Hi, I just registered here like, 30 seconds ago. I'm a senior in high school. I have to stay in-state for undergrad, so i kind of know what I'm doing for that, but grad school is where i really need to pick the right school. I'm a writer. I've written 5 published short plays and am about 3/4 of the way through a feature length screenplay. I THINK I want to write for TV, but writing for film is still a possiblity....

Anyway, I was wondering what schools have the best grad programs for TV writing??? I've looked at Northwestern and it looks great, but is very exclusive, so I need some backups. Thanks for the input!!!

All Good film programs are exclusive.

I'd recommend USC and UCLA (depending on your style of course)

And (almost completely unmentioned for writing since the program is newish) Chapman, which has fantastic professional writing faculty.

I just wasn't sure because I know those schools have amazing film writing programs, I just wasn't sure about TV. I know Northwestern is my number 1 choice, but they accept 12 to the program a year, so I need backups. Chapman only has two or three writing for TV classes really. USC has a few more and I'm not sure about UCLA. My plan was to apply to Northwestern, LMU, USC and NYU....I was just wondering if there were any other amazing grad schools out there that had really good programs for tv writing that I hadn't discovered yet.

For screen writing and story development by far far far Columbia. All of the top schools are great, but Columbia excels in the screenwriting department.

Just try all.

Everything stated below is just my opinion based on some aspects I've learned from their websites so far.

USC has a very Hollywood-ish system of screenwriting, but almost every alumni of their film school gets a job in movie industry. So you won't have any worries about your future after graduation, if you get in.

UCLA is like USC, the only difference is it's better in SW, but worse in Film Directing. They have very experienced faculty (one of professors even wrote a book about writing the screenplay). You won't have problems with your future here as well.

Chapman indeed has great faculty. Hell, it has David S. Ward, the Academy Award-winner! So you must apply to them. The only problem is it's locations as most of reviews read by me stated.

I don't know so much about Columbia, but I believe they have very good MFA program and their students usually win in festivals.

Thanks everyone for all the great feedback. I'm just wondering if a great screenwriting program will help me suceed as much in Television writing? Is like, writing scripts is writing scripts, or shoudl I be looking more towards a school with more TV specific classes?

The number one comment I've gotten from my professors is that writing for tv is easier because you're working with someone else's scenarios and characters. The format is similar. I say, just learn to tell a good story and the rest will follow.

Topo,

I go to USC. I'm in the Master's Writing for Screen and Television program.

Note the title of my major includes both.

We have ample opportunities to explore television writing, and we got a lecture from the TV chair at our orientation.
There are seven tracks, which are chosen your second year, and two of them are TV related.

Writing for TV is significantly different from features.



Hey Winter...hope all is well.

Can you elaborate on why your profs think it's easier to write someone else's characters and scenarios? I hate writing specs, because no matter how much you analyze, you didn't birth those babies...you're raising someone else's kids. This hasn't come up with me yet, so I'm curious.

Jayimess, thank you very much for that. Do you know off the top of your head what those 7 tracks you break off into are??

anyone else have any input on this bad boy?

TV is TV writer, and Writer/Showrunner.

Film is Feature Writer, and Writer/Director (my track)

The other ones are in interactive media and game design, I don't recall the specifics.