<p>A view from outside as a college interviewer.</p>
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<li><p>Your daughter got a transfer plan at a time when almost every other student was denied outright. Cinematic Arts takes only 4% of the applicants and turns down 96%. So consider that a gift. My daughter’s classmate was given a transfer option and is coming this fall.</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t appeal. It’s too late for that and likely wouldn’t have succeeded. The purpose of the appeal is to add new compelling information that wasn’t evident on the initial application (got an award, etc). It isn’t to explain a negative component. The “C’s” likely didn’t have anything to do with the decision or she would have been declined outright. It is because Cinematic Arts has no space for the number of interested candidates and USC (the main campus) is now getting over 51,000 applications and has to turn most of them down. </p></li>
<li><p>DO NOT CALL on behalf of your child. If she’s old enough to attend USC she’s old enough to make her own phones calls. At this point in the game it’s not your role anymore. I actually note on interviews which students had parents call on their behalf and when you’re not guaranteed a spot why paint “helicopter mom attached” to her forehead. I know you are worried, but it’s time to take a step back and let “the kid” take center stage in managing this process going forward. Our role is to pay the bill. That’s it. And even then the materials and information are sent directly to her.</p></li>
<li><p>Some of the parents I’ve met have actually liked the Transfer plan as it allows for a year at a cheaper college. If she signs a contract just make sure she takes the specific classes they require and maintains the required gpa. Just make sure the contract is specific about her ability to get into Screenwriting since I know that degree follows a very specific sequence and is one of the harder ones for others to transfer into. I also know that sometimes USC’s process is separate from SCA. So make sure she’s being considered for both - not just USC alone.</p></li>
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