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Competition to get into Beijing's top acting schools is tight and applicants often resort to unorthodox measures to stand out. During an interview at the Beijing Film Academy five years ago, an applicant slapped an interviewer across the face in an attempt to be remembered.

"They are so desperate to get into the top performing art schools that they do stupid things," said a witness to the incident who refused to give his name.

The competition is only getting more intense. The overwhelming number of applicants to acting and drama colleges this year even surprised long-time faculty.

"For the first two days more than 1200 students come here to register, about 300 more than last year," said Wang Jingsong, director of performing arts at the Beijing Film Academy.

Applications to the Beijing Film Academy and the Central Academy of Drama, perhaps the two most prestigious performing arts school in the capital, begin in mid-February.

Of the more than 4,000 prospective students who have so far applied to the Beijing Film Academy, only 60 will get in as performing arts majors and 20 as crosstalk majors.

Almost every applicant dreams of becoming a movie or television star and few are deterred by the long odds of even getting into school.

"It might be too hard to get into, but it is worthy trying," said Jin Shuai, a high school senior from Hunan province came to Beijing with her mother for the registration.

She said he is fighting to get in to her dream school. But Jin said he is aware how hard it will be to secure a spot. "Rumors say that if a male applicant is shorter than 180cm, he won't get in," he said.

Unrealistic expectations are one potential pitfall for hopeful applicants. An experienced actor recalled that, "Some applicants were over confident."

When he was waiting for his retest for the Beijing Film Academy, a boy in front of him in the line said he was good at dancing. But when asked how long he had been dancing, the boy said "I learned from a TV show yesterday."

But even those lucky enough to get admitted may see their dreams of becoming a star fade once they finish school, said Cheng Cheng, who graduated from Beijing Film Academy in 2008 and is currently acting on television shows while getting a master's degree from the academy.

She still vividly remembers going through the application process, with crowds of parents waiting outside the interview room, hoping their child would be a superstar one day.

"I remember being asked to act as an animal; the teachers there didn't care if you are professional or not, they care more about your passion, your personality and your thoughts," she said.

But now her attitude toward acting and being a star has changed. "I guess every student who comes here is dreaming to be surrounded by flowers and applauses one day, but it is not easy," Cheng said.

"Actors or actresses are just normal people, and acting is just a job, like many other professions," she added.

Cheng has been acting as the lead actress in the television show China Family.

Song Yanzhou experienced the same disparity between dreams and reality.

Song is from Lanzhou, Gansu province and loved drama so much that he applied two years in a row to the Central Academy of Drama.

Song finally got into the performing arts school in 2004 on his second try. Yet when he was actually sitting in the classroom, he said he felt lost and stressed.

"So many students were more talented than me; some even began acting in movies and commercials before they went to college," he said.

Few will become famous at all and those that do will have to work hard for it, said Wang.

"Opportunity only comes to those who are prepared," he added.

Fame and fortune for the lucky few

To anyone still dreaming of being famous overnight, working actors have only one thing to say - "Think again, it's hard work."

"In this field, to be successful is very tricky," said one freelance actor, who graduated from the Central Academy of Drama in 2007, and who now has a regular role in a soap opera.

He said as well as acting skills, social skills are the key to success.

"Opportunity does come, but you never know when," he said.

The actor still remembers the excitement in his class when a female classmate was chosen for a key role in aZhang Yimou film - and they all thought, "Maybe we are the next to be chosen!"

"But it's hard," he repeated. "Although sometimes it is not the actor's fault." Some actors for instance look much younger than their real age.

"Many of my colleagues with a young face can only play security guards or other secondary roles, if they are not handsome enough to act in youth idol dramas,"Song Yanzhou said.

Besides the harsh reality of looks, prospective actors are advised to have a wealthy family to support them, especially at the start of their careers.

Song said it was very hard for him as, "My family didn't support me in this career, because there are no other family members involved in this business and it is not a mainstream job."

Financial support is also important because actors and actresses need to dress up and take care of their image, and because it provides the luxury of choosing roles, for those not lucky enough to have such economic back-up, it may be imperative to take on a role in a bad film just to pay the bills.

"After several such roles, your reputation will be ruined," the soap actor said. "Besides, there is an opportunity cost: what if a really good script comes when you are in the middle of a bad one? You cannot just quit the early one, you have a contract!"

Unlike the dreams of many applicants, only a small number of actors in China will get millions overnight. "I guess only ten to twenty people in China can get a paycheck of 150 thousand yuan per episode in a soap opera," Song said.

Actress Cheng Cheng, who does have a good role in a soap drama said that even then it is hard work. At one point she worked 75 days in a row, staying on scene from morning to night. She recalled shooting a rain scene, which required her to stand under a shower from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. in December.

"To be a successful actor or actress involves 60 percent effort, 30 percent opportunity and 10 percent random chance," Cheng said.

It is hard to be a successful actor. But for those who love it and stick with it - break a leg.