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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know you got my application and/or check?
Check in "My School" for this information. Updates are done by hand and are not instantaneous, but you should expect all students to be listed by the Friday after the application deadline. You should expect to see checks credited to your account within 5 school days of having been mailed. For official information on proper submission of forms and fees, please refer to APPENDIX B.
How much does it cost to audition, and what if I need to reschedule?
The cost of an audition slot is set by The Board, and is published annually in The Handbook. One week after the application deadline the initial schedule is posted. For the following two weeks scheduling adjustments are made. One week before the auditions the schedule is finalized. After that time, a schedule change *may* be allowed at the discretion of the Auditions Chair and if allowed the student will be assessed an additional fee for the additional slot. The additional fee *may* be waived at the discretion of the Auditions Chair. Every situation is unique, and that it why the rules state "at the discretion of the Auditions Chair". Below are three common scenarios against which most last minute changes may be measured. These are not "set in stone", but historically have been how the Auditions Chairs have applied their discretion.
Example1: A student is signed up as a tenor. On audition day, a bass from the same school is a no-show. The tenor is struggling vocally and decides he'd rather audition in the lower key. At the front desk, the supervising teacher asks if the tenor can use the no-show bass's audition slot. This is a typical case when the change will be allowed and the additional fee WILL be waived.
Example2: A student is scheduled to audition on Friday. The Monday before auditions, the student learns they have been scheduled for another activity that Friday. Not wanting to choose between the two, the student asks if they may audition on another day. This is a typical case when the change will be allowed and the additional fee will NOT be waived.
Example3: A student auditions, but for various reasons believes they did not give their best performance. The student asks if they may be rescheduled for another day to "retake" their audition. This is a typical case when the change will NOT be allowed.
How do I submit the check for audition fees?
You MUST supply a PO# or Check# for the fees on your application. Then simply have your school business office give the check to you and bring it with you to the audition site. There is no better way to ensure the check is received. Be aware that whether you mail the check early or bring it with you to the site, the same payment rules apply:
The entire amount due for your school system for all auditions must be paid in full before any student from your school system may audition.
You must pay for ALL scheduled auditions regardless of whether the student shows up for the scheduled audition or not.
You may be assessed additional fees for schedule changes after the final audition schedule is posted.
YOU are solely responsible for ensuring your PO goes through and the check is received.
For official information on proper submission of forms and fees, please refer to APPENDIX B.
How will I get my schedule?
Once the schedule for a site is completed, The times will be uploaded to MY SCHOOL and will appear next to each student. The times are posted in 24-hour clock format so there should be no confusion between morning and night. Be sure to check the times weekly, especially the week before auditions, because the schedule will go through several revisions and times can shift up to an hour or more.
How will I get my scoresheets?
When the scoresheets are ready, your students' total scores will appear next to their names in "MY SCHOOL". Click the button showing the total score of interest and you will be shown the scores and comments from that judge.
What if I don't want to use the on-line system?
Postmark your paper application by the application deadline. You may telephone the week before auditions to get your audition times. At the audition site, drop off a self-addressed 9x12 manilla envelope stamped with sufficient postage to cover the weight of two 8.5x11 sheets of paper for each student. When the group managers have finished selections, you will be mailed your printed scoresheets with your accepted students marked as such.
How is scheduling done?
All paper applications postmarked by the application deadline, all e-mails with a "sent date" by the application deadline, and all on-line submissions by the application deadline are given equal consideration. Each on-time student is marked with their school's institutional code number. After that, the name of the school is never referred to and the schedule is put together anonymously. Applications that have been received at the time of scheduling but which did not make the application deadline, and those who are auditioning at a site other than their assigned site, are temporarily set aside.
The students are then sorted by both code and instrument. The first to be scheduled are the students auditioning on instruments whose audition room will take the shortest amount of total audition time for that day. These students are placed in the overall schedule such that they are concurrent, but also taking into consideration the "special needs" of the school and the drive times listed as much as possible.
Once this first group is placed, the remaining students from those schools are placed such that, as much as possible, all the students from a school are concurrent. Once those students have been placed, the remaining audition rooms are recalculated and the room with the shortest amount of total audition time remaining is selected for the next placements. This cycle is repeated until all students are scheduled.
Once the preliminary round of scheduling is completed, all late out out-of-area applications are considered. Most often these are added to the end of the existing schedule. However, if it is deemed it will be advantageous to the schools already scheduled, the Auditions Chair may elect to place these students at the beginning of the schedule or insert them into the existing schedule. This usually happens only when there are a few from a given school who are all auditioning in "light" rooms.
What can I do to make scheduling easier?
Accuracy is the most important thing. It takes twice as much time to correct a mistake than it does to schedule the student initially. Be sure your application is complete, your student list is complete, and all your students are registered
for the correct instrument or voice part.
If you send paper applications, send ONE application per school system per audition day. Do not send separate applications for separate ensembles or students.
Send or bring ONE check for the total for your school system. Do not send separate checks for separate ensembles or students. Every single check needs to be registered, endorsed, and tracked.
Be complete in your communications. The auditions communications load gets very heavy as we approach audition day. Include your name, your school's name, your institutional code number, the relevant audition sites and days, the relevant students' names and instruments, exactly what you need done, and how and when to get the answer to you. Emails and phone messages akin to "Hi ... I've got a problem with All-State ... give me a call ... <click>" will be given lowest priority.
What if I have kids auditioning at two different sites or days?
Please fill out a SEPARATE application form for each site and day, but have ONE check for the total of all auditions for all groups, sites, and days scheduled. Your school systems entire balance must be paid in full before the first student may audition. Also, it is MMEA policy that all students coming to the auditions be accompanied by an adult chaperone. This is a school event, and chances are your school also has very strict policies about students transporting themselves to school activities. Any unaccompanied students will be sent home without auditioning, as it is MMEA policy not to take on responsibility/liability for these students.
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