America's Got Talent (season 3) - Selection Process

Selection Process

Season three is similar to Season two in the audition process, except that the auditions were held in large theaters, there were three more audition episodes, and two more audition sites. The season also carried over the Las Vegas boot camp, but acts were divided into more groups, such as ventriloquists, male singers, female singers, opera, instrumental music, bands, and other variety acts. There were forty acts that passed through, instead of twenty. The semi-final process consisted of shows on Wednesdays. Ten of the top forty acts performed each of the shows for four weeks. Five were eliminated each show by public vote during the "Top 40" episodes. However, the contestants that come in fifth and sixth place faced the judges' decision. The panel was able to eliminate the act they wished not to put through. Afterward, the Top 40 was narrowed down to a Top 20.

Following the Top 20, the American viewing audience was given the chance to eliminate ten acts from this group, creating a Top 10. The Top 10 then trimmed to a Top 5 after the American viewing audience voted. Afterward, The Top Five performed in a two-part, two-week finale, that concluded the season.

In Season 3, when all three judges pressed their X's to terminate a performance in the semi-finals, the act was allowed to continue, but must end early.