<p>I'm really interested in a major in screenwriting. USC is my dream school to go to but they only accept 26 people out of thousands each year for the program. UCLA is also a dream school but it's also very hard to get into.(anyone know how many people ucla accepts for that major?) I want to find colleges that have good screenwriting programs but aren't as hard to get into. Thanks!</p>
<p>There was a thread about this not too long ago:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1574017-screenwriting.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/visual-arts-film-majors/1574017-screenwriting.html</a></p>
<p>I just got into Emerson’s screenwriting program with not that great stats, though I’m no saying it’s really easy to get accepted. Drexel is also more of a reasonable choice, though I haven’t heard too many great things about the Screenwriting major there…</p>
<p>USC is also my #1 choice! I can barely wait for the decisions to be out!</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>UNCSA offers a very strong BFA in Filmmaking with a concentration in your choice of major, including screenwriting.</p>
<p>loyola marymount</p>
<p>I’m going to offer a very different point of view (I’m sorry if it bursts your bubble)*</p>
<p>A screenwriting degree is worth zilch. Nada. Nothing. Maybe if you want to teach screenwriting. But if you want to be a screenwriter, then absolutely not. There’s no correlation between having a college education and being a good writer; none whatsoever. If you want to improve your writing, read books (there are thousands out there, some of my favorites include writing for emotional impact and the blue book series), watch films, analyze scripts (really analyze them, take notes), and practice! Even after all of this, a huge factor - talent - still isn’t up to you. A lot of times, that extra ‘spark’ is innate. It’s that extra zing your born with. While you can certainly improve, it’s an unfortunate reality that some writers can pop out an oscar winning screenplay their first time around, while for others, no amount of reading and practicing will ever be good enough. Don’t go through four years of university just to find this out*</p>
<p>Your classmates will have nothing to offer you. If you want contacts, move to Los Angeles and start networking with real writers. You can learn just as much (if not more) about screenwriting on your own, without the aid of a proffessor who was never good enough to make it themselves. Best of all, this option is incredibly cheap</p>
<p>Screenwriting is an incredibly competetive industry. Entering into one of the riskiest careers out there already 100-200k in debt is a foolish decision. All you’ll be doing at USC is wasting time, money, and energy. And for what? So you can delay judgement day. Always remember this; if a studio head or producer is comparing two scripts, one good and written by a college grad, the other extraordinary and written by a high school dropout, the dropout will always win. I repeat; the dropout will always win. Quality is king. All anyone cares about is whether or not you can tell a story and put good words on a page. If you can do these two things, they’ll pay you well for it. Be determined. Be business smart. Be passionate. Each of these qualities can be learned without spending a single day locked behind the walls of a classroom</p>
<p>So that’s my opinion. Take it or leave it. If you’ve found this even slightly eye opening, share it with others*</p>
<p>You might want to broaden screenwriting to include writing for mobile phone to the big screen. I think there’s s lot to be learned about media writing during college while also going big on the gen eds (think: content). Also, keep an eye out for a day job.</p>
<p>Perhaps a little negative on the degree being useless. It is a difficult career to break into, extremely competitive, and I have heard you are more likely to get a novel turned into a movie than a screenplay, but to say the degree is useless is over reaching. Yes, quality of storytelling is key,determination and passion, but you know what? There are both students and professors like that at colleges also. And yes, your contacts in the industry are important, but you can facilitate that through your college contacts, both fellow students and professors.
Sure some professors might be out of touch, but to say a good college writing program (not necessarily screenwriting) is useless is simply not true. I do agree it is not worth large debt, but a quality film school education is still a worthwhile way to get started. No guarantees, but talent and hard work can be developed at college.</p>
<p>The point I was trying to make isn’t that talent and hard work can’t be developed at college (they can). It’s that talent and hard work can be developed on your own. So why not save time and money and pick that option instead? </p>
<p>A good writing program is very valuable. However, it’s no guarantee of success; many alumns of these programs go on to lead unsuccessful careers, while individuals who never attended such programs reach great heights. There are so many different factors. It all boils down to whether or not you think the risk is worth it. Personally, I don’t believe it is</p>
