<p>Right now I'm a sophomore at Penn State University Park. I'm in the film program here, although I want to transfer to a LA area school to finish up my film degree. I was looking at CSULB as it is something I could afford as an OOS student. (Its OOS tuition is the same as PSU's in-state tuition....)
Anyway, I was wondering if it is worth it to transfer out for next Spring since I missed the deadline for Fall 2011, or should I just stick out another 2 years of Penn State? </p>
<p>I'm worried that I'm not getting enough experience here and that I would establish better connections if I were to attend a LA area school. </p>
<p>I already know that I'm going to move out to California once I graduate, so I thought I might as well do it now and I have a better chance of getting a job with a film degree from a California school than a film degree from a Big 10 Engineering party school. </p>
<p>How is Long Beach's film program compared to Penn State or other State University's? I was looking at USC and UCLA too but there's no way I can afford the OOS tuition.</p>
<p>What’s you Penn State GPA? How about a slightly different plan… maybe finish your undergrad at Penn State and go to grad school at an L.A. school? Speaking as a parent, your plan of leaving a higher regarded school (PSU) for a Cal State during a budget crunch makes me a little uneasy. But that’s just me.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input!
I have around a 3.2. It was around a 3.6 but taking Spanish 3 really brought me down. I also have some UVA credits since I did a semester abroad.</p>
<p>I did think about the idea of finishing my undergrad here at PSU and transferring out there after getting my degree. Although I figured I could establish some connections and internships before graduating if I was at school in LA vs. being at school in the middle of nowhere.
One of the reasons I thought of transferring is because I thought getting a film degree at school geared more towards film, would be better than getting a film degree at a school known for something completely different.</p>
<p>Is it even worth applying come the deadline, and if I don’t transfer would a good alternative be trying to take summer courses in LA while having an internship since I can’t get them during the school year at PSU? Thanks!</p>
<p>I hear what you’re saying about being in L.A. for connections but also consider that Hollywood needs different voices to tell stories from different perspectives. I’ll betcha PSU has a very good program and I know it’s a good school. I like this new summer school plan much better. Finish your degree at PSU, move to L.A., and take summer classes here:
[Summer</a> Sessions Film Courses | UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television](<a href=“http://www.tft.ucla.edu/programs/summer-sessions-film/]Summer”>http://www.tft.ucla.edu/programs/summer-sessions-film/)</p>
<p>Another thought…
What if you started summer school this summer and then went again next summer? You could improve your skills and start making L.A. connections a little quicker plus it may be helpful on a grad school application if you chose to go down that road.</p>
<p>I see what you’re getting at there and right now it is probably my best bet. I don’t like PSU all that much, which is in part one of the big reasons I want to leave; but I figure I can stick it out a few more semesters and get a degree. Although I think taking classes in LA is key, rather than just having a straight PSU education. </p>
<p>I’ve always wanted to go to UCLA for school, and grad school is my only option really since I can’t afford the OOS tuition. So summer school there would be the best possible option at the moment. That way I could understand the UCLA system better especially in preparation for grad school and it would be a good way to get real work experience. I could also take courses at other colleges over a period of time to get a feel for it. Classes at CSULB one session, and UCLA another; all the while still at Penn State for a few semesters. </p>
<p>I also looked into the requirements to graduate with a film degree at PSU, and I found that I only need 24 more credits in film courses. I have 2 more years here, which means I could possibly graduate early if I take summer courses, or even take a leave absence for a semester and study elsewhere. </p>
<p>Do you think it’s possible to enroll in say a Cal State for a semester and have the classes transfer towards PSU? Almost like a study “abroad” and that way I’d still be at Penn State but I could get a feel of other courses including film at California schools!</p>
<p>Some schools allow “domestic” exchanges. You should look into it at your end although it may be a long shot. I know the art schools do it, through AICAD but that doesn’t include your schools of interest (and it only works for an exactly equal number of students going back and forth between any two schools).</p>
<p>Also, summer sessions will probably be just as expensive as during the regular year, per credit hour. Read the fine print carefully to see what you can afford! Also read up on establishing California residency. If you need to do that for grad school, you may have to live and work there for at least a year in advance and being a student usually doesn’t count towards that time.</p>
<p>Check out the National Student Exchange site. You pay your home-school’s tuition, and attend another university for a semester. (It’s a “semester abroad” type program, but for schools within the United States.) When my kid was attending Penn State he was told to stop in and talk to the semester-abroad office about whether a semester at another U.S. school could be arranged by them even though Penn State isn’t a participating school. </p>
<p>One professor suggested enrolling at a school in the National Student Exchange program for an on-line class to be a student, to qualify for an exchange. Another professor told my kid that he thought a semester at another school could be arranged with Penn State through a leave of absence, but warned to try to get the credits pre-approved. </p>
<p>I have no idea whether these professors’ ideas were any good or not. My kid ultimately decided it was too much work to try to figure out how to spend a semester at another school.</p>
<p>This doesn’t solve the problem of transferring to get that California degree. You’d have to find out how many of your credits would transfer. You might find out that you’d have to repeat a lot more of your coursework than you’d expect before the California school would give you their degree.</p>
<p>+1 on Greenwitch’s point regarding California residency! A lot of your plans could depend on this point. UCLA is a whole bunch cheaper if you live here.</p>
<p>And Neonzeus’ idea is interesting. I’d recommend going to a counselor at PSU and working through your options. Please be very careful here as you could easily end up in one of those ‘foot on the dock and foot in the boat’ scenarios. Get professional advice at PSU. The plan with least risk will include graduating from PSU. </p>
<p>I like your idea about sampling different summer programs. That might help you meet more industry people and fellow students in L.A.</p>
<p>Also, how about using the Maddenmd tip from another thread and just start making movies on the side while at PSU? Write a script, grab some drama kids and film buddies and put something together and enter contests.</p>