I wrote this article to share my knowledge as a usc film school alum and to help you get accepted to film school as well. Why you should got to film school and some tips to getting into the usc film school. How to get into the university of southern california. To summarize, you have to take the location of the university into account because thats where your network will be. Out of 51,800 high school seniors who applied for admission to usc for fall 2014, about 18 percent, or 9,225, were admitted. It helps to have a unique perspective on life and something to say and have a strong application ie. The acceptance rate for usc film school seems to be at around 4% while for harvard law the rate is 11%. I got into a program that was hard to get into, felt really great about myself, and then spent the next two years. Apr 25, 20 ive been accepted to the film school at csulb, but honestly, it was my backup school, and i was really hoping more for usc or ucla especially ucla, given the cost differential. They were founded in 1880, and have since remained one of the top colleges in california.
The usc school of cinematic arts formerly the usc school of cinematelevision, otherwise. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious. One thing most people dont realize is the commitment theyre making once the thrill of getting in to a top program wears off. University of southern california admission requirements. University of southern california marshall school of business what can you do to set yourself apart in your application. Is there a certain gre score you should be aiming for.
The average gpa of high school coming into usc is about a 4. If you are rejected completely, it can be hard to move forward, but rest. In this article, well discuss what usc is known for, explain how competitive it is for graduate students, and continue reading what gre scores do you need for usc. How to get into film school march 15, 2005 education, qanda i know theres a post in the archives about film school, and whether its necessary, but i would love to hear any advice you have on actually applying to film school. Last year, 8,339 out of 64,352 applicants were admitted making usc a very highly competitive school to get into with a low chance of acceptance for typical applicants. Programs being 247, as demanding as they are, you sometimes feel like cinderella watching everyone else go to the ball. Learn how to get accepted to film school by a usc alum, including strategies for your.
Aug 12, 2017 if youre applying to usc, its important to learn everything there is to know about usc gre scores. Aug 16, 2018 says alec baldwin, who graduated from the east coasts premier film school back in 1993, new york city is where you go to get serious about a career in the arts. Here are 10 steps to help you meet all usc admissions requirements and become a trojan warrior. But we believe prepscholar is the best gre prep program available right now, especially if you. I havent worked in other cities, but from experience it can be hard to get into the system when you dont know anyone.
Academically, it has exceptionally high requirements for admission test scores. Dec 17, 2018 the mere mention of the university of southern california might evoke images of sunny beaches and palm treelined streets. If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. Mar 15, 2005 how to get into film school march 15, 2005 education, qanda i know theres a post in the archives about film school, and whether its necessary, but i would love to hear any advice you have on actually applying to film school.
Historically, uscs acceptance rate for undergraduates is about 18%. University of southern californias school of cinematic arts. You can get more information from the admissions office website at usc. Get that gpa up according to prepscholar, usc is quite a selective school. I ended up declining both of them to attend what i believe to be a better film school, but when i applied i had never shot a single. As i am writing this it is the day before movein day and i absolutely cannot wait to get started.
However, for the last several years, the acceptance rate has steadily dropped, reflecting the reality that its becoming increasingly difficult to get into usc. As such, admission into the school is extremely competitive, with an estimated 23% acceptance rate. They must show dedication and commitment to the art. I really liked my personal statement that i wrote for my application to uscs school of cinematic arts and i figured that it was also a good introduction to who i am. How to get into usc film school without really trying medium. Usc film school is no different than any other film school, except it tends to attract brighter students. It sounds simple, but its actually quite difficult to do. Author jason kohls book is a specific, straightforward guide to applying, getting into, and thriving in film school and in the industry in general. Lucky for you, we have already done that research for the university of southern california. After years of deliberation, usc has realized how silly that made them look and dropped the gre requirement for their mfa film production degree. Over the past couple of years, film schools have been gearing up, building vr. Usc is home to over 27,000 topcaliber graduate and professional students more than half the entire usc student population who represent all 50 states and 5 countries around the world.
I may be biased as an alum, but youd be hard pressed to find any ranking list that didnt have usc near the top. Luckily, we recently had an exclusive opportunity to obtain insight into the admissions process at the usc school of cinematic arts. My son finds out tomorrow if he got into usc for film production. They accept twenty out of every onehundred students, which is a twenty. Usc alumni and faculty have had a profound effect on filmmaking, producing box office blockbusters like star wars, apollo, and forrest gump, to name but a few. I may be biased as an alum, but youd be hard pressed to find any ranking list that didnt have usc. Oct, 2018 deciding if and where to attend college is a difficult and important decision for any high school senior. Prospective students are encouraged to visit the school and discuss their personal, educational, and occupational goals with the. If you do decide to go to film school, you have no life outside of it, said barbara stepansky who has gone on from usc undergrad and afi grad school to direct indie thrillers fugue and hurt. The school offers multiple undergraduate and graduate programs covering film production, screenwriting, cinema and media studies, animation and digital arts. Here are three main steps that will give you your best chance of being accepted into this awesome school. But now i really want to try my absolute hardest in all my classes and make my way to usc. Applicants to the school of cinematic arts must submit three letters of.
