How to choose an acting class in LA: 10 questions to ask

Choosing an acting class in Los Angeles is hard for a simple reason: the information that matters most is often not on the school's website. Arlo reads the websites of the LA acting schools in its directory and records what each one states. That gives us an unusual view of the market, and under each question below we show how many LA schools answer it publicly.

A low number is not a criticism of any school. Many schools handle prices and policies by email or phone instead of on their website. It just tells you which questions you will most likely have to ask in an email or on the phone, and the schools that answer them up front save you that step.

"Acting class" covers very different things: technique exercises, scene study, on-camera work, audition practice, improv, voice and movement. Ask what a typical class looks like from start to finish and what technique or approach the teacher works from. If the answer is vague, ask to audit. The techniques guide explains the named approaches you will see, such as Meisner, Stanislavski, Uta Hagen and Stella Adler.

A class pitched too high can be discouraging; one pitched too low wastes your money. Ask what level the class is for, how the school places new students (interview, audition, self-selection), and what the range of experience in the room is right now. Parents should also ask which ages are grouped together; see the kids and teens guide.

The teacher matters more than the studio name. Find out who will actually teach your class (not just who founded the studio), how long they have taught, and what their own training and work have been. Be careful with credits you cannot check; a teacher's background should be verifiable from sources other than the studio's own marketing.

Ask for the total you are agreeing to pay: the monthly or course price, any registration or interview fee, any minimum commitment, and any extra costs such as showcases. Then compare like with like: a monthly class against other monthly classes, a six-week course against other courses. The LA price guide shows current medians and every school's stated range.

This is the most useful question on the list. An audit shows you the teacher, the students, the notes and the pace in a way no website can. Ask whether the audit is free, whether you observe or participate, and whether an audit fee is credited if you join. The audit guide lists every policy Arlo has recorded.

Class size alone is less important than working time: how often each student gets up, performs and gets notes. In a scene study class of twenty, you may work every other week; in a class of ten, every week. Ask for the maximum class size and how often a typical student works.

Ask the day, time and length of each class, how many weeks a term runs, and whether you can join any time or only at the start of a term. A schedule you can keep matters more than a perfect class you keep missing. Many schools post their schedules online; others share them on request.

Online classes can be convenient and are useful for self-tape and audition practice, which happen on camera anyway. In-person classes give you a scene partner in the room and a community of actors in your city. Ask which format your class is, and if it is hybrid, whether online students get the same working time.

Ask about make-up classes, pausing a membership, and refunds before you pay, and get the answer in writing. Life happens, especially to working actors who book jobs. A clear policy is a sign the school is organized.

A class should promise training. Be cautious when the pitch is about who will see you rather than what you will learn, when you are pressured to pay on the spot, or when anyone guarantees representation or bookings. California law limits what talent services may charge for; the casting workshop guide explains the rules and red flags.

Shortlist two or three schools, audit each, and then trust your experience in the room. You are looking for a teacher whose notes you can use and a class you will want to come back to every week. If two classes seem equal, choose the one whose schedule you can keep. Give it a few months before judging the results; acting skill builds slowly, and the first weeks are the hardest.