<p>Sorry, Abcde11, that sounds like nonsense to me. There are NO guarantees of success, but urging young aspiring writers to get less education is silly. Of course one can do-it-yourself, if motivated, brilliant, not-addicted to procrastination tendencies, has an extraordinary maturity, etc. But even working on one’s own, outside of a good writing program, an undereducated young person is not typically going to be able to get the nuanced analysis of each film he/she watches while also waiting tables in L.A. trying to finish a screenplay. The education one gets at college, both in classes, while working, during study abroad, plus the experiences of growing up for 4 years among peers with a wide variety of backgrounds, majors, romantic histories, and difficulties will eventually fill the future writer’s life with characters and understanding of our culture, other cultures, and human nature. As you said–a good writing program is very valuable. A good university education (majoring in anything at all) is very valuable to a writer, too.</p>
<p>If a high school student has the means and family backing to attend a 4 year university, I cannot think of a better place for most of them to grow and develop and nurture their own voice. Only a few 18 year olds I’ve ever met had the sort of toughness it takes to move across the country alone, find a cheap place to sleep and make excellent progress on starting a film writing career. There are very very few teenage/young 20’s writers who find success in their young years, either way. Those who have an intellectual bent are fascinated by all the opportunities offered at college, along with a safe place to grow all the way up. And those with college backgrounds will find it easier to get entry jobs at agencies, doing script coverage, as TV series’ writers’ assistants, etc. It’s not all about selling a blockbuster script by age 21. </p>
<p>I think there is risk no matter what path a writer chooses. Trying to make a living in the film business as an above-the-line “player” is the definition of risky.</p>
<p>I’m sorry if my message was unclear. Obviously, if you have mom and dad spoon feeding you money, you don’t have to worry about anything; financial restraints aren’t something you have to consider. For the rest of us though, it becomes crucial to make smart decisions. I think I college education is quite valuable… Sometimes. If an aspiring writer wants to get a degree in nursing so they can support themselves while writing, bravo. That’s a smart decision. Blowing money away on a degree that’s unemployable is not</p>
<p>I find it frustrating how nowadays, everyone has this notion that you MUST go to college for absolutely everything. I don’t think this is true. I think credentialed proffessions (doctor, lawyer, nurse, teacher, etc.) require a degree, as well as scientific/mathematic ventures. The arts, being highly subjective and dependent on talent, absolutely do not*</p>
<p>I also think its a bad idea to encourage students to drop loads of cash so they can “experience life”. Where in the rule book does it say you can’t experience life without university? I also think that determination, dependability, and passion - the three things needed to succeed as a writer - should be developed at an early age. Procrastinators will always be weeded out in the proffesional word. So many young writers coddle themselves in a university, when they should straighten up, buckle down, and realize that if they need to spend 50-100k to teach themselves discipline, they shouldn’t be writers</p>
<p>Ifk2727, look up the latest Hollywood Reporter list of top film schools. That’s a simple place to start. Realize also that there are others not listed that are worthwhile, and I think some on the latter parts of the list might be overrated. Look up the actual professors who teach screenwriting at these universities and ask yourself: do I want to learn from these people?</p>
<p>Abcde11, people with a college degree make far more in their lifetime than those with only a high school degree. The statistical difference is staggering. The statistics also show that even liberal arts majors are far better off financially over a lifetime than those with a high school diploma. The numbers aren’t even close. Majoring in Screenwriting won’t be significantly different than graduating with a liberal arts degree, even if you never sell a single script. It’s still a college degree. </p>
<p>If you want to hedge your bet, then double major with something that’s likely to make fast money out of college. More expensive? Yes. But if you’re a good student in HS, you can rack up AP and/or IB credits and in some cases take a year off your bachelors degree requirements.</p>
<p>I’ve read from others who know more about being a screenwriter than I, that two key ingredients are knowledge and experience. College is simply a place where you can gather a tremendous amount of knowledge real fast. Experience? That’s up to you. Screenwriting seems to be a marathon, not a sprint. You might not write anything worthwhile until you’re 32.</p>
<p>If I could go back and relive any phase of my life (so far) it would be my 5 years in college. The only other life phase I’d choose over it were the first few years I spent with the woman who became my wife.</p>
<p>As said above, you might consider double majoring. However, some of the best Screenwriting programs are BFA degrees, which mean you can’t double major, or sometimes even minor. At least I know USC doesn’t let you.
