Would you let your child go to an early college?

[early_college]

Most of my posts are indeed from the summer. I did try to get a job, called a lot of companies. No one is hiring at all, not even fast food joints. I tried to get an internship, it didn't work out. I'm going back to school in a few days. I'll try to stop posting for a while, I'll still read your posts. I may just write in the AP Forums once or twice, but other then that I'll update this thread when it comes to the fall. I'll let you know what the guidance counselor has to say.

[jym626]

Well good luck to you, e-c.

Was only trying to help with respect to the q. about the county. Dont know if you are in metro Atl or S GA or Savannah or where-- and the suggestions would be quite different depending on this. Can't help you more if you are only comfortable providing vague info. But no matter. That is certainly your decision.

I believe you can petition to apply to a magnet school in a different county if your county does not offer the program you want. I know kids who went to a neighboring county HS for their magnet program. They did not live in that county.

Please, do your HW. Go visit the programs at W GA and Kennesaw (if this is your general locale) to get a feel for what they offer. And as an aside-- jobs were not easy to come by this summer, but they were out there. My s has 2 jobs and will be starting a volunteer jot at a local hospital in a few weeks as well.

[soozievt]

There is not a lot of professional work for actors ages 14- 18 for starters. Often young adults who look young are cast instead. To rush through your schooling just to hit LA at 20 instead of at 22 has no distinct advantage that I know of. My D is 20 and has now hit the professional audition circuit. I don't see her at an advantage over those over 22 at all. I don't think she is at a disadvantage either but there is no benefit to being out there at 20 truly. You seem to want to rush to get to professional life. In my view, get your training and college education and you'll be much more ready. Also, if you really want to hit the professional actor's life sooner, then when you are 18, go hit LA or NYC without going to college. That's one way of doing it. I would not do it but some do.

You do not have nearly enough training or production work under your belt. That's OK. You are just 15 after all. You can't skip these steps to your success and just try to get to the end of the rainbow first, LOL.

If you love acting, immerse yourself in it. You say your parents don't have money for this or that, but then say they perhaps could pay some money toward early college. If that is the case, it costs less to attend a local acting class for teens. It costs less for long distance courses. It costs less for a summer theater program, than to go to Simon's Rock at 16. It need not be all or nothing. There are enriching things you could propose to your parents that don't cost what early college costs. You also could earn money toward these things.

I know you said you want to write for film and not stage. But a starting point for such a career is to write for the stage. Write a play. Gather actors at school to put it on or even write a film that you film.

When you are over 18, getting an agent in NYC is not gonna be as easy as I think you think. It may be easier as a child actor to get one. But as an adult, it is not. It is not like getting one at a talent convention like you did with an agent in GA or FL. I know graduates of BFA programs with lots and lots more training and experience than you who cannot secure an agent. This is true in LA too. And this is particularly for theatrical work (stage, film, TV) and not commercials or modeling!

You need to come up with how to put together a really enriching year this coming year and propose things to your parents. Some may cost money and some won't. But the cost will not nearly be what going to Simon's Rock will cost.

You say you want no debt for college. But there is a very good chance, as a middle class family with four children, that no matter what need based or merit based aid you get at college, that either you or your parents will have to have some debt (unless your parents have saved up college funds for you already). We are middle class. Our kids got need based and merit based aid. We have had to take out loans for their college educations. You are not realistic to think that your parents are not gonna have to pay some money toward college. Perhaps this is a good time to ask them their plans and expectations for college and what they can offer you.

Again, if you don't go to college early, there are ways to enrich your life in the summers with pre-college programs and such. You could help earn money for these. If you say your parents can't afford money for that (and I would understand it), then it doesn't gel that you say they could put some money toward Simon's Rock. You may wish to propose enriching summer programs INSTEAD of Simon's Rock to them. You could get a summer job to help save money toward it and do some odd jobs during the school year and help too.

