Two years ago I was waist-deep in the Common App. Plus I was busy retaking my SATs and trying not to fail AP English Lit. And then there's the stuff that's actually relevant to what I'm doing with my life: filming my prescreens, finding the perfect audition material, and scheduling a billion miniature road trips to colleges I was sure I didn't have a shot in hell at getting into. Not to mention preparing for the big day, or the succession of big days: my actual musical theatre college auditions.

At the time, I was having a blast. Despite health issues later in the audition season, I loved every minute of the college application process (yes, even filling out the Common App!). I'd spent almost all of high school excessively researching schools and the way The Process worked, psyching myself out about the level of competition and the slim odds of getting into even one BFA.

Flash forward two years (actually, to the day I'm writing this: I submitted my application to UArts on September 30th, 2014!). Now I'm waist-deep in an actual BFA program, loving it more than I even thought was possible. When I look back at the year I auditioned for college, I'm honestly amazed that I put so much time and work into something I didn't know would turn out. But I'm lucky it did, and I've learned so much.

After a year and a month as a BFA musical theatre student, here are the 7 most important truths I have discovered about the college audition process:

1. Rejection doesn't mean you're "bad."

College is an equalizer. I know people who have auditioned for 20 colleges and been rejected by all but one, and people who only auditioned for the school they currently attend. Some might take that as a judgment on their talent or even personal validity, especially in high school. But once you enter a performance based college program, you spend enough time watching your peers work to realize everyone has areas of strength and weakness. And then you see some of those people repeatedly getting cast in main stage shows, and others not even getting callbacks. You really can't generalize based on not being cast in one thing. If you really want to do this, you can't even generalize based on hundreds of things. All you can do is the work.

2. The environment matters as much as the program.

I love musical theater. Not being in theater in some creative capacity would pretty much feel like cutting off a leg to me. But in the search for a college program, there are a lot of environmental things we take for granted. I, for example, have always been a city person. I attended a seven week summer program the summer before my senior year of high school and was the happiest I've ever been. Still, I thought that if I found "the right program" (read: the most prestigious/selective program) at a school in a less than ideal location, I'd have to go. "I'll be spending the majority of my time inside the theater building anyway," I told myself. Truthfully, I do spend a lot of time in the theater building. But the building where all my theater classes are is 17 stories tall and located on the busiest street in Philadelphia. Every morning I walk 15 minutes to class, a distance I'm told is similar to my friends at big schools with real campuses, but I get to walk past hundreds of homes, three sushi restaurants, and at least six professional theaters not directly affiliated with my school. Location is absolutely integral to my happiness, theater or no theater. For others, that might be Greek life or nice weather. Regardless, when choosing a college to apply to or attend, you need to consider more than just how many years of tap are required (you can ALWAYS take extra tap!).

3. Flexibility trumps perfection.

My first semester, my voice teacher assigned me Out Of My Dreams from Oklahoma. I am not an ingenue, in looks or personality. I was so freaked out, so limited by my "type," that I flat-out refused to sing it. That's one of my biggest regrets from last year. If I had agreed to sing the song he originally wanted me to, maybe I would have grown in ways I can't even imagine. When you get to college, you're going to have to step outside your comfort zone. You'll have to make changes according to what your teacher recommends, not what you think is right or good. That's the most conducive thing to actual improvement. When you audition for college, remember that the scary people behind the table are actually teachers. They're going to work with you, not just grade you. I guarantee any theater professor would rather teach someone who is, um, teachable, than someone who is perfect.

4. Academics matter.

I've watched a lot of my classmates struggle with money since I've been here (the "broke college student" stereotype is REAL). But I can afford my school because of my high SAT scores. In fact, if I hadn't done well academically in high school, I'm not sure I would have been able to even attend UArts. Rigorous high school academics have also benefited me in other ways: I've been able to take extra classes because of AP credit, I know how to plan and write an essay in 25 minutes (shoutout to AP US Government!), and I'm used to tackling large amounts of reading. Skills like hard work and time management have proved invaluable in a college theater program, in addition to the scholarships that came as a result. So many schools will tell you they want "smart actors," and they mean it. Do not take your "real" classes lightly. Even for BFA programs, they will effect your financial package, if not whether you're accepted.

5. NO PROGRAM IS PERFECT.

You will have complaints. Wherever you go, no matter how much you're loving it, you will have complaints. And that's okay! That doesn't necessarily mean you would be better off elsewhere. You can't always see the minute flaws until you're already at the school, but you can tell if it's a glaringly bad fit. Every program is right for someone, but no program is exactly right for anyone.

6. You can't really know a school until you get there.

I committed to UArts before I was aware of even half the reasons that make it perfect for me. At our first meeting with the head of the theater school, I vaguely recognized some of the things she was saying...because I'd phrased them only slightly differently in my interview! Sometimes a visit can help clear things up--the school that ended up being my top choice was barely on my radar until I auditioned in late January. But even sitting in on three classes at the school I now attend didn't quite give me the full impression of what it would be like to actually go here. Anywhere you go is going to be a leap of faith. But if the department's general philosophy doesn't match yours, it's unlikely the rest of the school will be a great fit.

7. In the immortal words of Hannah Montana, life's what you make it.

You get out what you put in. That goes for theater and it goes for any other passions you have outside your major. If you want to do something, you can find a way or create a way. The classes prescribed to your major aren't all you're going to be doing. Your path doesn't have to follow the same trajectory as other alumni of your school and program. There is room for creativity in your life and in your career. If you want to do something, or multiple things, make it happen. There is a way.