Got a callback and they said I needed training and asked for $1295 for model classes. Mind you they told me little about the agencies and did not guarantee work all perfect if you want to waste your time. read more

I'm finally writing this as a 21 year old, I unfortunately fell for this scam when I was 15 and my mom let me sign up for this agency. I spent thousands of dollars to get "classes" every Saturday for months and ended up with one or two jobs before they forgot about me. It's pretty embarrassing that I fell for it and lost so much money when I was young, but I hope people read these reviews and know to stay away from Neal Hamil. If anyone knows of more effective ways of leaving reviews or making their scam known please send me a message! read more

I just took the modeling "camp": 3 day seminar on the ins and outs of the modeling world. I enjoyed it and felt that I gained useful insight and tips that helped me improve my skills in just those 3 days. But you have to take it seriously and put the effort in, take notes, practice, and ask questions. I would recommend people take it before heading blind into the industry. An area I think could improve is the photoshoot portion. All other classes provided you with training, coaching, and critiques. However this one, arguably one of the most important, only gave a sort of "pressure test" as to what it may be like when a photographer is depending on you. It may have helped with those first time jitters, but it would have been much more beneficial if we were being couched to help produce quality photos. Instead it was: you have 10 shots. make them good. ready go. next! I wished we were assisted with notes like, "this pose would be better if you used the hand that is furthest from the camera", or, "now lean your weight on to the back foot instead so..." like I have received on actual shoots (that others may not have experienced yet). read more

These are my peeps! If you're just starting out and truly serious about your acting career, this is the place to be! SAG-AFTRA franchised and top notch state certified training to boot that will benefit you greatly as you build your brand! #TeamNealHamil #GoingPlaces read more

SCAM. Be honest with yourself, because they sure won't. Unless you have the measurements of a runway model, then don't waste your time. First and foremost they are a business, they want to make money and take your money. So they will sign you up for a $1500 program when they know good and well you will never get booked for a gig. read more

Called them and just the attitude of the rude receptionist on the phone was entertaining enough to imagine what it must be like to visit this studio! Looks like all the bad reviews are true. read more

All the modeling schools or agencies in Houston seem to have the same gig going--come in, take our classes, do headshots, and by the way--if you don't we won't sign you. After they take a grand or more from you, maybe you're on their roster, but don't expect to hear from them too often. A handful of people get most of the work. Very few people out there have model quality looks. Agencies are great only if they get you work and don't bleed you dry on the way in. Too often you pay lots of up front costs, and you can only hope to earn that back later--maybe. Modeling is very hard to make money at unless you work all the time. There is NOT much modeling work here in Houston or even TX outside of print work or advertising. Fashion modeling is in Dallas. It's either NYC, Atlanta, or Los Angeles to do this career. read more

Scam! They just want you to take their classes that costs 100's of dollars! Ripoff!

I went to the Mayo Hill Centre for Modeling in 2008 and it was the hugest waste of time and money. If you haven't invested tons of dollars in clothes, make up, or accessories beforehand (they "scouted" me in the mall and I've never been interested in fashion, but I gave into the glamorous illusion), they will provide you NOTHING. You not only pay them for mediocre classes, you pay for hundreds of dollars worth of stuff just to meet requirements for certain class activities. Many girls dropped out in the first week but I didn't understand why at the time. Instructors are nasty and make students feel isolated and inferior if they are not white, tall, thin, and blonde (they will take ANYONE'S money, so not everyone there looks like a standard model), which is unacceptable in a place so diverse as Houston. Only one teacher, Danielle Walker, was worth knowing. I do not recommend this place to anyone. Everything I learned there from cheap, faded print out packets I could have learned from library books, and I have never worn anything bought specifically for those classes again. read more

I would not recommend Mayo-Hill center for modeling to anyone unless you are rich as hell and you are easily sold by Jennifer Molleda the director of admissions who apparently accepts anyone who is willing to shell out the money. This place is a huge scam. I just completed my classes and paid $1,000, only to be told on "open calls" to Neal Hamil Agency, that I will need to have photographs taken by Collin Kelley (one of their photographers, a former Mayo Hill student) for $700 CASH ONLY. How ridiculous is that? They can't even give a discount to Mayo Hill students? We just paid a thousand bucks for totally lame and useless classes. Furthermore, at the Agency review everyone was extremely unprofessional and one assistant even had the nerve to tell me that I am out of shape and I should work on my figure. I asked the president BJ Shell if I would be guaranteed to receive work if I were to pay for the pictures and her response was, "well I hope so." Wow, what a great answer to hear after knowing you wasted your money on the entire school and agency. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME HERE unless they let you take the classes free of charge. read more

This is the WORST agency I have ever ever worked with. Do yourself a favor a don't waste your time and money with them. I am a signed model in NY and Miami and have never encountered such lack of professionalism and dishonesty in the industry. When they first signed me everything seemed fine and I got my first (and luckily last) job with them. Not only did they exceed the payment time to almost a WHOLE Year after the shoot but in the process anytime I asked about the status of the check they humiliated me and were just blatantly mean and said they couldn't give me any information in regards to my payment. Apparently you can't speak directly to accounting directly and my agent Andrea would just laugh and be mean to me each time I'd ask about payment just behaving like a child. Same with the interns they have working as secretaries. None of them has any clue what it is to be a professional agent and a decent human being. They made sure that they could withhold payment from me as much as they could and it got so bad I even had to tell them I would sue them if I didn't get my money for theft of services and then for payment withholding. After this they invoiced the client for half the amount and it took another 4 months to even pay me the rest and when they finally did they sent me a damaged check to the wrong address. The audacity. This just goes to show how ill intentioned they are. Honestly no one should go through what I went through. If you are a young model or if you want your child to be a model DO NOT choose this agency, they're a scam, extremely unprofessional and barely have any clients anyways so save yourself the trouble go sign with any other agency. I wish it was possible to gift by them zero stars. read more

Zero stars honestly. This place should be renamed The Shell Agency. Ran by shallow, shady, life-sucking goons. I was denied payments for great gigs - however they would absorb my check for themselves or to pay another model more / for their travel. Too many times I had been embarrassed at events working for gratis while other models made a minimum of $100-$450. I have done fashion and television work and was always told it's for exposure or for charity. But that was their nice way of saying, "we have better girls to pay". I returned months after my pregnancy. The owner didn't even remember me. She insulted my height and age, by interrupting my interview with, "and what am I suppose to do with you?" I am a lifestyle model so that was unprofessional and uncalled for. She really didn't remember that I had scouted and interned for them before either. She used to refer to me as their baby Cindy (Crawford) Unfortunately I strongly believe she was racist towards my newly married last name. I cut the interview short so I could, "return to my loving and supportive family which feels the opposite in this office" Later, I landed a major yacht billboard that same week and I have accomplished 3 music videos in less than a year on my own. Spare your children growing up in this environment under the Shell family. The stories are a nightmare from any and most of their talents. read more