<p>Hi,</p>
<p>I was wondering if anyone knew how much GPA and SAT/ACT scores counted when applying to the School of Cinematic Arts. How highly is the portfolio weighted? USC is my dream school, but my GPA and ACT are a bit low, though I've done a lot of creative/writing/art stuff that would probably be my best ticket in.</p>
<p>I'm hoping to apply as a film production major, and I was also wondering if anyone would be willing to review my portfolio materials.</p>
<p>I graduated from SCA and worked at admissions there. GPA and test scores are glanced at to make sure they’re okay. I wouldn’t worry if I were you. SCA rejected Spielberg 3 times because of his C average. Ever since then, they’ve focused more on the supplemental app. Portfolio is everything. It’s what they look at and what you are ‘graded’ on. Everything in the app is important and weighed more or less equally. So do your best on everything. </p>
<p>One thing I learned at SCA is that you have to go with what you think is right. This applies to your app. Look over it, think how you can make it better, if you are happy with it then don’t worry about it. With anything creative, everyone is going to have different opinions. Everyone has a different background, different experiences, and they all bring something unique to anything creative they do. Having someone look over your creative work and give you advice can definitely be helpful at times, but just be careful. When people try to criticize constructively about any creative material they inevitability think about how they would do it. If you don’t know how to filter advice and you apply it to something creative that you’re working on then you could lose your voice in the piece. Which is why I won’t comment on your app. The above probably has some flawed thinking, but my friends and I have all experienced times at SCA where we asked others countless times for their opinions in an effort to make our creative work better. The end product ended up worse than our original vision and were completely empty of our voice; and we and no one liked it. If you are happy with your app and it speaks to you then it is perfect and you have to believe deep down that others will be happy with it and that it’ll speak to them to. This goes for your supplemental app, any of your films you make, and anything creative you do in life. I firmly believe you have to have a vision and be stubborn with creative materials. Be careful to apply any advice other than fixing spelling or grammar mistakes. </p>
<p>I’ll tell you flat out what the committee looks for (from what I’ve seen and heard at my time at SCA and the admission office). They want story tellers.</p>
<p>They want a story (remember beginning middle and end; somebody wants something and is having trouble getting it!) from you with your unique point of view. Do that and you’ll get in. Also keep in mind that simple stories are best for short pieces like 5 minute films. The Ice Age short where that dude just wants a nut for instance, yet you probably instantly remember it. A lot of ppl, especially on Youtube, put a lot of vfx and action in their shorts. It takes up screen time, doesn’t convey character, and people instantly forget about it when it’s over. It works on youtube because people watch one minute of videos then move on to doing something else. They get a quick rise of emotion then switch to facebook. That kinda stuff won’t cut it if you want to go to film school and make films. Story is everything. That’s what they want; storytellers.</p>
<p>So yeah, good luck man.</p>