Decisions came out today. I am absolutely destroyed as I feel like my entire future plan is coming apart. I have other schools, but Chapman was my number one for such a long time. 14,000 applied to Chapman this year, and I thought for sure I would get in. I applied twice to their film summer program (didn’t get in but went to the more competitive NYU Tisch program for a month), went to every event on campus and was there 5+ times, did what I thought was an amazing interview, very confident in my creatives and film supplement, my letters of rec. are amazing, great Common app, and I thought my EC’s were well above average. I went to all of my school representative events, I attended the Dodge program film screenings, and I even talked to the admissions councilor in order to get advise to strengthen my applicancy.
I don’t want to settle for a school… Chapman was my dream school and it’s hard to accept that 3 years worth of hope and working lead to nothing.
Please give me suggestions for what I should say in my waitlist statement! I feel like I need to get in and I am so hurt that I will have to wait even longer to MAYBE get in. Here is some info about me.
What have people talked about in the past that got them off the waitlist?
GPA: 4.0+ (unknown rn) w/ 4.0uw
SAT: 1390 (didn’t have much time to prep due to classes)
SAT II: Bio (780)
School: Competitive public
APs: 6 (not many are offered at my school and they are hard as heck) and all 4’s for tests
Other: I am mixed heritage and the only senior applying for film production at my school.
Does anyone know how many film applicants get off the waitlist?
I just read somewhere that they only accepted about 21/1,900 from their waitlist in 2019 (unsure if it’s major specific or not)…
i just got rejected and i understand how you feel. sounds like you were way qualified and you tried your best. i wish you the best of luck, but maybe this is a blessing in disguise. regardless how hard you try, things don’t always work out as we plan. better things will always await you in the future :))
I’m sorry to hear about that, I really hate this whole process
CindyLeuWho, I’m literally in the exact same situation- I feel like I could’ve written your comment myself. I have 7 APs (5s on all except one 4), 4.0+ GPA, 1330 SAT, tons of experience in live production/editing, lots of volunteer work, started a successful youtube channel, been to all the Dodge events and screenings, awesome fellows interview, proud of my essays and film supplement, and I was literally told by my Chapman interviewer that I was a perfect fit for the school and would likely be admitted, only to end up waitlisted and heartbroken instead.
All I can think is that because we didn’t apply ED, they accepted all the ED kids in December, leaving no spots for the rest of us who also deserved admission. You sound more than qualified, I literally can’t believe you weren’t admitted!! My family and I are freaking out, I feel like my future is crumbling and it’s terrifying. I don’t want to live at home for another year to attend community college- USC & Chapman were my dream schools, and I’m completely shocked that Chapman didn’t work out. Knowing that my chance of getting off the waitlist for film production is little to none only makes my anxiety worse, I haven’t been able to stop crying since I got the waitlist email last night. 
What other schools did you apply to? I was deferred by LMU to regular decision (assuming my spot was taken by ED kids again), I’m still waiting on a decision from USC after not receiving a merit scholarship, and I’m also waiting on UCLA (which I already know I most likely won’t get into because of my SAT score).
I hope this will all work out for us somehow, but in the meantime I’m really, really upset too. Just wanted to let you know you’re not alone I’m really new to CC (I think this will be my first post) so idk how to message people, but I’d be more than willing to send you my instagram handle if you need somebody to rant to/ would like to talk to someone in the same situation! Wishing you lots of luck with your other schools <3 <3
I would love to, sounds so similar to me! I’m sorry, yeah I’ve been crying ever since I found out and I was crying before I went on stage for Peter Pan tonight… yeah I much rather accept that as the truth than believing that I wasn’t qualified or a good fit because Chapman literally is the best fit for me (Enthusiastic student body and academically driven people).
I got a couple schools as my choices right now, but Chapman would be my top besides USC (which I never know about my chances with, film interviews come out this month). Otherwise yeah, I’m waiting for UCLA, Other UCs, NYU, Syracuse, Vassar, BU, and some cal states.
LMU is my top choice at the moment from schools i got in for, I wish you the best of luck for LMU, sounds like your scores are in a great place for LMU and your experience is more than substantial.
I really hate all of the self doubt that comes with this process!
