A Few Things to Consider Before Committing to an Actor Training Program

“Hunt quality.  It’s getting harder to find, but you’ll stick around if your name is associated with quality.” – Frank Langella

On August 16, 2005 I packed my bags and headed to New York City to study at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. I know it was the second week of August because I wrote it on a Subway Sandwich napkin above the words, “Here we go.” 

Just a few hours later I found myself not- so-subtly sobbing during a conversation with my ex-girlfriend who was back in California. 

I was convinced that moving back east was the biggest mistake of my young life.

Hopefully, your transition to higher learning or visiting the Big Apple won’t be as dramatic. But the decision on whether or not to invest in graduate school for anything, let alone acting is an enormous one that deserves careful consideration, particularly with the exorbitant cost of college these days.

Of course, many of my friends in New York and Los Angeles are actors. Their training backgrounds run the gamut and are as varied as their tastes in food. 

For instance, some did not attend a graduate or undergraduate drama program, but would have if they could. Others did but were underwhelmed by the experience.  

In the end, each actor forged his or her own path based on what environment they felt would give them the best training.

Before choosing an MFA program I would consider the following:

• The cost
• The investment of time
• The location of the school
• Whether a conservatory is the best learning environment for the way you lear
• The opportunities having a Master of Fine Arts degree might provide you down the road if you decide to do something else (teach, coach, become a public speaker, etc.)
• If graduate school is something you can see yourself committing to all the way through to the end
• The connections and networking opportunities a university might provide.

In the end, I likened attending a graduate school for acting the same way someone who aspired to be a physician or lawyer might. I wouldn’t just walk into a room and try to operate on someone, nor would I saunter into a courtroom orchestrating an argument without the tools and knowledge on how to do so.

Suffice it to say I'd be promptly escorted out if I tried.

Once again, this was my approach and need not be yours. There are lots of ways to develop your skill set outside a conventional learning environment. 

For what it's worth, nearly all of the actors I admire most did not train at 3 or 4-year institutions, and the ones that did often left after a semester or two. 

Attaining an MFA or BFA is NOT the only means to a successful career in the performing arts.

It's merely an option. 

Carefully weigh the pros and cons of attending a conservatory and figure out what you think will give you the best chance of becoming great at your craft.