I have an agency who is interested in representing me, met with them and everything looked good.  Sent my mom and me a photographer to get pictures for my comp card with a list of specific looks.  This photographer wants to charge us $$ for the shoot.  I always assumed as did my mom that if an agency was truly interested that they are paying for the shoot.  Are we totally wrong? Is this legit? Should I look elsewhere?

I'd say do your research, both on the agency and the photographer they sent. From what I've seen "test" shoots are usually not covered by the agency.

Another important question is did the agency say they were going to ask a photographer to take photos of you and you would have to pay them?

If not then I would be suspicious, it all really depends.

Some agencies do have that "option", such as "we need photos for your portfolio/profile, you can send us existing photos that you have or we can recommend some photographers to use (who do charge money)" and are within the rules.

The ones that charge you money to just list you, such as an annual fee, or a subscription to casting, are illegal.

Yes you were wrong.  Models pay for everything for themselves; you will pay for test shoots, comp cads, you own expenses when traveling, modelwire, FedEx if they send your book, oh and your book for that matter.

In cases where agencies are very confident in a model they may pay them upfront and take them out of earning.  This is not exactly common for a be model and regardless you are paying sooner or later.  Given you stats you would be limited in bookings, unless they have a specific need for someone with your dance background, and I would not expect them to upfront anything.

The scam is when the agency is not providing a list of costs, having you pay them directly for test, and other questionable practices.  Find out who their clients are, talk to some models already signed etc.  Even if they are not a scam they still may not do much business.

As previously mentioned,, it's common and ethical for the agency to require a model to obtain their own portfolio photos.

Legitimate agencies may recommend photographers, but I don't know of any legitimate agency that REQUIRES a model to obtain photos from a certain photographer. 

In some jurisdictions where model/talent/employment agencies must be licensed it's  illegal for the agency to require a model to obtain photographs from a specific source.  Some of the jurisdictions also prohibit the agency to own or operate a photography studio.  This is an attempt to reduce the amount of 'photo mills', a difficult to regulate scam where overpriced photos are sold with the guise that the model will become rich and famous.

Thank you everyone!