I’m a sophomore in high school and I am beyond sure that film directing is literally the only thing I’ll ever be satisfied spending the rest of my life doing, and I DREAM of attending USC. I’m a tri varsity athlete, I scored 230 on the PSAT’s, I write screenplays and short stories in my free time and try to submit them into competitions, although because of my schedule it is quite rare that they ever get finished. I have made three short films so far, one of which is a short documentary. I am simultaneously working on three different documentaries at the moment (they’re all being shot at totally different times, but planning is critical,) and only one of which is for school - one of the other two is a feature length documentary collaboration with my friend who is an aspiring journalist. The third is basically a side project. For the one paper I’ve submitted to a competition, I’ve gotten third place, which I’m proud of. Despite all of these accomplishments, my main concern is my grades, which range from B+'s to D+'s since freshman year. I’m scared that I’ll never get in because of this admittedly huge barrier…are my fears unfounded or should I look somewhere else? Thank you for the help!
No one can predict what USC will do. The Film school often uses more wiggle room on applications because they don’t look at grades or scores - just your supplement, essays and portfolio (if one is required).
Where you will find the greatest difficulty is with USC admissions - which is a separate process from School of Cinematic Art’s admissions. USC has to take you first - before SCA can take you. When my D was admitted she got two separate admissions packets. The SCA packet came later than the USC packet but the USC packet did indicate she got her choice of majors.
So that is the issue. One option is that USC’s film school might see your potential at which time USC might ask you to prove yourself for a year at a different college. That happened to at least one student I know who had a large film project portfolio but a weak academic history.
But I will warn you. SCA takes only 4% of the applicant pool. So even with perfect scores and grades it would be a long shot.
No one here can tell you what USC will do. But I think the D’s will give USC pause. You could try applying and hope your portfolio is appealing enough for SCA to advocate for you. But there are no guarantees they will. What do you have to lose?
Sorry buddy, you’re not going to get into the SCA, or USC for that matter. The world is full of kids who, like you, spend too much time on hobbies and not studying. You need to ask yourself whether college is for you. Only you know the answer to the question.
OP, no one (especially online posters) can tell you you will or won’t get in. And at age 15, you are still a work in progress. But if a highly selective college/program are your goals, you need to face the fact that most schools will look at your grades and compare them to other applicants with stronger grades–all with great bodies of film work. Who would they expect (from all their past experience with admissions) will keep up with their college coursework and thrive? Who is more likely to get caught up in a film project and forget his/her other classes? You want to show you can work hard in academics so they’ll give you the chance.
I wouldn’t worry too terribly much about freshman grades. After all, what’s done is done. Some universities (like the UCs) don’t even count 9th grade grades in your gpa. Even those that consider 9th grade, often give credit for an upward trend (meaning, as you mature, your grades get stronger). But to be quite honest, you need to aim for A’s. And more A’s than B’s is another goal. And taking a rigorous track of classes is also key. However, you seem to be very charged up and productive when working on your film projects, and that is also very important.
There are some posters who believe SCA does not look at grades, just focus on the portfolio. I have been told that is not exactly true. The SCA professors on the admissions committee (those who actually review the supplements) do not look at grades. Not at all. However, the office of SCA Admissions does. They make up the final list of candidates they want to admit to each major, and there are often more recommended (by the profs who read the supplements) than spots open. Grades/test scores may play a part in who makes the final cut. In addition, even a top applicant (talent, awards, films) will have to meet USC’s minimum requirements (this is not a gpa/ACT/SAT threshold anyone has shared publicly). Below a certain point, and USC Admissions will not agree. It has been explained that for a few candidates that SCA wants, they may “fight” for them to get in. But SCA Admisssions also says that they self-edit and do not go to bat for those who will not make it through. The reason is–they’ve admitted students with low stats in the past, and the results haven’t gone well. Students who go on academic probation, or worse, have to drop out are not an asset to SCA, so they have learned to be careful.
All that considered, it is likely that a very talented and honor-filled student who writes a killer supplement will find their stats may be fine even if towards the 25percentile. Lower than that, I would not expect an admission, although still theoretically possible.
