UPenn vs NYU for Aspiring Writer

Coela32
Sat, 19 Apr 2014 20:34:58 +0000

It’s a week before I have to officially decide where I’m going to school, and I’ve hit a wall in choosing between NYU and the University of Pennsylvania. My entire life I’ve wanted to be a writer, but I don’t know if I want to write Fiction or Plays/Screenplays.

I’ve been accepted to the Dramatic Writing Program at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts as well as the College of Arts and Sciences at UPenn. Which university would be better for an aspiring writer?

Here’s what I THINK I know so far: If I choose NYU I’ll be immersed in Playwriting/Screenwriting and I’ll have the opportunity to make publishing connections in NYC. Conversely, if I choose Penn I’ll have access to the Kelly Writers’ House and I’ll have the prestige an Ivy League education.

Which university would open up more opportunities for a CAREER in writing, not just a degree? Would literary agents and theater/screen producers be more impressed by NYU or Penn?

I’m worried that if I attend NYU I’ll miss my only chance on an Ivy League education, and that if I don’t make it as a writer I’ll have nothing to fall back on. However, I worry that if I attend Penn I’ll be “playing it safe” as a writer, rather than diving headfirst into the competitive world of New York City. I also worry that if I attend Penn I’ll get stuck as an English major with nothing but a “concentration” in Creative Writing, and my love for writing stories will get shoved aside just like it was in high school. Whereas at NYU, I’ll be thrust into the Dramatic Writing major with very few general education requirements.

NYU also seems to have more opportunities for all forms of writing (Playwriting, Screenwriting, and Fiction) while at Penn I can’t even find a single Playwriting CLASS. (I have no interest in Poetry). At the same time, I know there are thousands of kids who would love to attend school at an Ivy League, including myself. I love UPenn, and the idea of turning down their offer of admission makes me want to throw up.

While I don’t believe a person can be “taught to write,” I do believe it’s important to hone one’s skills and to make the necessary connections for publication as early as possible. Where do I go to school?