A year in the trenches at americas top film school usc. The first step, obviously, is choosing a masters program or, if youre being smart about it, several possible choices in case your first choice says no. So as much as i hate to say it, moving to nola by yourself to get a crew job at the moment might not be the way to go. In april 2006, the usc board of trustees voted to change the school s name to the usc school of cinematic arts. The school offers bfa and mfa programs in acting, and a very selective, one to twoyear playwriting program. Im not sure where my sat and gpa stood in relation to their averages, but i got into the nyu and usc film schools with absolutely no experience.
Sometimes what students are really asking is whether we have any impacted majors the answer to that question is no. January is not only the time when we make our final scholarship recommendations for the upcoming firstyear class. In this guide well cover what you need to get into usc and build a strong application. The only thing i was wondering about is what kind of requirements will give me. Since the acceptance rate was so low, when i first came to usc i expected most of the film students to be very enthusiastic about film making. Aug 16, 2016 my name is samantha and i will be joining the usc class of 2020 as a film production major. I have taken a few classes at my local community college, but as i previously had no desire to succeed my grades were mainly cs, just enough to get by. Applicants to the school of cinematic arts must submit three letters of recommendation.
Apr 08, 2014 out of 51,800 high school seniors who applied for admission to usc for fall 2014, about 18 percent, or 9,225, were admitted. Colleges to get into top us private schools with the most graduates getting into ivy league universities the 15 best school districts in the u. Usc is a very popular and competitive school with more than 50,000 applicants, but only a 17% acceptance rate. Donations from film and game industry companies, friends, and alumni have enabled the school to build the following. And canals isnt the only one turning schoolwork into a career. Knowing what scores to aim for in each section can help you put an effective sat study plan in place, and help you target areas most in need of improvement so, at the end of the day, if usc is your dream school, we suggest that you take the sat as many times as necessary to get a composite score of 1540, or as close to it as possible. I got in from the first try but i know many people who applied 23 times before getting accepted. Letter of recommendation from either your school counselor or a teacher. I saw online that the film school offers many scholarships, i was just wondering if any of you have gotten scholarships from the film school, how much they offered, and how difficult they are to get. However, usc s film school is the best in the world. Learn how to get accepted to film school by a usc alum, including. Welcome to graduate admission at the university of southern california, one of the worlds leading private research universities. Mar 24, 20 how hard is it to get into usc film school. Jan 01, 2009 generally it s not that hard to get into usc.
After years of deliberation, usc has realized how silly that made them look and dropped the gre requirement for their mfa film. Whether at a college fair, high school visit, or in our admission center, we in the office of admission often get the following question from studentsdoes it matter which major i choose when i apply. But just how difficult is it to get into graduate school. How much do film schools care about grades and test scores. As many of you begin to prepare your college applications, you are probably starting to think about what kind of schools you would like to attend, and maybe you are even assembling a list of attributes you want in a school. Academy award nominated producer stacey sher, visual effects pioneer john knoll, game designer jenova chen, mad men writer erin levy, the social network cinematographer jeff cronenweth, novelist and filmmaker stephen chbosky, chairman of nbc entertainment robert greenblatt, president of marvel studios kevin feige, and thousands of others learned their. See what current and former students have to say about usc and other colleges youre interested in. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are. The competition to get accepted at this school runs high, given that only 20% of students who applied are admitted to the school. The mere mention of the university of southern california might evoke images of sunny beaches and palm treelined streets. Remember, though, that getting into usc isnt just about grades and test scores. But once youve decided what programs offer what you need, the next question becomes how to get into grad school. I didnt get into ucla again appeal letter will be sent soon, but ive been asked for additional info from usc and chapman, so i guess well see on those fronts. Jun 09, 2019 tier 1 includes the very best film schools in the us these are extremely prestigious programs with many successful alums.
Film school mfa acceptance rates, minimum gpas, decision. An interview with an sca admissions committee member. Its a wellknown fact that steven spielberg failed to get into usc film school twice, allegedly because his gre scores were so low. The top 25 american film schools, ranked hollywood reporter. How to get into film school, by a usc alum prepscholar blog. Walking around campus and throughout the buildings makes you feel like youre at a top notch institution. If youre interested in going into the entertainment industry in any capacity, be it directing, writing, producing, animation, editing, or otherwise, you should consider attending film school. Using acceptance rate data from previous years, we can project that the usc acceptance rate in 2015 is going to be around 21%. The truth about nyu film school with pictures film.
So youre going to need a lot more than just a good gpa. I may be biased as an alum, but youd be hardpressed to find any ranking list that didnt have usc near the top. Dont even bother applying, it is too hard to get in. Usc cinematic arts graduate application procedures. That said, their strength is equally evident in thousands of other productions, such as bury my heart at wounded knee, darfur now, the fall of fujimori, into the arms of strangers. And, yes, i do realize that usc is not the only film school out there, but since hollywood is about who you know, well, youre seeing it in action. Tier 1 includes the very best film schools in the us these are extremely prestigious programs with many successful alums.
The usc school of cinematic arts formerly the usc school of cinema television, otherwise. Your child will be competing against stellar performers from around the world. Compare the most selective colleges with the lowest acceptance rates and highest satact test scores. Explore the hardest colleges to get into ranking based on acceptance rates and satact test scores using data from the u. If youre currently working on a usc film school application or are thinking of applying, having access to the right advice can significantly benefit your application. How to get into nyu film school tips from an alum youtube. I was an anthropology major at grinnell college, but id always acted in every play during high school and college. How hard is it to get into usc and can i get accepted. Once you get into your major classes, the average class ratio is like 15.