Do you think it's a weak move to pursue an acting career without a college degree?

I think Colleges or Universities in general are a waste of time.

Especially in the Arts.

Unless you have a guaranteed job at the end of the course, why bother?

All you're there to do is put pennies in their pockets for 3 or so years at the end of which they give you a piece of paper and then the course is over, you're out in the real world where your paper doesn't mean squat.

Trust me I've been there and felt that.

As for my actual work history, all of that has come about by applying myself - not accreditations or certificates.

How someone presents on paper is no real indication of how someone performs.

Anyone can botch up anything these days, but no bother because:

The proof is in the performing!

All the best :)

You don't say how much theatrical experience you have. Judging from your remark about "resume building roles," I'm guessing your experience is not extensive.

A theatre degree is not going to get you jobs (although it may get you auditions), so if you genuinely feel that you are not getting anything out of your current school, and you can't afford to change to a more prestigious one, then I'd say leave school.

I do have one caveat. You MUST be prepared for the fact that, at least for a while, you are not going to find work easily, and the acting work you do find is probably not going to pay a living wage. In addition, agents are not going to be interested in representing you until you have a solid resume they can pass on to casting directors.

Have you chosen the "larger city" you plan to relocate to? Do you know what theatres there are casting new, non-union talent? Do you know the pay scales for those theatres? Have you investigated the available acting classes and their costs? Do you have any fall-back skills so that you can support yourself while you try to get your career started? Do some serious research before you make any decisions.

Best of luck to you.

Is there any reason you can't do both?

It sounds like switching schools would be a poor choice for you because of the increased costs of an out-of-state and/or more "prestigious" theatre program. My advice is to stick it out where you are until you graduate, take a few acting classes locally and audition your butt off for amateur, semi-pro and summer stock theatre, fitting as much of it into your schedule as you can without letting your grades slip.

That way you'll have plenty of opportunities to build your resume with real-world experience.

You're putting way too much emphasis on the role your choice of college plays in determining your future success. Seriously, it doesn't count for bump-kus where you went to school, and listing your college acting roles on a professional resume can actually hurt your chances of getting parts - it makes you look amateurish.

Stay in school - you've come this far, so you might as well stick it out and get your degree. The name of the school on your degree doesn't mean nearly as much as the fact that you managed to get a degree in the first place. It shows a casting director (and anyone else who may be instrumental to your career) that you take your craft seriously and you have the ability to persevere and see a project through.

You have some good suggestions here, but try this one on for size...

Pick a school that interests you. Move to that city. See if you can get a job at the school. Most colleges and universities give tuition benefits to staff members. It's usually only for 2 classes per semester, but you can pay for more if you like, or just take your time. My husband did this and although it took him seven years to get his BSE it was free. You can also take advantage of the resources of the theater department to try and find local acting jobs.

I'll pimp one of the schools near me - Carnegie Mellon University has a very good drama department and jobs are listed on the school's website. They pay well and employees also get a free bus pass. The cost of living here is reasonable, especially if you can get by without a car.

http://www.cmu.edu/cfa/drama/

I'm not a fan of degrees and wasting time in college, unless there's an indication they'll be of direct benefit. I'm also a bit concerned about the acting world in general, although it could be okay in specific circumstances.

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