RBS Mid Associates or White Lodge?

[3isthemagicnumber]

I'm hoping for some impartial advice please? My daughter has been a JA since Year 4, and is currently in Year 6. We are working out what to do with regards to the auditions for next year. Realistically we cannot afford to send her to White Lodge, as we have two other children and a big mortgage! My question is this: if we only apply for the Mid Associates and not White Lodge - would her chances of getting a place in the MA be diminished because we haven't applied for WL? Or should we be applying for both?  I'm hoping someone might be able to shed some light on the process as this is all new to me! thanks in advance

[Stellar]

Apply for both? All WL students can apply and get funding from the MDS grant scheme, most get funding of some level

[Ruby Foo]

You can just apply to mids if you want. It won’t make any difference. They will offer her a place at White Lodge if they think she’s super suitable, EVEN IF YOU ONLY APPLIED FOR MIDS.  It’s a bit different if you apply to White Lodge. Because, if you are not offered a WL place from finals you also may not automatically get a mids place as some centres are very oversubscribed, such as London.

[Raquelle]

9 hours ago, valentina said:

You can just apply to mids if you want. It won’t make any difference. They will offer her a place at White Lodge if they think she’s super suitable, EVEN IF YOU ONLY APPLIED FOR MIDS.  It’s a bit different if you apply to White Lodge. Because, if you are not offered a WL place from finals you also may not automatically get a mids place as some centres are very oversubscribed, such as London.

I'd go for both...we had already decided wl wasn't the right fit for our DD...she made finals (which was a fabulous experience in inself) and got offered a mids place. We were in two minds about vocational school and would have sent her to mids had she not gone to elmhurst. Valentina is right not everyone who makes finals gets mids, most either get mids or swl however sometimes they find a physical issue at finals which can rule them out...in terms of funding mds is available if they get a place. We have mds but it is still a huge financial sacrifice for our family. There are calculators online which are fairly accurate to give you an idea x 

[Pas de Quatre]

I don't think whether you have applied for WL as well affects MA offers  It can even just be a case of geography.  Some people prefer the boarding option because they live some distance from an Associate centre and cannot commit to the travelling - particularly if there are other children in the family doing sports, dance etc.  Others can manage the travel but don't wish to send their child to boarding school at such a young age.  

 

Firstly WL places are offered and accepted, then they work out who to offer MA places to, usually at the centre requested, but sometimes if that one is full then there might be an offer for another centre.

[Neverdancedjustamum]

On 01/10/2021 at 20:21, 3isthemagicnumber said:

I'm hoping for some impartial advice please? My daughter has been a JA since Year 4, and is currently in Year 6. We are working out what to do with regards to the auditions for next year. Realistically we cannot afford to send her to White Lodge, as we have two other children and a big mortgage! My question is this: if we only apply for the Mid Associates and not White Lodge - would her chances of getting a place in the MA be diminished because we haven't applied for WL? Or should we be applying for both?  I'm hoping someone might be able to shed some light on the process as this is all new to me! thanks in advance

 I don’t think it would matter if you just ticked MA. But to be honest, I think most (if not all) tick both when the form is right in front of them even if they’re one of the rare few whose DC isn’t wanting to get a WL place. Interestingly, my DD told me that as far as she can tell, all the DCs in her MA class were either JAs or were at WL finals (mostly both). 

[NJH]

On 01/10/2021 at 20:21, 3isthemagicnumber said:

I'm hoping for some impartial advice please? My daughter has been a JA since Year 4, and is currently in Year 6. We are working out what to do with regards to the auditions for next year. Realistically we cannot afford to send her to White Lodge, as we have two other children and a big mortgage! My question is this: if we only apply for the Mid Associates and not White Lodge - would her chances of getting a place in the MA be diminished because we haven't applied for WL? Or should we be applying for both?  I'm hoping someone might be able to shed some light on the process as this is all new to me! thanks in advance

given  WL is a MDS  participant  asuming you are  a UK resident - and i think  most or all of theor places for UK residents can be MDS'd  ( i could check with  ballet  buddy of mine who is a current WL parent -  bit of a walls have eirs momnent for  some of the  vocational school parents on here - peope many  recognise you  or  people you mention )

Edited October 3, 2021 by NJH