Hi there, just found this site through those crazy Google kids.

I got accepted at USC's M.F.A. Film and TV Production for Fall. Got notified my email last week. Kinda cried a bit. Out of sheer joy. I got also accepted at Columbia's MFA and cried even more.

I am stuck. I don't know which offer to accept. Please read my thread:
http://forums.studentfilms.com/eve/forums?a=tpc&s=20860...011086754#8011086754

*aaandcut, congratulations!

You must have strong potentiality to be accepted by both top (or three) programs, and according to your post, you sound confident in your ability as well. In that case, I don't think you would miss the directing chance in the second year. However, even if you can't be the leading role in film-making as you wish, you learn to accept rejection (or accept luck, life,...) and be better prepared for the next chance -- part of the education for a real filmmaker, I think. Why not take the challenge?

Thanks yc1911. To me honest I was not expecting to get accepted at film school at all (e.g. UCLA rejected). There reason I am confident of NYU Singapore is that in the interview they sounded like I was going to get it.

You right, I should take the challenge, but both USC and Columbia are so good and yet different that I just don't know.

Perhaps for directing as a craft USC is better but I am concerned that I might be swallowed up by its 'studio' mentality.

Yc and Matty-
Scoot over a little bit, you've got one more in the same boat. Waitlisted for USC Fall 2007 MFA Production, accepted for Spring 2008. I got the letter on the 20th (which made the day, 4-20, that much better...) and sent my acceptance response letter back immediately!! USC was my first choice and I'm on cloud nine!! I also applied to AFI and walked around all day on the 16th gripping my cell phone like a strung out meth addict waitin' on his dealer, but got DE-NIED!!!! Oh well, I hear SC' ain't too shabby when it comes to cultivating people for the film industry. I guess they even had some guy who did a couple movies about wars in space that went over pretty well... Anywho, I'm crazy excited and looking forward to the upcoming year. Congratulations and good luck to everyone starting and/or continuing to pursue their filmmaking dreams. I'll be in touch boys. FIGHT ON!!!!

Hi *SlevinKelevra,
Congratulations! In fact, USC Production MFA has more than three here:

*YC is settled for Spring-08
*Matty is waiting for Fall-07
*b4bad is for Spring-08?
*Philly is choosing between USC and Chapman
*sa is accepted, but leaning to UCLA
*aaandcut is for Fall-07 (if s/he accept the offer)
*SlevinKelevra is for...? (are you waiting for fall or decided to jump to spring?)

(Please help maintain the list.)

Correct me if I'm wrong---

Philly has decided on Chapman (I'm not wrong there I'm sure!)

And Sa is leaning towards Columbia?

Sa is still up in the air...I'll let you guys know soon.

Hi there folks. This forum is really useful! Good to see so many souls around with one and only passion. Its heart wrenching.


As for aaandcut, HE is also leaning towards Columbia thanks to all the positive feedback CU is getting here and because of its focus on screenwriting. MIND YOU I want to specialize as Director/Producer but I agree with most of you that having a feature screenplay at the end is a smart thing to do and also just a dream come true. All those brilliant faulty available for advice for re-writes- I hope!

USC sounds a very dynamic and creative environment in a very unique way. I had the chance of doing a workshop last summer and was impressed by the campus (although somewhat isolated from west Hollywood).

Here are some pages I found very interesting from USC Thornton School of Music regarding collaboration with he School of Cinematic Arts (I love motion picture soundtracks):

http://web.mac.com/smptv/iWeb/SMPTVUSC/STUDENT%20FILM%201.html

http://web.mac.com/smptv/iWeb/SMPTVUSC/STUDENT%20FILM%202.html

I pretty much up in the air like sa and deep in reflection.

Oh~ my god. They also collaborate with music school?!?! I thought USC's business school (business of entertainment), computer engineering (including visual special effect, animation technology and multimedia processing), and ICT (for virtual environment rendering skill and also game development if I'm right) all together have made SCA a terrific place to learn film in wide dimensions. Now *aandcut you're telling me that they even have music school involved. OMG OMG, I really can't wait until next year in USC-SCA.

I checked the box that said "put my name on the waitlist for Fall 07 and offer me acceptance for Spring 08". I'm waitin' for Fall, but if not i'll be there in the Spring... Congrats again everyone!!!!

Slevin, AFI rejected you too?

