Expert: Kitty Kavey - 9/11/2008

Question
Hi!
I am extremely motivated to begin a career in Male Modeling.  Currently, I am
16 years old going on 17.  I am a senior in high school this year which brings
me to my question:  I plan on Moving either to New Hampshire or Upstate
New York for college next year, Supposing I were to be signed to a modeling
agency in NYC, which is easily accessible to both of these colleges, would it
be possible to model, or would I have to drop out of college?  I really want to
be a model, but I also really want to go to college too of course!  I'm afraid
that if I leave modeling for after college, I'll be too old, because most
agencies, I've noticed, have a cutoff age at 21 or 22.  Can you please help
me??? Thank you so much in advance and have a nice day!

Answer
I suggest sending out your information to the NYC agencies once you graduate high school - try it out for summer vacation if possible before you start college.  

You can see how it goes, and develop a relationship with your agent with the understanding that you may need to work as a model part-time, or around classes as much as possible.  There are models who work while they pursue an education, and arrangements can also be made with your teachers/professors that if you accept a job where you miss a class or lecture, you can be provided with notes, do extra study or tutoring on a day where you're not working, or even study on your own or via the Internet to keep up with your fellow students.

Most models, other than perhaps the most famous, have days where they work straight, and often have days or even weeks in between jobs, so going to school at the same time is something that can be worked out, provided you and your teachers have some advance notice, and you make a bit of extra effort to keep up.

Also, should you discover during the time that you are not in school that the modeling work is too demanding, and you are too busy, you can delay college for a year or so.  Fashion modeling is a very short career for most, but one can return to school at any age.

And where there's a will, there can be a way to do both schooling and modeling.  Many agents are used to working with models who do have some other life (school, family or another job) so it's not unheard of to ask your agent not to book you on work for the week of date x to date x (since you'll know in advance when exams are).

Something certainly to mention when you are meeting with agents, and it may help you choose if you get multiple offers for representation, which agency/agent is the most positive about being able to help you work around your school schedule as much as possible.

Good luck to you,
~Kitty