<p>Hello. I have been accepted to Montclair State University and School of Visual Arts BFA Filmmaking programs. I am trying to decide between the two.</p>
<p>I have received the financial aid package from Montclair which is decent and am awaiting SVA's. </p>
<p>I understand Montclair's filmmaking program is just a few years old and SVA seems to have a great rep for filmmaking. </p>
<p>I would love to get input from anyone who attends, has attended or is going to attend either school for filmmaking. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>SVA obviously has the stronger rep in the field, but I bet you, dollars to donuts, that you’ll owe a <em>lot</em> less in loans if you go to Montclair State than if you go to SVA. Wait for the aid package. That’s going to be key. </p>
<p>If you do decide that you need to go to Montclair State, then use some of the money you save there to do at least some of the following:
- Take a summer program at a great film school, like NYU
- Do an internship in the film/tv industry, like the production assistant internships offered by ESPN</p>
<p>Ideally, do both. You can use the summer courses to enrich your portfolio and get top-level experience; and you can use the internship to build your resume and to network.</p>