<p>I know that USC & NYU have (at least, according to every source I've seen) the best and most reputable film schools.
I also know that due to the popularity and sheer number of applicants, one's chances of making it into those two schools are small.
So, I'm just wondering what school(s) is considered the 'next best thing'?
Like, what schools will people in the business still recognize as being of a high caliber?</p>
<p>People in the “business” don’t really care about the reputation of the film schools. Most of them will recognize the big names but when it comes down to being hired I’ve seen NYU and USC grads beaten out by people who went to LA City College and Santa Monica Community. Sure, there are a ton of USC grads working in the industry but the ones who are making a lot of money didn’t go to the film school, they graduated from the business school. </p>
<p>The advantages of USC or NYU aren’t in the degrees, it’s all about the location and the way the schools seek out opportunities. In the last couple of years USC has made a significant effort to place itself in the sights of the industry. I certainly think the trend has allowed the school to gain a large amount of recognition but I don’t know if it is enough for you to just waltz into a studio and land a job, at least a job that doesn’t involve a tray of coffee. </p>
<p>More important than WHAT school you went to is what you did there, and what you got out of it. You can go to any school with a film and television program and still do well. One of the things that stands out to me is that a lot of the people involved in the industry that I have met went to little liberal arts schools in the Northeast. Most of them didn’t even think they would end up in the film industry. </p>
<p>If you get into USC then great, come here and see what you can do with it. It’s not a golden staircase to success though, you will still have to bust your ass in the same uphill battle as everyone else. If USC and NYU aren’t in your future don’t stress. Go somewhere, play your cards, and see what happens. </p>
<p>Since you probably want names, some of the most successful film programs in terms of festival competitions (a quantifiable test of quality) are:
USC, NYU, UCLA, FSU, Chapman, North Carolina School of Art, SCAD, Art Center of Los Angeles, Northwestern, Universit of Texas at Austin, and Cal Arts among others.</p>