They are seeing a lot of kids and hearing the same monologues over and over again; You’ll probably benefit if you do something memorable, or at least a little different.
• For Instrumental Music, sight reading is mandatory and prospective students will be asked to demonstrate their ability to read music. In addition to playing a prepared piece, they will be asked to play a piece of the conservatory director’s choosing. My understanding is that they are given a few minutes to go over the piece, prepare and even makes notes but then they must be able to play it through, well.
• If you have specific questions or want to clarify something that has not already been made clear I would suggest emailing the conservatory director (I’ve included their email addresses in the 13 Conservatories section) and asking them. Keep it brief, get your answer and move on though. You don’t want to belabor it. I have found that they’ve been more than helpful and timely in responding via email.

You can preview Audition Requirements here. Remember this is a guide and that the admission application will have complete and updated requirements for the upcoming school year.

It’s important to remember that students who demonstrate a sincere passion for their art make a good impression. Also kids who seem like they have a real interest in becoming part of the OCSA community — whether they’ve had a hard time fitting in elsewhere, or are just very driven to succeed in their respective discipline and have not found the support in a traditional school environment — are sought. If this is has been your child’s experience, it’s okay to mention it.

Kids who are seemingly there auditioning more for their parents than for themselves are fairly transparent and probably won’t be considered serious candidates. Again, it’s all about the passion, and it has to be legit! These directors have been doing this a long time in most cases and they are good. They know when it’s from the heart, and when it’s not.

Finally, prior to applying, if you still have time: If your child has been dancing since he/she was three and taking classes five times a week, this doesn’t apply to you. But if this is not you, you may want to consider spending the six months, a year, or even two years prior to applying/auditioning honing their skills. There are so many options, not all of which are expensive. Community arts and theatre classes; private visual arts classes, creative writing workshops, etc. will be a nice addition to your application. And, since you will be asked to provide an optional letter of recommendation from someone who has been involved in working with your child in his or her chosen area of interest, this is your opportunity to build a relationship with someone credible who can provide this.

Through these classes, I have become acquainted with several individuals who know OCSA and understand the process. They work with kids and their parents to ready them for the audition. I’ve heard more than one say that “If you are well prepared, you will get in” and that is what they do; help kids get prepared. Be on the lookout for these resources too. It’s nice to have options.

OCSA sponsors a Community Arts Program, which does not fall into the ‘affordable category’ but presents a really terrific opportunity if you can swing it. These Arts Enrichment programs are held on weekends during the year and during the week in summer. They are taught by OCSA teachers/directors in most cases and offer a small group atmosphere. Not only will your child gain valuable experience, but they get to know OCSA (they are held on campus), the teacher, and other OCSA students/prospective students. As a parent, you not only get good material for the application/portfolio but also a chance to gain a better ‘inside’ perspective, and help your child get on the right path toward acceptance.