I’m so sorry that you (actually the both of you) didn’t get in. Although my daughter isn’t in Dodge, she has many friends who are and they have told her that the number of applicants to the film school goes up each year and it is harder and harder to get in. The best advice that I can give you for the waitlist application is just to share what makes you unique…Dodge doesn’t choose based on the grades and SATs, they are looking for creativity. You mentioned being mixed heritage, perhaps that is something you would bring to your film-making…a perspective that is unique to you. Best of luck. Please know in a perfect world, Dodge could take all of you talented people, but they are picking from a large pool and that sometimes means deserving people just can’t get in. Keep working hard and you will find a path.
I’m sorry you were waitlisted, but Chapman Dodge is one of the best film schools in the world…with the low acceptance rates that prove it. Point being…Dodge is a reach for just about all applicants, unless your parent is a well-known director or producer.
Dodge overall acceptance rate is around 20%, film production major 8%. This is from the website, so probably at least one year old data. https://www.chapman.edu/dodge/apply/undergraduate/undergraduate-faq.aspx
I haven’t seen Dodge specific waitlist numbers, your chances will depend on their yield.
Good luck.
Any recommendations of how I should phrase my letter? I have been so busy that I don’t have additional awards or classes.
I would keep it short and simple. A few lines, something to the effect of although disappointed with the outcome, you accept a spot on the waitlist, hope that a spot opens up, and would attend if it does. I do think it would be worthwhile to mention you received straight A’s first semester (sounds like that’s the case, as you note above that you have a uwGPA of 4.0)
If you don’t need financial aid, I would also remind them of that.
I know the process and waiting is stressful, but sounds like you do have a good option with LMU, and may still have more acceptances to come.
Remember the admissions denials aren’t personal, even though it may sometimes seem that way. You will do great wherever you end up…and that school will be fortunate to have you.
Good luck.
Thank you for the advise!
Would you say that even with a 500 word allowance you still keep it brief? There are something’s I didn’t have space for on my app so I was planning adding those in too, hopefully boosting my applicancy.
Yes, didn’t know there was a 500 word allowance! Definitely use that to your advantage…I am sure you have many interesting things to talk about.
Are any of you that didn’t get accepted still trying to get in on your second major choice?
If you are waitlisted, it means that you also aren’t considered for second choice. My second was animation.
Rejected from Chapman for B.F.A in Film Production. 4.2 WGPA, 3.96 GPA. 1480 SAT. Heavy extracurriculars relating to film production.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTeiswZsecA&t=11s
(supplement)
Surprised because I was accepted into LMU SFTV, which I had expected to be more difficult than Chapman considering how it has a much smaller program and a lower acceptance rate for film/television production students.
Today at 1:35 pm
Also, @CindyLeuWho keep your head up. LMU SFTV has a brilliant film program. I got in EA, and I was planning on picking LMU SFTV over Dodge (assuming I had gotten in). LMU’s location is prime for industry internships, but both are brilliant programs. At the end of the day as a film production major, it really just boils down to how hard you’re willing to work and the people you’re going to be able to network with. As cheesy (and cold) as it sounds, maybe it was meant to be. Keep your head up.
I love LMU (I did the summer screenwriting program) and they have an amazing campus, view, great location, really good food, and amazing professors and people. I just like Chapman because I felt like they have more school spirit. LMU doesn’t have any football team, which I think affects the spirit on campus, and I always have wanted to work with Disney productions which is a lot closer to Chapman. My high school has 0 school spirit, And it greatly affects everyone’s mood on campus.
Congrats on getting into LMU! I love the school, but you know everyone has their top school, and I always have tried not to have a top school but it ended up being Chapman (and maybe USC but I can’t get my hopes up and I think I would chose Chapman over usc due to location, maybe price if I don’t get scholarships for usc, mission, and safety).
I have until this weekend to send in my letter and I wrote 1100 words in one day for it so now I need to edit edit edit…I’m praying
The prices for both Chapman and LMU are basically the same even though LMU’s estimate is lower without housing and food. This is because Chapman’s higher price allows you to use equipment rent free (similar to usc) and LMU’s lower price means you have to rent the equipment, but you get to keep the rights! So both are great schools, but I’m still not giving up on Chapman.
That’s awesome about the Disney productions part!!! My biggest bummer about the Chapman waitlist is that I won’t get the chance to work as a cast member, which has always been one of my dream experiences. On the brightside, however, keep in mind that the Walt Disney Studios headquarters are located in Burbank, California. So when it comes to location for an in-house filmmaking internship for the Walt Disney Studios, Chapman is still an hour away. If you’re like me and share the dream of one day becoming a Disney Imagineer, then I feel your pain one hundred percent.