Central finals

[AMP]

Has anyone heard of any waitlist movement for Central yet for September intake? 

[ballet_mum_on_the_run]

On 19/05/2022 at 16:38, AMP said:

Has anyone heard of any waitlist movement for Central yet for September intake? 

We have friends on the waitlist & haven’t heard of any movement yet 

[FlexyNexy]

On 15/03/2022 at 16:43, Peanut68 said:

A little off topic & I don’t wish to be a nay sayer but.... I do worry that we are offering far too many high level training opportunities & prolonging the agony before an inevitable dash of dreams as the reality of just how limited the opportunities for a career as a classical dancer are. Yes, I guess there are masses of transferable skills learned along the way that make dancers resilient & good employees in very many fields & of course diligent workers who complete many of these courses will leave with degrees or diplomas giving evidrncevif studyinv at higher education level but gain contracts as dancers? Very very few sadly....

But, I can also say to any aspiring dancer that ‘that one of few could be you’ so good luck to them one & all!

Hear hear, I am somehow glad we have turned down all schools that with their fees would bring my daughter to a debt. 
Graduated (overseas in a famed school), beautiful BA degree to frame in a picture and hang on a wall, only to be told to dance in the companies on a junior contract without a pay. We have agreed to do it for a year with a hope that it will change as post-pandemic mood will fade.... only to be offered at this year rounds again contracts without pay in exchange for exposure!
I feel for all those young students that are going to take those places at upper schools, all those Instagram posts about success to get to famed summer schools (that are nothing valid on a CV) and only a foreign trained prodigy, heavily supported by the teacher and THE CONTACTS will take the favourite spot. I have learned so much how schools operate and how to tell that “Your kid" is not within the favourite group to graduate with contract and 25 girls out of 30 are there only to substitute the school fees. 

At least our school told us parents straight if you child is not selected to represent the school at competition or production within associated company within 1^st year…you will not have success with them. Wish UK schools would do this too, so he kids would not be filled with dreams but have a proper reality check.

[Dancing unicorn]

FlexyNexy 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[Pups_mum]

Whilst I agree with you 100% on the need for greater realism and transparency @FlexyNexy I do think it pays to remember that there are many other degrees that have similarly slim prospects of a student eventually securing work that is directly related.

I guess a good analogy might be that a large percentage of law students start their course dreaming of being a  criminal barrister in the High Court, but only a minute percentage will actually achieve that. Of those who eventually work in law at all, the majority will be solicitors doing comparatively mundane legal work, and a large percentage will end up in completely unrelated careers. A relative of mine sat the Bar exams a few years ago, at great expense and after a lot of very hard work, they passed. But they never progressed to the next stage, as the candidates for pupillages outweigh the posts available hundreds to one and they often go to people with existing contacts in the profession. It reminded me quite a lot of ballet actually! My relative works in agriculture now.

We viewed DD's dance degree as just that - a degree. Had she not done it she would probably have chosen to do a BA in History or perhaps English at University. There are not many jobs directly related to those degrees either so they could be considered a waste of time and money too. I suspect had DD taken that path she would have then done a PGCE and become a teacher. As it is, she did her dance teaching qualifications as a post grad and became a teacher. Not that different really!

I guess if you have a DC who is choosing between dance and say dentistry it's different. There are some degrees which lead onto a very clearly defined career path with good prospects, but lots don't. We figured that DD was likely to be happier studying something she loves even if the job prospects weren't good, than studying something she was less interested in, also without great job prospects. But we did all go into it with our eyes wide open and I think that is the big issue in the dance world - too many dreams, not enough realism.

[meadowblythe]

Can I just suggest that occasionally this isn't always the case?  

 

My DS was assessed out of his first school, had two happy years and went on to Upper School.  He was way behind in the first year , nearly left.  But in the second year something clicked and he went on, though never a favourite, to a career in ballet.  

 

He is currently sharing a role with a fellow student from his very first school - the other student stayed through to 6.3 in the original school.  Different routes to Rome.  

 

But I agree with everything Pups_mum says!

[Tulip]

My daughter graduated from Central and thankfully has never been out of work. During the pandemic she applied to universities to study physiotherapy and at one point her favourite subject physics at Liverpool university. She did GCSE’s and her degree at Central, she was accepted into all the  universities that she applied for. She was about to start her physics degree, but she gained another contract dancing on The Royal Caribbean Cruise ship 3,900 dollars per month. Her degree was never wasted. Most people in her year gained contracts. 

Edited May 28, 2022 by Tulip

[DVDfan]

Just to emphasise the point that the problem of many qualifiers and few jobs isn't confined to ballet, 50 years ago I started on a course of study in science. Eight years later I was finally qualified - only to find that there were a handful of jobs available and at least fifty good applicants for each post. Whether you got a post was down to luck and contacts, neither of which I had. I didn't have a plan B...you don't expect to need one in science, unlike the arts.

But besides a plan B (C and D) you do also need to realise that it isn't your fault, but down to circumstances, happenstance, Fate...or you can spend your life haunted by a sense of failure, and of 'what might/should have been'.

[Vonrothbart]

It's not as if Mums and Dads don't know this when their DC set off on this journey, I'm not sure what % actually sign a contract, but I reckon it could well in low single figures. Fortunately we've been one of the lucky ones, after a couple of serious ops on her way, and a few no's, our GDD is about to set off on her professional journey. Just like most walks in life, I'm sure there will be up and downs, it's how you react that matters. Good luck everyone.

