@engineeringmomof2 - you are correct - you did not state it was a scam. 
“Personally, there are other top ranked schools in my dd20 field that are half the cost. Some are ranked higher than SCAD…I just don’t see the cost-benefit.”
My personal research for rankings is only concerning fashion design.
Might be different for the OP film question…but here is a listing of film design schools: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/top-25-american-film-schools-ranked-1134785/item/2018-top-25-film-schools-usc-1134784
For fashion design:
FIT and Kent State are right there with SCAD. FIT consistently outranks SCAD, and Kent/SCAD trade places depending on the year.
https://www.fashion-schools.org/articles/top-50-fashion-design-schools-and-colleges-us-2019-rankings
https://www.fashion-schools.org/articles/top-50-fashion-design-schools-and-colleges-us-2018-rankings
I am not a SCAD basher…but, like all decisions- I think there has be be a cost/benefit analysis.
And with that, its my last comment on this thread…
^ SCAD is sufficiently close to both Kent and FIT in terms of fashion rankings for US schools (both Fashion USA and Fashionista) to suggest looking carefully at “fit” and “finances.” SCAD is more expensive but merit aid can bring down the cost to at least OOS tuition at the two publics. Career placement, time to degree, direct admit vs. “pre-major” status, selectivity and degree of weeding out in the major, are all factors as well. Curriculum and degree of opportunity to take other creative electives should be considered as well.
However - and ESPECIALLY if you are either IS or can get merit to bring down the cost to near IS levels - one of the publics may easily be a superior choice to SCAD based on finances.
As an undergraduate program it is excellent, some of the best sound recording equipment available, the film camera and lighting inventory is incredible for students. It’s great for undergrads. Plenty of pubs to have a pint of lager, historic Savannah is really cool, and of course the film festival is fun.
I have studied at both FIT and SCAD (FAshion Design) they are totally different. FIT is cheaper and more construction oriented(very technical), SCAD is very art based with alot of options, they do not corner you into one major, I guess that explains why coming in with a portfolio is not the most important thing to them. I cannot say this for FIT but the level of attention I have had at SCAD(advisors, office hours, guests etc) and the failities, I will say it is money well spent, you get the value for your money.
If I started out at SCAD I would have pursued a different major entirely because thier foundation classes exposses you to virtually every major available. I felt boxed at FIT, I started major classes from day one
Yes, SCAD graduates have great placement after GRAD and SCAD has very strong connections in the industry when it comes to competitions and job/internship ads.
No sleep at both schools, youn work all night, FIT is standard and the experience and knowledge gained there is helping me now.
I will say different art schools have thier pros and cons.