Is "cinema studies" as hard to get into as "film production" at top schools?

Applying to College
1

I’ve always heard how hard it is to get into schools like NYU, UCLA, and USC to study film. But what if what I want to study is “film studies” or “cinema studies,” not "film production? Is it still basically impossible to get in?

2

I assume you mean those schools? Not at other schols - but can’t speak to those schools.

3

I did mean at those schools

4

Don’t know the answer so I’ll let others chime in. I’d assume so.

in the end, going to a school to pursue something that you don’t want to pursue - not a good idea.

There are many film schools - few put successful people out but they come from far more schools than you listed. Study what you want.

5

Yes it’s easier to get in. But look at the courses you’d take for that major and make sure that’s something you’re into. Lots of reading about film theory, watching films and writing about them. But not doing/creating. I know at Chapman its 7% acceptance rate for film production and 30-40% acceptance rate for film studies.

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6

Good luck trying to get any level of transparency on that subject from the bigger film schools. In most cases, you are applying for the major directly as a freshman and trying to get stats on applicants per major will be difficult. FWIW, any T20 “film studies” major should include a modicum of production training, just as any production major worth its salt will include some courses on history and theory.

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7

in the programs I looked at film production students do absolutely have courses in critical thinking reading writing about film, but film studies students were not able to take any courses in production

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8

That sets off alarm bells in my mind. You might want to take a look at Syracuse. They have two separate degree programs, one a BFA and the other a B.S. degree in television and motion picture production. Both degrees seem to have a little bit of everything.

My other recommendation is Wesleyan for a full on, well-rounded, film school experience. But, it’s a two-step process: first getting into Wesleyan which is not easy and then getting accepted into the film major which, next to comp sci, is probably one of the most popular majors at this small college in Connecticut.

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