For aspiring actors, choosing the right film school is a big decision, as it can influence the career opportunities one gets and how one makes the most of them. Picking the right course here is also a key decision for acquiring and honing acting skills. Many leading acting schools open the door to networking opportunities for students to kickstart or further their careers. So, here are some tips for choosing an acting school and course.

1. Explore available degree courses
It is important to be aware of the kind of degrees available that can help in pursuing an acting career. The two main options to explore include BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) and BA (Bachelor of Arts). BFA is a specialized, professional program, whereas BA is a generic degree using which students can branch out to other areas of performing arts.

If one is wondering which degree is better, there is no one right answer. The choice depends on the student solely and what they want. This is because, although a BFA program is more specialized than a BA, it is more intensive than a BA and offers little flexibility. So, with a BFA program, one can get access to instructors, classes, and training to hone their technique and access to prestigious artists to learn skills to audition. On the other hand, one may have little time outside of classes and rehearsals. The intensity of such a specialized program can make one narrow in focus.. Some programs may be time-consuming but offer the expertise one wants. So, one should weigh the pros and cons before choosing a degree.

2. Consider the curriculum
While it is understood that an acting school will offer acting courses, one may benefit from delving into other relevant subjects like the history of theatre. Further, taking classes on movement, speech, and dance may help. With a BA degree, the humanities approach to acting provides one with a broader perspective. So, a BA program can offer the flexibility to take up non-acting courses, while a professional course may not allow any deviation from the curriculum. So, it is important to understand how flexible acting programs might be before choosing one. One should do their own research regarding the curriculum of each program here.

3. Check for flexibility
At times, even with adequate research, a degree program may not meet individual expectations. One may also want to switch to a different degree course or consider other options for other reasons. Here, it is important to understand the flexibility the film acting school or program offers. For instance, BFA is a highly specialized course, making it difficult to translate the credits earned in that course into something else. So, a switch would probably mean spending a couple more years doing something else. Additionally, when choosing an acting school, one should learn about the “cut system” that calls for frequent evaluation of the students. If one does not meet the expectations of the faculty based on the evaluation, they might be cut from the program. So, they might not be able to graduate with the same degree but can choose a broader degree to graduate.

4. Choose between a conservatory and traditional institute
When considering enrolling in an acting school, one should know that there are two types of college experience they can have. The conservatory college experience involves delving deep into the theatrics of drama, studying courses like screenplay writing, history of theatre, music theatre, and so on. Some programs have classes on the history of drama, scene work, and using body and mind as instruments in performance. So they are a lot more specific about the subject. Also, a conservatory college is a lot more competitive and often comes with world-class faculty and resources. So, building a network and finding opportunities might be easier here. A traditional college experience involves a lot more socializing apart from coursework. For instance, one can join a performing arts program at college and can be part of other activities like sports or social clubs at the same time.

5. Consider the fees
The cost of tuition is determined by the institution one chooses. While a top-notch conservatory program can cost $51,230, an undergraduate degree for a college acting program can be $10,000 on average. Alternatively, one can consider group acting classes that cost anywhere between $20 to $80 an hour. Some of the popular schools to consider are the American Film Institute, Boston University’s School of Theatre, the Juilliard School, Tisch School of the Arts, Columbia University, and the University of North Carolina School of Arts.