sorry if this has been covered somewhere else, I did search; my son wants to study film; he is applying to about 12 schools with strong film programs; I’m wondering what are the decent safety schools for a film focus? It’s so competitive, all his schools are tough competition to get in, he needs some fall back schools just in case. Thanks!
Is Keene State College on your list? I’ve heard they have a pretty decent film studies program.
What is your budget? What is your desired net cost?
What are your child’s stats?
Most safeties give little aid, but some may give some merit?
Hard to answer as one person’s “safety” is another person’s reach, but Ohio University and Ithaca College come to mind as schools with good reputations for cinema/film and without a crazy low acceptance rate.
thanks so much for responding. we will for sure need aid and we are banking on merit aid, like when my older son applied to acting programs and received theatre scholarships from the schools that accepted him; my film boy attends an arts high school in LA, would prefer to remain in LA, he is white, has a 1340 SAT, has a 3.9 GPA , has taken 4 APs, EC is mostly film, music and camp counseling, Weslayan, Columbia, and Northwestern are HIGH reaches we know, he’s focused mostly on USC, UCLA, Chapman, Emerson, NYU, thrown in for good measure are University of San Francisco, LMU, Sarah Lawrence, I am panicking about the fierce competition for all these schools and afraid he wont get in anywhere. although he is talented and has an impressive portfolio, I feel he needs some fall back schools, like maybe Columbia Chicago, Pace, Cornish? He wants to make films but would like to study other subjects as well.
Take a look at Florida State. Off your current track but that’s also why this could make your son stand out. It’s a better college than some you have listed. http://film.fsu.edu/
I have a friend whose son transferred to DePaul University (Chicago) for film. He loved it and is currently employed in the film industry in LA.
This isn’t a good week to recommend Temple, but it has a good film program, and the kids I know who have gone through it are employed in the industry. I don’t know what the merit situation is for out of state applicants.
Very outside your list, but Montana State. I see an ad featuring a film student almost every day (Rich Eisen show) and it is pretty cool what this guy got to do. Much of Hollywood hangs out in Montana, so I think there are secret contacts to be made.
Sometimes it is good to be a big fish in a small pond.
Sounds like you are more concerned about ‘safeties for admission’ versus ‘safeties for $$’ but it makes sense to have safeties that meet both criteria. Also make sure you have enough schools applied to so you can make some choices if you don’t get into the desirable programs your student wants.
Per other threads I’ve read over the years, don’t expect much merit aid from NYU.
Look into SUNY Purchase which has a strong overall arts program and offers a film major. Apparently the school has both a BFA and a BA route. It could be both an academic and financial safety (SUNY schools have good OOS rates if you are not in NY). https://www.purchase.edu/departments/AcademicPrograms/LAS/FilmMediaStudies/
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we will for sure need aid and we are banking on merit aid, like when my older son applied to acting programs and received theatre scholarships from the schools that accepted him;
my film boy attends an arts high school in LA, would prefer to remain in LA, he is white, has a 1340 SAT, has a 3.9 GPA , has taken 4 APs, EC is mostly film, music and camp counseling,
Weslayan, Columbia, and Northwestern are HIGH reaches we know, he’s focused mostly on USC, UCLA, Chapman, Emerson, NYU, thrown in for good measure are University of San Francisco, LMU, Sarah Lawrence,
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UCLA…no merit, stats aren’t high enough. If demonstrate need, then some FA since instate
USC…stats aren’t high enough for merit, and probably not for admission. (USC likes high scores)
If that’s the new SAT, then that’s about an ACT 29.
What do you want the net cost to be? A FEW of these schools might give “some” merit (Chapman, LMU, and USF), but I doubt any would give much. You’d still be handed a big tuition bill.
What are his safety schools that will admit him AND have a net cost that you can afford?
I thought he might get merit aid due to his film portfolio and talent. My older boy received 50% scholarships to theatre programs 2 years ago when we had an efc of $21k and that’s what we pay for his college; this year our efc is more like 15k. I thought if film programs wanted him, like my older son with theatre they would offer $$. His safeties I think right now are Columbia Chicago, pace, DePaul, LMU. That’s what I’m asking for; suggestions for film safeties
There are no “Safe” BFA programs where a portfolio is required for admission. NYU/Tisch and USC film programs have lower acceptance rates than Harvard or Stanford, and stats do not play as large a role as the portfolio review does. If finances are not a huge concern, then Columbia College Chicago is an absolute safety. They have open admission, and an excellent film program. Temple’s film department is excellent, and they do offer merit aid to out-of-state students. Your child would probably qualify for a pretty generous award, although they overextended themselves with scholarship offers last year and got into financial trouble. American University is very expensive, but your child’s stats would probably also attract some merit aid. Their film program is pretty good. Your child missed the deadline for Early Action (non-binding) at Tulane. Their film program isn’t in the top tier, but NOLA has become a major filmmaking center, so there would be opportunities for internships and networking. They are pretty generous with merit aid for high-stat applicants, but they give out a lot to early applicants. Miami has a big film industry, so consider U of Miami.
I want you to consider the costs of college when he’s attending East coast schools when you live West Coast. But putting that aside, Ithaca’s Park school has generous financial aid, lets freshmen work in studios and on projects, and is well-regarded. Boston is horribly expensive to live in and Emerson has a better radio/writing reputation than film. Not mentioned so far are Drexel and Villanova’s programs…Temple has a great film program, but oooof, the location …RPI of all places is doing some interesting niche work with film and film-related digital media. Carnegie Mellon has generous aid for some, and they also have a strong film program. Yes, really!
Does he want to work in business or features? Marketing or production? Editing or directing? Have you asked in the film major forum? Good luck!
If they offer you a grant as aid or merit those are the same. And they wouldn’t typically exceed your EFC. Rather the grant or merit would replace a loan. So schools that meet need are better financially than schools that will gap you.
Many (most?) colleges do not allow you to “stack” merit scholarships and need-based FA. So when you find schools that do, give them close review.
We’re doing most of the schools you mention plus Quinnipiac
Unc Wilmington - apply to honors.
Run the NPC on each college.