I am currently trying to decide between the NYU Tisch film & television BFA program and the USC SCA film & television BFA program. I would have loved to go to UCLA for film, but I unfortunately did not receive enough money from them to even consider it. However I am extremely excited about the other offers I have! Please help me make the decision by looking at financial factors, program pluses and minuses, and connections and job prospects.
I’ll start with finances since that has a lot of sway. I was able to receive a yearly scholarship from Tisch of about $44,600. That would put my net price at about $33,000 a year, leaving me in at least $132,000 of debt in the end.
USC offered me a yearly university grant. This year I am offered about $51,300, leaving my net price at about $21,300.
This was fantastic until I learned that university grants are need based and will change if my parent’s salary changes. This seems sensible; if they are making more money they don’t need as much grant money. But they were planning to take on more jobs in order to pay for the debt I would already have been in, not to have to pay off additional debt due to them making more money. Also, my sister will be leaving college in two years, which would also minimize the grant an unknown amount. I do not want to be surprised with having to pay an extremely steep amount in my last two years.
So, NYU offers me a set price while USC is a bit of an unknown.
Despite this, I still think it may be worth going to USC for its location in LA, the connections I may get, and the amount of money that is put into the program. I will most likely not be able to visit USC before May 1st because plane tickets are expensive! So that is an unknown as well.
I love NYU because I live in New Jersey and have done a film program with them already. I love the accessibility of anywhere I want to explore and diversity is offered in NYC.
I have read many differing opinions on the schools and contradictory comparisons of their programs, and I am having trouble determining which school would be best for my career and my personal life. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!