Any DC wanting drama school post 18 ?

[Biscuitsneeded]

Just that, really. DS wants to go to drama school after 6th form. He's been advised it's very unlikely at 18 because they like them to be older, and that he could end up with no offers even after 2 or 3 years of trying, but that's the only thing he wants so we are thinking about a gap year too. He's Year 12 now so will be starting to apply this Winter. We honestly have very little idea how it all works. All my friends' kids are talking about Open Days etc and I just feel there's not much point going to look at drama schools as his chances of getting in are so slim - we'll let ourselves get excited if he actually gets any offers. He really doesn't want a drama degree at a traditional university; he wants to go and train to be an actor. Anybody else got a DC who wants to go this route and wanting to share the journey?

Be prepared for a bumpy ride!

If you haven't already have a look on the notapushymum training threads. The current year thread has some parents of straight actors (my dd is musical theatre) . The thing I will say is that often for straight acting it can take several attempts to get in, so have a Plan B as to what your child will do if they need to take a year or two out.

Know your finances. Learn the difference between a drama school degree that is accredited by a different university where there are top up fees payable, and one franchised out where there are no top up fees. Decide whether or not studying on a Level 6 Trinity Diploma with potential Dada funding is feasible (that's how my daughter studies). Don't get too hung up on the fact it isn't a "proper" degree, a one year distance learning top up to a full degree is possible alongside working.

My ds is just doing GCSEs so a year more to consider it. Pre covid he wanted to do musical theatre but seeing everything closed and hating dance online made him think of the acting route.

This year he’s already done 2 musicals and has another 2 including BYMT in the next couple of months and totally has the buzz again. He is going to do A levels so that gives him another year to think about it.

@Comefromaway has given a great summary. We will likely need to go for funded degree - wouldn’t qualify for DADA and can’t afford the degrees which cost £18k but you only get a £6k loan- think this is so hard on students as it means they miss out in some great schools due to cost.

We went to the CDMT careers fair in 2019. If this happens in person I would recommend going along- they had 3 streams- dance, drama and musical theatre. The kids did 3 sessions but the parents also did seasons on things like career path, funding etc. For me it was really helpful although a bit scary and depressing at times!! All the accreditated schools were there and you could chat to them and ask questions. It’s normally November time.

Oh, yes, I highly recommend CDMT (so much more civilised than Move it!)

Drama school or Drama degree? A relative teaches Drama at degree level and 90% of their first years are 18. And most get in with a min pass at A level as the audition is the most important thing.
Drama degree is a degree and can lead on to post grad studies if acting doesn't work out...

The OP said drama school

Who mostly offer degrees these days, a few offer diplomas which can be topped up to a full degree with a year online academics.

Loads of Drama depts at universities offer BA(hons) in Acting. And it maybe something OPs DS can apply for as part of the regular third level application cycle. Seems odd not to at least go to open days and consider the options fully.

With all due respect, the OP's son has investigated the options and knows what he wants. Actor training is totally different to a university drama degree apart from where a university incorporates or franchises out to a drama school.

McMumagers recommendation of going to CDMT is an excellent one, all the accredited school all in one venue with the chance to take part in actual classes and workshops provided by the institutions. Far better than most university open days to be honest.

From the other thread

One thing to look for at any drama school/acting course is whether they are Spotlight/equity accredited and whether they hod an agent showcase.
It is really difficult to break into the industry but even more so without these.

With regards to fees & funding, there are several different types of courses/institutions.

I will attempt to summarise.

Degree awarded by a drama school/conservatoire with its own awarding powers eg RADA, LAMDA, LIPA
These are funded in the same way as a normal university degree. You take out a loan for the fees and are eligible for a maintenance loan dependent upon family income.

Degree awarded by a university but franchised out to a drama school or where the dram school is part of the university eg GSA, East 15.
Funded in the same way as above.

Degree conceived and taught by a drama school but accredited by a university eg Arts Ed, Mountview.
They have their own fee structure which are often a lot more but you can only take out a loan for a maximum £6k leaving a substantial shortfall. Maintenance loans can be applied for.

Level 6 Trinity Diploma taught by a drama school eg Arts Ed, Oxford School of Drama. Not a full degree but you can do a one year academic top up by distance learning. Fees are often higher than a degree. You audition for a place and then you auditon again to be given a Dance & Drama Award. This is not a loan and is paid direct to the drama school for fees. Low income families will get all fees paid, higher income families will have to top up on a sliding scale.

The scale is here www.gov.uk/government/publications/dance-and-drama-awards-income-scales/dance-and-drama-awards-income-scales-2018-to-2019-academic-year

There are no maintenance loans available.

You cannot be awarded both student loan finance AND a DaDa.

@mcmumager I had completely forgotten about the CDMT event. You're a genius. @Comefromaway thank you, thank you, for so much detailed information. Is there any limit (other than what is financially and physically possible!) on how many you can apply to? Obviously UCAS is 5. I think I need a spreadsheet for all the various different factors that need to be dealt with!
DS is happy to consider acting degrees but categorically doesn't want an academic drama degree. I do understand the difference, as he is thinking about things like showcases, agents, Spotlight etc.

Thank you all for your input.

Birmingham Conservatoire, Bristol Old Vic & Royal Welsh are applications via CUKAS so you can apply for those in addition to the UCAS choices.

