How To Survive College Auditions

Everyone tells stories about college auditions, but you never really know what it is like until you go through it. In this post I will be sharing some of my tips for those who will be going through college auditions in the future.

Pick Audition Materials You Love:

Trust me... Don't pick a song or monologue that you hate doing. When I was auditioning for colleges, I used a monologue that I didn't love for one of my prescreens and never used it again. Well, that came back to bite me in the butt when Ithaca asked me to do that same monologue at my in person callback. Luckily, by the grace of God, they only had us do one monologue at the callback, and I chose the one I actually like.

Be Yourself:

Don't turn into an audition robot, and don't be fake. The colleges you are auditioning for want to get a feel for who you are. Just be your authentic self and don't try to copy anyone.

These Items Will Save Your Life:

I could not have survived weeks in hotel rooms without my personal steam inhaler, Ricola cough drops, and my zinc pills. Seriously.... Take your vitamins, kids. I never once got sick during auditions thanks to those.

Make a Detailed Packing List:

Think ahead. A week or so before your trip, make a list of all of the things you need to pack. Yes, I mean everything. Using the checklist system saved me a lot of stress during these auditions.

Show Up Early:

Show up early enough that you can scope out the area and feel relax and comfortable. Plan for something to go wrong that would make you late. Give yourself extra time.

Be Confident and Classy. Not Cocky:

I cannot tell you how many people I ran into at auditions who were just so interested in themselves and needed to make sure everyone in the waiting room knew of them and their many "accomplishments." Don't be that person.

Warm up!:

Whether it's in the shower, or in the bathroom once you get to the audition, WARM UP! Some schools have group warm ups, and some don't. Don't sabotage yourself. If they warm up with you, it's just a bonus.

Be Quiet and Respectful Outside the Audition Room:

As you would in any rehearsal or audition, stay quiet and respectful. I kid you not, I was at a college audition and some kid was loudly telling stories about his phlegm. So try not to do that.

Choose Materials That Show You Off Well:

Don't pick a song where you belt to the high heavens if you don't sound good doing so. Pick materials that you sound good and feel comfortable doing. People would rather see you nail a song that stays comfortably in your range than see you screlt.

Remember: You Deserve To Be There:

You are just as worthy as everyone else in that room. Don't freak yourself out listening to other people sing. Just because someone is a really good singer does not mean that they are a match for that school. You're there for a reason, too, and you are just as capable as anyone else.

Choosing Which Piece To Start With:

If they let you choose your first piece, do your strongest piece first.

Remember That You're Not Against Eachother:

I remember freaking out in my head because I heard a girl NAIL an opera song. But then it occurred to me that I don't sing like that. So why was I even worrying? They aren't comparing this girl to me. We have completely different types of voices.