USC vs. Northwestern

College Majors Visual Arts and Film Majors
1

<p>Hi,</p>

<p>I am recently accepted to USC SCA and Northwestern SoC and I am just having such a difficult time deciding. </p>

<p>I have visited both schools and will probably revisit both this month. From what I read, USC clearly has a very good program with all the hands-on experience and alumni connections, etc. But this is exactly why I am reluctant to go because it gives me the feeling of "going to work". I have gone to filmmaking programs in NYC before, and for three weeks my classmates and I competed for the director/writer position, and it was intense and fun for three weeks--but doing that for four years seems overwhelming for me. I am an introvert academic who needs to quiet down and focus on things at times. Northwestern would offer me that, or at least so it seems. I can have a liberal arts education while doing film, work with people who value academics just as much as I do. But then I won't live in LA, or get the experience of "how it really works". I might not be able to work in film at all--that is the risk I am scared of. Does your career really depend on your education background? Or is it more of "if you shine you will shine anywhere" kind of deal?</p>

<p>Can you guys offer some insight? Also, if you graduated from either of these schools, what is the first job you landed on right after college? Thanks so much in advance.</p>

2

<p>yvonnez, what is your USC SCA major? </p>

<p>As for how competitive that program is (I have 2 sons in that major), it is really an individual thing. Some drive themselves hard and work 24/7, and others take advantage of all the other things USC has to offer, like 147 different minors, Study Abroad, clubs, beach and sports, etc. I don’t know if you have been offered the chance to to Thematic Option (USC’s honors program), but it would give you another chance to meet like-minded academic superstars and get a small LAC sort of close-knit group education within a larger U. And SCA is filled with really talented creative peers with really diverse interests, visions, and voices.</p>

<p>As for your question: Does your career really depend on your education background? I have 2 answers:</p>

<p>1) No. You don’t even need to go to college, frankly. Example: Quentin Tarantino! But, careers most certainly depend on drive, ambition, energy, talent, perseverance, luck, connections, brilliant ideas, networking, the right personality, friends of friends, living in the right city, ability to support oneself through the thin times, assertiveness, non-stop working it all the time.</p>

<p>2) Yes. With a great education, you should have a much better understanding of where your particular talents and personality fit within a very large and diverse entertainment industry. Whether you may find you love tv development (reading scripts, etc), producing films, or a thousand cool positions you may not now even be aware of, a great education and a chance to start building a network of contacts and internships is a real head start.</p>

<p>Good luck! Two great great choices.</p>

3

<p>Madbean, I am accepted into the film production program in USC SCA. It is very helpful.</p>