<p>I think you are sooo right MichaelNKat. My son has had the good fortune to perform in a professional show in our city and in one not too far from NYC. He works with 4 other actors, all with different levels of training. One, for example, has NO college training at all. One has an MFA in acting from Yale. One teaches at a BFA program frequently mentioned on CC. One has a college degree and some studio training. They are all working actors–in NYC and in regional theaters. And, there’s my son, who just graduated from high school.</p>
<p>During the run, my son has been approached by two casting/talent agents from NYC, and has gone into the city to meet them, to audition or just chat, i.e., get the experience of doing this on his own. Everyone–the actors in the show, the director, the agents–says it is NOT where you go to school that “counts,” for the most part. Yes, some “names” may get you in the door for an audition, in the beginning, but even that does not seem to be something that helps alot over the long run. There is also some “networking” help that alums will give one another; again, this is helpful, but not anywhere near a “guarentee” of work.</p>
<p>On the other hand, the time to mature in college is probably a huge benefit, and this can happen anywhere. My son has been finding it very hard to live away from home, in an apartment, on his own, even for a 2-month (time-limited) run. The biggest thing is filling up the many hours each day during which he is NOT performing. As an adult, I can think of millions of things to do. . .for him, it is boring. The other cast members are quite a bit older than him, and socially, they are clearly on a different page. It would be VERY hard for a 17 or 18-year old to deal with this aspect of the business. In the end, my son is very much looking forward to school–he can’t wait to be around a bunch of kids his age!</p>