My name is Nina and I am an aspiring film student and I wish more than anything to attended NYU's Tisch School. The only problem is that I have not really even started to prepare a portfolio, entirely due to the fact that this is a relativly new passion of mine. If anyone with a little insight into the world of Tisch could help me out I would appriciate it immensely.

here are my stats:

Grade: 11
Type of School: Public
Class Rank: 3/343
GPA: 4.55 (weighted)
Junior Year AP Classes: AP Language & Composition, AP US History, and AP Environmental Science
Senior Year AP Classes: AP Physics, AP Literature, AP Statistics, AP Government & Politics
Foreign Language: 4 Years of Italian, 2 of which are Honors classes
All other classes: Honors Level
SAT: I havent received my scores back yet, but my sophmore PSATS were a 1910.


Extra-curriculars:
Secretary of Interact
Secretary of History Club
Member of NHS
Choir
Italian Club
Assistant Editor of the Yearbook

Other information:
I am a singer/songwriter and I play guitar and piano. (Though piano not so well.)
I've performed at various venues in my area.
I am primarily a writer and words are my passion; I love to read.

and most importantly, I must prove to Tisch and to NYU that I deserve to be there. Any and all advice would be most beneficial. Thanks so much!

- nina

Tisch cares VERY much about academics, which means your GPA/rank will get you a long way (as will all those APs). Try to raise your SATs from your PSAT score (at least over 2000) and you should be more than fine. As for the portfolio, I'm pretty sure they do not even require any film experience and you can send them pictures or a short story or something along those lines to show you have artistic potential. Look into that.

With those stats you're IN. No problemo

As far as a portfolio (which, along with your essay, will cinch the deal) you can do either 10 mins of film work of some kind, or, if I remember correctly, still photos. I DO know people who got in on still photos, but I feel like a movie demo reel is better. Do you have anything you like that you've shot, or is the film thing too recent for you at this point?

Firstly, thank you both so much for responding!!

And yes I started a film, but it was a mini-documentary in which i interviewed a number of people on my quest to define art, seeing as it is such a broad term. However after viewing some videos of Tischies on this site I am afraid it might not be what they're looking for. Aditionally, what about my resume? I have hardly anything to put on it aside from my songs that I've recorded and a short skit i wrote in italian. How much will that count against me?

I may be wrong, but I believe that Tisch looks at your portfolio for the promise shown based on how much work you've done. To rephrase that, it doesn't really matter how much experience you have (as it has been stated, people have gotten in with photographs only) but what you make of that experience. As long as whatever you have is half decent, you will have over a 75% chance of getting in based on your scores, IMO. If you can, enter your work into festivals and maybe win awards (including the documentary). One good fiction short should lock your acceptance, but I'm not even sure you need that. Of course, I could be wrong because, as we all know, decisions can be quite arbitrary, but I'm fairly confident you're fine.

Thank you so much!! You have truly put my mind at ease. As for the short fiction piece, I am at a loss as to ideas. I came up with a few quirky things but I'm not sure how to approach the process. Do you haveany suggestions for brainstorming or coming up with ideas? I know its a strange question but I want to be there so much that I don't want any chance to better myself to pass me by. Thanks again!! =)

Well, a risky, quirky story that succeeds would definitely be better than a safer story that does. Just make sure it isn't too ridiculous, but take a chance; if you are truly passionate about what you're writing, they'll see it and will love that.

I think everyone needs to arrive at their own method for coming up with story ideas. I keep a couple notebooks, and write down every image, every sentence, every moment that pops into my head, and later they begin to stick together and ideas emerge. It takes a while, and its always hard to think of an idea on the spot.

Tisch definitely looks for potential, rather than perfection. I've seen really crappy demo reels that got people in. Just write a killer essay and an awesome dramatic scene, and work on film stuff for a while. See what you can come up with GOOD LUCK!

Thank you both so much.. I can't even begin to explain how much you've helped me... one last question (for now).. for the dramatic essay.. would be better to write it as a script or will standard essay format suffice?

