Trying to figure out which college to go to, Iowa will be around 41K and Berkeley will be around 45K. Parents can contribute around 25k per year but I’m planning on trying to graduate in three years.
Majors for each school:
IOWA(Fall 2025): B.A in Screenwriting Arts + Iowa Writers LLC
Cal(Fall 2025): B.A in Film And Media
I want to get into the Hollywood industry as soon as possible (main passion is screenwriting), and each school offers different upsides. Iowa has amazing alumni in the industry and also has the writing foundations to help me with the skills of the screenwriting craft, but Berkeley obviously has its prestige and also has a lot of opportunities into the finance and marketing world around Hollywood.
Other preferences: From California but don’t really care about weather, I love the culture from both campuses (visited both), Iowa will be harder to get to as there’s no direct flights and Berkeley is an easy drive. Each school I also believe I can graduate in three years which is a positive.
Basically TLDR I just want to determine which one will allow me better industry access whether it’s the creative strength of Iowa or prestige at Berkeley. Both have pretty similar course catalogs but Berkeley is much more academic-oriented, while Iowa has more production/screenwriting classes. Famous alumni are better from Iowa but each college has successful people in the less known sides of Hollywood.
If anyone has had a similar choice or has experienced either of these programs or just wants to give a bit of advice, feel free to reach out!
If parents can contribute 25k a year, how do you plan to pay for that? The most you can take out in loans is 27k for a 4 year degree.
Also keep in mind that film and screenwriting is not an employable degree. Especially now that almost all movies are bombing at the box office. To keep from working at Safeway after college, you may want to consider a double major in something like accounting, for instance. College isn’t a place to live dreams. It’s a place to gain practical job skills.
I agree with the assessment of @coolguy40 in employability.
If it were me, I’d look at industry contacts - very few just write a screenplay and get it produced. Where do grads end up and in what roles.
What is the UCB major teaching you about screenwriting? Is there a focus on writing? They have five classes in writing - not sure if you can take them all.
Or is it a learn about film theory type program?
I’d want the program that gives me the most exposure - and yes, I don’t know if it’s possible, but a double major would be smart.
I wouldn’t let difficulty of getting to school in such a niche major be the reason I don’t attend.
That is the cap on participation in the federal student loan program. I am not recommending it, but it is important to be clear that OP could borrow above that amount through a variety of private lenders.
Which college allows you to add a major or minor most easily? I would imagine that’s Iowa, but check.
Majors/minors to check into: TV Production, Professional Writing, but also statistics, Data Science.
I do not understand how you can afford to attend either of these two schools. You are not going to be able to borrow enough without a co-signer. For a student getting a degree in screenwriting or in film and media taking on any debt at all is a huge risk, and probably a mistake.
UCB allows a double major -they also note many grads go to law and business school after undergrad, in addition to film and the humanities. If you look at the UCB job placement report, and please ignore those that say - don’t look at them - they are telling - 42% (whenever it was taken) were still looking with 41% working. That’s not good…so if it’s not affordable (either), can you take a different path? Community college perhaps.
Double Majors
Many Film & Media majors elect to complete a second major in addition to Film & Media. Students must be able to complete both majors within a within their given number of terms, or have a unit total of less than 136 units if pursuing additional semesters. Students can have no more than two courses which are counted towards both majors’ requirements. Students considering a double major should consult with their Undergraduate Major Advisors in each department.
So does this mean they will give you 100K total for the three years? That makes it just about affordable, but means the suggestions of double majoring etc won’t be feasible. You should check course sequencing will allow everything to be completed in three years. And you’d still have debt.
It is going to be very difficult to become self-sustaining immediately after college if you end up in Hollywood. My S’s friend graduated in 3 years from UCLA in film and has done well (got an internship doing research for a documentary that she worked at while in college and turned into a production job immediately after graduation), but needed her rent to be subsidized by her parents for several years as she was only earning $20 per hour. In these circumstances I’d lean towards Berkeley as giving you more options that aren’t so low paid.
Are you a CA resident? It sounds like it. If we are voting, I would choose Berkeley. You are closer to “the industry”, and there are tons of other options should you change your mind.
While I disagree with some posters thoughts about the industry, I do agree that Cal is the better choice. I do question affordability of even this option for you. Knowing a bit about the industry, you should be able (if you hustle) to find opportunities outside of school to build your experience and resume outside of classes. For example, first level script reading/review UNPAID part time jobs are out there - from money making for profit studios to local nonprofit film festivals. This type of experience will be of value to you - but is rarely paid. Paid internships in the industry are hard to get for example 90k apps for 225 spots for Paramount’s summer program last year and the majority of these internships are in the business side and go to connected applicants through their employee referral program. Also, Paramount is clear they don’t hire the majority of positions from this program and welcome interns to apply to come back after 2-3 years outside post grad experience. Getting experience on all sides of the business will be important from production assistant (getting lunch, moving equip) to script review to getting very involved in student run opportunities at your school. Agree a minor or concentration is a great idea and that learning could be of value to your writing/story developing too.
Also, what are the study abroad programs available - there are several film related programs abroad with some having internships attached too - all ways to expand your learning. Lastly, this is not a field that you should enter with school debt, as you will want to take advantage of all the opportunities with most being unpaid and then low paying upon graduation.
You have 2 great acceptances - congrats - but are they affordable for your family?
$16k-20k is a rather large amount over the parent contribution to fund yourself ($5.5k direct loan and a few thousand $ in work earnings is the highest reasonable expectation).
If you can get into the BSC co-ops ( https://BSC.coop ), then you may be able to attend UCB for substantially less than the stated budget. But there can be long waiting lists to get into them.
hey, just as a thread update - we have a plan to be able to afford both colleges, so affordability is not the main issue because both schools are pretty similar. the main issue i’m trying to determine is which would provide the best industry opportunities. thanks for all the replies!
College Scorecard indicates that graduates (who used federal financial aid) in film from both do not find particularly high paying jobs (median $38k from UCB, $44k from Iowa).
UCB’s own career survey shows a $48k median and also lists employers and job titles. Some of the employers and job titles indicate that some of the jobs taken are not in the film industry.
It would be a bad idea to go into significant debt to study film at either (or any) college.
48k in LA means you’re essentially homeless/couch surfing even without student debt.
In fact some recruiters shockingly told young writers (not interns, beginning writers) to just ‘live in your car’. That was before the big strike so things mat have improved but I wouldn’t be so sure.
Technical skills that are adjacent to the industry will help you get your foot in the door and make a living while you write part time. That means checking which university offers a readily accessible major, minor, or certificate in production or similar - ie., being part of the technical crew. (Usually much better than working at a coffee shop in terms of pay and “foot in the door” but not easy gigs to get either.) Or any skill/qualification that will help pay the bills while you intern for free or write part time.
You literally need to be one in 100.000 or worse to “make it”.
Both universities will support your skill and aspirations equally. Both are excellent in that field and have good connections.
Neither will make a game of chance a slam dunk.
You’ll need to support yourself probably until age 27-30 with your side gig so the real choice is there - which university will make that side gig the most profitable for you. Perhaps UCB would have enough power in CA to help you with that side gig but the language about double majors makes it clear it’s a difficult endeavor so check out conditions for minors etc.
I personally would pick the least expensive one but the above criteria could trump the slight 4k difference.
Go into it with your eyes open: hone your primary skill and have secondary skills to help you till you break through.
