<p>I'm really interested in someday becoming involved in the tv/film or comedy industry. I've recently been accepted to Northwestern, Columbia, Stanford, and Texas, but I'm not sure which would provide me with the best opportunities after graduation.</p>
<p>Columbia and NW didn't give me much money, so they might be out of the picture. Or is it worth it to pay a little extra for these amazing schools? (Like $9,000ish vs $21,000ish)</p>
<p>I know Stanford doesn't have a very noteworthy program, but what is a bigger deal in the media industry, a better all-around program (Texas) or a larger name recogntion and located in California (Stanford).</p>
<p>I know there are a lot of Harvard and Yale guys (where there really isn't much of a film program) working in the industry, but can the same be said for Stanford? I just feel like it would be really hard to turn down this amazing school. Or does your film/communications degree really matter once you graduate?</p>
<p>Film industry seems to be more about personality and connections…so many people want to break into it and so many soft factors come into play that it seems hard to define what it takes exactly. But college prestige doesn’t seem to matter much in the industry. People rarely ask where you went for colleges, at least not at the beginning to “check you out” in LA (as opposed to DC). Comedy industry? Being funny is way more important than a degree from Harvard…I’d think.</p>
<p>You’ve listed excellent colleges and I’d say go to the best school all-around to give you a terrific education. You must be a stellar HS student to get this wonderful acceptances, so think about the types of kids going to each of those colleges and who you will be most excited to hang out and study with.</p>
<p>For sheer quality of film education, established programs, future networking, and getting a boost up in Hollywood after graduation, USC Film school is on top. The internships and connections are amazing and the school is a major draw for the most dynamic, creative college students who love film and tv. I am guessing you didn’t apply to that program, so the schools you are considering don’t have film production majors (that I know of!). Are you most interested in becoming above-the-line talent (writers, writer/producers, directors, actors, etc) or a “suit”–development, network execs, studio execs, talent agents, managers, etc.? If your heart is set on being a suit, you could be best served going to the more “prestige” name schools. But as for talent… Well, Spielberg was famously turned down by USC Film school and got his degree from Cal State Fullerton. The point is talent, connections, and being in the right place (Los Angeles) and perservering when times get rough will make it happen.</p>
<p>I strongly suggest checking out UT Austin. You will probably make a lot of short films while you are there, the teachers are very encouraging, and most of all there are resources for you to make your project. There is also a LA Screening program that you can submit your short films to, and they fly you to LA and show your film in the DGA * if your film gets selected for the screening they pay for your trip. The deal is, whatever school you go to, you have to start networking from the first semester, make friends, find mentors, bother the graduate students with questions – do whatever it takes to become good at being an all around jolly person to be around and also a great networker, because that’s whats going to get you a foot in the door when school ends…</p>
<p>I went there, I loved it – I am more of an artist filmmaker than a commercial one, so I never too advantage of all the networking resources, but there is a tight knit film community in Austin, and once you are ‘in’ you are ‘in’. Also, big filmmakers there are REALLY accessible. People live in Austin because its laid back, and they are as well. I had an internship with an Executive Producer when I was 19, due to a teacher hooking that up, and ten years later, we still keep in touch through email. I haven’t ever experienced that phenomenon in the schools I went to for further studies.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the input! I’m going down to Texas and Stanford in the upcomming week to take a look at their programs.</p>
<p>I don’t know if I’ll be able to turn down Stanford at such a low price as UT, especially if the film degree isn’t a major issue in terms of the entertainment business. Stanford is in California too…so I’ll just have to see.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that Stanford is in NORTHERN California whereas most of the tv/film industry is located in SOUTHERN California, so be sure to ask very specific questions about Stanford’s “connections” to the industry while you are there. Just being in California may not be that big a boost and attending the stronger program at UT might outweigh that.</p>
<p>And by the way, Spielberg attended CSU - Long Beach, not Fullerton.</p>
<p>I understand that Stanford is still very far from Los Angeles, but I’m not 100% sure I want to pursue something in “Film” necessarily, as I am also very interested in journalism stuff, communications, and other simillar majors in which I’m assuming Stanford has excellent programs also?</p>
<p>I am also trying to decide between television, radio film programs at Syracuse, American, Northwestern and Ithaca. What should I look at and be considering in each program? Is it important that the communications program be accredited? Each says they have the best connections thru alumni and offer internships, but I think Syracuse is more well known. Is the school name important to employers? Would they be more apt to hire one grad over another? I"m so confused!!!</p>