<p>Reaches (5):
Columbia (may or may not apply to) - denied
Wesleyan - hard to predict (I’m a white male, and I got in with a 3.3 GPA)
USC: School of Cinematic Arts - depends on what you send in for your portfolio, but it will be tough with your GPA
Vassar - hard to predict
NYU: Tisch School of the Arts - this one really depends on your portfolio </p>
<p>Matches (4):
Kenyon College - good shot
Chapman University: Dodge College of Film and Media Arts - good shot
Loyola Marymount University: School Of Film and Television - very good shot
Bard - good shot </p>
<p>Safeties (2):
Sarah Lawrence College - good shot (I view this more as a match)
Ithaca College - very good shot</p>
<p>To be honest you have a good list. Columbia will be extremely difficult to get into, but I think schools like Wesleyan, Vassar, NYU, and USC are worth applying to. Look into Occidental and Pitzer - both of these schools have great writing and film programs, give good aid, and are located in LA. I would take Ithaca off.</p>
<p>I most agree with the advice destinyhelp has offered.</p>
<p>However, I will add that even though your unweighted gpa is not as great as it could be, I think you have a really great shot at top liberal art colleges and top universities if you don’t apply seeking admissions to their film department where competition would be based on additional factors-like experience in the field, talent, etc. After all, as an applicant you have a 4.3 weighted gpa, predicted SAT scores of over 2000, and you have a hook for being an underrepresented minority. </p>
<p>Also, if you’re financially needy, some schools(although they may have a good or strong film program) may suck at financial aid. I think with your test scores you could get into great privates with decent/strong program that could reward you for your SAT scores. Boston University comes to mind. </p>
<p>Lastly, also consider that your interests may change once you start college. Don’t end up sacrificing a top school for a not so top school over a major that you may end up changing. Like destinyhelp has written, it’s really important for you to get a well rounded education. As a literature major(which at first glance may not seem or appear close to screenwriting/film) you will be reading a lot which will teach you the skills to know what makes a good/effective stories. You can always take screenwriting classes on the side. Screen writing classes at an intro level are foundational classes that teach you style and technique, not what to write. The “what” is what makes a good story/movie. Also be aware that at some schools you’re allowed to take film department classes as electives. At UCLA, non film school students are allowed to take screen writing classes in the film department as electives.</p>
<p>“do you think I have a decent chance at these colleges.”</p>
<p>No idea. These are the kinds of schools I glanced at and then ran away from because I knew they were too expensive But I know a lot of those film programs are really competitive. Some of them really don’t accept that many students a year at all. So if you’re going for a film production program it’s not necessarily all about having a fantastic GPA but also having a really, really impressive portfolio. If you want to be in one of those top film production programs you’re going to have to prove that you have the talent. If you want to be in one of the top screenwriting programs you might have to prove that as well with scripts.</p>
<p>I like your list, you might try to expand your match list, even if you are an academic match, Chapman and LMU film schools get lots of applicants. Screenwriting may not be as difficult as production, but it still is very competitive. Chapman requires a 2 min intro video for production, not for screenwriting. LMU doesn’t require a video even for production. Every film school varies, but the more on your creative resume the better.</p>
<p>AppleBeam, Have you ever considered doing a double major or perhaps a major and a minor? You have the options to do that at Chapman. Perhaps you can apply to either screenwriting or production as your major and then you can decide on your minor at the end of your freshman year. If you like, you can double major in film and English or another subject. You can do that you know. That’s what my kid is doing.</p>
<p>It would be cool to double major in a subject you might be interested in making a film in. Like if you’re interested in historical films, double major with history. Or if you’re interested in film adaptations and literature, do English or literature. And so on.</p>
<p>^
^^
Yes, I stated in my first post that I was considering a double major. My only concern is that I may not have enough time on my hands (I might consider playing crew in college) and whether I would have to factor cost into the equation. I think I’d like to major in Film Production/Screenwriting and English.</p>
<p>^Yes. I’m really interested in Occidental now and I’m considering it as a Reach/Match school. Pitzer I’m kind of iffy about since I’ve heard some not so impressive things about social life, I’m not certain I’ll get into a college with such a low acceptance rate (26 %), and there is no crew team.</p>
<p>NU has a major in Radio/Television/Film, a minor in Film and Media Studies and Certificate in Creative Writing for the Media (though the website says that right now it’s transitioning into a new module program). It also has a Writing Program and a Critical Theory Program.</p>
<p>Sarah Lawrence (extensive, very extensive record for producing people who work in the TV/movie industry), NYU and USC.</p>
<p>PS Sarah Lawrence is NOT a safety school – especially not a financial safety. And I think their aid is rationed using academics or extreme talent as a guide (you’d be surprised how qualified many of their applicants are when it comes to writing/literary achievements so yeah)</p>
But I know a lot of those film programs are really competitive. Some of them really don’t accept that many students a year at all. So if you’re going for a film production program it’s not necessarily all about having a fantastic GPA but also having a really, really impressive portfolio. If you want to be in one of those top film production programs you’re going to have to prove that you have the talent. If you want to be in one of the top screenwriting programs you might have to prove that as well with scripts.</p>