@ventri have you talked with an admissions officer for SCA? did they tell u anything else about film production admissions??
@prepro986 yes from head of admission during exploreSC
Just keep in mind that many – including my own daughter – eventually get into SCA later… as internal USC transfers. If at least admitted to USC generally, as either undeclared or to a second choice major, you can always apply again. And those overall admit rates are likely better than when applying for freshman admission.
External transfers are also a possibility. In director Bryan Singer’s case, it took him 3 times to get into SCA… and two efforts just to get into USC. So, while the initial admission rates are of course super competitive, persistence is often rewarded in subsequent efforts.
didn’t Bryan Singer get accused of sexual harassment?? yikes
Yes… unfortunately.
i received an email today from a professor asking to speak with me on the phone about my application. I’m super nervous and hope it is good news. Does anyone know anyone who has been interviewed before for SCA?
yea I got interviewed, kinda screwed up bad first time, but the prof gave me a second opportunity the next day and I was honestly really thankful for that. honestly he just asked me if I had any questions about the school the whole time, so be prepared to come up with questions, unlike me the first time haha. I think it differs tho, some people the profs discuss the body of work and the student themselves, so just be prepared for anything you got this my dude!
@introtoxx the professor gave you a second chance??? what do you mean by screwed up badly? that’s cool!!! I also had an interview mid feb
@WWWard What did your daughter do to transfer from UD to SCA in the first year? Was that via a formal transfer process?
@prepro986 yea he did haha, well basically he just asked if I had any questions about USC and I didn’t really prepare any the first time since I was coming home from a really long day and got the email on short notice. So the whole time was me stammering and trying to come up with anything interesting. The second time, I actually had legit questions and he gave me really interesting answers. Tbh, it didn’t feel much like an interview rather than a way for me to get to understand the school better. I’m sure it changes depending on the person though. Either way, I’m honestly proud and humbled just by that fact that I got interviewed by a professor. I’d love to go to the school but in the end, only 4 kids out of every 100 make it so I’m not holding my breath about it lol.
Yes. It is still a formal process and varies by major. It also varies in terms of when you can apply.
While my daughter had applied to USC with her two choices being 1) Film/TV Production and 2) Cinema & Media Studies, applying for an internal transfer to production would have required two completed semesters of work and a third semester underway, for a total of 48 units completed or in progress at USC. So, you really have to wait until at least the fall semester of your sophomore year to gain admission into the program for Spring of your sophomore year. My daughter did not want to wait a full year to have a declared major, and she also decided that she could accomplish her goals as CMS, which did not require any wait time to reapply. She thus got in Undeclared in March, applied for an internal transfer to SCA as CMS in July (even before school started) and was admitted for Spring 2018 in October. So her major and minor are now declared and in progress at USC already as a second semester freshman. She could always reapply again for production, but I now doubt that she will do so.
From the SCA “How to Apply” webpage, ( http://cinema.usc.edu/admissions/apply.cfm ) there are then links below each major/program detailing instructions on applying… Freshmen (First Year), External Transfer Applicants (Non-Current USC Students) or Current USC Transfer Applicants
@prepro986 what kind of questions were you asked at your interview?
@introtoxx thank you so much! Your post was super informative. I hope you get in 
If you have an upcoming SCA interview, my suggestion would be to review the program offering online first, including watching these two excellent videos (links below). Try to use them to gather your thoughts and possibly have a couple questions ready which demonstrate your knowledge about and interest in SCA.
http://cinema.usc.edu/production/index.cfm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYqhsmZFZRg
Good Luck
I wouldn’t be posting specific interview questions or call details on here - in case USC folks are reading things on here, identities are not that hard to figure out when specifics of a call are given. While it is nice to be helpful, loose lips sink ships as they say.
@jelly39 send me a personal message and I can talk to you more
How does admissions select their “50” film applicants? Are they like spread out between different admissions officers and then each officer picks their favorite from their pool of applicants that they get? I just want to know how they go about the process
@curiousgirl123 Well, if their goal is to admit 50, they will clearly need to then accept a few more… based on whatever yield rate they project… & based on past experience. I would suspect a yield rate of at least 80% for SCA… so maybe they admit something more like 63-65 in total. I do not recall a prior CC post from someone inside per se, but I suspect that a committee votes on each applicant. Individual admission officers and/or professors within the department likely weigh in with their opinions. Then, they likely have the tough choice of narrowing down a talented field of applicants to their favorite 4% or so. But I would suspect that the entire committee decides on everyone… or at least the finalists.
This is really an amazing process. My S was admitted to LMU’s Film School for Animation, but he is still keeping his fingers crossed for acceptance into SCA’s IMGD program (which we realize has a very low acceptance rate). He’s been touching base with his USC admissions counselor on a regular basis (just reinforcing how interested he is in USC, how nice it was to meet her at the Discover USC meeting they hosted in our area, sending her an update after 1st semester grades were announced, etc.). We have an admitted student’s day visiting coming up at LMU, so S also reached out to his USC admissions counselor to see if he could stop in and see her as well (we decided to do another USC tour the day before the LMU visit). The counselor was so kind and responsive and set up a time for S to connect with her after the tour is finished. I can only imagine they are bombarded with requests like this, but we are very appreciative of the courtesy and even if he doesn’t get accepted, USC has made a very positive impression on us.
nvm