Question: Is NYFA (New York Film Academy) really a good acting school to go to?

I am very sorry to bother you but I feel lost. I am a 23 year old student from Vienna and I signed up for the one year NYFA acting for film program. Since I have very little experience I also signed up for a one week intensive in vienna. Now I start to panic asking myself if the NYFA was a good choice. It costs a load of money and EVERYBODY can get in. Since I cannot look around for acting schools myself I have to do it over the net and I keep finding tons of other acting schools which seem far better and less expensive. Even for the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York there doesn't seem to be an audition required. I would just like to know how professionals react when they hear, that's somebody's been gaining experience at the nyfa. I know that I am starting my "career" late, but I feel that I am going to die if I don't try right now, that's why I want to have a good education in acting, and I doubt that the NYFA can provide it.
> Thank you so much in advance

ANSWER:

In the end what matters is what you can do, whether you are a good actress
or not. It is true, however, that training is important for what it does for your
acting capability, but also as it appears on your resume. One of the things
industry professionals look for is 1. that you have been training, 2. what kind
of training, and last but not least 3. where and with whom you have trained.
The better the reputation of the school, the more likely they are to want to
give you a chance.

I agree that if you are serious, nyfa isn't probably at the top of the list, but if you have already committed and can't get out of it, try and look at it from the positive side.
One thing I would recommend is for you to find people in your classes who are as
committed as you are. NYFA has a lot of young kids (not only), some of whom just think it's cool to be going to school for acting, but they really aren't committed. So find and latch on to the right people.

The same is true for the kids in the director's school there. One great advantage of going to NYFA is that you will have a chance to do a lot of student film projects, which will give you experience and practice. That's something that you wouldn't have at some other schools.

The main thing is for you to find the right people and hold on to them.

It seems like you are really serious about starting your acting career and that's good, because that seriousness you will definitely need to be successful. Only if you are really serious though, you might want to think of investing an additional $19.95 for my book: Acting Career Start-Up: Four Key Factors For Success. It will help guide you through moments like the one of indecision that you are having now.

Good luck!