For all those who are currently in college, I was wondering if you could give some good advice for what kind of questions to ask when visiting film schools.(ie...do students own the rights to their films?).

Well, the first thing you need is to find a school that meets your needs. Hey, your paying for the education, youd best to benefit from it.
You can ask if they own the rights, but the answer is almost certainly yes. What you need to follow that up with is how difficult would it be to purchase/aquire those rights from the school. Also, ask when you get to use cameras, and start shooting. Some schools want you to wait two years before touching one (B.S.), Ask what formats are offered to shoot on (IE: DV, Beta, 16mm, 35mm.) and what your odds are of shooting on those formats (example: at FSU, at the end of your 4 years, you can apply for your graduate thesis film. Only 5 are selected to be shot 35mm. but they provide your budget. Full Sail on the other hand (stay away) shoots one 35mm film per 13 month semester. They select one script, one director, and you could very easily end up pulling cables on someone elses film. Not good)
Many other film schools make you attend their school for 2 years before you can enter their film program, but read the small print. UCF, for example, says the odds of getting into their film program is slim, and you should choose another major, because you probablly wont get in. Why am I going to your school for two years then?
Basically, you need to go in with the attitude of, "What are YOU going to do for ME?" Make sure you are getting your moneys worth, and that you will get both an education, and opportunities to use the knowledge you have aquired. Good luck.
R. Michael McWhorter
Tizzy Entertainment

And you shall know us by the trail of dead.

Personally and from what I have read from numerous amounts of books film school isn't really needed. I may just be saying this because I can't afford it but I have read and heard from production companies that I have worked for that a film school degree is basically used to whip the directors backside. However when I did go to film school I did learn the basic techniques and theories, just do NOT listen to how to tell stories. When the time came when I dropped out I just checked out what books were being read by teachers and film makers alike, and so I bought them. I have learned more from those books and creating my own little movies then I could ever learn at a film school. I'm not saying film school is bad, but also try to do your own film school. Pick up some books on the technical aspects, directing, theory, writing and draw your own conclusion. Trust me it will put you ahead of the game by alot. I mean I'm 18 and I am working as a free lancer for three local production companies now, I've entered numerous amounts of film fest, I'm starting my own film fest at my old high school for people who want to get in to it, I teach a screenwriting and directing class at my old high school and I am currently shooting my first full length. Since you are going to film school more power to you, but remember, money can't buy creativity.

What I believe in isn't scary, it's what I don't believe in that is.

Yeah, that's a hard question. I took a bunch of film classes in community college, which I'm finished with in a few days.YES!. Anyway, I learned a lot in my film history classes and writing classes..as for the production classes...I learned little if nothing of importance at all.

I work for a small video productions company, that's how I learned production stuff. I made shorts! I leanred the most from that. I also have read a few books that have taught me a lot about the whole production thing. Another thing...watch special features on DVD...those are like mini film schools in themselves! KEEP FILMING!

I myself want to be a film teacher some day so I'm doing it the safe way and going to Film School to insure that I can teach it one day, whether I get a shot to work in the BIZ or not.

So Bush has ****ed the world...Good Bye UN.