Spring is upon us and high school seniors everywhere are finishing up their college auditions, waiting anxiously on acceptance emails, or actively touring prospective universities. Making a decision on where you’ll be spending the next handful of years training and honing your craft can feel both enthralling and nerve wracking. Here’s your guide on how to confidently make this choice.

Determine your artistic goals, and see how they align with prospective schools.

Consider how you want to grow artistically throughout your educational period (training in

certain acting techniques, strengthening specific parts of your voice, etc.) and compare this with the training your prospective colleges have to offer.

Tips:

• Create a list of what you artistically want to improve, strengthen, learn, etc.

• Use your resources (faculty at the school, students, etc.) to ask in depth questions pertaining to the training offered.

• Look at the types of shows your prospective schools do and see what interests you and where you could see yourself fitting into these productions.

  
  

Talk to current students.

The best way to get a feel for the day to day life of theatre programs is by speaking directly with the student body. They have all been in your shoes before and understand your situation, meaning they’ll want to help you as best they can.

Tips:

• Speak with multiple students; every person is unique and will have different answers to offer you.

• Include questions about the school itself, not solely the performance training (what are the dorms like, are there many clubs to join, etc.).

• Engage in meaningful conversations and connect through social media. Even if you don’t end up choosing this school, you have still made this connection with a fellow performer!

  
  

Research the school itself, not just the performance programs.

Understanding the training within the prospective program is important; however, the other aspects of these schools should be held with the same weight of value. These will impact your day to day life just as much as your training will.

Tips:

• Research the unique opportunities each school has to offer on their website, including clubs, minors, certificates, specific classes, etc.

• Look at what current or past students have posted about the school; “Day In My Life” videos on social media offer an intimate perspective that can be beneficial.

• Gain an understanding of the external conditions of the school, such as the weather and if it is a walkable campus or not.

  
  

Trust your judgement.

At the end of the day, this is YOUR decision to make. Sometimes you’ll just have unexplainable gut feelings about certain programs; honor your instincts!

Tips:

• Talking through your thoughts and feelings with people you trust (family, friends, etc.)

  can help you to sort them out better than letting them fester internally.

• Take the time to physically write down how you are feeling, pros/cons lists, and anything else that you may be thinking over.

• Create space for both your logical and compassionate sides to exist within your decision making process.

Deciding what school to choose can feel out of our control sometimes, but this guide can help you to feel grounded and prepared to make the commitment you feel is best for you. Engulf yourself in as much research as you possibly can, while simultaneously allowing yourself to feel the differing array of emotions that appear. Remember that whatever choice you make will be the right one!