On the other hand, it’s been widely reported that Mark Wahlberg wants to go to the SCA. Given his demonstrated and remarkable achievements, he’ll probably get in. So if you succeed in the film industry, then USC SCA is attainable.
@Madbean - yes and no. I have a kid in SCA and what I meant to say is they place less emphasis on grades than USC Admissions does. But they are very upfront to students who visit about grades and telling students to make themselves attractive “to USC” so that SCA can request them.
So I stand by my statement. SCA is more flexible and spends a lot of time looking at talent and potential. This is in keeping with some of the other film schools where scores and grades are not ignored but where portfolios are more heavily weighted. CalArts, for instance, doesn’t look at scores or grades at all. And at another competitive film program scores are optional.
Even so - the OP has D’s on his/her transcript which - in a competitive environment - is going to become a stumbling block unless they show progress over the next few years.
The level of candor at private parent forums held by SCA are enlightening about where they place their emphasis and what types of students they’ve admitted. So with OP’s academic performance SCA is a hurdle (as it is for every student) but getting through USC based on prior academic performance is an even bigger mountain to climb.
ArtsandLetters, I think we’re saying the same thing. 
I’m just aware that an applicant who has “great” stats alone (and just a “good” SCA portfolio) will not likely be admitted to SCA (but maybe admitted to the university), while a “great” SCA supplement + “good” grades will be much more of a winning combination. Once you start to add “meh” grades, you are setting yourself a steeper climb.
Yep yep!
@Madbean With my older D now an SDA sophomore (SCA minor) at USC, I guess that it was only inevitable that my younger D would eventually look to USC as well. She is a HS junior and plans to apply for the BFA Film & TV Production program at SDA this fall. She is already working on all of her various required supplements, creative portfolio list, etc. She will likely be done with all of it over the summer. I guess that the real question for her will be is she willing to consider other tracks at USC that are less competitive, since SDA is so hard to get into, or whether she will prefer to follow the production path elsewhere… like at maybe FSU, UMiami, etc.
Any advice as she gears up for this grueling process?
Also… if I am remembering past posts correctly, did you end up having two sons at USC? I guess my goal now is to see the same result come our way… with both Ds there. I would personally now prefer not to have to divide my own college loyalties…
As a parent, I have learned that the opportunities at USC and within the greater LA area are almost endless - especially for those kids leaning SDA or SCA. The USC alumni network is also amazing. To me personally, I would have only encouraged my first D to potentially consider Stanford, Yale, Princeton and Brown over USC. Now I would actually prefer if my younger D actually ends up going there. As a parent, my impression of USC has only grown over the last two years. They are excellent at all of the things that are important to parents… from communication to financial aid to all of their various online portals related to registration, assistance, tracking, housing, etc. They are just quite simply a well-funded and well-oiled machine. USC has mastered the college experience, in my opinion, including everything related to the exchange of information.
@WWWard I’m not Madbean…although I love Madbean for all of the helpful posts over the past few years. I have two sons at USC…the first is a sophomore BFA Acting, which led to my second son applying a year early (through the RHP program) to the Iovine and Young Academy and being accepted. I LOVE having both boys in one place, even though they are both SO busy that it’s not like we get a lot of family time when we visit. It still beats having to visit both coasts. I agree with everything you have said about USC…our entire family feels welcomed there and I couldn’t be happier with the educational and artistic experiences my sons are having. Not sure I have any advice, but sending your D and you all kinds of good luck. Enjoy the process. We were thrilled that because of RHP at USC, my second son didn’t have to go through the normal application process. One and done!
@MsMommy Thanks for the well wishes. Wow… RHP, impressive - I cannot even imagine sending my D off to college a year earlier. To me, she still seems like a 9th grader even though she is now a junior. It is hard enough trying to convince my ex that the transition from FL to USC is worth it when they graduate as seniors. But well done
So we both have SDA sophomores. My D considered BFA Acting but settled on BA Acting due to her goal to minor in cinematic arts and communication as well. SDA also did not seem too keen on a BFA candidate trying to have two minors. Hopefully we can share your path… with both kids in one place. That would be oh so nice…
@WWWard The stellar SCA program is one of our favorite things about USC. How very cool that your daughter is able to experience both SDA and SCA. The film opportunities my son has already had through SCA are priceless, in my opinion. Also, I think the ONLY reason we could get so fully behind RHP for my second son is because S1 was already there. Well, that and the I&Y Academy is also an awesome experience/opportunity! Let’s keep in touch in case we can meet up there some time.