USC waitlisted my butt, as well. No fancy "Spring" options though...must not do that for Screenwriting.

UCLA, here I come.


Congrats, you big stupid Trojans.

Even i am torn between Columbia and USC.....though USC is treating me to a deferred admission....i think i will go with USC spring offer.....i have selected the first option in the response form as done by slevinkelevra....its true that columbia is more focussed on writing than USC....what i see from here as an international student is that.....i dont have time to idle with writing in US...i need a program thats bang on target with imparting film making skills...i want a school that will give me a chance to make a great short film...and i dont have to fight for facilities as ppl have to do in columbia.....honestly columbia is quite ill-equipped compared to NYU or USC or UCLA.....and columbia is costlier plus NY is very expensive place.....i figured out....the living expenses in New york( mostly in jersey area) would come out to be 800to 900$ a month.....and with USC its 500$ a month ....again its subject to everyones spending habits ........the above expenditure is from students of indian origin ......again the point is.....if i were american citizen i would most likely go to columbia but again i need to be very focussed and realistic about my goals so i would most likely choose USC......its sounds like a better deal to me....

WAHAHA! Totally welcome. b4bad, you have the same concern with mine, except that i didn't get in Columbia. It sounds like we have another stupid Trojan, Fight On!!!

And may I ask is it some Indian English writing tradition that you use nearly no period mark at all, and substitute them with "..."? Shivani, one of the NYU-SG admits, does this in other thread and you do the same here.

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ohh i dont know about that ...but its my style...and i thought i was the only one to type that way........

anyways i would rather be stupid and successful than be intelligent and miserable....though i dont believe that i am saying this to make a point...its just that USC surely helps job prospects.....and mind you i am 23 and film school is more likely to make me bankrupt when i graduate....its better that i have some skills that will help me recover my money.......cant wait for few more years after graduation and keep the montly installement mounting.......can i?

What's your background in India?

i am an Engineer....Manufacturing Engineer.....with some knowledge of 3Danimation.......

3D is cool~ This evening, I was in a small talk on face rendering techniques done by USC ICT people. Great!!! I must say.

You seem to have investigated much about the USC class. How much is your first year budget? My plan is 40K, including everything. No spy, I just need a total figure hung as a target.

And Jayimess, I read your blog, and I like it. ^_^ keep writing.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: yc1911,

well i intend to take loan for all the three years....from american banks....and yeah 40k should be good.....

to Jayimess.......if you are in for UCLA writing program.....going to UCLA is a no brainer...its better than USC for writing.....

YC....which blog are you reading? I have two, and I've been neglecting them lately.

97 days till I leave Ohio, people. Terrifying.

This is all happening so fast.

As for budgets, I'm taking out my max loan offer, $46K, and that's in addition to my fellowship. But UCLA has a greater cost of living than USC, esp. if you live off-campus, like I'll be doing. I just don't want to worry about anything.

I'm "severing citizenship ties" with Ohio as soon as I get there, as in, getting a CA license, voter reg, and license plates....so hopefully I'll get instate residency for G2.

This is going to be so much fun, I'm glad we all met each other here.

I don't know if there's a clear winner in the UCLA-USC debate, B4B....I just know I'm excited to go to UCLA, but I would have been happy to go to USC, too...it was a childhood dream.

I know you have two blogs (by Google, so don't freak out, I'm no spy), 'cause you pasted some articles on both blogs. I was then crazily searching on Google during my waiting for notification, in the hope to see some inside information shared between applicants. Some was found at that time, including Studentfilms and you blog. I was impressed by your casual writing about how you decided to apply for film school and what was your feeling all through the waiting. So touched, since I, even with different background, regard film school so far the most important decision of my life, too. I read your entries while I was anxiously waiting for my own notification. I even watched first few minutes of your short film. It's kinda good for me to see you chose UCLA, so that I can hear something from UCLA program first-hand. That's why I suggest you keep writing. Hey, I don't even know you, and I don't want to pretend like I do. I said the above words for just a simple thank you, for the sharing in those days; plus a personal advice: try to quit smoking to avoid more pneumonia and to stay healthy for your writing career, after all, somebody might be looking forward to see your "award-winning" work.

As for the old USC-UCLA debate, I have no opinion, except that...we Trojans do have a better varsity!! Beat us if you "smart" Bruins can!!