I'm Not Sure If I Want To Go To College

College Search & Selection
1

<p>Okay, so I am a senior this year and so I've accepted a place to Marymount Manhattan College's BFA Acting program. However, the thought of going to college literally makes me feel nervous and sick, not excited and thrilled like it should! I don't think that I feel this way because I'm leaving home or going to be in a new setting. My friend and I wanted to move to LA for community college but it didn't work out. When we were seriously discussing that and looking into it, I felt excited and hopeful. I just don't know if I'm made for the college setting. I've never enjoyed school although I do do well in it. I want to get into the entertainment industry, either in front of or behind the camera and figured college was the best way to do that. Now that decision time has come and it's become real, college seems like something terrifying. I'm not exactly 100% thrilled with my decision either, since I was rejected from my top choice and this school was one that was never at the top of my list. I just don't know what to do. For the last couple of months, college hasn't felt right. In my heart, I don't feel like this is the right choice for me but I don't know what else to do.</p>

<p>I've thought about attending a 2 year conservatory type program in LA and living on my own and the idea of doing that seems much, much more appealing to me! However, my parents are very iffy of me living on my own on the other side of the country (I live in PA) and I wouldn't have a four year degree.</p>

2

<p>Maybe you could defer your enrollment a year? Take a gap year and figure out if you want to go through with this.</p>

3

<p>Two year conservatory sounds like a good idea to me. You don’t need a degree to be an artist.</p>

4

<p>I agree with the suggestion that you take a gap year and use it to figure out what you want to do. Starting college with your current attitude is a recipe for doing poorly.</p>

<p>It is true that you don’t need a college degree to be a successful actor. The problem is, if you go to a 2 year conservatory for acting, that is the only thing you will be trained to do. Conversely, a theatre major at a college or university will have a much broader education that can be used in many other fields (for example, studying acting is a great and often overlooked preparation for being a trial lawyer). I don’t mean to depress you, but acting is one of the most difficult fields to break into. Go to LA or NYC and you will find thousands and thousands of very talented, attractive and unemployed struggling actors. Those with a college degree have a better (but by no means guaranteed) chance of making a living while struggling to get noticed. Since most never make it as successful actors (and I mean like 99%), its good to think about a backup career. </p>

<p>On the other hand—maybe you really are a future academy award winner. Who knows?</p>