<p>It isn’t “wrong” to not want to go to college for training although I think the wisdom of going straight to the studios for a kid straight out of high school is questionable at best well over 95% of the time for even the most mature and streetwise kids from out of town even if they’re reeeeeeally good looking and mad talented. Hollywood is tough … I gave a brief lowdown on another thread a couple of months back and I was not being sarcastic … </p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/16240253-post6.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/16240253-post6.html</a></p>
<p>As far as two year programs, the ones I would recommend are:</p>
<p>[Art</a> of Acting Studio](<a href=“http://www.artofactingstudio.com/]Art”>http://www.artofactingstudio.com/)
[Stella</a> Adler, LA](<a href=“http://www.stellaadler-la.com/]Stella”>http://www.stellaadler-la.com/)
[Ruskin</a> School of Acting](<a href=“http://www.ruskinschool.com/]Ruskin”>http://www.ruskinschool.com/)
[The</a> William Alderson Acting Studio](<a href=“http://www.aldersonstudio.com/Home.html]The”>http://www.aldersonstudio.com/Home.html)
[Elizabeth</a> Mestnik Acting Studio](<a href=“http://www.emasla.com/]Elizabeth”>http://www.emasla.com/)</p>
<p>Some other reputable technique and scene study studios I would recommend you look into if you already have a solid acting foundation and you just want regular classes with maybe a quickie intensive first:</p>
<p>[Aaron</a> Speiser Acting Studio](<a href=“http://www.aaronspeiser.com/]Aaron”>http://www.aaronspeiser.com/)
[Marjorie</a> Ballentine](<a href=“http://marjorieballentine.com/]Marjorie”>http://marjorieballentine.com/)
[Beverly</a> Hills Playhouse](<a href=“http://www.bhplayhouse.com/]Beverly”>http://www.bhplayhouse.com/)
[Carter</a> Thor Studio](<a href=“http://carterthorstudio.com/]Carter”>http://carterthorstudio.com/)
[Diana</a> Castle](<a href=“| The Imagined Life | Los Angeles Acting Classes”>| The Imagined Life | Los Angeles Acting Classes)
[Howard</a> Fine Studio](<a href=“http://www.howardfine.com/]Howard”>http://www.howardfine.com/)
[Lesly</a> Kahn & Co.](<a href=“http://www.leslykahn.com/]Lesly”>http://www.leslykahn.com/)
[Vinnie</a> Guastaferro](<a href=“http://www.thesportofacting.com/]Vinnie”>http://www.thesportofacting.com/)
[Warner</a> Loughlin Studio<a href=“If%20they’re%20famous%20and%20I%20didn’t%20mention%20them,%20there’s%20a%20reason%20usually%20being%20that%20the%20name%20teacher%20has%20become%20greedy%20and%20keeps%20overcrowded%20classes%20where%20you’re%20lucky%20to%20put%20up%20work%20a%20couple%20of%20times%20a%20month.%20%20Even%20a%20couple%20of%20the%20ones%20I%20did%20mention%20are%20questionable%20in%20that%20respect.%20%20At%20some%20others,%20the%20main%20teacher%20has%20apparently%20lost%20his/her%20mojo%20and%20the%20quality%20of%20the%20training%20has%20declined%20over%20the%20years%20or%20he/she%20passes%20newbies%20off%20to%20staff%20faculty%20with%20questionable%20qualifications%20%20and/or%20teaching%20ability.”>/url</a></p>
<p>Theatrical Audition Technique that even conservatory BFA and MFA grads usually need before they’re ready to compete in the LA market:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.coldreadingclasses.com/]Amy”>http://www.coldreadingclasses.com/]Amy</a> Lyndon](<a href=“http://www.warnerloughlin.com/]Warner”>http://www.warnerloughlin.com/)
[Annie</a> Grindlay Studio](<a href=“http://anniegrindlay.com/]Annie”>http://anniegrindlay.com/)
[Billy</a> O’Leary](<a href=“http://billyoleary.com/]Billy”>http://billyoleary.com/)
[Krater</a> Studios](<a href=“http://kraterstudios.blogspot.com/]Krater”>http://kraterstudios.blogspot.com/)
[Margie</a> Haber Studio](<a href=“http://margiehaber.com/]Margie”>http://margiehaber.com/)
[Robert</a> D’Avanzo](<a href=“http://www.robertdavanzo.com/Site_2/Home.html]Robert”>http://www.robertdavanzo.com/Site_2/Home.html)
[Saxon</a> Trainor](<a href=“http://www.saxontrainor.com/thework.html]Saxon”>http://www.saxontrainor.com/thework.html)
[Stan</a> Kirsch Studio](<a href=“http://stankirschstudios.com/]Stan”>http://stankirschstudios.com/)</p>
<p>Commercial Audition Technique:</p>
<p>[Carolyne</a> Barry](<a href=“http://carolynebarry.com/]Carolyne”>http://carolynebarry.com/)
[Killian’s</a> Commercial Workshop](<a href=“Sample Page - Killians Workshop”>http://killiansworkshop.com/)</p>
<p>Improv that’s not only good for you but is a must have on your resume to get decent commercial rep:</p>
<p>[The</a> Groundlings](<a href=“http://www.groundlings.com/]The”>http://www.groundlings.com/)
[Improv</a> Olympic](<a href=“http://www.groundlings.com/]Improv”>http://www.groundlings.com/)
[Second</a> City<a href=“I%20think%20they%20require%20that%20you%20have%20at%20least%20some%20college%20to%20be%20admitted.”>/url</a>
[url=<a href=“http://www.ucbtheatre.com/]Upright”>http://www.ucbtheatre.com/]Upright</a> Citizens Brigade](<a href=“The Second City”>The Second City) </p>
<p>Another thing to consider is that all except the first two Adler conservatory programs I listed don’t offer much in the realm of voice, speech and movement work which is a lot more important in screen acting than you’d think. So, you might want to think about supplementing with a qualified [Linklater[/url</a>] or [url=<a href=“http://fitzmauricevoice.com/locations/]Fitzmaurice[/url”>http://fitzmauricevoice.com/locations/]Fitzmaurice[/url</a>] voice teacher who’ll also work with you on your diction and/or an [url=<a href=“http://www.alexandertechnique.com/teacher/northamerica/]Alexander”>Find an Alexander Technique Teacher in the United States or Canada – The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique]Alexander</a> Technique](<a href=“http://www.thelinklatercenter.com/designated-linklater-teachers/geographical]Linklater[/url”>http://www.thelinklatercenter.com/designated-linklater-teachers/geographical)teacher to get anything in that realm even approaching what you’d get from a decent college program. There are also about ten gazillion dance studios around town that might be beneficial. </p>
<p>Also check out what Ben Kingsley has to say about formal training in his [Inside</a> the Actors Studio Q&A at 40:31](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube). Amen.</p>
<p>P.S. The expensive four and five letter acronymned programs like the one the OP mentioned in his original post have terrible reputations around town whether they’re deserved or not.</p>
<p>P.S.S. Those lists are obviously not all-inclusive and just include the good places I happen know about. [Backstage</a> publishes a somewhat complete comprehensive list.](<a href=“http://www.backstage.com/advice-for-actors/resources/los-angeles-acting-schools-and-coaches_6/]Backstage”>http://www.backstage.com/advice-for-actors/resources/los-angeles-acting-schools-and-coaches_6/) Just be forewarned that more than a few LA studios are headed by Charlatans with no real qualifications to teach anybody anything although they often talk a good game and spend a lot on advertising so as to take your money and waste your time.</p>