<p>Hello!</p>
<p>I'm starting my senior year of high school this fall and I'm about to start working on college applications since I'll be applying for early acceptance at most colleges I want to go to. I plan on having some kind of film major. Preferably screenwriting, but it really all depends on what school I go to.
Almost all colleges I look at require a supplemental portfolio to get into a film/tv major (which includes screenwriting).</p>
<p>Im in debate about what to do and wanted to see what some people who went to/are going to school for film or TV did for their portfolios. I have some ideas, but want to get to work on something ASAP so I dont have to submit any of the things Ive done over the past few years in spare time, since my schools Fine Arts department isnt exactly outstanding.</p>
<p>I know not every college requires the same thing and its different depending on what major you wanted to peruse, but literally any tips or just saying what you did would be greatly appreciated at this point. Or if youre college didnt require one, where did you go?</p>
<p>Also, any opinions on good schools? I've got a few in mind, but I'm starting to pick which schools I want to go to not really off "educational value" and more on other things. So, I'd also love opinions on schools.</p>
<p>Advice is really all I want at this point!</p>
<p>Where are you located? FSU does not require a portfolio…</p>
<p>I live in South Carolina, but I’m most likely going to end up going out of state for school.</p>
<p>Have you looked into Chapman? For ideas, you might want to take a look on You Tube for some of their students’ application video essays. Good luck!</p>
<p>Can’t answer your question without details:
- what are your SAT/ACT scores likely to be?
- how are your grades/class rank?
- what is your financial situation? need aid?</p>
<p>The answers will help us guide you.</p>
<p>My SAT scores were 1230 without writing and 1820 with writing (approximately, I can’t remember the exact numbers). I’m planning on retaking the SATs early this coming fall to pull my scores up a bit higher, since i know I am capable of doing so.
I haven’t taken the ACT yet, but we took some kind of practice ACT test at the beginning of this past school year that I made a 28 on without trying too hard, so I’m assuming I can pull that up a bit higher as well.
My grades are in the A/B range depending on class (higher in English and history, a little bit lower in math and science). I’m in the top 15% of my class right now. Our school doesn’t release updated class ranks very often, so I can’t give an exact number.
Finances are a bit different. My parents are divorced. I can apply as my dad as my main guardian, which would mean I’d most likely need a large financial aid package because my dad is on a teacher’s salary. I could apply under my mom and she would help pay and I wouldn’t need a lot of financial aid, if at all. I also have a college savings of about $36,000 right now.</p>
<p>Hope this helps, if you need any more information, just ask!</p>
<p>Take a look at Ohio University’s Media Arts major. The TV/Film program there is good (my son is a graduate, and doing well in the film industry as a vfx artist) and OU has a great alum network in LA. We looked at lots of programs and he liked this one. The school is known as having the friendliest students and there will be a lot of opportunity to make films. The OOS tuition is approx $18K (I think), but plan on another $8K for dorm, food, etc.</p>
<p>With your current stats, you automatically qualify for almost $7000 a year in merit aid, That’s $28,000 over the four years. If you could take the ACT and raise the score to a 29 (or retake the SAT and raise the score to 1280), you’d get $7500 per year. If you budgeted the $36K savings and spent $9K per year, that would mean:</p>
<ul>
<li>Tuition: 18K</li>
<li>R&B&etc: 8K</li>
<li><p>Total: 26K per yr</p></li>
<li><p>minus 7500 scholarship per year</p></li>
<li><p>minus 9K from savings per year</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Leaves $9,500 per year gap. </p>
<p>That’s still a lot of money, but each year you can add to your savings with summer employment and you can also get some work while in school. But I totally recommend against any student loans.</p>
<p>[Welcome</a> to Ohio University](<a href=“http://www.ohio.edu/]Welcome”>http://www.ohio.edu/)
[Home</a> | Ohio University School of Media Arts & Studies](<a href=“School of Media Arts & Studies | Ohio University”>http://mediaschool.ohio.edu/)
[The</a> Gateway Award Program: Ohio University Admissions](<a href=“http://www.ohio.edu/admissions/gateway/]The”>http://www.ohio.edu/admissions/gateway/)</p>
<p>The stats required for Media Arts are higher than for the general university, but you are well within those stats. However, here is a valuable tip: the school has rolling admissions, which means that the earlier you apply, the better your chances.</p>
<p>Also, you may qualify for additional aid. Check out: [VSA</a> Cost Estimator<a href=“I%20did%20notice%20there%20that%20they%20estimated%20$32K%20per%20year,%20or%20$6K%20more%20than%20I%20did%20because%20they%20included%20travel,%20personal%20expenses,%20and%20other%20things,%20so%20adjust%20your%20numbers%20above.”>/url</a></p>
<p>The campus is gorgeous:
[url=<a href=“An Overview of Ohio University - YouTube”>An Overview of Ohio University - YouTube]An</a> Overview of Ohio University](<a href=“http://www.collegeportraits.org/OH/OU/estimator/agree]VSA”>http://www.collegeportraits.org/OH/OU/estimator/agree)
More detailed looks:
[Ohio</a> University Campus Tour - College Green](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)
[Ohio</a> University Campus Tour - North Green](<a href=“Ohio University Campus Tour - North Green - YouTube”>Ohio University Campus Tour - North Green - YouTube)
[Ohio</a> University Campus Tour - Residential Greens](<a href=“Ohio University Campus Tour - Residential Greens - YouTube”>Ohio University Campus Tour - Residential Greens - YouTube)
[Ohio</a> University Campus Tour - Athletics](<a href=“Ohio University Campus Tour - Athletics - YouTube”>Ohio University Campus Tour - Athletics - YouTube)</p>
<p>$36000 is a lot of college savings, that should give you flexibility with financing. I am not an expert at all, but depending on the school being FAFSA only, Profile or other you may not get to just choose who you want as your guardian for financial aid purposes. I do know that for FAFSA purposes that savings should be in a tax sheltered education 529 account rather than in your name to keep your EFC lower, but then you have to use it for education or face tax penalties.
I like digmedias suggestion, Ohio University is pretty economical compared to USC, Chapman, LMU,or NYU. Your scores are low for a super generous package, but good enough to attract some merit aid at Chapman or LMU. Look at Emerson. Check the price calculators at the schools, it will give you a rough idea.
Consider that the contacts you make during college are your connection to the industry, that the school you choose isn’t as important as your own talent and drive to succeed, and that the industry is based in LA.</p>