Hi! As you can see, I’m interested in working in the entertainment industry. So far in terms of schools, this is what I have.
Accepted:
University of Illinois at Chicago-marketing
Illinois State-marketing
Loyola Chicago-accounting
DePaul-digital cinema
University of Illinois at Urbana- undecided
San Diego State- Accounting
Waitlisted: N/A
Denied: Loyala Marymount University-film production
I haven’t heard from:
UCSD- undecided
UCLA- film
USC- business with emphasis in cinematic arts
Chapman-creative producing
LMU was my #1, but I got rejected yesterday. I got worried quite a bit because it was an easier school to get into for film. But now, I’m thing about taking a different path. I’m looking for a business sort of degree, and now I’m looking for a school with good connections to the film industry for internships. My EFC is 31000, according to FAFSA, and idk how much I’ll be able to pay because I think the absolute maximum we can pay for me to go to school, in terms of out-of-pocket cost is 20000, and we already pay 22000 for private schools. Are there any other schools in LA that I could transfer to that have good entertainment connections? Right now, I’m thinking about SDSU, but I really want to be closer to LA if I can help it.
My long term goal is to balance a career behind the in both film and music
Have you run the net price calculator on each college website? At most schools you will be asked to pay more than your FAFSA EFC – I also assume you are out of state for the UCs. You will have to pay out of state tuition and get little or no aid – so over $50,000 per year. You should run the calculators on the schools you have’t heard back from yet or where you don’t have your FA package yet.
You can only borrow $5,500 freshman year, and a little more each year after that. Any other loans have to be taken by your parents or with an adult co-signer, and you don’t want to do that.
@intparent I did. USC’s estimate was $0-$1,000. I’d have to pay the full $67,000. Completely unaffordable. My dad said we could afford SDSU, which is $38,000, but we’d have to take out a couple of loans. We have a lot in trust fund, which can cover the first year’s tuition. DePaul estimated $40,000-$46,000. Loyola Chicago estimated around $38,000. I don’t remember the numbers from UCLA, and the rest of the schools are around $27,000. The thing with the schools around, $27,000 is, however, is that I wasn’t thinking about whether or not I liked the schools. That’s the one regret I have when I applied to the rest of the backup schools. I shouldn’t have just applied to say “I have backups,” and then I don’t like the schools at all. That’s one thing I wish I could go back and redo.
So you need to have a plan for how to pay for all four years, or you will end up as a disappointed transfer student. Paying with a trust for the first year is fine, but how will you pay after that? You can’t assume some big scholarship will drop in your lap.
You say your parents pay $22,000 for private school – for you, for younger siblings, or what? If it is for you, I would assume your parents can at least pay that amount toward college (at least I was able to when my kids went to college). But if you have younger sibs, this is even a bigger problem. If your parents use up all the money and take out big loans for you, what is left for them?
If as you say in the original post that they can pay $20,000 per year, these $38,000/year schools mean you will take about over $70,000 in loans for your undergraduate education (whether it is you or your parents). That is too much, and you are not likely to have a high paying job to pay them back.
It is a problem that you did not pick safeties that you actually want to attend. It isn’t a safety if you don’t want to attend or can’t afford it. My personal opinion is that you may need to make the best of the $27,000/year schools.
While it can be helpful to go to school in LA, it isn’t absolutely essential. My nephew went to Bowdoin (small liberal arts college in Maine, far from the entertainment scene). He always was involved with music as a hobby, and whatever he could figure out to do on campus. He ended up working for Sony in New York as a talent scout after college, and now is a manager for a pretty well known indi rock musician and a couple other bands. You don’t have to go to school in LA to get involved in the entertainment industry after you graduate.
@intparent It was about 22000 for all 3 of us. My dad said we could stretch & pay 20000 if we needed to, but that’s about as far as we can go. I don’t know how we’re gonna pay for the next 3 years. I’m probably going to work during the summer. I plan on trying to become an RA wherever I end up going, and it’s worth a shot even though there are a limited amount of positions. That’s about as far as I’ve gotten. Should I try & find other schools to apply to? I think there are still some that are accepting applications.
@circuitrider University of Illinois at Chicago, Illinois State, & University of Illinois Urbana
You need to pick among the schools you can afford. That is the bottom line. UIUC has the strongest academics overall – I personally would pick that school and immerse yourself in the campus entertainment scene, and hustle for internships in the summer related somehow to the industry. Sorry… But you can’t afford most of the schools you have applied to.
If you really want to work in the competitive film industry, you can go to school ANYWHERE. The Internet is your friend.
