<p>I want to go to NYU, but the cost is way too high!! I'm not sure if I'll get the money for it!! So I want to have a backup film school. I know USC has an excellent film school but the cost per year is exactly like NYU. I heard that UCLA has a good film program, but I hardly know anything about them. If you guys can give me your opinion about UCLA or any advices on this school's film program, I would really appreciate it!!</p>
<p>UCLA’s film school is right up there with NYU and USC. Maybe not AS high as NYU and USC, but certainly in the third place, and a very CLOSE third place at that.</p>
<p>Jim Morrison.</p>
<p>[Jim</a> Morrison - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Morrison]Jim”>Jim Morrison - Wikipedia)</p>
<p>Yes UCLA Film is good.</p>
<p>UCLA would be fourth after USC, NYU and FSU.</p>
<p>I think being in LA gives UCLA a distinct advantage over many other schools. Location still matters.</p>
<p>If you are out of state the UCLA program is almost as expensive as USC and NYU. Plus it has the added drawback of not admitting its students until they are in their third year. So, you run the risk of not being accepted into it after spending two years at the school. At USC and FSU and probably NYU you enter the film program as first year students. BTW, I don’t believe that FSU is up to the level of the other three although it is pretty good and substantially less expensive even for out of staters.</p>
<p>If you are out of state look to your own state university. Most state school have some kind of film program and then consider the top film programs for graduate school. If you are in California there are numerous other film programs SDSU; CSULB; CSUN; UCSB; or UCSC for example.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure it’s statistically tougher to get into than USC SCA, but I definitely dont think it’s better. I’m sure FSU and UCLA are pretty comparable, but considering the selectivity of The Film School (FSU), I’d have to put it over UCLA.</p>
<p>It is a great program but is very small accepts only 15 transfers and 15 internal transfer from UCLA.</p>
<p>FSU is also very, very small. Plus it is in Tallahassee. </p>
<p>During our search several years ago for film schools someone wrote to me that if you are not in LA you are not in the business. Overstated especially from a NYC perspective, but some truth to it.</p>
My film school consistently makes the top 4 of best film schools in the nation, according to the annual Hollywood Reporter film school rankings. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/best-film-schools-2016-top-united-states-rankings-920344
Reputation-wise, we’re always beat out by USC, AFI, and NYU.
But you know what they always beat us at? Putting their undergrad/grad students in debt!
I’m a California resident, so I only have to pay about $12k a year for tuition. USC charges $50k for tuition.
I think that whether you’re a grad or undergrad, UCLA will be cheaper than both schools by about $10k or $20k.
If you really want to save as much money as you can, apply to a community college/vocational school with a strong film department. Then after doing two years and getting an AA in film production, consider whether you still want to transfer to a film school to study for two more years and get your B.A. in film production.
I was lucky to be one of the 15 transfers UCLA accepts in their film department. I also have colleagues that transferred from community college to USC.
Community college tuition is SO affordable. I only had to pay $1k a year for tuition.
Here are some community colleges with the best film programs: Colorado Film School in Denver, De Anza College in Cupertino, and Santa Monica College in Santa Monica. While Colorado Film School is the only community college that gets in The Hollywood Reporter Best Film School rankings, it’s more beneficial to go to a community college in Los Angeles since it’s close to the industry. However, I went to De Anza College for two years and I learned screenwriting, 16 mm film production, editing, and digital film productional in the first year. My colleagues that started off as freshmen at UCLA’s film school weren’t allowed to take a film production class until junior year.
Please don’t post to old threads.