Acting Schools - What You Need to Know
Credibility and Reputation
One of the most important things to look for when selecting an acting school is it's reputation. You don't necessarily need to go to the most high end establishments. Finding a small but tidy acting school held by an acting coach with a good name for him or herself is all that's required. This gives you two advantages over a relatively unknown acting school - for one thing, you have the assurance that you'll be in competent hands. Secondly, if the school or coach has a good reputation in the industry, this will immediately "rub off" on your name when you're trying to land an audition after you're done with the course.
Available Curriculum
Not all coaches and acting schools are the same. Just like any regular college, acting schools also have different courses that you can take. There are acting courses that specialize in the basics like speech control and body language to convey emotion, others that focus on acting out characters from a certain genre or theme, still others that teach "back stage" support skills to their students etc. Gauge which courses the school has available, and pick one whose selection fits your personal level of experience, abilities, and goals.
Teaching Methodology
Right alongside the curriculum you should also consider the teaching style adapted by the school you're considering. Does the school employ a sink-or-swim method of teaching, or do the school's coaches prefer to take a more supportive albeit coddling style? Do they allow freedom of personal expression in a character role, or do they adhere to subsuming your personality inside the roles you're playing? Do they focus on traditional methods or modernized ones? Again, pick one that suits you and what you want to do with your acting career.
Post Graduate Support
Lastly, you should see if the acting school will give you any support after graduation in terms of trying to help you land auditions and acting jobs. Do they have a pool of agents they can call on and hook you up with? Do they contact their graduates to let them know of any openings in the nearby theaters? Do their coaches have connections that they can use to help you get started? This kind of support can make or break your career, especially at the start when you're still relatively new.