Preparing for Drama Schools?

Well it's that time of year again when another wave of people begin the ruthless and unforgiving process of auditioning for drama schools. I wish you all the best of luck in the world and wish I could do so along with you. However, remember preparation is key. A few years ago I wrote a post on Audition Tips which focused more on the audition itself and speech preparation. Hopefully this post will shed some light on the audition process itself.

Here are a few things you need to consider at the beginning of this crazy journey:

Which schools are you going to apply for? 
I remember not really putting much consideration into where I applied. My only condition was that it was in London, as I didn't want to move and love the city too much, however made exceptions after persuasion from my peers. I chose RADA, LAMDA, CSSD, Guildhall, Mountview, GSA and Rose Bruford (the latter I was pretty much bullied into applying for) bringing my audition fees up to just short of £400.
I would consider what type of path you want to follow in this industry. If you're interested in Dance and Musical Theatre, I would consider applying for Urdang, Arts Ed or Italia Conti. Do your research on each school, it's such a lot of money and there's no guarantee you'll even get a recall.

Choose a speech early
When the applications open in September/October, you could get a date within weeks, so make sure you are prepared in advance. The general requirements are two speeches - one classical, one contemporary and one backup. You need to be sure that you're choosing a speech that best suits you, and not something just because it is dramatic. I'm sure the panel would rather hear that you stumbled across your monologue while reading your way through many playwrights instead of typing 'sad monologues for women' in the google search bar.
Having said that, there's nothing wrong with searching the internet for something, just make sure you don't just jump to the first one you see. These people see hundreds and thousands of people and I can guarantee, they've seen it before. Many times before.

Finance
It's never too soon to start organising how you will be paying for the tuition fees. Most of the schools I applied for were the basic £9000 a year, but then Mountview for example is currently charging £12,500 for UK and EU students (for the BA Acting course), which then rises to a staggering £16,000 for international students.
As soon as you decide to apply, go straight to the student finance website and apply. It takes forever to process, so you might as well get it over and done with so it's another worry off your mind. If you're an international student, it's obviously a lot more difficult to find funding for not only the fees, but the accommodation as well. Plan ahead.

Experience
I've constantly throughout this blog emphasised the fact that you do not need industry experience to get into a drama school. I was 17 years old, still in college, no professional productions or experience under my belt - and somehow made it to the RADA finals. So regardless of what people say, always know that it doesn't matter. If you have enough talent and drive, it'll be enough.
I will however mention the 'experience' does not mean only acting. I am a completely different person to the 17 year old that embarked on this journey. And I understand now more than ever, why everyone else in the room was in their twenties. In order to fully portray a character, you need the life experience to draw on. In my RADA feedback, which you can read here, Edward Kemp the director wrote "If I'm to absolutely frank, I think your age was against you this year.  A lot of the panel couldn't believe you were as young as you are, which on the one hand is a mark of maturity in your work, but I think also a sign that you will probably grow into your talent over the next few years."
Now that's not to discourage anyone young from applying - absolutely not. Some people get in! Yet most people don't, and you need to go through this process to make sure it is completely and entirely what you want.

Prepare yourself for failure
You will fail. You will be rejected. You will feel defeated. But rejection makes room for growth and prepares you for the real world outside of drama school. There is no guaranteed job at the end of the tunnel. I remember reading somewhere along the lines that only 8% of drama school students actually manage to pursue a path in acting. Just remember that every knock down builds your character and everything happens for a reason, though sometimes unclear.

I'm here for any additional questions you have. My email is probably the easiest way to get hold of me: hshanley@hotmail.co.uk

Good luck to each and every one of you thespians. X