No problem asking. First thing I should mention so folks aren't confused is that not everyone had to audition multiple times. Every school division has a limit to how many students it may send to the statewide auditions in January. (It averages one student per discipline per high school. Some larger high schools get two per discipline.) Some school divisions hold auditions at the local school level to decide who to pick. Those audition scores are not seen by anybody else other than the school and aren't used at all in the state selection process. Their only purpose is to get you to the January auditions. They have the added benefit of giving you experience with the audition process, as many schools use the same process we do with our auditions.

Now, the VPA application is made up of several parts which total 102 points. It used to total 100 but then they added the statement of interest and needed to make it worth something. The January adjudication scores are by far the biggest part of the score. They are worth 72 points - 36 from each judge. (To see how those 36 points broke down, you can download the scoring form here. )

The rest of the points come from the teacher recommendations, the training and honors you have, and those 2 points from your statement. (If you really want to know more of the nitty-gritty, you can download the score form from the Department of Education site here and see exactly how the 102 points add up.)

When it comes to selecting students, it becomes a process of matching the needs of the program with the skills of the nominees.

Did I manage to answer your question?

- Sheryl