<p>which is better specifically?</p>
<p>Specifically? You’d need to be more specific about what you’re looking for in a film education, I’d say, before we can answer.</p>
<p>Madbean is better qualified to answer this question, but I will begin with my opinions.</p>
<p>USC is higher ranked overall than NYU.
NYU is less selective than SC overall
At SC alumni contibute to their alma mater. SC ranks 8th and NYU 154th.
USC has a beautiful campus with many fountains, courtyards, flowering shrubs and green spaces.
SC has a larger number of international students which add to the vibrant energy of student life.
In the first year 98.1% of incoming freshman live on campus, which helps to build new friendships.
Due to the wonderful weather students can be seen on some January days wearing shorts to class.
SC has a much smaller student faculty ratio 1/9, even smaller in SCA.
As a dorm choice cinema students may choose to live on the cinema floor for easy collaboration.
SC encourages interaction among the top notch schools of music, theatre and SCA.
A student becomes a part of the global Trojan family.</p>
<p>About SCA…</p>
<p>The School of Cinematic Arts has the tradition of close ties with the film industry.
The actual complex is brand new and cost about $100 million dollars. A proposed $50 million addition is planned for animation.<br>
Sound stages, lighting equipment, computers, sound equipment are state of the art.
George Lucas oversaw the entire design and building of the complex personally.
Alumni of the school mentor students, return for lectures and events, sponsor internships and interview students for scholarships.
Cinema and TV crews are often seen on campus filming scenes.
Students are taught in small groups of extremely talented and creative peers.
The alumni of the school are some of the most famous names in the film, TV and stage business.
The library is a gem, filled with scripts, notations, letters, videos, costumes and entire collections from Hollywood studios or individual directors and producers. These are available for research purposes.
The faculty members are outstanding.
YouTube videos are available that show actual classes in session.
SCA is located in Los Angeles, one of the centers of the entertainment industry.
The school is noted for integrating theory and practice. Students do not wait until their senior year to make films. </p>
<p>oso 123,
I have lived on both coasts. My suggestion is to visit the campus, speak with students and tour the amazing complex. Sit in on a class.
However, if you are a New Yorker through and through and cannot imagine life outside of NYC then you may feel more comfortable at NYU.</p>
<p>oso, you posted your question to the USC board, so you know the sort of answers you will get here. 
We love USC SCA.</p>
<p>Both film schools are excellent. </p>
<p>If you want to work in L.A. (television, films, music videos, video games, whatever), you’ll have to move here sometime. Many find attending USC’s SCA the perfect way to transition here, make priceless contacts, get internships–perhaps on television series in production or at studios, and begin building peer relationships with the leaders of the entertainment world of tomorrow. Time after time we hear of super agents, network programmers, film producers, etc etc who are alumni of USC SCA and keep in touch with their alma mater. For those who realize the importance of such networking, USC can offer a lot of opportunities.</p>
<p>If one prefers the indie world of NY, wants to stay on the east coast, or hates sunshine, beaches, and palm trees, (heh) NYU may be a better fit.</p>
<p>P.S. My son is a soph in SCA and this is the first week of spring semester. He has his first film due next week, and he’s got an awesome camera from the school to shoot it.</p>
<p>I have 2 sons in SCA production, a senior and a freshman, and they both LOVE it. And they are as different as night and day. But what they both like, I believe, is the feeling of community at USC, of being a part of a family that being on a “traditional” campus inherently brings. They are encouraged from day 1 to film, enter film contests, join film clubs, participate in internship workshops, etc., and the film school is very proactive about making sure parents are aware of the opportunities the students have available to them. I don’t know how NYU is about that. Our daughter is a junior at NYU and she LOVES it. She isn’t in film, though, but I mention that because with our two boys, it seems that it was the package of not only the film school’s reputation but also the school’s sense of community that was important to them…whereas our daughter couldn’t care less about community, she just wanted to be at NYU and find her own way. I believe you will find fine filmmakers emerging from both schools, and visits to both schools will help narrow those aspects most appealing to the applicant. I would recommend reading/googling as much as you can about graduates of both schools and what they have to say about their experiences. We couldn’t be happier with USC SCA though, and are so proud of our kids and the friends they have made through the film school. An advantage of living near USC is that our home was the setting of one of our son’s films (and my husband got a bit part!), and through that we got to know our son’s friends (crew) so well which doesn’t get better than that. What nice kids!! You can’t go wrong with either school, but I know that USC keeps parents abreast of what is going on in the film school, which we really appreciate. Good luck!</p>
<p>My freshman son is a film production major at USC and is very, very happy there. He thinks it’s not just the best program in the US but in the world. He did consider & visit NYU and has a good friend who’s a freshman enrolled in their film major. He felt that LA was the far better location for what he wants to do in film and TV and he preferred a more traditional campus layout. One big thing to consider - NYU also has an early decision program, which USC does not, and the admissions people strongly advised applying ED if you want to attend their film school. That means if you are accepted ED at NYU, you won’t be going to USC unless you break your ED commitment, which is not a good thing to do. I would advise visiting both if at all possible though it’s tough with it being two sides of the country.</p>
<p>They really are quite different schools. Besides everything else everyone else has said already, NYU might be the better place if you’re into more independent, artsy type of films and USC might be better if you want to work in the traditional Hollywood industry. However, of course, you could make artsy films at USC or more mainstream films at NYU; I’m just saying that there are kind of two sides of the film industry and it could be helpful to determine in which one you feel more comfortable and want to work in in the future when deciding on USC vs NYU.</p>