[ncmentor]

EC I'm not telling you to stop posting because were tired of you or your questions. Just that you need to get away from this comfortable but non real world of computer intimacy. I would have you shut it all down and deal with the real world for the rest of the summer because you may find the real world has a lot to offer too... Consider shutting off the computer... And don't get caught up in needing an internship to help people. If you don't know where to start go mow a lawn for an elderly neighbor, just start getting out of your comfort zone for awhile... With Great Hope For You... NC

[nysmile]

Get off the computer and spend the time you're wasting posting on CC actually working on your passions and interests. You're full of excuses. You participate on one sports team and use that as your excuse to explain away mediocre grades and anything else that seems to come up. The majority of kids in our town are participating on multiple varsity sport teams throughout the entire academic year (as well as practices during the summer). They also play in the band, do community service (a requirement for graduation), work full time jobs in the summer, participate in clubs, and still manage to find time to succeed in multiple AP classes and socialize with their classmates. They are not miracle workers. They are just busy living and participating in life. Please, stop using your one sport as an excuse for everything.

If you want to be an actor, then go out and act. You don't need to be in NY or LA. Act in your high school productions. Intern at the local Community theater. Write a screenplay, audition your friends for parts, borrow a digital video camera from the high school, and shoot the film. Take a speech class and/or participate on the debate team. Learn photography.

You want to be a journalist. Work on your writing skills. Yes, they are lacking despite your excuse that "this is only a forum". Write--start a blog and write daily. Read the newspaper every day. Read novels. Get off of the computer and pick up a book.

I'm being blunt because you're not getting what many parents have been telling you. Going to college now is not going to fill the void of whatever it is that is not going right in your life in Georgia. Get off of the computer. Stop living a fantasy life behind the computer screen (posting on CC seems to have become your EC). Dive right into your sophomore year--join the Drama club, the Audio Visual club, the newspaper, the yearbook club. Take a drama class, a video production class, and try out for every school production. Get involved and experience what your school has to offer. Meet new people.

Keep challenging yourself academically. Don't forget to also challenge yourself socially. College is in your future and it's important that you spend the next couple of years preparing yourself to meet this challenge. For today, turn the computer off and find something fun to do. Maybe today will be the day when you start that new screenplay.

[jym626]

There are a lot of opportunities for students interested in the performing arts in the metro Atlanta area for film and stage. One friend's dau (who is in college now in NY, pursuing performing arts) was active in a local county theater, both in paid and unpaid capacities. She started when she was young (in her early/mid teens) and stayed with it. Have you looked into any of these options?

A few other friends kids have been on TBS/cartoon network productions, and several responded to casting calls this summer and were paid $100/day plus really yummy food to be extras in a film starring Sandra Bullock. Have you gotten on the castng call websites?? (my s didnt pursue it b/c he was busy with his other jobs). There are still productions being filmed here and they are frequently looking for extras. Have you pursued any of these opportunities??

If you are interested in the performing arts, are you active in these groups in your HS? If so, your drama coach should be able to help you with these resources. This is the way to go, not focusing on Simons Rock, IMO.

[early_college]

I know I did say I wouldn't post, but I just wanted to respond one last time. I know I know it's going to be hard not to reply back to you guys. I'll just try to come on once every day for a little amount of time.

My parents could pay money for college, but I don't know how much. I'm guessing just a couple thousand, I'm just not sure. It's hard to know because what my dad tells me has changed since the business. There is no way I could afford to go to a pre college program now. They just told me to get a scholarship or to get loans (under my name) and that's it. I think that's the plan, because that's what my parents say when I bring it up.

My agent has an agreement with agents in both LA and NY. If there talent goes there, they will get signed. I could do this at 18 too and these are good agents. This is for film and tv not just commercials and modeling. I don't even model, but I was offered to do print modeling in NYC. I've also made contacts with agents and I have friends which can help me.


I'm thinking I should just go to UGA for free (Hope) and major in journalism. This way I don't go through debt and I can just go to LA after I graduate and maybe attend the West GA thing. Also, both my parents tell me something different. My mom says one thing about how much we can afford and dad says another (big difference in $$$). But overall they've said loans or scholarships, lol. Also, when I told them SR price they said are you crazy and you're dreaming. They said the same exact thing when I told them about Tisch's program in Dublin.