@MsMommy Sounds good. Yes… the SCA/SDA dynamic at USC is excellent & an invaluable asset for acting students. And now I&Y adds music prod into the mix. It really does make USC a tremendous destination for all things Entertainment-oriented.
My D1 there now is actually much more interested in acting on camera vs on stage anyhow. D2’s background is realistically 80/20 in terms of theatrical stage productions vs film/tv thus far, but she really wants to make the transition to film/tv prod vs maybe pursuing a BFA in Stage Management or something similar at SDA. Her emphasis has always been on the tech/prod side of things. I’d be content with any major at USC though now… as I have evolved into being very Pro-USC.
Yes… let’s keep in touch. Who knows, maybe my D1 and your S1 will get to perform in a play or film together at some point…
@WWWard, I see you duplicated your post here and on the stickied thread about admissions. So here’s a bit of my answer from that thread:
Thanks for such nice comments, @WWWard! Both of my S’s were in USC SCA and, like you, we appreciated the special opportunities they found there, the incredible faculty, and the smooth running of the school (registration, advising, new internship e-mails, showcases, paid research). One S took a film production class with an Oscar winner, learned how to create a new language (linguistics) from the man who developed the Navi language for Avatar, and was challenged by his TO classes, while my other S chose not to do TO and found his GEs frankly easy but also fascinating, and had the bandwidth to take a double major (SDA), while doing paid research for 3 years creating serious games. I recall his specialized writing course (part of the university’s set GE reqs) was reserved for Art/Creative majors and the professor was fabulous. Both my kids had job offers before graduation and that was really unexpected, given their creative goals, and of course, fantastic. Both had very different goals and career objectives, yet they each found their niche at USC and had great flexibility in selecting their curriculum. I apologize for being such a proud mom, but my point is that USC offered them a rich environment in which to be creative among terrific peers who were equally driven. The hardest parts are 1) getting admitted and 2) affording it.
You ask about updated advice on applying and I added a bit more on the post I just made on the other thread.
Since I’ve had 2 in SCA and one in SDA I agree with you and @MsMommy! Back when my S1 was applying to schools, I noticed several very happy USC moms who posted back then who had 2 kids at USC and it seemed the ultimate expression of how satisfied their kids were at this university. All these years later, I can see we all agree!
And I’ll keep my fingers crossed for your D2.
P.S. Congratulations @MsMommy on your D’s admission to RHP! And in the I & Y program!!! 
Thanks @madbean I replied over there. Hopefully I can be the third of us CCers (along with MsMommy) with two kids having been accepted to USC. Here’s hoping that USC still agrees that maintaining such a family dynamic is a good thing.
@wwward There are several posters on this forum with at least 2 at USC, but it was certainly easier 5 years ago than it is today. Legacy/sibling weighs a whole lot less than it use to, stellar legacy kids are rejected right and left, they really aren’t into that family dynamic that they use to be. No question about that, some on the parent/alumni boards wonder if it actually doesn’t hurt more than help nowadays. Only so many they can take that accommodate the changing demographics they want going forward. We were very careful to not put too much pressure on USC being the dream school for our second. They did get in, but not till they got the package did we realize how important it was to number 2, and that was with us not emphasizing USC just incase. If they know a school is so important to you, the set up for failure is intense, especially with a sibling in play. Not trying to be negative, but fact is, it is harder now and with so much out of your control, you don’t want your student feeling like they have to settle for their B plan or disappointed you. Have a few “A” plans.
@blueskies2day Thanks… that is solid advice.
