<p>I’ll try to harvest a few relevant responses (advice from grads of MT programs) from past threads as I go though them, so folks don’t have to repeat themselves.</p>
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<p>from 7/14/11 - by megpmom </p>
<p>We’ve been watching kids graduate from our performing arts HS for the past six years. In regards to BFA and BA training, (in my opinion) the kids who enter very talented usually graduate very talented. The kids who enter as average performers usually graduate as average performers (among their peers). Some of them improve (belt gets stronger, dance skills improve) but I have not seen HUGE improvements among my kids friends. The ones who have gotten performing jobs right out of college were usually the more talented ones in HS. (But there is always the random “right time, right place” factor for any actor.)</p>
<p>My kids have been “in the business” since they were small. We have seen the ups and downs of professional acting/MT and have been very adamant about our kids getting a college degree. To us, the mere fact that you have a degree (in anything) will be an advantage later in life. A couple of their friends have gone straight to Hollywood or to actor training programs and I always feel a little sad that they won’t have a college degree. Such a small percentage of people are able to make livings purely by acting and a degree will always help you get a job in the real world.</p>