I'm sorry for asking so many questions.. I really really do appriciate all the help and reassurance you've given me! =)

I went kind of free-style with the dramatic essay. I don't think it is supposed to be a script, but I doubt they'd mind much if it were. I just wrote it as a personal account, in a standard narrative style.

I'm glad to help with any questions. Keep posting them as you think of them.

Thanks again.. I decided to try your strategy for coming up with ideas so I went out and got a notebook. Believe it or not I already came up with something and I'm feeling far less anxiety about the whole situation.. thanks again =)

You're applying for Fall 2007, right? You've got plenty of time! Don't sweat it.

Just start making movies, and you'll find that with each one, you'll learn something new. Eventually, you can either make a 10-minute short, or cut together a demo reel of the best bits from each one.

It's crazy to think that people need portfolios to get into film school these days.

I didn't need one when I went. Times are a changing.

-Chris
Studentfilms.com

Yeah... But 2007 is sneaking up fast.. lol Thanks again for all of your help.. I really appriciate it =)

I think its because the technology to make a portfolio before school is so much easier to get a hold of now.

yeahh but see i have a computer thats like 5 years old but it was slow as anything and it was so old that it wouldnt support a video camera so we had to go out and buy a new powerbook so that i could start to make my film.. THEN the camera that my parents had ordered me for christmas never came.. so in february when we went to buy the computer we had to invest in a new camera as well.. all so I could make a portfolio TO GET IN to film school. its ridiculous lol

Don't worry, the powerbook will be your best friend once you're here.

well portfolio can be written screenplay sor drawings..they dont force you to make films

For those who have been wondering about the specifics regarding entrance into NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, there is a bit of information that has been relayed to me over the past two years:

1. The Undergraduate Admissions page for the Maurice Kanbar Institute of Film and Television at Tisch will always use the phrase, "Admissions into Tisch School of the Arts is highly selective." What the website will not convey to you is that, of all the undergraduate schools affiliated with the University, Tisch places less emphasis on standardized test scores.

2. Students have been admitted to the Film and Television department with a high school average ranging from 88 to 93%.

3. The "Committee" is very interested in students who convey "storytelling ability." Unfortunately, this emphasis is not noted on the Tisch website, although frequent calls to admissions counselors at the department will quickly verify this. I submitted a 10-minute short inspired by the art-house cinema of Chantal Akerman and Andrei Tarkovsky; and while a film instructor at my current college encouraged me to submit this piece, a greater emphasis on atmosphere rather than an accessible narrative did not go over well with the faculty members who reviewed and assessed my portfolio (I was not admitted). To those applying or interested in applying to the film program offered at Tisch, I suggest you create a film focusing firmly on narrative storytelling (there is a film on Youtube.com called "Passage" that garnished a student admittance into Tisch for those interested in an example of this).

4. The Tisch selection committee bases their decisions equally on academics (fifty percent) and the creative submission (fifty percent). While strong standardized test scores, extracurricular involvement and an overall solid academic record will certainly not hurt, a weak creative submission will. Subsequently, the inverse is true for a very strong portfolio but weak academic record; NYU seeks motivated students who are both bright and who demonstrate potential in their field of study. Hence making Tisch an ideal art school for those interested in the independence offered by a conservatory-style film school within the vast intellectual resources provided by NYU itself.

5. Speak with admissions counselors at Tisch. They are generally very helpful, polite and informative; contact information is provided at the NYU Undergraduate Admissions website.

I think that what allows Tisch to offer such a wonderful education in the arts lays in it's providing of a rich intellectual environment rather than tailoring a curriculum solely on one's major. Manhattan is a wonderful place to live in, as it's cultural, artistic and academic resources confirm. For those seeking the independence offered by a major research university and for those who shun the film-exists-in-a-vacuum mentality (as I'm sure many here do), I strongly recommend considering the Tisch film program.

Cheers,
- Ricky

Amazing. You seem to have worked some really insightful secrets there. I GOT IN and I haven't figured all of that out yet.