Wesleyan vs Chapman vs Emerson

College Search & Selection
1

Hello! I’m a student interested in studying film/television (preferably with a focus in writing), and I’ve narrowed down my college choice to Wesleyan, Chapman, and Emerson. When it comes to choosing among these three, though, I’m paralyzed.

I love academics almost as much as I love screenwriting, and I prefer discussion-based classes over lectures, which is one of the things that draws me to Wesleyan. The creative projects that Wesleyan almuni have gone on to create also line up the most with what I am interested in writing/working on. Culture-wise, I think I’ll have an easier time “finding my people” (yikes) at an LAC–I initially wanted to go to Reed because of its culture, despite it not offering film!

But, internships are one of my top priorities, and both Chapman and Emerson seem to excel at connecting their film/tv students with relevant internships. Chapman’s location is also a draw, as is Emerson’s. Boston, like Emerson, seems more aligned with TV than film, which is wonderful. Plus, Emerson has that sweet LA campus. It seems like a writing-based school in general, so I’d likely bond with a lot of people there over common interests. Within Dodge at Chapman, too, I’d be around people who want to go into the same industry. My life is built around collaborating with my friends, and I’d like it to stay that way.

Also: I love writing music, singing, etc, so it would be wonderful to go to a school with other people who are interested in music. (Which also makes me consider Oberlin! Agh!)

Any advice on choosing?

2

It’s really not an apples-to-apples comparison. The film offerings at Chapman and Emerson are essentially BFA programs. Yes, you will be surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands, of students interested in the same subject matter, the nuts and bolts of film making; the technical requirements of screenwriting. And, a smattering of liberal arts courses thrown in. The danger is that you would be operating within a silo with exposure to only a limited number of faculty, many of whom might be better classified as industry professionals rather than scholars.

Wesleyan is a traditional, stand-alone LAC with an enviable history of innovation; its Film Studies program is considered one of the pioneering efforts in the study of popular culture, with deep roots in area studies, literature and the fine arts. You will be surrounded by people with lots of intellectual curiosity and for the first few semesters at Wesleyan you will be expected to show proficiency across a spectrum of different academic disciplines. At Wesleyan, I think the understanding is that a writer - of any kind - needs a good liberal arts education.

I can’t speak for the internship situations at Emerson or Chapman. If working during the school year is important to you, I would imagine being near a major metropolitan area helps in that regard. Summer internships are another matter. I would think the playing field is more level in that regard.