<p>hey, I am planning to transfer to USC under film major.</p>
<p>This afternoon, I received a phone call from cinematic arts admission and asked me to send unofficial winter & spring transcript.</p>
<p>I don’t understand why they gave me a call to fax my transcript for this spring semester. I guess they want to know what classes I am taking… but why? </p>
<p>I hope this is a good sign though. </p>
<p>Did any transfer students get phone call from SCA??</p>
<p>Trojanpic,</p>
<p>The spring request grades, in my opinion, might be a good sign. It means that (perhaps) they’ve seen your application and have seen some promise, and are making sure that you are a good student, academically. For some, I think the spring grades request means that they’re on the last leg of a decision. That in itself is good news. I hope they’re whittling down their choices for transfers because I’m one also.</p>
<p>casey, I’m sorry you got disappointing news. To be truthful, you don’t list your GPA so it’s hard to evaluate your academic strength the way the adcom would. They looked at the academic rigor of your courses (did you take the most challenging your HS offered?) and how well you did in AP classes. In addition, your SAT score is well below the average (2108) for accepted students last year. They haven’t posted the avg for this year. Your ACT is in the ballpark, though. From that standpoint, you don’t look like a match for USC.</p>
<p>However, some schools like the SCA will also base their decisions on additional criteria such as creative history, potential, and talent. For this they rely on your supplemental application materials. Those essays are extremely important. It’s hard for any of us to judge the merit of your essays since they would be read in context with the materials submitted by all the other production applicants this year. Since we have been told the admission rate for SCA is around 5%, that means they will turn down 95 applicants out of 100. So even very good essays may not grab the attention of the adcoms if there are more compelling ones out there.</p>
<p>Other schools may use different criteria, but studying filmmaking is a creative field so USC will look closely at your background in this area. I hope you worked hard on your creative resume, listing all the important works you did in photography, writing, theatre, speech team and yearbook layout. If you have out-of-school projects in music, art, dance, or any other creative studies, that helps too. Take a look at the example they post online and follow it carefully. A lot of students simply misread the instructions or throw together some of the materials, when real care must be taken to submit everything requested on time. They also like to see additional letters of recommendation and these must be sent directly to the SCA, not to USC Admissions.</p>
<p>For those who are considering the idea of applying to USC SCA for transfer, I wish you all the best of luck. Use the next year or two to broaden your creative resume, jumping into creative projects and taking classes in the arts that truly inspire you. These will no doubt help you define your own vision of the films you want to make.‘’</p>
<p>But in the end, you will do well no matter if you get into one particular school or not. We all know of the very famous director who was turned down by USC. The point is to stay determined, brush yourself off, and believe in yourself. No one needs a certain degree to make it in the arts. But your college education, as long as you take it seriously, will help shape you into the informed and aware artist you will need to be.</p>
<p>Transfers,
Any status updates?</p>
<p>Did any other transfer on here have issues with the Financial Aid department? I’ve been fighting tooth and nail with them to consider the application complete. I’ve done the FAFSA, Student Profile, sent in printed online tax forms, etc, and they’re still giving me a tough time. Anyone on here having the same sort of issues, and if so, how were they resolved?</p>
<p>Just received my first status update since 12/23, today, on 4/22. Very exciting. Anyone else, transfers mainly, who’ve received updates?</p>
<p>I got my status updated in 3/19/09. It is pretty early for transfer students. Sorry I am not sure about the financial aid, but great to see another transfer students here. Do you think you can get in?</p>
<p>Hm, ok, so I have a pretty general question, and if anyone has any insight it would be much appreciated.</p>
<p>I just got back from visiting NYU, (I’ve basically narrowed it down to Production at USC or Film and Television at NYU) and I was really pleasantly surprised. I didn’t anticipate loving it nearly as much as I did, so, naturally, I’m confused. After talking to some of the current NYU students, they said the main (and most impressive) difference between NYU and USC is NYU’s focus on really encouraging unique vision and focusing more on indie films rather than huge blockbusters like USC. That sounds really appealing to me, but I’m just wondering how true it is. I’m just trying to weigh out pros and cons, and I’m just ending up more confused every time.</p>
<p>Basically, I’m looking to go to the school that will allow me to create the type of films I want to create, encourage my unique take on film, and provide me with the best opportunities to get jobs. Aren’t we all. I don’t know. Any input? I’m torn…</p>
<p>You should go to NYU for more creative freedom. USC is more of a one mold school and does that great, but doesn’t really cut it when you are looking for no-restraint environment for film making.</p>
<p>Trojanpic,</p>
<p>I do think I have a great chance of getting in. I feel pulled towards this particular university and simply wouldn’t have applied to it otherwise. It’s hard to explain without dragging on.</p>
<p>LifeLikeMusic,</p>
<p>I disagree that USC can only be used to create blockbusters, which I know it is know for, for the most part. The craft of marketing and getting your work out there, as well as the technical advancements of the college, are what impress me, as are the amount of connections and input they give in order to get your work out there. USC seems to have a sense of pride with their film students that some more independent focused schools do not. I’ve also heard that schools like NYU focus on the individual, while USC attempts to have people work in groups and excel in a way that resembles an industry, which, like it or not, film is and not particularly one that is easy to survive in. That’s why I prefer the message USC gives out, even though I do not plan on making blockbusters. I want to learn with other film enthusiasts and have a whole department rooting for me. Sounds sappy, but I believe in it.</p>
<p>I got a spring grade report request…how I just have to wait till Mid-July…sounds great!</p>
<p>santa monica2</p>
<p>congrats! and hope you get into either fall 2009 or spring 2010.
I am wondering what did you write about in your SCA application? </p>
<p>Do you think it’s decent? I just wanna know what you wrote in your application since you already got SGR from USC!!</p>
<p>I thought my supplemental application was just okay, the emotional experience essay and a “unique character” profile. I did both in a couple of days and I think they show more potential than anything else. For my “about me” essay I wrote about addiction and my year abroad and where I’m at now. I think that was a really good essay too. </p>
<p>The reason I got the SGR is because I did not have my pre reqs done for transfering. I am currently in intermediate algebra and english so I have to wait until June to finish up and send the grades over. </p>
<p>The thing I am concerned about is how much room SCA will save for students like me. I am already at a disadvantage transferring in considering the majority of their open spots go to freshmen. Then on top of that, I am a transfer student who will not even be reviewed until July, which is after the majority of transfers get in. So with so few spots, I am just afraid they will be too full, even if I am a candidate they would want to accept. If they bump me to Spring, I would be totally fine with that as well. </p>
<p>What school did you apply to? If its SCA what did you write about?</p>
<p>i applied to USC production major. I think my essays are OK, at least I wrote honestly from my heart. I wrote about how the experience of living in Australia for 3 years affected my personality. (I from overseas, non-English speaking country) in personal essay. For the emotional essay, i wrote about being beaten up by the stranger in the middle of night. (sounds crazy but it’s true). Maybe my strength is that I have a letter of recommendation from one of USC Cinema faculty, and tons of creative work (acting, directing, photo, painting, and stunt acting and etc…)</p>
<p>I hope both of us get in!</p>
<p>by the way, are you from Santa Monica? because I live in Santa Monica.</p>
<p>Do you go to SMC? I live just south of santa monica, but still by the beach.</p>
<p>yeah I go to Santa Monica College.
I live east of santa monica.
Are you going to SMC as well?</p>
<p>Yup, I got to SMC too.</p>
<p>Where are you from trojanpic?</p>
<p>I am from Japan.
Are you from CA or other states?</p>
<p>I am from California, born and raised in Los Angeles</p>