<p>I am going to University of Chicago for undergraduate school and my interest is studying film. The program there isn't that great and I have an interest in the technical aspects of film, such as editing and cinematography, which they don't focus on at all.</p>
<p>You're wondering why I am going to UChicago then -- I wasn't accepted to NU and I figure Chicago is a better city to be in than UMich, regardless of the program, when interested in film.</p>
<p>Once I finish UChicago I want to go to grad school for film, but I am going to have debts from undergrad school. How do people go directly from undergrad to grad when they have loans to pay off? What kind of fin aid is available to grad school students?</p>
<p>Try getting into NYU Tisch, UCLA, USC film school for graduate studies. They are best in business.You will get information abt Finan aid/loans etc from their websites.</p>
<p>As far as debt goes, everything gets deferred until you finish all of your schooling. You can choose to start paying down undergraduate loans while you are in graduate school if you'd like, but most grad students who come straight out of undergrad with student debt just let that debt ride. </p>
<p>Funding packages vary from school to school. Some schools find ways for students to be funded, such as teaching or working as an assistant of some kind, while other schools let students shoulder the burden of paying. </p>
<p>I wouldn't get too down on Chicago's film studies programs if I were you. While Chicago is not as prestigious as NYU, Columbia, USC, or UCLA when it comes to filmmaking, its cinema studies department has some very respected faculty. Tom Gunning and Miriam Hansen, for instance, are two of the most highly regarded film scholars in the United States. Working with them as an undergrad would you give the critical background that filmmaking programs are often looking for in their applicants.</p>
<p>Just wanted to add a plug for Chapman University for graduate school in film production and related studies. There may be some grants that you can apply to and possibly get.</p>
<p>did you apply to NYU or USC? it seems like if you got into chicago, you would have had a good (if not better) chance of getting into those schools.</p>
<p>if you want to do grad school at UCLA or USC, dont major in film as an undergrad. the courses are so similar between grad and undergrad at those schools that having already studied film in college can actually hurt your application. they want rounded people who have background from varied subjects other than film. I was told this when visiting both campuses by people working in the film department.</p>
<p>
[quote]
did you apply to NYU or USC? it seems like if you got into chicago, you would have had a good (if not better) chance of getting into those schools.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I don't think so, really. He probably had a good shot at general admission to USC but the undergrad film school is really really selective.</p>
<p>And yes, they do like well rounded people. But don't take this as "don't major in film under any circumstances!" :) If film is what you want to do, major in film. Be well rounded by doing some minors and double major if you like.</p>
<p>"I don't think so, really. He probably had a good shot at general admission to USC but the undergrad film school is really really selective."</p>
<p>Yes, he would have a good shot at general admission - that's what I meant. It'd be the first step before applying to the film school, which most students don't get into until their junior year.</p>