I’ve been acting professionally since I was 5 (over 12 years now) and have been on tv, in commercials, etc. The point isn’t really what I’ve done, but how it will be perceived. I am currently homeschooled with CAVA and my grades are really good, but it doesn’t provide me with a lot of the things that regular applicants have like class rank and clubs. As a result my main EC is being on the Screen Actors Guild Looking Ahead Leadership Council. I guess it’s sort of like a club for actors where we put together events and volunteer opportunities.
Anyways, I plan on making my essays a lot about acting. Because the truth is, acting is a lot of work. Filming has taught me a lot of professionalism and hard work. Even when I’m not filming (which is most of the time) I have auditions to prepare for and go to and classes and workshops I attend to improve and network. I have actually improved a lot and a film I was in won an award! However a lot of my work is done on my own time and I don’t really have an employer except when I’m filming (my agents/ managers are more like partners). Essentially I have to push myself forward and be driven, but I also have to be hardworking and professional when I am needed.
So basically, does this hurt me? The fact that I’m not like most other applicants? I mean, there are probably some other actors out there in a similar situation, but it definitely isn’t the norm. Personally I think it shows that I am creative, driven, mature, thick-skinned, and intriguing. However I have heard that ECs are much less important at UCLA than test scores and such, and mine aren’t crazy genius territory. Of course I’d like to think it makes me a good applicant… what do you think?
P.S. I don’t even know if acting is a job or an EC… It certainly seems like both to me!