@filmilf
From August 2019 through October 2019, there were a total of five student deaths across all undergraduate and graduate programs at USC. Each and every one of them was tragic. Three of the five students were within the School of Cinematic Arts. One was reported to be suicide. The remaining two were attributed to undisclosed causes. And of course, each and every death - regardless of the cause - is highly significant.
To be correct, the SCA students were not all in the same major. And combined, the majors involved admit many more than just 15 people per year. But your point is still well taken. These young people are admitted to highly competitive programs. Once there, it remains a competitive environment. It can also at times be a pressure cooker. When I was at Johns Hopkins, it was that way in many highly competitive programs… pre-med and STEM programs especially. Across America and at many colleges and universities, it can be that way in a number of highly competitive programs… performance based programs, STEM programs, Pre-Med programs, Pre-Law programs, business programs, etc. And yes - of course it can be that way in film schools too. It has likely been that way for most of SCA’s 91 year history. It is likely that way at most highly competitive film schools too. I have certainly heard it described as such at NYU, FSU, UCLA and others.
So what has changed at USC SCA specifically? The programs themselves at SCA did not fundamentally change in the Fall of 2019. But the deaths that occurred during that semester do of course force everyone affiliated with the programs to evaluate the full spectrum of potential causes and contributing factors. Clearly, signs related to the individuals involved may have been missed or not given the proper attention. Everyone reacts differently to pressure, deadlines, depression, life on their own in college - including relationships & potentially alcohol or drug use, loneliness, break-ups, and all of the other factors that may face a young person while away at university. Mental health issues or the potential lack of the proper resources for such could also be contributing factors. If you combine such a potential combination of factors with the reality of also being in a competitive, pressure-cooker program of study, the results can unfortunately be tragic. We are not all equally equipped or prepared to handle what life throws at us. And certain individuals face significant challenges or circumstances that far too often go unnoticed or insufficiently dealt with over time.
Some are excited to gain admission into SCA or an equivalent highly rated film school but then start to feel inadequate or unprepared, especially in terms of some of their peers, once they are there and fully involved in their program of study. That was my own daughter’s reaction. She still feels inadequate when comparing herself to others there. The production and screenwriting programs especially are inherently competitive. Soon, you are also being compared to your peers and evaluated against each other. That added stress can potentially be a bit much for certain individuals.
As a result, some have suggested making these highly competitive and successful programs less rigorous or challenging, trying to diminish their inherent competitiveness. But that approach has seldom worked. Certain programs, whether you are talking about Harvard law school or Hopkins medical school or USC’s or NYU’s film schools, simply self-generate their own form of competitiveness. These programs are among the very best exactly because they attract and then train some of the very best candidates for each discipline. But these type of programs are not necessarily a good fit for every applicant who dreams of taking on such challenges and learning in such environments.
I personally communicate and engage with my daughter a few times each week. I ask her about her classes and friends. I try to gauge her mood and gain a sense of her stress level as it relates to her daily and weekly routine. And before she even embarked on the challenge that is SCA, we discussed the program’s pro’s and con’s extensively. Families do need to remain engaged - before, during and after. Friendships and healthy social circles are extremely important too. To me, the focus needs to be primarily on awareness (involving self-awareness, friends and family, and peers) and expanded resources, especially related to substance abuse, depression counseling and metal health initiatives.
God willing, these tragedies will not be repeated. But it takes more than just wishful thinking. It takes involvement and interaction.
If you are an applicant for SCA or any comparable film school, think about what you are endeavoring to take on. Is such a program really right for you? Discuss it with your friends and family - those who know you best. Only you and they can adequately judge your temperament and readiness for such a challenge. SCA has been and remains a great educational program. Even a cursory look at its storied alumni suggest the possibilities that potentially await a select few future alum. But many others have attended SCA and not found equal success long term. Some still are content and happy that they chose to attend. Some likely wish they had chosen a different path. Hopefully you each make the right decision for you…
Good Luck with that decision.