<p>I am SAG and equity eligible and I was wondering if it would boost my chances into college if I joined.</p>
<p>SAG is very expensive to join and I am not sure how it would help in MT programs since my understanding is most do not want you working during the academic year. We have always just listed D as being eligible but have not joined.</p>
<p>Thank you, thats what i did at my last audition too, just list it. I may join later when I am not in school</p>
<p>I would say to put off joining for a couple of years. AEA sometimes has problems with students doing an abundance of school shows when they are members. Also it would prohibit you from doing any non equity community shows, which can be a great source of training and free experience.</p>
<p>In general, do NOT join these organizations too early. I don't see why you can't have an agent and do some commercials while you're in school. I'm sure you'll be able to use the money. If you're going to school in a place where SAG/AFTRA affiliation is crucial to getting cast, and you've already used up your Taft/Hartley, then you may need to be SAG.</p>
<p>Equity is a very different thing. It's extremely unlikely that you'll have time to do an Equity role while training in any sort of rigorous program. Equity is also a curse for many, many young people. I have seen many actors go from working steadily in semi-pro theaters, some of which paid as well or nearly as well as Equity contracts, to not working AT ALL after joining Equtiy. The fact is, most young Equity actors are competing for roles with older and more experienced actors. Generally, the older, more experienced actors, get the parts.</p>
<p>When you have been on stage a few years and have some sort of realistic sense of the business and how you fit in, THEN make that decision.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>I don't know much about SAG/AFTRA and schools, but I do know that many students at CCM, UMich, and CMU, the school with which I am most familiar, are Equity - some upon admission, and some early on in their school careers (due to "the big" summer stock gigs which give you your card - MUNY, PCLO, and KC Starlight are the most prevalent). I don't think it would appreciably boost your chances of college admission to join, but it definitely would make them take a second look at you in your audition - perhaps a more critical look, in fact, because they will have higher expectations of you. However, once you get to school, I'd talk to your most trusted professors and have them assess YOUR specific skill set and whether joining Equity seems to make sense for YOU. (This is common practice among students at UM, CMU, and CCM.) What Tarhunt says CAN be true, but Equity also opens many doors to great gigs that you can't otherwise be seen for. It may be true that older actors often get principal roles, but younger actors often get ensemble roles, especially in summer stock, and many youth-oriented shows also look for "unknowns" (such as Disney's HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, which will be done in several professional theatres around the country this summer). </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>