@Comefromaway I take my hat off to your thoroughness. This should be your Mastermind specialist subject! Thank you, so helpful. I think we can rule out any of Categories 3 and 4 because of additional expense, but I like the sound of categories 1 and 2. We'll do a mix of hugely ambitious and more realistic applications and see what happens. Is CUKAS basically UCAS but for conservatoires? Are deadlines etc the same? DS has Bristol Old Vic and Royal Welsh on his list. Hadn't thought about Birmingham, but had looked at Leeds Conservatoire too. I just didn't properly read all the application info because DS was getting excited reading staff biographies and I just don't want him to set his heart on them when we know so many talented kids who have had a lot of rejections.

Also royal conservatoire of Scotland- says on website for acting they take 24 from over 1800 applicants on the acting course😢.

It really is a tough career path!!

Yes, CUKAS is just UCAS for conservatoires. Some. CUKAS courses have an early deadline, but that’s mostly classical music not acting or MT.

Confusingly Leeds use CUKAS for some of their music courses but UCAS for pop, acting & MT.

I can thank a very, very knowledgable member of staff at DD’s school. What she didn’t know about applications & funding wasn’t worth knowing.

My daughter went to Artsed in Chiswick and graduated in 2016. She had a few jobs but despite going to one of the top schools in the UK never really fitted the bill. In 2019 she got a job as an administrator for a piano works bar which meant at lockdown she got furloughed. She then did a law degree as she knew she wouldn't get any further in musical theatre so let him follow the dream but make sure he has the qualifications to change if all goes wrong. I have no regrets supporting my daughter through musical theatre school but it's tough

I just didn't properly read all the application info because DS was getting excited reading staff biographies and I just don't want him to set his heart on them

Can you see what you were doing?

a) Sabotaging the investigation stage by not arming yourself with as much info as possible. (It’s good you’ve moved on from that!)

b) Not acknowledging that a strong, informed enthusiasm for the work of particular members of staff could be very persuasive in his applications. As long as it’s the themes of the work, not the people as personalities - because it’s perfectly possible he could join that person’s institution and never come into contact with them.

Setting your heart on things is part of growing up. There’s a line between managing expectations and squashing natural excitement …

Also, you keep saying ‘We’ with regard to these applications. Try to understand he’s a separate person. Your son will be perfectly entitled to apply to places not in your approved categories - and to then find independent ways of funding a course.

Blimey @TottersBlankly I can assure you I am fully aware DS is a separate person! I couldn't control him if I wanted to - he is extremely independent. I absolutely realise that his enthusiasm for the specialisms of particular staff members is a big positive both in terms of the suitability of that particular course, and because I know if DS got as far as an audition or interview he could talk intelligently to them about their particular expertise. I say 'we' because we sat down together and looked at a few drama school websites, as I imagine most supportive parents would. He is at liberty to choose or dismiss any he wishes to, that are affordable. I'm not sabotaging anything. When we have a bit more time we will look carefully at the application processes for any he has shortlisted and work out what he needs to do. I just didn't want him to set his heart on anything like Arts Ed or Mountview because he is state school educated and we don't have that kind of money. My question on here was a more general 'what do we need to know or bear in mind?' question, given that neither of us has done this before. I'm not squashing his enthusiasm. I'm trying to help him find the right places and courses to apply to. Thank you for your contributions.

Over the years I have seen many people who have not realised that Arts Ed & Mountview have significant top up fees. Their tutors encourage them to apply with no regard for parental circumstances so it is good that Biscuits is discussing this with her ds.

It might be worth applying anyway as they do have scholarships, but when we were looking at Arts Ed it became clear that these are very limited, I think they had one for Musical Theatre the year we looked. However I do know young people who have attended these schools on full scholarships such as the ALW one. One young man (who is not so young any more thinking about it) attended RAM on an Elton John scholarship

@Musicaltheatremum thank you also for your post. It's sobering to acknowledge that even young people who are talented enough to go to Arts Ed can struggle to work as a performer afterwards. I'm glad to hear your DD has found her way now. My DS wants acting as opposed to MT because if he can't be an actor he has some other ideas for what he could do with it. He's creative and would love directing, creating, community theatre etc too. So I hope he's realistic about his plans. He will never be rich, that much is certain, but above all he needs to be fulfilled and happy, and he's very competent and personable, so if he doesn't make it as an actor I'm reasonably confident he will find a way to do something else in the industry he loves.

Biscuitsneeded - just want to say that Comefromaway is really knowledgeable about all this and definitely one of the the best brains to pick on this subject. I would add though that it's worth telling your son not to necessarily rule out a MT course. RCSMD have their MT do a straight play a year - you learn everything you need to act, and as an agent I would absolutely take someone (and have) from either RSCMD or Royal Scottish who have done the MT courses because their acting standards are very high and it's a very good training and they are very good actors who also happen to sing beautifully.

Increasingly we are in a world where the actor musician has far more opportunities just because of finances and logistics in theatres, so whatever course your ds goes for tell him to learn at least two portable instruments if he doesn't play already. Sax and accordion would be my particular recommendations based on a lot of Spotlight breakdowns though obviously guitar is very popular. Anything that gives him an extra oomph.

Please no, ds has been badgering for an accordion for a while now! I think it would be too heavy for his slight frame!

(He already plays piano/keyboard to a good standard & knows his way around a guitar and a bass guitar and we appear to have acquired a pair of congas , I can't cope with any more instruments.)

Who doesn't love a pair of congas?? 😁

God help me if I accidentally call them bongos