<p>By the way you wrote this, you seem more inclined to USC.</p>
<p>I agree that you seem to be considering USC more seriously, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Don’t be afraid to turn down Harvard just because it’s Harvard if you don’t really want to go there.</p>
<p>USC truly is the place to be for film studies.</p>
<p>That being said, make sure you’ve considered both options carefully!</p>
<p>Those who say go to Harvard because it’s Harvard fail to appreciate the selectivity of the USC film program, which is even more difficult to get into than Harvard. You don’t turn down USC and go there for grad school.</p>
<p>And those who are recommending the OP to go to Harvard for film, realize you’re telling him to go to a no name film school hundreds of miles away from Hollywood with weak alumni connections in the industry.</p>
<p>Hollywood is not an industry you can just crack by yourself. Art is a subjective matter and many excellent directors, actors, script writers will be turned down. You NEED connections. USC does not guarantee success nor Harvard failure but I would argue your career would be significantly crippled.</p>
<p>I disagree that a career would be crippled by not going to USC. You could shine in a smaller department and really make an impact. If contacts are what you want, then Harvard will offer the same if not more “contacts”. You have one chance to explore in college and that includes the people you go to school with, professors, the environment, study abroad…etc So much of the path you take is the people you meet and the timing of your opportunities.</p>
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<p>You don’t know what you’re talking about. USC is THE school for film studies. Harvard is barely on the map.</p>
<p>“weak alumni connections in the industry.”</p>
<p>That’s just wrong. Harvard’s built up a terrific network in the industry. It’s not as large or as old as SC’s, but it’s very strong. Harvard is unique among its peers in this respect. If we were talking about UChicago, I’d agree, Hollywood connections are negligible. But it isn’t true of Harvard.</p>
<p>My son is a graduate of the Critical Studies program at USC, and I might add gainfully employed in the industry at [url=<a href=“http://www.jetsetstudios.com%5DJetset”>http://www.jetsetstudios.com]Jetset</a> Studios | What Awesome is Made Of<a href=“as%20an%20%5Bu%5Dactual%20employee%20with%20benefits%5B/u%5D%20%5BYEA%5D”>/url</a>. He is writing on-line advertising for the company’s film clients. One of the strengths of the USC studies program is the amount of writing you have to do. Writing is critical skill in for those interested in film, and is something you find more in the studies programs than in the production track.</p>
<p>Now as to Harvard vs. USC for film: ask yourself where can you get the best internships and contacts? These are critical in the industry. Also, as one person told me when we were searching around for film schools: “If you are not in LA you are not in the business.” Obviously an exaggeration, but there is a good deal of truth in it.</p>
<p>One final thought: if you start off in film and decide it’s not for you, would you be kicking yourself for not going to Harvard? I really like USC, but it’s not Harvard.</p>