<p>I know that many schools got a 30% increase in applications and a number are in the single digits. I got accepted at much better known schools, but I think my major is best at Chapman. Now I'm having to explain to people why I may pick Chapman over some really competitive and famous schools. Most schools have people just applying to the school without having to be accepted to the department first. At those schools, it's the college that carries the prestige and not the department. Chapman ought to post the rate for the department that has the lowest acceptance rate since a lot of raters think that low acceptance means a better school.</p>
<p>What school are you applying for. If its for dodge production the acceptance rate is 8%.</p>
<p>Funfun, yeah I know what you mean. I’m having to explain it to my friends too! I got in to Western Washington University (kinda of a safety school) and they had a 63% acceptance rate two years ago. This year they only accepted 33% of applicants. Thats out of about 9,000 applicants, the most they ever had. It’s crazy out there!!</p>
<p>I want Chapman to post the statistics too, because I know this year will be a lower number than previous years. Colleges are getting much, much harder to get in to.</p>
<p>Chapman will post them soon. I am sure if they want to move their way up they are going to want to show how hard it really is to get in there.</p>
<p>I wonder what the average SAT and ACT are for the film production majors? It is hard to justify why I am going to Chapman when I got into NYU and USC (not the SCA though). Does anyone know how hard it is to get into USC SCA as a transfer?</p>
<p>16mm –</p>
<p>Just like all other programs, it’s difficult to give an exact estimate. I have always heard the BA in Film Production accepts only 50 students a year. I don’t know how many of those are transfers but the acceptance rate is pretty low. I know of many students who got rejected for Film Production but accepted to Chapman’s Film Production.</p>
<p>Do you guys know anything about the pre law program? Im hoping thats not as exclusive as the film program…</p>
<p>A couple things:
One: low acceptance rate, while it may look fancy and competitive, should not be a determining factor in the school you choose. You also have to consider the applicant pool. For example, U Chicago had a very high acceptance rate for a long time, but there’s no doubt it’s an extremely hard school to get into, however its a self selective school. Not that many people know of Chapman, so not that many people apply here unless they’re considering attending. Also, you should focus on the program and the education of the school–what you’ll get out of it, and where you’ll be the happiest. Not the school with the most percieved prestige.</p>
<p>Two: Chapman’s acceptance rate may actually increase this year. With the economic crisis at hand, many expensive private institutions are counting on less students being able to afford their school, so they are actually increasing admission. State schools with cheap tuition may see an increase in applications because now everyone needs a safety they can afford. (Such as Western Washington.) So its a good year to be a rich Ivy bound student, but not so much for everyone else. :(</p>
<p>Three: Film Production accepts the most–the website lists 100 for freshman, I don’t know if that’s accurate, and I don’t know the yield rate, but I do know we also have a waitlist. Transfering into any film program (including USC) is much harder than entering as a freshman.</p>
<p>I don’t believe we have a pre-law program. We have political science, but I don’t know how good it is. Sorry.</p>
<p>Now to chime in on a personal note–I was accepted both to USC SCA and NYU Tisch, but I chose Chapman because it was the best personal fit. I completely empathize with wanting to go to a big name school, believe me, that’s what I wanted, and I really wish Chapman had the reputation some other schools do, but you know what, it’s getting there. My only advice is to look past the reputation and weigh the pros and cons, and decide what the best fit is for YOU personally. Whether that be USC, NYU, Harvard or Chapman. If it helps knowing that other people have chosen Chapman over “higher ranked” schools and have been happy with their decision, then I offer myself up as reassurance. I know I wouldn’t be happier anywhere else.</p>
<p>I completely agree.</p>
<p>However, isn’t it disappointing that transfering into any film program is much harder than entering as a freshman? I’m a transfer, so this is my “only hope” whereas if a freshman gets denied, they can just go to a state school or community college and apply as a transfer. I think they should increase the number of transfers because there’s nothing left for me to do. I’ll be forced to stay at the school I’m in, and basically increase my extracuriccular activities and build up on my portfolio.</p>
<p>rakuendrowning-- thanks for your “personal note”. It does help to know that I’m not crazy to choose Chapman over others. Since you are there, can you tell me what type of internships the film students are actually able to land? I have looked at the job listings on the Chapman web site but I am wondering what actually happens. I just keep thinking about how important connections are in the film industry and worry about the USC mafia. What year are you? Have you been there long enough to feel the changes in reputation in the school?</p>
<p>Honestly, it depends on you yourself. I’m incoming class of 2013, so I’ll be a freshman next year, but I already have a job lined up (as opposed to an internship) for over the summer. Internship-wise, I plan on getting in contact with all those I know currently in the industry about something. If I absolutely must though, I’ll break out the family connections and give my cousin a call. He’s a television producer.</p>
<p>But really, my point is that scoring the internships is up to you. There are some people who get them, others who don’t. If you want an internship freshman year, or to whichever year you are transferring, you’ve got to be the one to work for them.</p>
<p>But also, what sets Chapman apart from film schools out east is that most of the professors still work in the industry. You can see if you can tag-team with one of them even.</p>
<p>It’s not all about connections either. Chapman is really good about job placement opportunites. They have a couple internship fairs a year (in fact, I think one is coming up soon, or just happened). And those have seminars where they teach you how to build a professional resume, etc. When I toured, my guide was in Television & Broadcast Journalism and had done internships at Nickelodeon and MTV.
Plus like Esther mentioned, nearly all of our professors come from the industry, so impress them! Maybe you will get passed along.</p>
<p>As a USC alum, I understand what you mean about the connections that are perceived from coming out of that school. I never used those opportunities in my field. They weren’t as critical as in other fields. </p>
<p>But the most important thing you will need to consider right now is learning the craft getting your education. Right now, the Dodge College facilities are amazing and from what I have heard from many students on here and elsewhere, these facilities and opportunities beat USC. Opportunities abound to learn the craft of filmmaking. You will be making connections, along the way, with people in the industry.</p>
<p>In terms of internships, a drive from LMU into Los Angeles is probably about the same distance as the drive from Orange County into LA. </p>
<p>Also, one of the biggest, thriving business centers is in Orange County - lots of internships there in different fields (maybe not film, as much - but plenty of employers are available.)</p>