<p>I'm trying to get a handle on the differences between the Explore USC program and the admitted students day. I've read the descriptions and looked at the little chart you get in the admissions packet, but they are all very high level. My daughter has some questions which will be best answered by faculty in her program (SCA/IMGD) and I want to make sure she has a chance to ask them.</p>
<p>Of course we could do both (we live in NorCal, so it's not impossible), but if they are very similar then that would be a waste. Anyone here have knowledge of the programs from past experience?</p>
<p>Explore USC Is a very full and comprehensive day. We went 3 years ago. There is a tour, panels on a variety of topics, a very nice lunch with some fun “surprises .” Kids peel off in the afternoon and have dinner in the dining hall while parents are “wined and dined” with faculty at their tables. The whole day is about selling the school to families and it works! </p>
<p>Do Explore if you can. Explore is much more comprehensive. We stayed for the regular day (the next day). It was not much different than it was for my D when she and her dad attended a pre-admissions college tour. The pomp and circumstance is on the Explore Day. They make a big deal of it.</p>
<p>I signed up for Explore USC, but also want to find out how we can visit specifically the Cinematic Arts Dept, since son was accepted to Viterbi(Games), and being wowed there would go a long way towards him making the decision.</p>
<p>We have exactly the same questions as rgosula and The Weaver. Specifically how many classes my son admitted to (SCA/IMGD) can take in CS (Games) and how the programs mesh. </p>
<p>@Minnymom and @ArtsandLetter, thanks for the info. Sounds like Explore is worth doing. Also sounds like it is something many of the parents attend (wasn’t sure about that either and I want to make sure to give my D her space ).</p>
<p>I’ll make sure to contact the admissions folks and see about getting connected to someone in her department.</p>
<p>@rgosula – Cinematic Arts holds pretty regular information sessions that you can sign up for that will give you an overview of the SCA. They are definitely impressive. You can find a calendar of them by following the “Visit the School of Cinematic Arts” on their home page.</p>
<p>@TheWeaver if you attend Explore you will be separated from your child for most of the event anyway so now worries about camping their style. They have separate activities for parents. </p>
<p>Another option is to do what my husband did. He attended the summer orientation session with our student. The same programs apply although less intense. There are sessions for parents that aren’t the same as what is planned for students. Literally my husband opted to stay on campus and the parents were put in a separate dorm and he didn’t see her again until the reception at the end of the next day.</p>
<p>Have fun. It is comforting to get a flavor of what campus life will be like for your child. After all, we’ll be paying for it for the rest of our lives :-)</p>
<p>rgosula and geomom, I would be happy to answer any specific questions if I can. If you look closely at the courses req’d in each of the majors: CompSci (Games) vs. IMGD, and compare, you can see some overlap, but in general the Viterbi curriculum is a true CompSci major and is engineering intensive. IMGD students have more room in their schedules to take many Viterbi courses, if they want more than the 2 or 3 programming classes required, or to branch out and double major, take a minor or two, or just take classes of interest from Architecture to Animation to…um… Sailing. CS Games majors have less room for electives, but as part of their reqs they may choose from a selection of IMGD courses. In senior year, both of these majors sort of merge in the famous Advanced Game Projects 2 semester course, where teams form from a mix of both majors and they produce astonishingly accomplished games. You may have heard about USC’s demo day, but it is truly the capstone of both majors. Here’s an article from 2012, the year my S1 was a senior. <a href=“USC Cinematic Arts | School of Cinematic Arts News”>USC Cinematic Arts | School of Cinematic Arts News;
<p>@ArtsandLetters, thanks – we’re all signed up for Explore, can’t wait.</p>
<p>@madbean, my D’s interests lie more on the story telling, narrative, art side of things. So her concerns center more around whether she can avoid the programming courses and add more art focused classes. The other program she is considering is game/entertainment design at Otis which would obviously be a much more art focused curriculum. From your description it sounds like an IMGD student will have room to branch out a bit. Any idea if she’d have issues taking courses in the Art school (perhaps even minoring in something like design or illustration)?</p>
<p>TheWeaver, both my sons majored in IMGD and both are primarily interested in story telling, narrative and game design as well as heavily involved in art, like your D! S1 also studied in Florence one semester to delve into studio art and art history (and pasta). Great experience! As far as programming, the IMGD curriculum requires one programming class, with two others that allow you to work in pairs/teams on games. My sons tended to pair up with programmers. Understanding the programming side of game dev is really important, but S2 is not a big fan. As you found, there are many routes to adding more art to her coursework. My younger son has a double major so his schedule is too full to get too many other courses in, but taking a minor will leave more breathing room for extras along the way. I’ll also mention here that most of the CS (Games) and IMGD majors get involved with game projects outside of class, too. There is a great energy in this cohort, and they devote a lot of out-of-class time to actually making games, attending game jams, collaborating on others’ projects, etc.</p>
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CS Games majors have less room for electives, but as part of their reqs they may choose from a selection of IMGD courses. In senior year, both of these majors sort of merge in the famous Advanced Game Projects 2 semester course, where teams form from a mix of both majors and they produce astonishingly accomplished games. You may have heard about USC’s demo day, but it is truly the capstone of both majors. Here’s an article from 2012, the year my S1 was a senior. 
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Understanding the programming side of game dev is really important, but S2 is not a big fan.