<p>Hi! Recently, I have received acceptance letters from both USC Cinema&Television and NYU Tisch Film& Television.</p>
<p>I live in southern California, about forty minutes away from USC.</p>
<p>I am really divided between the two schools, and I would like to ask for help!! Any recommendations?
Does anybody have any idea which school is tougher to get in?
What are the stats?
Which one should I choose?</p>
<p>And.. also, I was admitted to USC Film for Spring 2007 semester.
But I love California...</p>
<p>USC is tougher to get into but only because they accept fewer people. Both schools standands are extremely high. NYU is more "indie". They have a reality series you can try to catch called "Film School" that follows the students in the Film school there. M Night Shamalyon (sp?) is a graduate of the NYU film school. NYU hosts an admitted students reception in the Spring. You may want to attend plus NY is nice in the spring. My son had the same decision, he was torn, but he chose USC and loves it even though NYU was more generous with merit aid.</p>
<p>After visiting both, I'd pick NYU Tisch just because I love how it encompasses all performing and media arts in one school and I want to be surrounded by all of that. Something about NYU's atmosphere just seems so much more creative/insightful/vivid... It's a personal choice, I think - its where you feel more comfortable... USC Film was initially my #1 choice, but now I haven't even heard my decision and its April, so unless I do get in and I get good financial aid, I don't think I'd even consider it anymore...</p>
<p>congrats on both those acceptances, by the way, that's very impressive! you'll probably be happy at either school, they're both great.</p>
<p>my girlfriend was admitted at SC for Film and to NYU Tisch. I love the USC campus and So Cal, but went with her and her family to NY to visit NYU. First, the school and program are awesome. I don't know anything about USC Film but she thinks NYU is better (or at least as good.) Go visit NYU before selecting USC and So Cal. And even though I think USC is a good school it's not that well known outside of the West Coast.</p>
<p>
[quote]
And even though I think USC is a good school it's not that well known outside of the West Coast.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>au contraire (i don't speak french, sorry) many people know of USC and USC film has been named the #1 film school in the US by US News Report for the past 6 or so years....</p>
<p>i dunno. i was rejected from tisch's dramatic writing, but got into USC's WST, which accepts far less people.</p>
<p>I don't speak French either. I agree with you that USC Film is well known and take your statement for being #1 as fact. USC as a school is not though... go east of the Rockies and people think of USC as University of South Carolina.
I don't know about being harder to get into, one of the people posting 5 or 6 back mentioned it just seems that way because SC is much smaller.
Either decision is a good one. And if you only have USC as a choice, then go with it. I just happen to be a So Cal kid that loves NY living!</p>
<p>
[quote]
go east of the Rockies and people think of USC as University of South Carolina
[/quote]
Lol, I've got to agree with that statement. A lot of people at first were shocked when I said I turned down acceptances from Chicago and UVa for USC. Of course, none of them are football fans ;)</p>
<p>"au contraire (i don't speak french, sorry) many people know of USC and USC film has been named the #1 film school in the US by US News Report for the past 6 or so years...."</p>
<p>As a follow-up to post number 8: the names of some of the CNTV buildings at USC:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>George Lucas Instructional Building which includes the main four-story George Lucas Instructional Building, and the adjacent Johnny Carson Television Stage and Harold Lloyd Stage.</p></li>
<li><p>Marie Lucas Post-Production Building which includes sound and video facilities as well as the Animation & Digital Arts Division located on the third floor.</p></li>
<li><p>Robert Zemeckis Center for Digital Arts, a 35,000 square foot facility, represents the country's first and only fully digital training center.</p></li>
<li><p>Frank Sinatra Hall and Ron Howard Screening Room.</p></li>
<li><p>Steven Spielberg Music Scoring Stage.</p></li>
<li><p>David Wolper Center.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>And then, of course, there is the Hugh M. Hefner Endowed Chair.</p>
<p>Redski: Wasn't my memo. I will be honest and tell you I don't know much about USC Film other than I hear it's a great school. But you are providing a USC link. My girlfriend is deciding on NYU Tisch and USC. It's basically a free ride at USC vs I don't know what she has to pay at NYU. She has stats from outside of USC that show NYU is a better school. I value stats and so do a lot of students because that's all we have to go off of sometimes. Don't be so defensive, I am NOT knocking USC or the Film School.</p>
<p>
[quote]
1. George Lucas Instructional Building which includes the main four-story George Lucas Instructional Building, and the adjacent Johnny Carson Television Stage and Harold Lloyd Stage.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Harold Lloyd gives me a happy feeling inside :)</p>
<p>
[quote]
She has stats from outside of USC that show NYU is a better school.
[/quote]
</p>
<ol>
<li><p>What kind of stats would she have that evaluates how one film school is better than another? What criteria are used? Number of cameras available to students? Number of courses taught? Facilities? What exactly?</p></li>
<li><p>Do these stats show that NYU is so much better than USC that your friend would be justified spending $160,000 to go to NYU over USC assuming a free ride a the latter?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>BTW, I have never heard that NYU is a better film school than USC. There is a perceived difference in the two schools, which most people consider equal, that focuses on what the students want and what the professors teach. USC is considered industry-oriented while NYU is consider independent-oriented, but I don't know if that's even true.</p>
<p>I'm in a similar situation. I have to decide between USC CNTV Critical Studies and NYU Tisch Cinema Studies... On the whole, I like things about each school. USC's mix of production and theory even in Critical Studies definitely beats out NYU's strict separation between the two disciplines. However, I'm much more into indie films than those coming from Hollywood, which is a point for NYU if the general consensus as to the two school's focuses is correct. Also, it seems to me that CNTV is much more competitive (in terms of admissions) than Tisch, but it's difficult to say how much or if that really matters. I think it matters to me a bit (CNTV also seems to be much smaller as a result, something I think I like), but I don't know how much I want to base my decision on it. As far as the general living stuff, it's difficult for me to give an edge to one or the other. NYU's independent atmosphere sounds nice, but so does USC's traditional college experience.</p>
<p>One unexpected thing is that NYU was actually quite a bit more generous with financial aid than USC (50K costs, 20K non-loans/work study from NYU, 47K costs, 11.5K non-loans/work study from USC).</p>
<p>Yesterday, I was leaning toward NYU. Today, after a call from a Critical Studies student who answered a few questions, I'm leaning toward USC. I'm sure I'll similarly change my mind several more times before I actually have to decide. >_<</p>
<p>I don't think any school will choose to focus on indie films. It mostly may just be the result of environment, culture, etc. NYC and Hollywood are different. </p>
<p>I believe both schools will teach you the basic theory and skill set to enable you do whatever you want. This kind of question can be best answered by the students and recent alumni from respective schools. Why don't you call them again?</p>