<p>So I have long since finished my personal essay (about how a certain experience in my life attracted me to filmmaking) and I am just now realizing that the USC film school slide room personal statement is almost identical in subject matter to my common app statement. Thus, my question is as follows: does USC completely separate the two applications? Will USC only see my common app whereas their film school will only see my slide room supplemental application? I was very content with the originality of my common app personal statement and I think it applies very well for the supplemental personal statement. However, if USC's film school saw my common app as well as the supplemental app with such overlap, I could imagine that would be a deal breaker.<br>
Here is the prompt for USC's slide room film supplemental app:
The personal statement will be read by the Film & Television Production Admission Committee as a measure of creativity, self-awareness and vision. We are looking for a sense of you as a unique individual and how your distinctive experiences, characteristics, background, values and/or views of the world have shaped who you are and what you want to say as a creative filmmaker. We want to know about the kind of stories you want to tell. Bear in mind that enthusiasm for watching films, descriptions of your favorite films and the involvement in the filmmaking process is common in most candidates. As a result, we encourage that you focus on your individuality. Note that there is no standard format or correct answer. (1,000 words or less)</p>
<p>I’m not sure, ehsync, but I think you might call the admissions office at SCA and ask your question about if they see/read both essays. This question doesn’t reflect on you–and you don’t even have to give them your name. Tip: Don’t just ask a student answering the phone, talk to the admissions rep or make sure they ask someone who really knows how the SCA admissions committee reviews files. Or email her. </p>
<p>But I can offer my opinion on the SCA prompt. They are asking what sort of films you are inspired to make and why–not that something important happened in your life and that incident inspired you to become a filmmaker. OF course, that’s what most applicants write about because it is so close to their hearts, and their passion to become a filmmaker is filled with enthusiasm. However, I believe SCA is looking past that–it’s pretty clear that all applicants have that passion and drive. Instead, they want to know what stories you are uniquely qualified and inspired to tell in your films. Example: If you are moved to make documentaries about immigration troubles, have done research or been inspired by personal experience, that experience would be the appropriate type of topic because it shows SCA what you will be bringing to your cohort of production majors. And they will appreciate seeing evidence of you having taken risks, taken initiative, and taken action, how you raised funds to make any prior docs, or how you organized a documentary club, award, whatever in your community or HS. </p>
<p>In a further tip (and you can read this in their prompt) I would also suggest applicants approach their SCA personal statement in a very creative way–which may require a different tone and style that you would use in your more conventional USC essay. For SCA, every part of your creative supplement is an opportunity to think outside the box and SHOW your vision and your voice. The Admissions office for SCA is more likely to reward an applicant that shows their excellent taste in solving creative challenges in a compelling or unique way than someone who does a good job describing how they got hooked on movies and telling about their passion to make them.</p>
<p>Best of luck. </p>
<p>During a USC SCA information session, I asked the same question and they told me they have access to the CommonApp essay, and if they choose to, they can look at it.</p>
<p>Op,
Go onto the USC SCA Film major website and get the email address or phone number of an administrator in their dept and ask them the question. We emailed this question for the animation major (DADA), and the response was that, although the dept has access to the common app essay and could look it up if they wanted to, they usually don’t and they evaluate the slideroom essay on it’s own, in isolation. So you can use parts of your common app essay for your slide room essay. The answer may be different for Film though.</p>
<p>I agree,</p>
<p>Someone posted here last year that USC reads the Common App, SCA reads the supplement. But to be sure, I would ask. Time is of the essence as the deadline is December 1.</p>
<p>My recommendation - as the Common App is going to other schools - use that essay to discuss your journey as a person. Because the odds of getting into SCA are so tight now, you want to be sure you can impressed Admissions at the other colleges. Use the USC supplement to talk directly about your journey towards filmmaking.</p>
<p>Unless all the other colleges also have film programs. USC is reading to figure out if you’re a good fit for the campus. And whether you’ll be a good student in classes other than film. USC has to take you first before SCA can accept you. So you are trying to appeal to two different admissions committees. One reading the Common App and one reading for the film school.</p>