Just getting into USC is getting harder and harder each year. I believe that my D’s 2014 class’ acceptance rate was 17.8%. 2016’s is 16.5%. Every year a new record is set. And of course, when considering USC SCA, the acceptance rates are always in the 4-6% range anyhow. I know full well that it’s a difficult challenge and so does my D2. She is thus far determined to beat the odds however.
The entire admissions cycle in 2014 was a real eye-opener. We had read about the plight of unhooked, over-achieving, white female applicants and how they were 2nd only to over-achieving Asians in terms of having a current disadvantage with admission to America’s elite colleges… but we still did not expect the results that came. My D1 had a nearly flawless GPA, strong ECs, high test scores, solid essays, etc. - but that still translated into her being declined by 12 of the 17 colleges that she applied to. She had only applied to so many in an abundance of caution. A couple of them had wait-listed her, but those too became rejections eventually. Back then, USC was her third choice initially, and we felt very fortunate that they came thru with that thick golden packet. If not, she would have been rather disappointed and left choosing among 4 FL universities, none on par with USC in our opinion. In the end, it all worked out for D1, and she is very happy with all that USC is for her.
D2 is I think planning on applying to at least 12-13 colleges, including a couple that D1 did not apply to in 2014. We shall see what comes. Hopefully her originality, creativity and determined focus toward her film / theatre passions will translate well through the supplemental elements of her required application packet and distinguish her in some manner from the 1000s of other qualified applicants. If not, hopefully she will have a good fall-back option to consider. I will do my best to temper expectations, but there is also no escaping the known reality that I, she and her sibling all are hoping for that golden Trojan ticket. Maybe the family dynamic factor is not what it used to be on the USC-side of things, but it is on ours…
I’m a mom who just went through this whole process with my d. She wanted to be a film production major at USC. She had killer grades- 4.0 w, 4.6 w and her ACT was 35. She was producer at her high school television program and made many short films that won numerous awards at film festivals across the country. She had lots of ECs, leadership positions, great recs, etc. In short, I don’t know what more she could have done.
She received a Skpe interview with a professor at SCA so I think she made it pretty far in the process. Alas, she did not get in.
Yet, she was admitted to UCLA film production and they only take 15 freshmen. She was told their admit rate is about 1%.
My point is to just to let next year’s applicants know that it’s a crazy and difficult process. Have back ups!!! My d was also admitted to Chapman and Loyola for film and they have excellent programs! I know there are so many qualified and deserving kids out there. But, in a sense, it’s almost like winning the lottery when it comes to the highly selective schools. Go for it- but prepare yourselves for rejection. It doesn’t mean you won’t be a great success!! It’s just a tough system.
@dana37 Thanks for sharing your family’s experience. Was she accepted to USC in general with an undeclared major & only not offered a spot within SCA? Or was she denied overall by USC too?
I am certainly trying to temper my D’s overwhelming enthusiasm about USC SCA due to the 4-6% acceptance rates… but so far, she has little potential enthusiasm for going anywhere else. Such is the case when a sibling is already there. My concern is that if she applies with Film & TV Production as her first choice and with Cinema & Media Studies (also at SCA) as her second choice, will USC as a whole be reluctant to then accept her - but as undeclared? USC’s overall acceptance rate is now 17%. But her first choice accepts like 4% and her second accepts like 6%.
We are from FL, so unfortunately, my D’s back-up schools will more likely be UMiami or FSU & not some other CA program. She is also interested in elite colleges like Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Rice, Duke, & Vanderbilt… but I am not aware of any of those colleges actually having a comparable program in production per se.
Does anyone know if there are other top-25 colleges that also feature a film & tv production program as a potential undergraduate degree offering? I know of course that UCLA does. Any others?
Oh well… the Fall will be here soon enough, and she can finally apply. So time will tell…
@WWWard, you might want to mosey over to the Visual Arts and Film Majors Forum on CC, and look through the pinned topic called Big List of Film/CinemaPrograms. Also, here’s the Hollywood Reporter list of top 10 film schools: http://ceoworld.biz/2015/08/07/the-top-10-film-schools-in-america-for-2015, and you can scroll down the list to see the top 25 (the top 25 list includes UCLA, Columbia, NYU, Northwestern…)