USC Interactive Entertainment Program

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
1

<p>I applied for the USC Interactive Entertainment program (part of the cinema school) for the Fall 2009 semester. I was wondering if anyone here knows the acceptance rates for the program? I know that the cinema school acceptance rates in general are incredibly low, like 4% or something like that. But then again, I always figured that interactive entertainment should be easier since it is a relatively new field and program and not many people know about it. Especially compared to the film production program, which is internationally renowned and has been around for a very long time. In fact I suspect that it is the film production / screenwriting / critical studies (aka all programs having to do with film) that are the reasons for the SCA's super low acceptance rate. Does anyone have any info about this? </p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

2

<p>Bump</p>

<p>Anyone know anything about USC Interactive Entertainment? I know its kinda obscure, but I would really like to know.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

3

<p>SCA hasn't quoted specific numbers for applicants for each major, so there may not be a way to find this out from those of us here on cc. I heard rumors there were around 200 IM applicants last year, with ? accepted and 10 now attending. My S is one of them and he loves it. :) While the major is relatively new, it is pretty well known among video game design kids who are looking for the top university programs, and there are not a lot out there yet. While there are probably fewer applicants to IM, compared to the incredibly well-known production major (50 freshmen) and critical studies (75 freshmen), alas they take many fewer new freshmen into IM. </p>

<p>Best of luck. I hope you get great news!</p>

4

<p>Oh dear, I didn't realize that Interactive Media was THAT selective. I felt my essays/ statement were great, but my portfolio wasn't anything special. Hopefully I at least get into the Computer Science (Games) major (my 2nd choice) or undeclared. I did do a summer program at USC last summer taking an Intro to Video Game Design class, and I met some of the faculty members from there (even got a letter of rec from one), don't know if it will be enough though...</p>

<p>Your S is very lucky! How does he like the program? Can he give any insight on what may have gotten him in/ how he likes it there?</p>

5

<p>You sound like an extraordinary IM candidate so hang in there. Your creative statement is one of the most important parts of the supplement so never fear and your participation in the summer program (I'm guessing you wowed them since you got a letter from faculty) will be very important, too. </p>

<p>My S loves the program, the other students, the amazing job opportunities, and the vibe at USC, although as you can imagine, it takes a while until you can take a lot of depth courses in your major. He was invited (or did he invite himself?) to sit in on a weekly graduate seminar where he met grad students who needed to build teams to create their final game projects. So in his spare (!) time, he created the art and did level design on an awesome new game. And inspired by his classes in film and new friends majoring in production, he just had the chance to co-direct, co-write, and co-act, and co-um-everything (with a cool team of SCA and other majors) a 5-minute film to enter in this past weekend's USC 24-hour Ed Wood Film Festival (see link for Daily Trojan story on competition--although the group featured in the article wasn't my S's group! Daily</a> Trojan - On set at the Ed Wood Film Festival</p>

<p>To answer your final question, I don't think anyone really knows what might put them over the top in terms of application/acceptance. If it helps to hear about my S's experience, he has spent many years focusing on game design so all his outside of hs activities supported this goal--he took classes at design colleges, UCLA Ext, etc. He also had lots of other creative activities (acting, jazz composing, AP Art Design) and his grades/stats were very good, as well. But I think his out-of-school recommendations might have also been a big plus since he interned at a indie game developer (level design) one summer on an award-winning game and loved it.</p>

<p>The level of creative, smart, outside-the-box kids at the SCA is amazing and I hope you get to add your talent to the mix. Best of luck.</p>

6

<p>My daughter just got her admission package to Interactive Entertainment major in School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) of USC today. The letter was dated on Jan. 23, 2009. She also got the early action admission to MIT. She really likes the IE major in USC, but also likes MIT for its reputation. </p>

<p>My question is which one is more competitive? SCA of USC or MIT? She faces a difficult choice now.</p>

