Optional competitions provide more opportunities for contestants to go home with recognition. Always ask the director if the optional competitions factor into the overall title you are seeking.
Only one person will go home as the queen, but if a contestant is recognized for the other positive qualities she possesses, she goes home feeling good about herself even if she doesn’t win the crown.
Optional competitions are another way for the pageant system to make money. There are many business expenses involved in producing a pageant. If the directors don’t make enough money to cover the bills, there will be no pageant.
What’s important to understand is that optionals have no influence on the main pageant results. The only time optional competitions would factor into the crown is if a “high point” winner were to be crowned. To become a high point queen, contestants receive points for entering and competing in the different categories of competition and the judges’ scores are all totaled together. The contestant with the highest accumulative point total is the high point winner. This is usually done in glitz and semi glitz pageants. But for pageants such as National American Miss and Coed, optionals are judged by a completely different set of judges and the optional competitions do not hurt or help contestants’ chances of winning the overall title.
You will want to take into consideration your pageant budget, your physical stamina level, and how strong your skills are in the area you want to enter. All the optional competitions take place either before the main pageant begins, or in between main pageant events. This means there is less time to rest, eat and get your hair and makeup ready for the main pageant. It can be very stressful trying to balance competing in multiple optional competitions along with the main pageant.
If this is your first year competing, I would suggest only doing the main pageant and watching the optional competitions you are interested in. You will get a better idea of what to expect without the added expense or stress. Then add one optional the next year. What you don’t want to happen is you get so tired from the optional competitions that you have no energy for the main event. On the other hand, if money is no object and you’re the energizer bunny, go for it! But don’t enter the optionals for the purpose of thinking it’s going to strengthen your chances of winning the title because it won’t. They are completely separate.
Buying the most pages in the program book will not guarantee you the overall title. Most of the time judges are not given a program book. Ad pages are a way for you to recognize your sponsors and supporters, showcase yourself, and for the pageant system to raise money to help cover the pageant cost.
If you want a more carefree and relaxed experience, don’t do the optionals your first time. However, if you want a chance at being recognized for other areas you are strong in, do the optionals.
June 9, 2011 19:53