Getting Into Juilliard—The Lucky Necklace | Student Blog

Juilliard was the only drama school I applied to in 2015.

My parents were surprised at this and suggested some distinguished schools for acting in London. Nevertheless, they were very supportive of my quest to attend Juilliard. I couldn’t quite explain it to anyone. I just had this innate instinct that it was the place I needed to be! My desire outweighed my fear. And due to being an international student, I first had to send in a tape of two monologues along with an essay. When I got my callback from Juilliard I booked my flight and headed to New York with my dad (who wanted to celebrate his 50th birthday in New York with me!) During my time in New York I bought myself a necklace to remember my time there. It somehow became my special object as I got through to the final stages of callbacks that day. I absolutely loved it and learned a great deal about my craft from that one day of auditions. A few months later I was called back for the three-day audition weekend but this time I traveled to New York alone. I learned so much in those days of training and soaked up everything I could. I kept on saying to myself, How much do you want this? I wanted it more than anything. However, as I packed to go back to London I realized that the whole time I had left behind my lucky necklace. I was devastated!

After I had gotten home from a long flight and after answering curious questions from family and friends, I told them that it was one of the most enlightening experiences I had encountered in such little time.

That evening however, I went to sleep with very bad jet lag. The next morning, I found my lucky necklace on the floor of my bedroom. I was still kicking myself that I hadn't had my lucky charm during the three-day audition process when I picked it up, disappointed (I’m aware of how ridiculous this sounds), and then my phone started to ring with an American number. I assumed it was the hotel calling with receipts, but I answered, and it was Kathy Hood, saying I had been accepted for BFA in drama. It was one of the most tremendous feelings I’ve ever had in my life! I cried and cried—I couldn’t believe it! I ran downstairs and my parents just knew. I screamed, I got in! I got in!

I messaged two very special people who also got into Group 48; now they're two of my closest friends.

The rest is history. Well … sort of.