<p>I was wondering about the whole notion of “back up” or “safety” schools for BFA acting students. My s is applying to all the “big name” programs. . .or many, anyway, hoping to get in and hoping to use the name to get a career start after 4 years. Now, if you don’t get in to the “TOP” tier programs, should you take that as an indication that you just might not be “right” for the field (since it’s so competitive)? How much of a disadvantage is it to end up at a “safety” school–a lesser known school with less presteige? It’s hard to know how to think about this. Any thoughts?</p>