Obsessive Parents - help me!

Parent Cafe
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<p>Okay, I'm a HS sophomore looking for college-appealing activities. I did basically nothing freshman year, and have continued to do nothing now except win a couple essay contests..</p>

<p>My high school offers zero clubs, activities, or anything e.c. I'm part of the student body, but that's it.</p>

<p>I intend on applying for film school when I graduate, but I fear I won't have enough e.c to persuade admission officers. </p>

<p>I'm signing up to volunteer for several local film festivals but again I don't know how far that will go with colleges. </p>

<p>I live in SoCal btw! </p>

<p>Suggestions will be appreciated!!!!</p>

<p>I have tons of free time (kinda homeschooled). XD</p>

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<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/421240-summer-programs-film.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/arts-majors/421240-summer-programs-film.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Check the above thread out. How about taking a class at ROP at your high school?</p>

<p>[Summer</a> Intensives - Film, Video, and Broadcasting | New York University - SCPS](<a href=“http://www.scps.nyu.edu/areas-of-study/film-video-broadcasting/continuing-education/summer-intensives.html]Summer”>http://www.scps.nyu.edu/areas-of-study/film-video-broadcasting/continuing-education/summer-intensives.html)</p>

<p>I believe the above has 8 or 12 week summer programs in the LA area.</p>

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<p>I’m in SoCal but the LA film programs are not going to happen. Even If I could afford them, I wouldn’t be go able to go. </p>

<p>What about film clubs, or programs…or societies?? I have no idea honestly. IT seems all these parents know everything and have their kids all set for Harvard. : (</p>

<p>Also - what does ROP mean?</p>

<p>edit: Also, I’m aiming for the “creative arts.” The schools I’m applying for put great emphasis on non-academic stats, especially those related to the “arts.” </p>

<p>GAH!</p>

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<p>Can you please link me to this ROP?</p>

<p>If it’s supposed to be affiliated with my school, I can tell you now they do not have it. We’re only in our second year so everything needs to be outside of class. </p>

<p>I’m at my wits end here. </p>

<p>Quick question: Do colleges care what kind of summer job or work experience you’ve had? I mean, do they favor working at gamestop over working at [insert place here].</p>

<p>Also, how do you guys volunteer for all these various organizations? ARGH!</p>

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<p>I PMed you. Check your inbox.</p>

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<p>If you are interested in a career writing or directing in the film industry, you will have a better chance if you go to a well known film program at a highly regarded school. In Los Angeles I would suggest USC, Loyola-Marymount or UCLA. Also consider UCSB. All these schools are somewhat to very selective. If you want to get in and get fin aid, then, yes you must have great stats and ec’s. It would be good to volunteer at AFI or the Motion Picture Academy. If you want to do something like editing or cinematography, then you can enroll in a good certificate program. Do not feel limited by your school, you live in the heart of the film making community. Could you start a film club at school that studies classic films?</p>

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<p>My school is conservative (though public) and has a closed forum policy. Basically, no clubs allowed. : (</p>

<p>I’m aiming for Chapman’s Dodge College. It’s close, new, and definitely the right pick for me. I’ve pretty much given up on USC. The film program is less than 2%. UCLA’s film program does not enroll until sophomore year, so you have to pick an arts major and sit in limbo. UCSB is nice, and I probably could get in, but it’s not like Dodge College. </p>

<p>Will essay contests go well? I won this “UN” award about saving the Earth and blah blah blah. I think it was international or something…does that look good? What is this good certificate program? </p>

<p>My mom suggests I take a film class at the local cc, but that would suck up a significant chunk of my summer. I’m volunteering at the Jewish Film Festival and hopefully San Diego Film Festival. I was accepted for the Spirit Awards but neglected to lie about my age and so was promptly rejected the next day…</p>

<p>I need something cheap/free/easy and CLOSE. LA is way too far for me. I’m going crazy here!!!</p>

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<p>“do nothing except win a couple of essay contests.”</p>

<p>That’s impressive! Keep up the writing, keep going to movies! You don’t have to go to “film school” undergraduate; just look for a college that will give you opportunities to take film courses. A lot of screenwriters and directors did not major in film as undergraduates.</p>

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<p>Colleges consider your application in light of the opportunities available to you. If your school doesn’t offer AP classes, for example, you’re not penalized because you didn’t take any AP classes. Your school doesn’t offer any clubs/sports/other EC’s. As long as that’s in your school profile that your guidance counselor sends, you won’t be penalized for not participating in them.</p>

<p>Your out of school activities don’t need to be related to your intended field of study. Schools just want to see that you’re doing something with your time out of school. That could include lessons in art, music, dance, etc. It could include a part time job. It could include working in a family business or farm.</p>

<p>Just think about “What do I do when I’m not in school?”</p>

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<p>Best yet, get a camera or an inexpensive video camera and try to make some short films yourself. You can also take a film class at your local fine arts center. I once read a kid’s essay to USC and he subscribed to some movie magazine since he was 13.</p>

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<p>I’ve been doing short films since I was 12, but almost all Cali film schools do not accept video for application. You can list titles, but that’s it.</p>

<p>Anymore suggestions!!!??? All my friends have parents that tell them exactly what to do every week and I don’t have that kind of guidance. <em>tear</em></p>

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<p>Sarcasm?</p>

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<p>I wasn’t being sarcastic! I think winning essay contests is impressive. And I’m definitely not being sarcastic about directors and screenwriters not all going to “film school” undergrad. Google your favorite ones.</p>