<p>Any suggestion?</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

7

<p>Congratulations! Which program would she potentially be in at MIT compared to SCA at USC? Does cost (merit and/or financial aid) make a difference in your decision?</p>

8

<p>MIT and USC are both great schools, but very different. I suggest that your daughter visit both schools. MIT is very intense. My son went to visit MIT and did not want to apply there. USC is more balanced and very social (if those things are important to you). If your daughter's passion is Cinema, then USC is the place to be. I happen to love the balanced aspect of USC because it allows your child the flexibility to change your program and still come out with something great. Both MIT and USC have great Engineering schools. I have not heard anything of renowned reputation at MIT for Cinema. SCA at USC is top choice, outstanding reputation, for cinema. I suggest you look much more closely at what your daughter wants to study, and what kinds of academic intensity/social life she wants, not to mention the difference in weather, Boston vs. LA scene.</p>

9

<p>We got the invitation to MIT Campus Preview Weekend in April and plan to attend the event. My daughter haven't visited any college yet. She definitely wants to visist both schools. At MIT her major is visual arts and will work part-time at Media Lab (seems very famous in the interactive media field). She is very interested in making video games after graduation, so the interactive intertainment major at USC is also very attractive to her.</p>

<p>of course, the financial aid is also a concern. USC provides some merit-based scholarships ranging up to full tuition, and I am sure that my daughter will get at least half tuition merit-based scholarship . MIT only provides need-based aid. In this regard, MIT costs more.</p>

<p>Academically, she is very strong. 36 in ACT, 2360 in SAT, ranking 1/700, national merit scholarship semifinalist, candidate in 2009 presidential scholar program. She spends all her after-school time to drawing and making video games. </p>

<p>The programs in both schools are her dream majors, which is why she has a hard time to make her mind. </p>

<p>mdcissp, thank you for your suggestion.</p>

10

<p>jack1232, congratulations to your D. My guess is that she will likely be invited to interview for either the Pres or Trustee scholarship at USC. Since she is in line for the 1/2 tuition for NMF, anyway, I hope she's up for the Trustee. :) You'll be finding out about that soon. For our family, the Trustee award made a huge difference, but USC's SCA was our S's first choice in any case, because of their amazing game design major. It comes down to a feeling, so your D may just feel it when she visits the two campuses. Walking around MIT, you're surrounded by renowned science/math brains, and walking around USC's SCA, you're surrounded by some of the country's brightest creative and entertainment-focused minds. </p>

<p>Like your D, my S applied to MIT last year along with USC, but since MIT didn't have an undergrad major in game design, it would have meant putting off studying what he really wanted until grad school. MIT's Media Lab (alas, primarily for grad research) is awesome in the extreme. As for USC, my S has been been part of a team (led by a Masters degree candidate) that is designing a new game for a grad school thesis project--a game that will be presented at the end of the year in USC's renowned industry showcase, so those opportunities are available.</p>

<p>My S was into the entertainment/creative/design focus he sees as USC's strength--with the major positioned as part of their highly selective film school. USC also encourages a network of interdisciplinary talent so students majoring in Business, CompSci, and SCA-Interactive Media are offered opportunities to work together, furthering career contacts. It has been eye-opening to see all the major players in the videogame industry (from top $$ companies to the superstar indies) come to USC to recruit, with virtually all our grads getting excellent positions at graduation. For such very specific majors/industries as this, the top companies have deep connections with the very top schools (for example, EA funds a state-of-the-art lab at USC), and USC is the top UG university for this emerging field. </p>

<p>So how did it work out? My S is extremely happy with the high level of classes he's taken at USC. For instance, this semester he is taking a CompSci programming course (a req course for his Interactive Media major) from USC's excellent Viterbi School of Engineering and he thinks his prof is great, which has been the case for all his classes so far at 'SC. In fact, he chose to enter USC's honors program, Thematic Option and, while it is a pretty intense workload, the TO professors are among the top at the university and class size is extra small. The required writing course, for instance, included regular one-on-one sessions with his brilliant professor. The TO program has also been a great way to meet other like-minded freshmen and the classes have amazing discussions.</p>

