<p>GPA: 2.9
SAT: 1900
Extra Curricular:
- Sports: Cross Country 9th grade, Soccer 9th and 10th grade.
- Clubs: Interact Club 9th grade. Model UN 3 years, Music Club president 10th grade, SOAP 12th grade, Film Club 10th-11th grade.
- Job Experience: Personal instructor for children about 100+ hours of community service during Summer of 2008. Summer of 2009, worked in an office for a small tracking device company working over 300 hours this summer.</p>
<p>Portfolio:
One of my films got into a community college film festival nominated for "Best Cinematography" in a bay-area wide high school film contest. I didn't win, I'm working on a film I wrote this summer. I've made about 6 films in 3 years, 10th-12th grade, most of the work being directed, written, and editted by me.</p>
<p>What should I focus on that will improve my chances?</p>
<p>In my essay I plan to write about how a horrible family event caused such a low GPA in 10th-11th grade for me.</p>
<p>I still have to take SAT II's and ACT.</p>
<p>I have my first semester of senior year to get at least a 3.8+ first semester, hopefully boosting my chances just by a little bit.</p>
<p>I plan to apply to:
NYU early.
CAL Arts
USC
Chapman
Boston University
San Francisco State University (fallback)
San Jose State University (fallback)</p>
<p>It would be great to hear some feedback, thanks.</p>
<p>I’m concerned about your academic stats for the film programs that are housed in universities where applicants have to get past both the general admissions committee and the film school admissions committee. At USC, for example, the average SAT is over 2100 and the GPA 3.8. It sounds as if you’ve done a ton of filmmaking, and assuming you write a fantastic application and have a terrific portfolio or reel so that the film school wants to accept you, the question is, will there be a problem with the university’s admissions committee? I think it would make sense for you to go onto the boards for USC, NYU etc. and ask students who have gotten into film school there about the range of SAT’s and GPA’s. (I’m not saying don’t apply. You never know what will happen, especially in fields in which you’re being judged on artistic ability. I just think that you should be aware that there might be a stats-based problem.)</p>
<p>It also sounds as if you’ve had a very difficult family situation that you’re thinking might result in your GPA being interpreted in a more favorable light – especially if you can dramatically raise your GPA this year. Talk to your GC, but maybe it would be best if your GC could write about the situation in the materials she sends to college and you could talk about it in the “any other info we need” section of the application, but you could save your essays to talk about filmmaking in a very dynamic, enthused, intelligent way, maybe weaving in some of things you’ve been through, but keeping the focus on who you are in terms of filmmaking. (I’m not sure here. Be sure to run your essay by your English teach and GC, if possible. There are also some experienced parents on the parents’ board here who sometimes vet essays for students who go onto the board with a request – you don’t post the essay, just the request.)</p>
<p>Finally, because of the stats issue, and because good film programs get a lot of applications, I would urge you to cast a wider net. Look at the list of colleges that have film schools at the top of the page. Take a look at the range of SAT’s and GPA’s they accept. Find yourself some matches and safeties (stats-wise) that have film programs you find appealing and think about maybe doing a couple more applications if this doesn’t take time away from being able to do a really good job on the applications you’re already planning. (I haven’t seen stats for NCSA and Florida State, for example, but unless you have a complete aversion to the south, they have excellent film programs.)</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice Nester, but I realize how heavily academics are weighted in the schools I want to apply to.</p>
<p>I was just hoping if I raise my SAT score and submit an excellent reel and personal statement I just might have even the slightest windows of opportunity especially if I apply to early to some of the schools I’ll have to commit.</p>
<p>But I plan to just focus really hard on my portfolio, SAT/ACT scores, and personal statement. There’s not much I can do about my GPA now that I’m in my first semester of senior year already except try to get as high as I can. From there I can just hope for the best with my application.</p>
<p>Hi pshh – My reply was in no way meant to discourage you from applying as planned. It sounds as if you’re dedicated and skilled, and have overcome some adversity at a young age. My suggestion that you widen the net was because you’re in an unusual situation, and it’s difficult to predict how admissions officers will handle it. I think it would be good to get that reel and application to a variety of schools with solid film programs. Of course there’s a window of opportunity! And it sounds as if you’re doing everything possible to reach your goal. Good luck.</p>
<p>Honestly, I think they’ll care mostly about your essay and portfolio. They don’t care about clubs and only somewhat about GPA.</p>
<p>But my advice is if you want to be a filmmaker, major in something else, like literature. If you’ve already made a bunch of short films, chances are they will teach you little, other than the BUSINESS side of things (and not the art).</p>
<p>pssh, on the Chapman forum you said that your GPA was 2.8 and your SAT was 1500. I assume you said 1900 here because you’re planning to retake and think that’s the ballpark in which your new score will fall. Are you doing some serious test prep? Making even a 300 pt. increase would be very unusual. I would suggest you look into Testmasters test prep. Both of my sons did it, and had excellent gains in their scores. Yes, there are lots of test prep options out there, but Testmasters is a cut above. It takes about 5 weeks to do the program, as I recall.</p>
<p>Have you done research on the admissions stats for film students at SFSU and SJSU?</p>