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<p>Why would the above quote be sarcastic? I was about to second it. My sister, while applying to film school, was told to include everything even remotely creative on her resume: creative writing, painting awards, theatre involvement, etc. in addition to all of her film experience. Strong writing is an important skill for a film student to have. Now, my sister is contemplating a new major because she knows that she wants to go to grad school in film and it’s common (as well as useful) to major in something else during undergrad (while still having a good knowledge of film, I presume).</p>

<p>Believe it or not, not every single high schooler has a parent coaching him through his EC’s. It’s unfortunate that your friends have given you this impression. Though it’s fair to feel stressed and overwhelmed during the pre-college period, your attitude (GAH, ARGH, <em>tear</em>) is a bit unappealing. You note that your mother has made suggestions (CC film class, a very good suggestion!), but that they would “suck up a significant chunk” of your summer. Well, now’s the time to prioritize. If this is so important to you, which it seems to be, then I don’t see the issue.</p>

<p>There’s a lot that you can do on your own, but you’ll have to open your mind a little bit. See if you can get your hands on some film software (through a friend, library, family member, student discount, trial download…) and start learning it. If you have a camera and some editing software, try to start working by filming local events, performances, or weddings. Continue dabbling in short films. Try screenwriting in your spare time…you don’t have to produce them. If you’re quasi-home-schooled, can you do an independent study in something like Literature & Film or Film Production? </p>

<p>You want something “cheap/free/easy” and low-commitment, but still impressive and valuable. Just doesn’t add up, sorry. There’s plenty you can do, but you’ll have to overcome your current mindset. Best of luck.</p>

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<p>Thanks! I’m willing to commit, but again my school does not offer a lot of resources. I do plan enrolling in a film course, but when colleges ask for a creative resume I’ll need stats. </p>

<p>That’s what I need help with. It’s not that my friends are being told exactly what to do, they just have the resources and opportunities to do what they want. (i.e, son wants to go to film camp in LA - done).</p>

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<p>Are you able to start a club at your school, or even casually with a group of friends? My high school had a pretty weak film club…not much interest, students occasionally got together and watched a classic film after school. My sister got in touch with the moderator and revamped it so that the emphasis was on film production. They ended up filming some shorts and she taught members how to do basic editing using Final Cut. President for two or three years. This allowed some teachers to really see what she could do with a camera, so she ended up being made the school’s official (but previously non-existent) videographer, putting together major videos for various events (if you live in CA, perhaps you’ve experienced “Every 15 Minutes”…her “Memorial Service” video ended up being so popular that the school distributed it). Voila, instant resume. She did later participate in a few summer programs (both in SoCal), some of which have financial aid available, but that’s far from your only real option (and for the record, it wasn’t a “wants to go - done” issue…it involved months of petitioning to parents, contributing funds, and proving real interest).</p>

<p>The point is, even if the exact opportunities that I mention above aren’t available to you, you can still springboard yourself into involvement (and you say that you do “nothing,” so if you don’t get involved with film, get involved with something, at least for your own sake…youth group, a local choir, service projects, club sports, a job, a regular volunteer position). For the record, my sister worked and bought her own video camera. She started out using her cousin and her friend’s versions of Final Cut and taught herself the program from scratch. Easy? No way. Low commitment? Definitely not. But cost or readily available resources were not issues. </p>

<p>It can be tough not having “ready made” opportunities–a Film Club, Film Production course, and father with the last name of Spielberg or Lucas–but don’t let that stop you from pursuing your interests (especially when it comes to film, where yes, your creative resume will be important). In the end, forging your own path will probably look more impressive than having followed someone else’s.</p>

<p>As a future film student, creativity and resourcefulness will be two of your most valuable assets. May as well exercise them early on :)</p>

<p>ETA: Are you definitely interested in Film Production, or are you also considering Film Studies? If the latter, a creative resume will generally be unnecessary (or at least less heavily emphasized) and your choice of schools will be greater. If the former, it’s common not to actually start your major courses until soph or junior (USC) year. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing…it could give you a year or two of increased resources and a good way to build up your creative resume. It could also give you good opportunities as a transfer student.</p>

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<p>I was assigned “school liaison to clubs” as part of my student body “job”, but it was later discovered that the elites ordered a close-forum policy. Meaning…no clubs allowed. </p>

<p>There is only about 60 kids in my grade, and I’ve been petitioning for a club (and clubs in general) but to no avail. </p>

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<p>Those are things I want to do, but I don’t know where to start. I accused my local church of being a cult and was expelled from the youth group, I was involved in sports for about 6 years but broke both my ankles in 7th grade and so anything physically based is quite difficult, I’m applying for a job at the local theatre (called them today) but still don’t have any volunteering positions other than film festivals which haven’t started yet. </p>

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<p>I actually got new camera. My previous one was stolen in a robbery…3 years ago. XD </p>

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<p>Yeah, sounds great. </p>

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<p>Film production.</p>

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<p>Chapman’s Dodge College is the ONLY school I want to go to. Naturally I’ll apply to Tisch and SCA , but odds of admissions are very very low.</p>

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<p>Chapman’s a good place for film. You’ve looked at USC, UCLA, and NYU. Look also at Emerson, LMU, and perhaps CalArts (slightly different style emphases). Just suggestions.</p>

<p>Best of luck…I’m sure you’ll figure things out :)</p>

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<p>Film production. Make sure you have some hands-on experience, you may decide this is not a field for you. FYI. My niece is in film production. She has not obtained permanent work(only contract jobs), she claimed to be very stressful because she is responsible for people to show up to work on time or when they need to be. She is a lot older than 17(25?)and worries that younger kids would outsource her. Her major in college was classics. She has a great art portfolio, actually went to an art school for a year.</p>

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<p>I’m seriously in love with Chapman. Everything is brand new, the location is great, classes are small, and connections to industry are highly emphasized. Meh..</p>