What you CAN do is double major in Film Studies and something else, and take screenwriting classes. Or perhaps study Screenwriting at grad school, since many many universities have MFA/MA Screenwriting degrees. Film Studies is also a much more accessible major, and is offered at most larger, or even smaller universities. Another advantage is that it would give you a more diverse view on cinema as a whole, and with a four-year college experience behind you, you might even have more to write about.</p>
<p>Deuga, your argument is invalid. Most dropouts don’t aspire to do something with their lives. There are plenty of dropouts who couldn’t care less about their futures. How can you possibly factor those individuals into the equation? </p>
<p>Now, take the number of MOTIVATED aspiring screenwriters who didn’t go to college, compare them with the number of aspiring screenwriters who did go to college, and you’ll see there’s absolutely no correlation whatsoever between a screenwriting degree and success as a screenwriter. The only real difference between the two groups is that one of them is sunk into a deep hole of debt </p>
<p>College for screenwriting is a scam. Practice. Watch films. Analyze scripts. Read books. Converse with writers. That works a thousand times better than being lectured in a stuffy room by some hack. It’s harsh, but true. By no means do you have to go to college to do these things</p>
<p>I was not comparing high school dropouts to people with college degrees, I’m comparing people who graduate from high school and never get a higher education degree, versus those who graduated from college. You can include college dropouts in the latter category if that’s what you’re referring to. </p>
<p>I’ve got no clue what percentage of those who seriously aspire to be a screenwriter ever earn a single paycheck from a sold script. However, I’m assuming that the percentage is likely dreadful. Everything I’ve read and been told is that the competition is extreme. I’d love to see some illumination on that if anyone actually has statistics. </p>
<p>If we agree that an extreme majority of those who aspire to be a screenwriter will not succeed in the endeavor, then all those people who fail in the attempt are going to need an educational background that can get them gainful employment. For those individuals, they’re far better off with a bachelors degree over the long run versus the person who only holds a high school diploma. </p>
<p>Unless you are someone who has the wherewithall to create your own success out of high school the US job market today is cruel to those without a college degree.</p>
<p>Madbean is right, about the only thing Abcde11 has right is that being in debt for $100,000 isn’t worth it for a screenwriting degree, or any other undergraduate degree for that matter. The reality is very few writers start out making their sole living as writers, but the one’s I know are college educated, work hard at writing, and in the beginning support themselves with other skills. A screenwriting degree is not a guarantee for a career in it, but it also doesn’t work to your disadvantage.<br>
Case in point is my D, just graduated in film production at LMU. What does she really want to do? Write screenplays and direct! So that’s what she is doing, she has several scripts in various states, and not one of them is supporting her. Yet. What she does have is film set skills to pay the rent, quality contacts with many former classmates and professors to build her network, and a passion to succeed in the industry. The college degree will pay off with way better jobs, whether she makes it in film or not. Yes, maybe you can become a screenwriter without a formal college education, but I bet the odds of that are similar to the odds of being a pro football player without playing college ball.
Anybody have any solid facts on educational background of current screenwriters?</p>
<p>Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) [Academy</a> Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_Award_for_Best_Original_Screenplay]Academy”>Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay - Wikipedia)
Multiple nominations
Woody Allen (won 3, nominated 16, first time at age 42). Drop out from NYU and City College of NY.
Billy Wilder (won 2, nominated 4, first time at age 33). Never attended college, Austrian born Jew immigrant.
Paddy Chayefsky (won 2, nominated 3, first time at age 32). City College of New York, accounting; Fordham University, languages.
Quentin Tarantino (won 2, nominated 3, first time at age 32). High school drop out.
Charles Brackett (won 2, nominated 2, first time at age 53) Williams College, Harvard University
Stanley Shapiro (won 1, nominated 4, first time at age 36) Most likely did not attend college.
Robert Benton (won 1, nominated 3, first time at age 35) UT Austin, Columbia University
William Rose (won 1, nominated 3, first time at age 39) No college
Preston Sturges (won 1, nominated 3, first time at age 43) No college
Etc</p>
<p>Same source</p>
<p>2013
Spike Jonze (San Francisco Art Institute)
Woody Allen (drop out from NYU and City College of NY)
David O. Russell (Amherst College)
2012
Mark Boal (Oberlin College, Phylosophy)
Wes Anderson (UT Austin, Phylosophy)
Roman Coppola (NYU, Tisch)
John Gatins (Vassar, Drama)
Michael Haneke (University of Vienna, philosophy, psychology and drama)
Quentin Tarantino (high school drop out)
2011
Woody Allen (drop out from NYU and City College of NY)<br>
Kristen Wiig (drop out from Roanoke College and University of Arizona)
J. C. Chandor (The College of Wooster)
Asghar Farhadi (University of Tehran, theatre BA; Tarbiat Modares University, MA Stage direction)
2010
Lisa Cholodenko (San Francisco State University, ethnic studies, women’s studies and anthropology)
Christopher Nolan (University College London, English literature)
Mike Leigh (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Camberwell School of Art, and the Central School of Art and Design, UK)
David Seidler (Cornell University, English)</p>
<p>Before all you high school kids skip college because so many of the above didn’t attend or dropped out, realize the 30’s 40’s and 50’s were different, most people didn’t go to college. A screenwriter today trying to feed and house themselves at a minimum wage job as they work on their scripts might starve. Get an education.</p>
<p>And nobody both in the past and the present has degree in screenwriting.</p>
<p>I couldn’t disagree with jtmoney more</p>
<p>First and foremost, a majority of those listed above were not born in the 30’s and 40’s (that would make them 70-80 years old). Film school, up until about ten years ago, was an absolute necessity because film stock and cameras were too expensive to work with within normal society. Networking was impossible in your home town. Essentially, if you didn’t go to film school, you’d be cut off </p>
<p>Now couldn’t be a better time to be an indie filmmaker. DSLR has made making a movie easier and cheaper than ever. Social media connects cast and crew members looking for work around the world. Forums like indietalk and done deal pro help connect writers and directors with stories and experiences worth sharing. Crowdfunding sites like kickstarter open more doors than imaginable for film financing. These two things - the Internet and cheap DSLR - have changed the world of moviemaking and screenwriting</p>
<p>In all actuality, film school has never been more uncecessary </p>
<p>If a young person is willing to drop 60k a year to get pampered at USC, then who says mom and dad can’t help them find a cheap apartment for 1,000$ a month? </p>