@mstomper - That’s always been a point I’ve tried to make. Interests change. College is a place to find new passions; majors change. It’s important to be in an environment that gives you lots of choices and possible new directions.
And just when I thought my son was going to do the Cinema major at Univ of Pennsylvania, he decided he couldn’t do anything with that degree, so now he’s back to his Fine Arts major with a concentration in animation/digital media…where he could still end up in film. We’ll see.
@sbjdorlo - Sounds like something much more likely to lead to employment.
Just bumping the thread to say my son’s gone back to Cinema. 
He loves discussion and analysis, but will try production courses likely (video I, cinema production, screenwriting, animation, sound editing, etc).
At this point, we’re not going to worry about what jobs he might (or might not) get. That’s too far in the future. We just want him to do something he enjoys, and so far, he’s enjoying his two cinema classes this semester (as opposed to the three Fine Arts classes he dropped).
What types of cinema classes does PENN offer @sbjdorlo? Is it more theory based or production based?
@suzyQ7, Penn’s cinema is based in critical studies, it seems to me, but there are a number of production courses. Some that I see: Video I & II, Documentary, Cinema Production and image & sound editing. There’s also screen writing, advanced screen writing, poetics of screen writing, as well as several animation courses. Also offered is business of film.
Here’s the description of the program:
https://cinemastudies.sas.upenn.edu/undergraduate
And here are the current course offerings with an archive:
https://cinemastudies.sas.upenn.edu/courses/2016/fall
Some courses have the option of doing eithe a paper or a media project for the final (such as Television and New Media).
HTH.
My D’s friend majored in cinema and film studies in college and went to law school to work in the business end. In law school, she discovered taxation and estates law and that’s what she does now. She says that the collaboration she learned in film school has helped in her legal practice.
@techmom99 - Very interesting.
My S17 is interested in film production and screenwriting. He writes in his spare time and just joined a film production club in school. He has been a serious dancer all through his high school career even spending his summers in ballet intensives. During his junior year he finally decided not to pursue dance as a career but he wants to be in a creative field. He is still dancing six days a week and might continue to dance for fun in college but his love of film is winning out. We’re following @digmedia’s advice and looking at large universities where he will qualify for a scholarship and he can get experience. He has already been admitted to Bama where he received the Presidential scholarship. They have a brand new digital media facility and some very cool internships. He’s also applying to UT Austin and University of Kansas. He applied to Texas A&M but they don’t seem to have much of a film program or many student film groups.
I know this may be a fleeting fancy so he’s looking at schools with lots of choice in majors. Any others he should have on the list?
I’m applying as a film production major!
My top choices are UCLA, Northwestern, and Chapman, though I’m also applying to Berkeley, UC Davis, UCSD, UCSC, LMU, Baylor, ASU’s Barrett Honors College, Vanderbilt, CSUN, CSULB, SFSU, Wake Forest, TCU, UDub, UT-Austin, NYU, and the U of Utah. I’ve already been accepted to ASU, U of Kansas’ Honors College, DePaul, and CSU Fullerton, all for film.
Film for me has always been very meaningful, and an important way of expressing myself. At 2 1/2, I was diagnosed with Autism and needed to find alternative ways of communication, as verbal and social situations weren’t my strong suit. Film allowed me to do that. I’ve always been in love with film, and have been making short films ever since I was 9 years old. These films allowed an insight into my mindset that I had found difficulty expressing in the past.
I’ve made many short films in the past few years including an award-winner, which tells about my story with Autism. I also am the VP of my school’s film club, have taken Video Production classes at my school for 3 years, and have videographed certain events for my school’s college and career center. I aspire to, one day, become a director/actor and make films of my own.
Good luck to you @WJShipp - hope you get into all your top choices!
@WJShipp you sound a bit like S2 who is a junior. Though he is a B student (knock wood).
He has his first real collab assignment this semester, which should be interesting to see how he copes with sharing responsibilities, or sticking to one area.
His strength is in editing. He really is very good at it, having an intuition about what works. He also has a great “voiceover” voice…not sure what someone does with that:)
Also interested in college’s for him near NYC for the B student!
Something for you all to pass on to college students: Discovery Communications which own Animal Plant and lots of other networks has just posted their PAID internships for summer 2017. Locations in several cities- Several production internships