Edited May 29, 2022 by Vonrothbart

[AMP]

Just want to share that there is hope, we have just had a waitlist offer for Central, so anyone waiting please don't give up hoping, we almost had!  ❣️

[MAK]

On 11/06/2022 at 19:44, AMP said:

Just want to share that there is hope, we have just had a waitlist offer for Central, so anyone waiting please don't give up hoping, we almost had!  ❣️

Amazing news, congratulations!

[Tess1979]

On 18/03/2022 at 16:56, taxi4ballet said:

It all depends on how those years were funded though. If they had a student loan, then that's that - they can't get another one.

This isn’t true. You can do a second degree. It may be more limiting but it’s not true you can’t get another student loan. I just don’t want anyone to think what you said is correct and be put off. 

[meadowblythe]

You can apply for a second student loan if you are applying for certain NHS shortage areas

 

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/study-and-training/considering-or-university/financial-support-university

 

 

[Mummy twinkle toes]

Certain stem courses, psychology and even cyber security too.

https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/fees-and-funding/equivalent-qualifications

You can change the country at the top. Wales is generally same as England but if you did study with the OU, then Wales offers a maintenance loan too (just used OU as an example as it clearly shows the types of degrees you can get second loans for). 

[KindleK]

Hi has anyone applied for student finance for Central and if so what university do we put in as Central doesn’t seem to come up??

[Neverdancedjustamum]

45 minutes ago, KindleK said:

Hi has anyone applied for student finance for Central and if so what university do we put in as Central doesn’t seem to come up??

I think Central is validated by Kent, could be them? No personal experience though so I’m not sure how it works.

[Twirly]

1 hour ago, KindleK said:

Hi has anyone applied for student finance for Central and if so what university do we put in as Central doesn’t seem to come up??

At the open day they said to hold off for a bit as they are in the process of new registration now they are going independent. We’ll get a big email in @ 3weeks with all info on. 
We have a what’s app group for new 1st years if you want to send me a private message to join? 

[Peanut68]

Seeing the mention above of central ‘going independent’ does that mean it will become its own degree validating body? Will that applications via UCAS & so eligible for full student loan & capped fees (isn’t it that now?) or will it be the opposite whereby they can charge higher fees but with lower official student loan rates available? 

[Neverdancedjustamum]

1 hour ago, Peanut68 said:

Seeing the mention above of central ‘going independent’ does that mean it will become its own degree validating body? Will that applications via UCAS & so eligible for full student loan & capped fees (isn’t it that now?) or will it be the opposite whereby they can charge higher fees but with lower official student loan rates available? 

I think it just means that they are now Office for Students registered in their own right. Approved (fee cap) means they can access public funding and grants but fees are capped (normally I think £9250 currently is the higher statutory fee limit for universities, but depends on their quality rating and fee limits as agreed and part of their Access and Participation plan). Their degree will still need to be validated by an awarding body (such as a university - I think theirs is Kent) until they get their degree awarding powers (TDAP). Their being OfS-registered may also have implications on the number of students they can return to HESA, drafting their own Access and Participation plans etc etc.  As far as I know, they can opt to have their applications directly on UCAS or they can have them via their awarding body. It depends on the nature of their collaborative relationship with  their awarding body - it will determine which institution will draw down fees from SLC/SFE for their students. 

Edited June 23, 2022 by Neverdancedjustamum

[Peanut68]

Thanks for the above (though not too sure I fully understood as am not 100% up on the whole uni application & funding processes!). I think that some dance degrees (thinking LSC & others) charge a far higher rate than the £9250 for tuition & thus loans would not cover that amount requiring additional (parental or other) top up....was wondering if this could become the case for Central but sounds as though not from your post?

[KindleK]

I know with LSC you can only borrow up to £6200 with the SLC and the fees are £15500. 

[Neverdancedjustamum]

4 minutes ago, Peanut68 said:

Thanks for the above (though not too sure I fully understood as am not 100% up on the whole uni application & funding processes!). I think that some dance degrees (thinking LSC & others) charge a far higher rate than the £9250 for tuition & thus loans would not cover that amount requiring additional (parental or other) top up....was wondering if this could become the case for Central but sounds as though not from your post?

I wouldn’t have thought so if Central is registered as Approved (Fee Cap). The OfS register has them as a Higher Fee limit institution which means they can charge up to £9000 or £9250 (depending on whether they have a TEF award). Some institutions have a basic fee limit (up to £6000 or £6165) and some have no fee limit (usually private providers). LSC is registered with the OfS but is down as “no fee limit” which is why they can charge higher fees.

[Neverdancedjustamum]

4 minutes ago, Peanut68 said:

Thanks for the above (though not too sure I fully understood as am not 100% up on the whole uni application & funding processes!). I think that some dance degrees (thinking LSC & others) charge a far higher rate than the £9250 for tuition & thus loans would not cover that amount requiring additional (parental or other) top up....was wondering if this could become the case for Central but sounds as though not from your post?

I wouldn’t have thought so if Central is registered as Approved (Fee Cap). The OfS register has them as a Higher Fee limit institution which means they can charge up to £9000 or £9250 (depending on whether they have a TEF award). Some institutions have a basic fee limit (up to £6000 or £6165) and some have no fee limit (usually private providers). LSC is registered with the OfS but is down as “no fee limit” which is why they can charge higher fees.