Southern California is notorious for bad public transportation; you would have to include a big budget for transportation. You will be paying dues for a long time, before you can make it, in the film industry and if you have horrendous loans, the interest alone, will drag you or your parents down for years.
It is a little late for next year to be looking for schools. Is your plan to transfer into a film program? Transferring in for most of the top schools you applied to is just as tough an admit, maybe worse. It definitely helps to be in L.A. or another major film city, but it doesn’t,t matter where you go if you have talent, be willing to work your tail off, and network your contacts. You could take a gap year and reapply next year to some film schools with higher admission rates and lower tuition costs, there are some cal state colleges with decent programs. Another choice is colorado film school, top 25 but more economical. They have a spring admission deadline in October I think. What is your home state? If it is a wue state it is a great deal. Try posting in film forum for more ideas.
My home state is Illinois. I think what I’m gonna end up doing is majoring in something else other than film so that way, I can get a job to pay off the debt. I’ll work on videos & music on the side, form connections, & work my way up. @jtmoney I don’t really know the route to take though.
What debt? Not sure which schools you are now considering. You can only borrow $5,500 per year. Do NOT ask your parents to cosign or take out Parent Plus loans for you – go to the schools you can afford.
USC is about the only choice if you want Hollywood connections. LMU is OK, but you will need to hustle. UCLA will not let you apply to film school until you are a Junior, plus it is VERY difficult school to get into.
Let me warn you. If you REALLY want to work in Hollywood and you do not have relatives already there, look for a LONG road. USC will not help you much, in spite of what they say on their website. You will have to find you own internships, and they will be unpaid, even AFTER you graduate. The school doesn’t care about you, just about celebs who give them more money. Studios know that and will use their contacts at USC to get more fodder of 12 hour a day unpaid interns. You will wash cars, get coffee, and work for total incompetents who just happen to be the brother, child, or lover of the Producer.
If that is your path, you will get an excellent education at USC if you really study and get close to the adjunct profs who actually work in Hollywood. And, you will need to start in your freshmen year working on upperclassmen movies. That means coffee runs, moving cables, fixing things weekends and summers. Unless you are exceptionally attractive or embrace way alternative lifestyles, you will have to start at the very bottom AFTER you graduate, work really hard to have a shot. Minimum wage, if you get paid, for 12 hour days, late night calls. Fired on a moments notice by psychopaths.
Better idea is to get a business degree from a good school then get a Masters from USC. Easier to get in, cheaper. Plus, you can work the fringes of the industry, where the money is.
Not so negative, oldindie, this is a high school senior. It appears your dream LA schools are out of reach admission wise/ tuition. Good news is Chicago area has a lot of opportunities, easily top ten for film in USA. Can you afford UIC, the last thing you want is large debt it removes your opportunity to be a starving artist for the first few years while you establish your self. Does UIC have a film major? Mix that with a business/accounting minor, start networking and make your way. Reality is your success in film business is dependent on your talent, quality contacts, hard work, and persistence. Actually exactly what oldindie described, but if it is want you want to really do you will love it, in spite of the long hours and psychopaths.
@jtmoney UIC doesn’t have a film program. The closest they have is music business. My dad told me it was affordable & that we could make it work with any schools $5,000-$10,000 dollar difference, but I don’t want to push it. SDSU sent my official award, & I’d have to pay $35,000, UIC would be $29,000, ISU would be $21,000 (they gave me a $6,000 scholarship), so the most affordable, but they’ve had a lot of problems there with race & other things from what I’ve heard, and I’m an African American female. Both my parents don’t want me going there if they can help it, but it’s affordable so idk. I also don’t know if it makes a difference, but the mortgage is almost paid off & it should be done by my sophomore year in college, I think.
@oldindie UCLA started a freshman application for film I think last year, i don’t remember. And I have a few connections. My cousin has a friend working for Twentieth Century Fox, I have another family member working in the fashion industry, and my classmate’s mom from school has a good friend who’s a producer in the industry. I’m willing to work for years to get to where I want to go; I don’t care how long it takes.
make it work with any schools $5,000-$10,000 dollar difference, but I don't want to push it. SDSU sent my official award, & I'd have to pay $35,000, UIC would be $29,000, ISU would be $21,000 (they gave me a $6,000 scholarship), so the most affordable, but they've had a lot of problems there with race & other things from what I've heard, and I'm an African American female. Both my parents don't want me going there if they can help it, but it's affordable so i
Are you instate for Illinois?
You need to apply to reasonable list. You applied to UCLA and a few other unaffordable OOS schools.
