<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I am going to be a senior in HS this year, and college is quickly coming around the corner! And the college dilemmas are already starting... </p>
<p>i know what I want to do in college and for the rest of my life. I want to do film (video prod, screenwriting, film editing) Now I know some of you may say, "You can't get anywhere with that". I don't want those answers. I have family in the business and this is a thing that I have a passion for.</p>
<p>However, right out of college I know i MAY NOT be guaranteed with a well-paying, steady job.
So now I've been thinking if I should major in communications? There are different kinds of communication majors, and I don't know which one to do. Is there any that involves video production?</p>
<p>Another issue is ofcourse the price of college. My parents are not open to anything, they want me to stay in Massachusetts (in-state) and specifically go to a state college because it's cheaper... But there is not alot of options here! Fitchburg State offers the film major, and has the reasonable tuition. But that's it. </p>
<p>So I need help. As far as which major I should go for.
PS. any advice on how to persuade parents to think outside the box a bit as far as paying for college?! :)</p>
<p>Communications (as far as I understand) is a lot different than most art/creative fields, though it can have a creative element to it. ie, there are media studies/film studies within the major sometimes…mass communication, etc. </p>
<p>Some schools have telecommunications majors or media studies majors within journalism schools. Maybe that’s something to look into.</p>
<p>I’m not sure you’ll necessarily get a steady, well-paying job right away with a communications degree, either. Though a lot of communication majors I knew in college were more on a business track, focused on things like Corporate communications or Human Resources things.</p>
<p>What do the family members in the film business recommend to you?</p>
<p>On your financial question, you might pose that in the Fin Aid forum, though as a parent, I’d ask you to find out what your parents can honestly afford, and whether there’s an option that will result in low/no debt to you and them. Maybe they want you to stay in state because that is all they can afford. </p>
<p>Do you have excellent grades/test scores? If so, you might find some private schools that would offer you merit aid.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Three quick thoughts. Do your test scores/grades fit in the top 25% for Emerson, BU etc.? Financial aid might make them competitive with state schools. Still in state if it’s a keeping you close vs. money thing.
Where ever you go, what gets you that job in the industry is your talent, motivation, and contacts you build working on sets. When you are a senior looking for that first job, that awesome job you did as 1st AC in your sophomore year may be your ticket.
Talk to your relatives, cause realistically is that the ticket at Fitchburg or Emerson?</p>
<p>I second jtmoney about Emerson and BU. BU has a very nice communications school with a film major. Emerson has an amazing honors program with half tuition (or possibly more) if you are admitted to that program. I would look at both. </p>
<p>If there is financial need you may qualify for more aid than you think. Some of the private schools have more aid available than the state schools these days. Try to do a worksheet (FAFSA, or one from the college board, or others) to see if you might qualify, and for how much.</p>
<p>If you don’t qualify for aid, I would think very carefully about taking on a lot of debt to go into a film career. Most people in the film industry do NOT make the million dollar salaries. The average salary can be in the $50,000 range up to $150,000. And those are NOT starting salaries. Also, the work may not be steady. You might sell a screenplay one year, but not another. Remember you will pay taxes, need a place to live and maybe a car to drive, and food to eat. Those salaries won’t go as far as you think. If you are paying back a large percentage of you salary to loan payments, that can be very tough. So if you are paying yourself (or your family is paying) unless there is unlimited funds, price DOES matter.</p>