Should you audition for Drama School at a young age?
Recently someone applied to ACS for our 2-year HND in Acting & Performance course and they were very young. In fact, they might not have even turned 17 yet. They were also auditioning for RCS and someone had said to them that it was a total and complete waste of time.
That person is an idiot. Because it’s not a waste of time at all. Let me explain why. It’s not about the probability of getting in, because that 16 year old candidate is never going to get offered a place. The chances are slim. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try.
Every opportunity to audition is an opportunity to learn something. Every opportunity to audition is an opportunity to experience other people, other places, to practise what you love doing, to get it wrong, to mess it up, to learn from it, to enjoy it. You should apply to as many places as you can afford to apply for.
The more practice you get at auditioning, the easier it gets. Whether they offer you a place or not is not in your control. And, statistically speaking, you’re not likely to be offered a place. There are thousands of applicants for a limited number of places at the top drama schools in London and RCS in Scotland, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t apply.
One of my closest friends never gave up and on their seventh attempt they got accepted to the top drama school they wanted to go to. That was seven years of saying, nope, I’m going to keep going, keep trying, not give up. That level of grit and determination is just absolutely admirable.
You might get lucky, there are factors that might increase the probability of you getting in, but unfortunately being young works against you. But there are other things that will work in your favour. So you should embrace the process and not worry about the outcome.
Go audition, do it with an open heart, don’t expect anything. Just go for it and see what you learn from it. And it will make you better and stronger for the next time, and the next time, and the next time… And eventually, someone is going to give you a shot because that energy, and that effort and that determination and that attitude you’re showing means that you’re worth training.
