Information for Prospective Students
Welcome! We're glad you're thinking about applying to the Academy.
Be sure to review the curriculum requirements. When you come to the Academy you'll be making a 4-year committment to a particular area of study in the Fine Arts.
If you want to find out more about what happens during the school year at the Academy, take a look at past issues of our newsletter. Also, you're welcome to subscribe to the current newsletter.
Applicants to the Fine Arts Academy are required to live within Austin Independent School District (AISD) boundaries. An AISD address is required on the FAA application. For families moving to Austin from another city, we will accept the application with the previous address and allow the student to audition, but will require the AISD address for acceptance.
Showcase/Openhouse
The first McCallum Fine Arts Academy Showcase for prospective students and their parents will be October 15, 2008 at 7:00pm beginning in the Theatre.
The second McCallum Fine Arts Academy Showcase for prospective students and their parents will be January 20, 2009 at 7:00pm beginning in the Theatre.
Audition Workshops
The Fine Arts Academy will hold audition workshops for prospective students on December 13th, 2008. These workshops will provide valuable instruction in preparation for a Fine Arts Academy audition for students. For parents, there will be an information session in the cafeteria about MFAA’s advanced academic curriculum & creative learning environment. For more information download the workshop registration form (MS Word.)
Admission Process
The director and faculty of the Academy base admission decisions on parent and student interviews, the application information you submit, and a student's audition or portfolio.
The application process steps are:
- You complete the application, collect letters of reference and submit grades
- We schedule an audition or portfolio review
- You prepare
See below for more information on the application procedures.
At the time the student is accepted, the requirements for the four-year curriculum are reviewed. A contract must be signed by both parent and student in which the student agrees to maintain a strong academic record, regular daily attendance in all classes, and good school citizenship during the four years at McCallum, in addition to meeting the requirements of their major.
Application Procedures and Deadlines
The application and recommendations forms are also available from the 8th grade counselor at each middle school campus. Because ours is a four-year curriculum, most applicants apply in the 8th grade to be admitted for the following fall. If you are an older student wishing to apply, include all your grade reports from 8th grade through current year.
Step 1. Submitting Paperwork
Download the Application (MS Word) and submit it by Jan. 30, 2009 with the following:
- Letter of recommendation (MS Word) from an Language Arts teacher and a Math Teacher
- Letter of recommendation from a fine arts teacher or private instructor
- Grade report for 2007-2008 and from 1 st semester of current year. The Fine Arts Academy is an advanced academic program. Applicants are required to have passing grades in all classes to be considered.
- Most recent TAKS scores or other standardized tests
This information should be mailed to
Lanier
Bayliss, Fine Arts Academy Coordinator
McCallum High School
5600 Sunshine Drive Austin, TX 78756
**Recommendation forms are sent by the teacher directly to MFAA via campus mail, US mail, or fax 841-7319; they are not submitted by the applicant or parent.
The application must be processed prior to the audition/interview date. Students may prepare their answers to the application on a computer (or it can be in their own hand-writing).
Step 2. Scheduling an Audition
After the Academy office has received all your paperwork (application, letters of recommendation and grade reports) we will call you to schedule your audition. Auditions are by appointment only.
Fine Arts Academy audition dates are:
Monday (Student Holiday) February 16th, 2009 1:00-5:00pm
Saturday February 21st, 2009 9:00-1:00 and 2:00-6:00
Wednesday March 4, 2009 3:30-6:00
A student may schedule to audition/interview in more than one major, but if accepted, may major in only one area. A successful audition with the Fine Arts faculty is only one step in the process and does not constitute admittance.
Step 3. Preparing for your audition or portfolio review
Music auditions: Instrumentalists perform 1 solo. Bring your instrument and two copies of the music. It is not necessary to memorize the solo. Scales and sightreading may be part of the audition. UIL solos are an excellent choice. Vocal soloists should bring a pianist or an accompaniment CD or tape, sing one solo, preferably art song or classical song. Vocalization and Sight-reading are also part of the audition.
Theater auditions: Perform 2 memorized contrasting monologues from reputable plays; combined time should not exceed 3 minutes. You will also do a cold reading at the audition. See mactheatre.com for more information.
Technical Theater Prepare a typed 300 word essay that describes your interest in technical theatre. Create a shoebox design for the birthday party of a famous person. Emphasis should be on creativity of design, use of materials, and composition. See mactheatre.com for more information.
Dance auditions: Wear dance attire with hair securely pulled back. Included in the audition, applicants will be writing an essay on the topic: Why I would like to join the McCallum Fine Arts Academy as a dance major.
Art Portfolio: Bring 7-10 works (No elementary artwork, please) including:
- A self-portrait with shading
- Drawings from observation. Arrange these into a still-life. Draw the still life in pencil and fully shade all objects.
- Other suggested works: pet, landscape, figures, 3-D work (sculpture, etc)
Step 4. Shadowing a current McCallum Fine Arts Student
Students who have all application materials on file in the Academy office may experience McCallum Fine Arts Academy first-hand by shadowing a current student in your area of interest. After you have turned in all the required application materials, choose a date (between January 21 - March 6). Complete the “Shadow Form” and submit by mail or fax (841-7319). We will confirm your shadowing date by telephone.