I am currently a sophomore, wanting to get into screenwriting. I’m at a large university in PA, because I didn’t know when I started that I wanted to get into tv/film, or else I wouldn’t tried to go to NYU or UCLA in the first place.
It’s past the deadlines to be able to transfer for the fall semester for both USC and UCLA, and neither school accepts transfers for the spring semester. So, that means, if I wanted to transfer, I wouldn’t be able to until my senior year.
However, I think it would be a good idea to move to the area where the action takes place in the field that I’m interested in. But I’m worried that if I transfer for my final year, I won’t be able to graduate in four years since all of my credits might not transfer, and the majors I’m working on now might not exactly line up with another school’s.
So, should I just stick it out for the next two years at my current university? Or should I try to transfer for my senior year?
USC and UCLA do not accept senior transfers. You will find this is the case at many universities. This is due to a student having to earn a certain number of credit hours at a university in order to get that university’s degree.
If you are dead set on transferring, look into some schools with later application deadlines. Plenty of good schools are still out there.
It will be very hard to do all of your screenwriting courses in one year. They build upon each other. I would stay where you are, finish, and take some classes through UCLA’s online extension program if you can not find any locally. Screenwriting is one are where NO ONE cares if you have a degree. The degree means nothing, although certainly going to LA will allow some networking. What matters is the quality of your work and its marketability. If you can arrive in LA with several scripts already written, and a degree that makes you employable somewhere so you can get an apartment, that will be a huge plus. Start looking at graduate programs now if you really want to go that route. UCLA and USC are extremely competitive. Good luck! I’m a screenwriter too!
Also, other schools to look at are Chapman, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount in LA, U. Texas-Austin, Emerson and B.U. in Boston, and check out Louisiana–a lot of new film programs going on there, it’s kind of a new hub.
Have you considered taking a leave of absence at the end of this year? That would make it possible for you to be a junior transfer. During your year off, you could find a job or internship in the new field of study, and see if you really do like it as much as you think you would. If that turned out to be a bust, you could go back to your current university and finish up there.