Admission & Audition Process
The Admission & Audition Process
PROCEDURES
Please follow the procedures described on the following pages carefully. All steps and deadlines in the application process are required for admissions. INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. The entire process includes the following:
1. Deliver an application to the Chicago High School for the Arts by (or before) 5:00 p.m. on December 18, 2009. Applications sent by US Mail must be postmarked by December 18, 2009. Applications sent through the CPS mail run must arrive at ChiArts by or before December 18, 2009. SUBMITTING MATERIALS AT AN EARLIER DATE IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. After receipt of the application and verification that the student has met the minimum admission requirement, the student will be scheduled and notified of an audition date and time. Audition notifications will be sent no later than the beginning of January. Auditions will begin in January.
2. Audition preparation guidelines are listed under each arts area and should be carefully followed. If a student becomes ill and is unable to audition, please contact the school immediately. Written verification documenting the illness from a doctor must be presented to the school within three (3) business days of the student’s originally scheduled audition date. A new audition date and time will be scheduled for the student by the school ONLY if there are additional audition dates and times available.
3. Notification will be mailed no later than the end of February regarding the status of the student’s acceptance. When all available spaces have been filled, the names of students who qualify for reconsideration will be placed on an applicant waiting list in the event that additional openings become available at a later date.
4. A parent/guardian may request an admission decision appeal by submitting a written request to the Executive Director ten (10) business days from the date of the letter indicating an applicant’s status. The committee will only hear an appeal if the basis of the appeal is determined to be an inequity or technical problem that occurred during the audition. An appeal against the panel’s judgment of artistic merit will not be heard.
APPLICATION GUIDELINES
1. Applications will be available by October 1, 2009. You may download an application from the website or pick up an application at ChiArts (3200 S. Calumet).
2. Applications must be received (if hand-delivered or sent through the CPS mail run) or postmarked (if sent by US mail) no later than 5:00p.m. on December 18, 2009 at the following address:
The Chicago High School for the Arts
3200 S Calumet Ave, Suite 110
Chicago, IL 60616
EARLY SUBMISSION IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED.
3. All information on the application must be complete, current, and accurate. The application must be signed by the parent or guardian in order for the student to be eligible for an audition.
4. Applicants may audition for no more than TWO arts areas. If a student applies for more than one arts area, only one (1) application should be submitted per student.
5. The following materials must be submitted before a student will be eligible to audition:
A. A complete, signed Application for Admission, including the Arts Experience form for the arts area to which the student is applying (limit two).
B. Copy of 7th grade ISAT scores or other approved nationally norm-referenced standardized test (e.g., ITBS, SAT10, TERRA NOVA, CAT, etc.)
C. Copy of 7th grade final report card.
6. Students with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. If your child is selected for an audition or interview, and s/he requires an accommodation or modification identified in their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that are appropriate in order to participate in the audition or interview, such accommodations/modifications will be provided. This will necessitate that you provide your child’s IEP to ChiArts after your child is selected for an audition/interview. The procedures for this will be communicated after ChiArts identifies which applicants will be given auditions or interviews.
AUDITION PROCESS
Once a student submits a completed application and meets the minimum requirements, s/he will be given an audition date and time. Parents are welcome to accompany their auditioning child on the scheduled date; however, parents will not be allowed in the audition or interview room. Specific audition requirements for each arts discipline are described in the links to the right to ensure the student will be fully prepared for his/her audition. Each requirement must be met. Auditions are scored using a rubric, and an incomplete audition presentation will result in a loss of points. Audition rubrics (scoring criteria) will be made available prior to the auditions.
The audition adjudication panel for each arts discipline includes, but is not limited to, at least one of each of the following: a CPS designee, a community arts partner, a ChiArts representative, and a member of the Office of Specialized Services if the applicant has made this request. Students will only compete for slots in their artistic discipline and within each subgroup of each arts discipline (e.g., flute students will not compete with visual artists for a slot, and beginning dance students will not compete with advanced students.) The projected admission slots for each arts department include: 30 dance (novice, intermediate and advanced combined); 30 theatre (acting and musical theatre combined); 30 visual arts; 60 music (strings, winds, voice, guitar, and piano combined). ChiArts reserves the right to adjust admission slots in each area based on the number of applicants.