<p>Of course many here on cc know that my S really loves USC, which has been more than he could have hoped for, so I hope you can forgive me going on and on. ;) And when making such a big decision, we can never know what might have been had we chosen different paths. It is very possible my S would have been happy had he attended another great school, instead. However, you couldn't convince him of that today. And, yeah, it's 70 degrees in January. Hope you and your D find all the answers you are looking for. Sounds like she has some awesome choices.</p>

11

<p>
[quote]
And inspired by his classes in film and new friends majoring in production, he just had the chance to co-direct, co-write, and co-act, and co-um-everything (with a cool team of SCA and other majors) a 5-minute film to enter in this past weekend's USC 24-hour Ed Wood Film Festival (see link for Daily Trojan story on competition--although the group featured in the article wasn't my S's group! Daily Trojan - On set at the Ed Wood Film Festival

[/quote]
</p>

<p>My daughter also just participated in this activity. I believe her friend who is a screenwriting major wrote the script. It was a lot of fun for my daughter to put this film together with her friends.</p>

12

<p>madbean, thanks for your detailed info.</p>

<p>so glad to know your S likes USC so much. I'll let my D read your post tonight. It really helps. Thank you again.</p>

<p>One more question, did your S need to go through any special procedure in order to be considered as a candidate for the Trustee scholarship? Or would be invited by USC automatically according to students' qualifications?</p>

13

<p>jack1232, as long as your D applied before December 1st she is automatically considered for one of the big scholarships. Because you have already received the acceptance package, it is very likely that she is in the running. The first acceptances last year were those who were invited and there's no reason why it would be different this year. You should be receiving the official letter very shortly. Congratulations!</p>

14

<p>thanks, Sequoia,</p>

<p>my D got her invitation for the Trustee scholarship. We plan to visit USC in Feb. for the interview.</p>

15

<p>jack1232, may I ask when your daughter's deadline was? My deadline for USC's Writing for Screen and Television Program was December 2nd, and I was wondering when rejection/admission letters would be sent out. If some people had the same deadline and are getting letters, I'd like to know.</p>

16

<p>Please check out a thread in the Parents' Forum. It is written by a freshman at MIT and her experiences there. All colleges have students who wish to transfer. However, this student had some insights about student life, class sizes, research opportunities and social activities which should interest you. The title of the thread is " lostatMIT".</p>

<p>There are photos of the campus posted on Facebook USC Class of 2013. Click on each one for a larger view. Please note the photos taken in January. The campus is known for the flowers, tropical flowering trees, courtyards and fountains.</p>

17

<p>hi, EDYE28,</p>

<p>My D sent all application materials (including Portfolio) to USC and SCA before Dec. 1. Seems the deadline for Interactive Entertainment is Dec.1.</p>

18

<p>Hi, Geogia Girl,</p>

<p>Thank you for your info. We will check it out. </p>

<p>Anyway, we already plan to visit USC this month for scholarship interview. We also plan to visit MIT for CPW (campus preview weekend) event in April. Both MIT and SCA of USC are great. She also apply for several other colleges (regular admission, will know the results around April 1). After visiting campuses, comparing college experience, fitness, and financial package, she'll make her own decision in April. Right now, she is still very excited about the IE major at USC. She really wants to make her own video game after graduation. In this regards, USC seems a great fit to her.</p>

19

<p>hi, EDYE28,</p>

<p>I think that USC sends out the admission letter in waves. The first wave may be for scholarship candidates. The admission letter will be sent out gradually from Jan to April 1. The rejection letters will be sent out the last, maybe in mid of April. Please don't give up hope yet. still have a long period to wait.</p>

20

<p>Jack1232,
Best wishes to your daughter. You must be proud of her accomplishments. She will have some great choices in April.</p>