Elmhurst 2014 entry auditions

[pas de chat]

I've gone for bare feet for all 3 Elmhurst JA 's was bare feet so I have just assumed for the lower school audition would be bare feet but our teacher wouldn't mind taking some more if Tring was in shoes & tights x

Thank you D2003 we shall go bare!  Small details but could mean the difference of getting a yes to audition or not! BTW I have spoken with EH and I don't think the form will be out until at least the end of next week or early the week after.  We are still awaiting audition dates from Tring.

[JulieW]

Don't panic about not getting an audition - everyone gets a first audition, the tricky part is getting invited back!

[tutoo2much]

I have heard of quite a few children auditioning for year 8 and above who have been offered places to start more or less immediately. Might be worth an early audition for some!

[Nana Lily]

You are correct tutoo2much, that happened last year and the year before, however don't get too excited, the boarding houses this year for girls are bursting at the seams, so much so that year 10 girls are in the year 8/9 girls house.......

 

NL

[pas de chat]

Does anyone know whether any of the children who did the late auditions in June at EH secure a place?

[Picturesinthefirelight]

The thread at the time mentioned someone being offered a place.

[straceydor]

Elmhurst application form now online.

[tutugirl]

Yes a couple of children were offered places from the June audition

[taxi4ballet]

And one at summer school.

[Circe]

I can't find what the sixth form fees are- anyone seen it on the website?...could be looking with my eyes shut.

[Sassy girl]

Nope, it's not just you Tulte can't see it either! Also can't find preferred audition date on application form???

[KathyG]

The fees are in the parents area of the website, they are also for 2011/2012. 

[HAIRBELLES]

Is the Post-grad year a new course or have Elmhurst always had one?

[Anon2]

http://www.elmhurstdance.co.uk/parents/Fees2011-12.pdf

 

Can only see the fees for 2011-12, hope the link works. Might be worth contacting bursar or finance office to see if info has been updated.

 

Hairbelles, to my knowledge in previous years the graduates without contracts have always been welcome to take part in the sixth form classes whilst they searched for jobs. This year there seems to have been a change and they advertised just two positions, with the graduates having to take administration/pastoral roles within the school in exchange for the lessons. As the two positions were advertised on the website I assume they were open to graduates from any school.

[2dancersmum]

I don't think the post grad course is new. I remember reading about it when I first started researching 6th form options for DD 3-4 years ago. It certainly is more noticeable on the 'new' website though as the information used to be tagged on at the end of the 6th form information section.

[Anon2]

I think maybe I misunderstood about post grad course. I am talking about those that have completed the third year of sixth form then returning to the school the following academic year for lessons whilst they try to get a contract. These are the positions that are now being restricted to three places which the students have to apply for formally.

[HAIRBELLES]

Thanks Jane and 2dancersmum.

[Circe]

Thanks for the pdf link Jane. I will email them direct but I do find it really odd that the fees are not clearly available on the website especially now the dada is so restrictive and many wont be eligible for the scheme.

[afab]

I think maybe I misunderstood about post grad course. I am talking about those that have completed the third year of sixth form then returning to the school the following academic year for lessons whilst they try to get a contract. These are the positions that are now being restricted to three places which the students have to apply for formally.

I'm sorry but I don't understand... What do you mean by the third year of sixth form? I thought 6th form was only 2 years?! Can someone enlighten me?

[Anna C]

6th form in academic schools is only 2 years; years 12 and 13. Most (if not all?) dance courses at Vocational Schools are 3 years, in theory from 16-19 (or thereabouts).

[afab]

Thank you spanner! Does it mean that for the ones doing A levels, they only dance in the 3rd year?

[Anna C]

I would think so.

 

Edited to add: However, for schools who offer a Diploma as well as optional A'Levels, I expect students complete the Diploma course in the 3rd year.

[Tulip]

At central first two years in addition to A levels is a foundation degree, third year will be a full BA honours. Other schools offer a different higher education qualification in addition to A levels.

[balletmadmom]

Hello,

 

I read somewhere that the fees for Elmhurst are £27,000 a year this year, which for those who earn over £70,000 is full fees, even with a DaDA!  Let's face it even if you do earn over £70,000, you are paying 40% tax, so taking home £40k and clearly unable to afford £27k!

 

Maybe that is why they did extra auditions in the summer to fill the places, with the rich students.  After all who of us has £81k plus the travel, ballet wear, etc. spare over the next three years.

 

Full fees at ENB were £17,000 this year. 

 

Central and Rambert will have everyone queing around the block for the bargain £9k degree loans!

 

Scary times.

[Tulip]

I agree with you balletmadmum, and in addition to a student loan, excellent training, a good graduation list plus a BA Honours degree, it will be even harder to get into these two schools. I really do feel for our future dancers. I also believe that schools that can't fill their places will have to look outside our country more so. Schools as you all know don't run on fresh air.

[LinMM]

Yes but I don't understand this particular BA Honours degree!! You say the first year is as well as doing A levels and then after another year they are awarded an Honours degree. So that's only two years to get this degree and I can hardly think that the first year if they are also doing A levels will be able to be that demanding!

If you went to Uni to get any other Arts degree this would be at least three years study POST A level!!

 

It's not that I don't think Dance students work pretty hard but if this is as above I wouldn't think this degree would be as valid as other Arts BA Honours degrees.

[Circe]

It is frustrating that the BA course fees are £9k pa but eligible for student finance - so potentially within reach -but the dada courses are over £17k pa if a family is over the magic £70k income level and so completely out of reach for most people (acknowledging that getting a dada doesn't necessarily make it affordable either). I dont know how they justify charging twice the amount as the BA schools.

[Tulip]

Sorry LinMN, it is three years. After two years if all course work is passed you get a foundation degree, third and final year just like at university is for the BA, so three years in total. At central if a student wants to then they can also do A levels but I think the subjects are limited, it depends on the demand for that subject.

[LinMM]

Thanks for clarification.

 

I know with all the physical component they work harder for the degree probably than the average BA student! But was looking at it from a rather grim "market place" sort of aspect!!

[Pas de Quatre]

I wonder if in time the schools like Elmhurst, ENB and Tring will convert their courses to BA degrees like Central & Rambert so that students can access loans.

[LinMM]

Would be a very good idea I think!

[HAIRBELLES]

From a financial point of view maybe, but what about all the students who find it hard to cope with Gcse's .... Tulip correct me if I was under the impression that to gain a place at Central they had to achieve 5 Gcse's ??

My dd would have really struggled on a degree course and was quite relieved when her academic school days had ended.

At my daughters college there are only 4 16yr olds on the dada strand so most of the 18 yr olds will have done Alevels already if they wanted to do them .... A dada funded Diploma level 6 can be topped up to a BA Hons with further year of long distance learning .

In the workplace I would have thought it would be the best dancer gets the job.

Sorry mods taking this thread completely off topic .

[LinMM]

Except not all people doing these courses will end up dancing in a company even if that is the primary goal! So I suppose having the BA Honours degree as well could help in some other fields of work. If wanted to teach don't know whether this would count towards some of a teaching course or whether that would have tobe done on top anyway.