Getting Ready for Drama School Training – Top Tips to help support students in their next step!
Here at Fourth Monkey, we love meeting new actors and artists when they walk through our doors to start their drama school training – it is exciting to watch them evolve as an ensemble member and an individual performer, discover new creative practices and techniques, and explore where these skills could take them in the future!
We want to help teachers and students alike know what to expect from drama school training, so that new students can make the most of the opportunities ahead of them and feel confident and prepared when embracing the new creative challenge ahead of them. Why not check out Fourth Monkey’s top tips to help prepare anyone starting drama school training this Autumn…
ITEM #1 – Say YES – accepting an offer to train!
Congratulations – their hard work has paid off and your student has been offered a place to train at their preferred drama school! Their next step is to make sure they formally accept this training offer within the school’s specified deadlines to ensure they do not miss any vital information ahead of the start of term. Similarly, if their offer is on an accredited course validated by an external partner, your student might need to formally accept their offer and enrol through the validation partner’s system as well to ensure they do not miss out on information from the accreditation partner, such as their Student Number and email address.
If your student is not sure where to start when it comes to accepting an offer, encourage them to get in touch with the school’s dedicated Admissions team for extra help and support. Their role is to be friendly and supportive and to assist incoming students to ensure they are ready to be bold and play when term starts, so make sure your students pick their brains and ask about anything they might not understand!
ITEM #2 – Spending Power & Student Finances
The next step is encouraging students to think about how they will fund their training journey, from knowing how they will cover course fees and the cost of any training materials, to being able to support themselves in terms of the cost of student accommodation and other living expenses.
The first step is to confirm whether their chosen course offers access to Student Finance and, if so, to get everything in place to make the most of this financial support before training starts! Not only will this help them to relax and focus on their training, but it will also hopefully reduce the risk of any unnecessary surprises when paying for their first term.
Not sure where to start? Encourage students to do their research so they know exactly what support and funding they can access, and to ask the school’s Admissions team for guidance. They will know exactly what information the student needs to apply for Student Finance, and will be able to point them in the direction of any additional financial support which might be applicable to them, such as scholarships or bursaries.
ITEM #3 – Home Away from Home
For students jumping straight from school or college to professional training in a new town or city, the prospect of living away from home for the first time can be both exciting and a little terrifying!
Here are our top tips for any students in this position, all of which are intended to help make this leap a little less daunting…
- Location – it might sound obvious but finding accommodation within easy reach of their new training base is a must! Whether it is by foot, bike or public transport, students should consider how much time and, more importantly, money they are prepared to spend commuting each day and then use this when house-hunting.
- Cost – students should be honest about how much they can afford to spend on accommodation-related expenses, set themselves a realistic budget for rent as part of this and stick to it! This does not necessarily mean choosing the cheapest house or flat they can find; however, it does mean being honest with potential housemates about their budget, doing their research into affordable, accessible locations within easy reach of their new training base, and being prepared to hunt for the best deal.
- Compatibility – the final key consideration is choosing who to live with. Make the most of opportunities to meet other incoming students at Meet & Greet Days or induction sessions and “buddy up” with new friends and connections to make house hunting easier and faster. Don’t forget to seek out likeminded new friends who share the same views and values when it comes to things like cleaning, partying and everything in-between, too!
Tip #4 – Practical Preparation!
Once your student has accepted their drama school training offer, put together their budget plans, and found a suitable “home away from home”. The final step is dotting the I’s and crossing the Ts to complete any last-minute preparation to ensure they are ready and raring to go!
For example, do they need to wear or have access to anything specific for day-to-day training, such as wearing plain black clothes or having plenty of movement-appropriate clothing? If so, encourage them to stock up before term starts so that they have everything they need to dive into their training. These clothes do not need to be expensive; they just need to allow for comfortable, easy movement work and be “training appropriate”, such as nothing too revealing or overly branded.
Plus, don’t forget the other practical aspects of moving to a new city or living away from home for the first time, such as registering with a new doctor or dentist, or finding a part-time job if they would like to earn some extra money whilst training. When thinking about the latter, this should fit around their training commitments and be within easy reach of their new accommodation via public transport (sounds obvious but a sensible consideration!). If there is an opportunity to find part-time employment with an organisation within the creative arts, such as a theatre, arts venue, or creative hub, this can be a great chance to learn a little more about arts administration or front of house coordination, as well as connecting with other creatives and artists beyond their peers on their training course.
Researching and making these practical arrangements in advance will help new drama school students feel prepared and organised as they head into their first term – perfect to allow them to be bold and play!
Head to Fourth Monkey’s website to learn more about professional accredited actor training, applications and auditions for 2022 entry, plus free Access & Participation offers for schools and colleges.