I am a UCSB Senior undergrad Film and Media Studies student looking to apply to the top MFA programs in the USA. One huge aspect of acceptance is strong Letters of Recommendation. If any current or applying film students have knowledge of what makes a great letter of recommendation please let me know. Right now I am looking to receive LOR's from teachers in the film department. When I get out I am looking to work in the business for maybe a year than apply so hopefully my boss can give me another LOR. For those of you who received LOR's from your teachers was your relationship based more on Student Teacher or was it more personal than that? Also how varied were your LOR's, meaning all three teachers or varied such as one teacher, one boss, and one mentor? Anyways any information on Letters of Recommendation will be greatly appreciated.

1. My screenwriting professor/mentor

2. My mentor/supervisor at a FOX station

3. My supervisor when I worked for a major brewery

#3's letter sucked. I read it after the fact and was horrified it would keep me out, it was a form letter recommending me for a job, not graduate school.

#2 sang my praises as a hard working individual, a creative and organized person, and mentioned some obstacles I've overcome in life.

#1 talked about how good my writing was, and how much I invested in my work and my classmates, and the sacrifices I was making to attend graduate school (read: leaving a pretty lucrative career as a t-writer and graphic designer).

Two out of three weren't bad, but number three was awful.

I just don't know how much they matter.

What programs are you looking at, I got into three pretty good ones in spite of #3.

That is pretty funny. Glad to hear you still got into the program despite one crappy Letter. I am looking at NYU, Columbia, UCLA, USC, Chapman, and AFI. Which schools did you get into and are you attending one now? Do you like it?

1. Co-Founder of Media & Communications program at Sydney Uni and my thesis advisor (PhD). She had known me personally and academically from when I was a sophomore to when I graduated. Have never read what she wrote, but she insists it was good and I trust her.

2. Head of Marketing and PR for ICON Films Australia (ex boss). Interned for four months and she wanted to offer me a job by the end of it. Talked about my understanding and interests in the business side of film, even though my main interests lie in the creative.

3. Former Film Studies tutor (PhD). Has since become a close friend who I have also been involved with in the performing arts and journalism. He gave a very good introspection into my creative pursuits that the others couldn't.

All and all they were pretty strong I'd say. I think it was really worth it having the third one as he took his time to go through all the creative projects he and I had undertaken.

Hope that helps.
Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by Austin Snider:
That is pretty funny. Glad to hear you still got into the program despite one crappy Letter. I am looking at NYU, Columbia, UCLA, USC, Chapman, and AFI. Which schools did you get into and are you attending one now? Do you like it?

Got into UCLA straight up, then got bumped from both the USC and AFI waitlists. I attend USC and I love it.

The most important thing to do is make sure that each LOR, each piece of your application, actually, conveys new information. Each is a new piece of the puzzle, instead of reiterating information already presented.

Those are six very different programs. What influenced your list...it sort of sounds like you're chasing brand names, with all due respect.

I began like that, actually with a list of eight schools. It's very common on these boards. But when it came down to it, I only applied to those three schools I REALLY wanted to go to.

I strongly suggest you decide what you want to do, what you want from a program, and where you want to live/work before you spend so much energy (and money) applying to them all.

No matter what, you can only attend one, when it comes down to it.

And I do apologize for making assumptions. I'm kind of a scout leader on this board, always nurturing and crap, but sometimes I over do it, so if I've made an error in judgment, allow me to apologize in advance.

Your right. I am the type of person who chases brand names. But as I said I am not applying for another year and a half so I have not narrowed down my decision yet. I've only visited Columbia and NYU Film Programs and my first choice out of all the schools would be Columbia; I like the campus, I love New York, they seem to stress film as an art, and of course the reputation gets me as well. But lately I have been thinking USC. The reason I say this is because of their Producing Program. My greatest strength is organization so it makes sense for me to hone my strengths even more by attending a producing program. So far I am not exactly sure which one I want but i do know I want one of them oh so bad and from what I have been reading it is going to take a lot of focus and determination to get into one of them.