MFA Acting Programs - Should you go to Grad School?

Getting a MFA is a big decision to make and like any big decision it deserves careful thought and consideration, regardless of how confident you may trust your 'gut'.

When I first considered getting my Master of Fine Arts in Acting I was in my 5th year of undergraduate school. I had just completed my fourth year of college studying Pre-Med and Microbiology and had officially decided to turn my whole life focus towards acting.

It was scary, to say the least, I honestly didn't even know what a Monologue was - seriously. All I knew is that I was meant to pursue this as a career and that I had put it to the side long enough.

I entered the college drama department with hopeful dreams of learning everything I'd need to learn to be a great actor. But it didn't take long for me to realize that the journey to being a "great actor" takes decades to accomplish and I quickly buckled in for the long haul.

My mentor advised that I should consider going to graduate school right out of college. It was an intriguing idea. The defining impetitus for me to change my career path and major in Drama was because of a MFA production on campus. It makes complete sense that my next chapter would consist of being one of those graduate students honing their craft in the world of academia.

After months of monologue coaching and monologue prep I attended the URT/A auditions, where dozens of respected colleges/universities sit in an audience for hours as grad hopefuls march across the stage, one by one, to spill their best contrasting duo of monologues.

It was nerve-racking to say the least, but thankfully I had signed up for individual auditions with my top schools just in case the URTAs went south. Fortunately, I got a decent response from the experience and thus had a great start to the audition weekend.

Fast forward, I auditioned directly for, and/or met with, about 18 schools in total. And by the end of the audition season I ended up going with none of them. Due to a bundle of odd circumstances and missed callbacks, yours truly was fresh out of prospects and had to set his sights on waiting tables for the foreseeable future.

Two years later, and many tables served, I got into one of my top acting schools, the University of Washington School of Drama. It was a glorious experience that I wouldn't trade for the world. Those three years didn't teach me everything I needed to know, they instead provided me with a starter kit to the world of acting and gave me the courage to go out in the world and add new tools as I grew my career.

IS GOING TO GRAD SCHOOL FOR EVERYONE?

No.

IS IT FOR YOU?

Depends.

Hopefully this video will be like a starter kit to your ultimate decision. Providing you with the foundation you need to make the big decisions in your own growing career.

If after watching this video, you have any questions feel free to ask in the comments below and I'll get to them as soon as I can.

All the best on your quest for knowledge, skill, and understanding!

Christian Telesmar

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Integrative Alexander Technique Practice for Performing Artists: Onstage Synergy
by Catherine Madden (Univ. of Wa Alexander Technique professor)
http://amzn.to/2qslpV9