Screenwriting and Playwriting at Drexel

redribbon
Sun, 23 Jun 2013 04:00:56 +0000

I admit that my knowledge about Drexel’s screenwriting program is limited, but I’ll weigh in anyway.
Drexel is a good school with a solid reputation. If it seems like a school where you can see yourself for the next four years and you can go for free, do it. College is extremely expensive. When you graduate, you’ll be so glad you don’t have the burden of crippling student debt. Drexel’s screenwriting program is not as well known as, for example, UCLA, but that doesn’t mean that the program doesn’t provide its student with quality educations. If that’s what you want to study and you can do it for free, take advantage of it. If it’s possible and you haven’t already, visit the school and talk to the faculty in the screenwriting department. Better yet, see if the faculty will put you in contact with current students and recent graduates. I bet most will jump at the chance to talk to you about the program.
Also, keep in mind that a career in screenwriting doesn’t require a degree and a degree does not guarantee a job. It’s difficult to “make it” as a screenwriter, so it might be wise to use your undergraduate years to also pursue your other interests through double majors, minors, etc. You may discover that you like something else better than screenwriting, or not. Either way, keeping your options open won’t hurt you. When I started undergrad, I also thought I wanted to be a screenwriter. My school didn’t have a screenwriting major, but it offered many classes within its communications major. After my first semester, I decided it wasn’t for me and ended up double majoring in English and Chemistry. Now, I’m in a graduate playwriting program, which isn’t something I formally studied at all in undergrad. What I’m trying to say is that Drexel is a good school and you shouldn’t let what you’ve “heard” about their screenwriting program deter you from seizing a wonderful opportunity. Go. See for yourself. There’s always time to do something else if you decide you don’t like it. If you decide that you really hate Drexel’s program, you can always transfer. Philadelphia is just an hour and a half away from New York City by train, so if you decide that a more prestigious program is better for you, you can always take a day trip up to some of the NY schools and see if they’re a better fit.
If you know for sure that you definitely want to be a screenwriter and you’re thinking about going on to a graduate program in screenwriting, your degree from Drexel might actually help you. A degree from a school that has a reputation for business and engineering could help you stand out in a pile of applications. Graduate schools are always looking for diversity in their programs.
In the end, this is your decision, but I urge you to keep an open mind and ask yourself if the program is right for you. If it’s not, move on. If there’s even a chance that it is, you might want to give it a shot. It couldn’t hurt.