<p>So I got into the Writing for Film and Television program as well as the Honors program for fall 2010. I'm toying with the idea of trying to change to Writing, Lit and Publishing, but I'm not positive yet. My main issue is that my parents are putting up quite a fight about the thought of me attending. Distance might be part of the issue (I'm on the West coast).
Anyway, they are set on me attending graduate school. They think that because Emerson is a "trade school" (their words), I will have a difficult time getting into grad school. I know that I want to write in some form or another as a career (which is why I'm thinking about switching programs) and I have been really interested in film for a while (which is why I'm not sure about switching programs). My parents don't think that attending Emerson is in my best interest; they want me to attend Occidental.
I know that if I attend Occidental I'll major in either Writing or Film and minor in one or more languages. I like Emerson and its location a lot more than Occidental. I guess my question is, if I do major in what I'm planning on, would Emerson or Occidental be a better choice for me as far as any future career prospects? I know it's a big question, and kind of a vague one, but I really liked Emerson a lot and am not sure that I want to give it up. Any thoughts, comments, suggestions?</p>
<p>Lauriene, we are on the west coast too (thus my name here) and my daughter loves the school and has been accepted too. Frankly, I was only vaguely familiar with it until my wife and daughter started raving about it. I did some research and while I can see why your parents might initially call it a “trade school” I now know better. Check out sites like Yelp.com and college prow ler.com (without the spaces) where former students talk about the school and the doors it has opened. It seems like everyone (at least those who have written) have landed great jobs because of Emerson’s reputation. I now don’t think of it as a trade school, more of a college that specializes in the field of media that you are interested in. I think you will get a far more marketable education there than at a lot of “campus” schools. Good luck.</p>
<p>I’m a Film Production Major at Emerson. I’m a senior now and knowing the ******** of college apps and deciding I’m more than willing to help.</p>
<p>I don’t know about Occidental but I will tell you about Emerson.</p>
<p>The connections are definitely here. Whenever there’s a movie coming to Boston the school sends out a email and informs us that the production company is looking for production assistants.</p>
<p>The screenwriting classes are fun. LOTS of fun. Although usually more than half the class can’t write for ****. We offer classes such as Writing for the Feature Film where you work on the first act of your script. Then there’s feature writing workshop where you write and finish an entire script, and there’s writing the t.v. pilot, drama, comedy, advanced marketable script, etc.</p>
<p>We also have a club called SPEC that helps you workshop and holds events with writers (tomorrow I get to meet a writer for Parks and Recreation).</p>
<p>The library has maybe 2 full shelves of scripts to read through. But there’s sites like simplyscripts.com where you can read movie and t.v. scripts.</p>
<p>More than likely you want to get in a film set. There’s at least one occurring EVERY WEEKEND. You’ll learn what it means to be on set. Watch the assistant directors work, know what kind of lighting equipments are used. How the entire system works essentially.</p>
<p>NOW, to the other aspect. Emerson has a hipster, indie thing going on. I’m not into it so I spend most of my time with my BU/BC/NE friends. I live off campus. Emerson Campus kind of sucks. Next to China Town. At night it’s VERY sketchy and it’s far away from all the off campus parties. So when you get out of a party you can’t get back on the train because the train will be closed (at 12:00am). Taxis are expensive IMO.</p>
<p>A major downside is, money wise, EMERSON SUCKS. They hate giving financial aid. Also it’s Boston. A lot of things are expensive.</p>
<p>If your major concern is career then Emerson is for you. ONLY if you have self-discipline. Emerson is not kind to the slackers. You need to spend a ton of time outside of class crafting your writing prose. You think high school was tough? College is worse. And if people tell you it’s not, it’s cause they’re failures. They probably won’'t ever have a seven figure check delivered by an agent.</p>
<p>You come here, write, make connections, go to film festivals with kids from SPEC, write for other directing/cinematography students, read a lot, and keep your GPA up. </p>
<p>Judging by Occidental’s Entertainment alumni, they don’t have squat against Emerson. </p>
<p>My $0.02.</p>
<p>My advice, as an Emerson student, is go into Writing for TV and film, if you decide on Emerson, because as far as I can tell WLP is easier to transfer into and Writing for TV and Film is probably one of the most competitive and difficult majors offered here. That way, if you change your mind you still have the option available to you.</p>
<p>S was accepted for Writing for TV and film, thinks he is most interested in TV dramas at this point. I know Emerson has lots of alums in comedy/sit-coms, but I’ve had trouble finding any in dramas or procedurals (House, CSI, Lost, Buffy etc.). Any sense of how Emerson’s program and connections would work out for someone like him?</p>
<p>There really isn’t a difference in connections whether you’re a comedy writer or a drama writer.</p>
<p>Emerson is more comfortable for the comedy writer, I mean we have the Executive producer of Friends (who’s kind of pretentious), so it’s bound to be bias.</p>
<p>But you talk with other writers and alumnis, they refer you to a writer who needs an assistant and then it’s your job to socialize and do the rest.</p>
<p>Hello Lauriene17 (and all others)…I am like your parents, a parent of a son who has been accepted at Emerson (Journalism Honors), and also has been accepted at Mizzou Journalism School. Like your parents, I am the one putting up a huge fight…we visited both–of course I feel Mizzou is great, my main concern about Emerson is their core liberal arts appears (hearsay) “very watered down” making it like a trade school–would they be even close to liberal arts schools like Swarthmore, Williams? And if so, this is not education, its learning a skill…he would be locked out of further education later if he wanted…and I just dont know what jobs you can get even though they put up a lot of glitz and glamor of TV sets in the tour…has anyone in the forum any input to guide me on why I might be wrong or correct in my thinking? </p>
<p>I need some input quick as the deadline for May 1 is almost upon us, and neither side has been able to convince the other (my son is a strong debater and can argue any point–he is the Editor-in-Chief of his high school newspaper).</p>