<p>It's a week before I have to officially decide where I'm going to school, and I've hit a wall in choosing between NYU and the University of Pennsylvania. My entire life I've wanted to be a writer, but I don't know if I want to write Fiction or Plays/Screenplays. </p>
<p>I've been accepted to the Dramatic Writing Program at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts as well as the College of Arts and Sciences at UPenn. Which university would be better for an aspiring writer? </p>
<p>Here's what I THINK I know so far: If I choose NYU I'll be immersed in Playwriting/Screenwriting and I'll have the opportunity to make publishing connections in NYC. Conversely, if I choose Penn I'll have access to the Kelly Writers' House and I'll have the prestige an Ivy League education.</p>
<p>Which university would open up more opportunities for a CAREER in writing, not just a degree? Would literary agents and theater/screen producers be more impressed by NYU or Penn?</p>
<p>I'm worried that if I attend NYU I'll miss my only chance on an Ivy League education, and that if I don't make it as a writer I'll have nothing to fall back on. However, I worry that if I attend Penn I'll be "playing it safe" as a writer, rather than diving headfirst into the competitive world of New York City. I also worry that if I attend Penn I'll get stuck as an English major with nothing but a "concentration" in Creative Writing, and my love for writing stories will get shoved aside just like it was in high school. Whereas at NYU, I'll be thrust into the Dramatic Writing major with very few general education requirements.</p>
<p>NYU also seems to have more opportunities for all forms of writing (Playwriting, Screenwriting, and Fiction) while at Penn I can't even find a single Playwriting CLASS. (I have no interest in Poetry). At the same time, I know there are thousands of kids who would love to attend school at an Ivy League, including myself. I love UPenn, and the idea of turning down their offer of admission makes me want to throw up.</p>
<p>While I don't believe a person can be "taught to write," I do believe it's important to hone one's skills and to make the necessary connections for publication as early as possible. Where do I go to school?</p>
<p>Omg I have decisions among schools very similar to you its so stressful its basically one GREAT lac but in a suburban area where I cant grab all opportunities for myself and another public college here in nyc with an honors program but it means saying no to a great college. they are both equal pricewise</p>
<p>I agree with whenhen - neither of these programs will be more or less impressive; your portfolio will be what matters.</p>
<p>With that said, though, I don’t necessarily think that hyperfocusing is a great idea in undergrad. Don’t get too swept up with the Ivy League stuff - NYU is also a great, well-reputed institution. But Penn’s program seems like it may give you a broader focus, which can be very useful to a writer (especially a writer who isn’t sure what she wants to concentrate on writing, or a writer who has many interests). I’m of the opinion that a little breadth in undergrad - your formative years - is better than a laser focus on one specific area. A broad base in English and literature teaches you about the literary canon. Good writers draw from the already established knowledge about that canon and build upon it to make great stories. Penn does have more focused classes; a glance at the creative writing workshops this fall show several sections of screenwriting, advanced screenwriting, fiction of many kinds, creative nonfiction, and journalistic writing. They don’t seem to have a class specifically on playwriting, though.</p>
<p>It’s very common, though, for people to change their major. I loved writing fiction when I was in high school, too - I’d spend my free hours after school crafting stories, storyboarding, writing chapters etc. I briefly considered an English major, but decided that I’d rather have my creative writing be my own and decided to major in psychology instead. You could decide that same thing and minor in creative writing while majoring in something else. It’s much harder to change your major at NYU than at CAS Penn.</p>
<p>Penn is also an urban area where you could get involved with a theater/internship scene. You could do a summer internship in NYC if you really want to jump into that world, and given all of the prominent alumni that have come out of Penn, I’m sure you won’t be wanting for connections.</p>
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<p>This, to me, indicates that you should accept the Penn offer.</p>
<p>Also, in addition to academic offerings through the English Department and the Theatre Arts Program, there are opportunities at Penn for budding playwrights and screenwriters through the Kelly Writers House, such as:</p>
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<p>And, as juillet pointed out above, Penn has LOTS of alums who are executives, producers, and creative types in film, television, and theatre, and many of them return regularly to Penn to share their wisdom and experience, and to hire Penn students for internships, etc. For example, note this statement in the Wikipedia article about Penn alum Marc Platt, who was the producer of the film “Legally Blonde” and of the original Broadway production of “Wicked”:</p>
<p>So although not as large and comprehensive a program as NYU-Tisch in terms of dramatic writing per se, Penn does have a fairly vigorous network of programs that support dramatic writing and interests in theatre, television, and film, while of course also offering a superb and comprehensive English and liberal arts education.</p>