[soozievt]

GREAT advice in the several posts above.

Also, you mention often on the Theater Forum that you have a local agent. It is nice that you have one but having one is not the big deal if the agent is not sending you out on auditions. Are you going out on auditions in your region? Build up your experiences either through your agent and/or school productions, community theater, local children/teen acting programs, private lessons, volunteering, initiating a project at your school (an original one act for example) and so on. Having an agent is not the end all be all. You need to be going out on auditions. You need to create opportunities for yourself. Being on swim team is nice and everything but if you aspire to the schools I have seen you mention on the theater forum, you are not doing nearly enough in the field to make yourself competitive for admissions to those majors.

While others pointed it out and I did not, I have marveled at how much time you have had to post on CC these past five months. My own kids, as teens, would NEVER ever have had the time to do that. You say you can't fit in more activities because you are on swim team but you fit in CC. My kids were in so many more activities than you are (including sports) and also doing well in school. They had no time for posting online at all though.

[early_college]

I'm just so confused now. This is my last post on this thread for a while. I have an agent, so I guess they would tell me of this work? I'm also on some casting websites. Anyways it seems like some people are asking the same questions and I already answered them such as reading a book (I have 3 to read), etc.


EDIT: I just read soov's post. And nope my agent has got me nothing. I have been with them a year, one audition. I don't understand why. Also, I have so much free time because swim season is way past over. I have not as much time during the school year. Also, I am doing nothing and there isn't anything to do here.


Also, I joined CC in Feb. Swim season was over and I had more free time and most of my posts are during the summer.

[soozievt]

Also, if you have an agent you should be going out on auditions and if you are talented, you may get cast in something.....a commercial, an extra in a film, etc. You could use those earnings to pay for a summer program. My D did some professional acting in her youth (does NOT do commercials) and saved up all she earned and had four year's worth of spending money for college before she entered.


EDIT< I cross posted with you. So, what is the big deal, then, if you have an agent and are you saying you never go out on auditions? Then having an agent is not that significant. The point of the agent is getting you into auditions that you may not have gotten into on your own.

[soozievt]

You say your agent has connections in NYC and could get you an agent there. But don't be so sure. Your agent has a better chance of that if your agent can say that so and so has been booking work with me as his agent here in GA and so is moving to NYC and so on. If you are not booking work with the local agent, I am not sure the reference for the NYC agent (which has MUCH more competitive standards) is gonna work out as good as you think.

[early_college]

I do agree soov, they have got me nothing. They said they have submitted me for things, but never get called on. I have a feeling that they haven't submitted me for the right things. I'll email you later today and tell you more about the agents and etc. I feel this thread is too much for me

Edit: I agree. But I've haven't got any auditions to book work. They told me that, because I was going to go back to a talent convention and said we can get you an agent if you wanted to go to LA or NY.

[jym626]

Also, I am doing nothing and there isn't anything to do here.

That is simply not possible, early-college. Whether you are in metro Atlanta or the boonies, there is plenty to do for people who seek it out. Do you have a drivers license yet? Do you have other means of transportation? Since you are a swimmer, did you look into being a lifeguard at a neighborhood pool? Those are great opportunities and they are always looking for them. I know my neighborhood has had a challenge getting lifeguards, and has paid top dollar to get some through swimatlanta.

Posters are getting on your case because you seem to be justifying what you are not doing and why, instead of saying "thats a great idea- I'll go do that!"

I am soon off to run errands in this beautiful summer day in GA. I suggest you do the same-- get outside and get some fresh air!!!

[early_college]

You see my summer plans got ruined. I was going to be a lifeguard, but I thought I was going to Florida. I did not apply because I thought I wouldn't be here most of this summer. I have a permit, but not a great driver yet.

[early_college]

I'm leaving soon and going shopping with my family, so see ya!