COLLEGE - Many people haven't gone directly to college to study acting (they feel they have a natural talent), but I encourage you to do so. It is a great way to learn social skills, start getting acting experience and develop tools (skills) that will remain with you for life. Pursuing acting without any kind of formal training will be very difficult.

ELITE COLLEGE - Actors ask me all the time if they have a better chance at being seen by casting directors if they have attended elite schools such as NYU, Yale, Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, Juilliard. People in the industry often single out graduates from these schools because they consistently turn out very talented actors. Is it necessary to attend these schools to have a successful career? Absolutely not! Is it helpful? In some cases, yes!

GRADUATE SCHOOLS - This is such a personal choice. Here are a couple things to weigh before deciding: by graduating with a Masters, you are entering the acting arena at an older age (than that of an undergraduate) which could work against you since there are many people pursuing their career right out of college. The flip side to this is that you now have a degree you can fall back on if acting doesn't pan out for you (a Masters degree allows you to teach acting at a University level). Also, you are (we hope) older and wiser and better to navigate through the industry maze. In addition, it is considered a "plus" if you have gone to the graduate programs at the elite schools listed above.

NYC SCHOOLS