***USC School of Cinematic Arts (Class of 2021 Discussion/Results)***

@WWWard

In recent years, the film school’s freshman yield has been in the 75-85% range. I think that SCA and the new Dance school currently have the highest yield rates at the university.

And of course you’re right, all of the schools need to admit more than they’re looking to enroll. I know that SCA has a general sense of how many they want in each of their programs, but I get the sense that there’s a little flexibility because the enrolled numbers aren’t exactly the same each year. Also when you factor-in internal transfers and also external transfers, there seems to be some play in the system.

Last year, a little over 200 freshmen were accepted into the Cinema School, and this year only around 20 have gotten in at this point, so there are still probably around 175-180 admissions spots available.

Good luck to your daughter. I hope she gets in!

Thanks, @s0meUSCkid95 for the extra info and insight… and your good wishes.

@s0meUSCkid95 Yes thank you! Super helpful.

Does anybody know when interviews get offered? I know they traditionally send them out to prospective students (not all of them), just wondering if anyone knew when those go out.

@cameronk29 In the past, I seem to recall such interview requests going out in late February to very early March. And of course, they do not seem to request such of every applicant. Likely, such requests are made to only those applicants “on the bubble” or where additional info/explanations may be sought for whatever reason. In other words, some, but not all, of those interviewed in the past were admitted, and many are also admitted or rejected without being afforded an interview opportunity. So it is not something that you can really read too much into…

I’ll add my deep thanks to @s0meUSCkid95 for providing current numbers for those offered admission. It correlates closely to the info I’ve been sharing over the past few years with regard to the total numbers for each major that SCA seems to aim at. Of course, yield is a variable, and I hadn’t before read any solid info on what the SCA yield might be. Good stuff. Some posters use the 34% yield figure, but that is a very misleading number since the desirability of USC’s different Schools varies dramatically. SCA is ranked at the top of the list for film schools in various majors, so the yield matches the yield for ivy league schools in other majors. Still, each year admitted students have to weigh costs and make smart economic choices, as well as artistic.

But when it comes to guessing how one’s own odds of admission might be calculated, the story is sobering. SCA does aim for a balanced incoming class, meaning close to half women and half men, a wide variety of geographical, ethnic, and economic diversity. This provides a vibrant student body with a breadth of different points of view–which is key to assuring the artists who come through SCA do not go into the world with a cookie cutter sort of profile.

In the past, there were generally more male applicants to Production which used to be a bit of a lift to females–not sure if that is still the same! And more males applied IMGD, but last year more females entered the class than men. Each wonderful talented applicant should try to understand that it is not just their creative abilities, academic achievements, or fabulous essays/portfolio that will gain them admission to a School that accepts about 5 students for every 100 that apply… or less. Sometimes you just have to be a red-headed, male, former ballet dancer from Montana to fit into the make up of an incoming Animation class. And sometimes, they get 3 red-headed, male, former ballet dancers and they can only take–at most–one.

It is at this point that I try to gently suggest every applicant prepare to not get in. It’s best to start focusing on other schools/programs and find what you might love about them. Just to ease the stress.

Thanks for the levity, @madbean I knew we should have used my cousin’s address in Idaho to apply from vs Florida lol

While everyone waits… we at least got some good news here. My daughter was invited today to interview in person for the BFA in film production at FSU. Apparently, they only invite 48 and require an in-person interview before narrowing the acceptances down to only 30. Seems like really low #s, on par with SCA, but that is what I recall reading.

Any SCA applicants also apply to FSU’s School of Motion Picture Arts for production, animation or writing?

Congratulations to your D, @WWWard !

Thank you, @madbean All SCA applicants need a solid Plan B…

Congrats @WWWard ! That’s exciting!
My son didn’t apply there, although maybe he should have! He did apply to U of Miami and I think I told you we are going to go visit in a few weeks to check it out. Did your daughter apply to UMiami too?

Thanks, @TheatreGoddess

Yes… she also applied to UMiami as well. We will likely go see it ourselves at some point during March.

Hi there. Congrats to your daughter. My son just got notified about FSU film school interview. He’s very excited. Did you find the info about the 48 students on line somewhere or did you ask them?

@loribale Congrats again… I just saw the FSU film thread too. I read it somewhere online. It talked about 48 getting invited… the goal of 30 in the class… and various wait list steps to try and get to that 30 # since not all those admitted will attend/enroll. If true, their 30 is less than USC’s 50. My daughter really wants to be part of a BFA program, so it has more of a conservatory feel. So, she is currently ranking them USC SCA 1st and FSU MPA 2nd. She is also interested in Yale, Stanford, Brown, Northwestern, UTexas and UMiami, but I believe that all of them are merely BA programs.

Thanks for the info. My son’s first pick is FSU, then UCF, he’s hoping to stay in state. If neither happens, then he will choose between San Diego State, Long Beach State and San Francisco State, or just go to FSU and try again in a year. I’m wishing he had applied to more schools. Have any idea on what the applicants wear during the interview?

@loribale You’re welcome. The email says… “Dress as “the best version of yourself” and whatever will express who you are to the Admissions Committee (suit and tie, khakis, etc).” So… semi-professional, but comfortable?

Oh OK, thank you! He hasn’t replied to the interview e-mail yet so I guess that info is to come after he does.

@loribale Correct. When he requests a time, they will confirm and supply more info.

all I gotta say is… USC wants more financial info and forms than any school my other 2 older kids have applied to LOL!!! Geeze Louise!!! Even Vanderbilt didn’t need this much info for a “maybe” LOL!!! Nice scholarships coming in from other schools… but the west coast calls for my southern (but not southern belle) girl. I’m kind of enjoying the lull and her enjoying her senior year (finally). Good luck to all of you!!! Seems like an amazingly talented group of young people on this page!

Has anyone been accepted into Screenwriting major yet? Do the CSA decisions go out before the USC Admissions decisions?