<p>I am a sophomore at a very good high school, which is known for it's high curriculum and such. I am starting to look at colleges, and I've already known for a while that I want to go into filmmaking. Here are some of my accomplishments, extra curriculars, and academics that I've received int the past two years;</p>
<p>-I have a gpa of around 3.4-3.5 (if I'm counting my freshman year to now)
-I take three honors courses and the rest are accelerated
*next year I'm taking three AP classes
-I was the president of my choir class freshman year
-At the end of last year I was selected to be in my school's extremely selective all-women's award winning a capella group
-I have multiple solos in choir concerts
-I was selected to participate in the League of Women's Voters this year (apparently it looks really good on college apps)
-As a freshman I directed a One-Act play in my school's competition against other grades. I won Best Director, Best Show. My actors won Best Newcoming Actor, Best Newcoming Actress, Best Set, Best Lighting. A freshman has not won in ten years.
-This year I am a supporting role in my grade's one act
-I am a lead in a Holocaust play called The Last Cyclist that my Actor's Studio class is putting on.
-I should have been inducted into International Thespian Society as a freshman, but I didn't get the paper work so I will be inducted this year. (I have over 50 pts)
-I was a lead in my school's fall show as a freshman, and had a small role in the musical
-This year I got a lead in my school's children show, and was selected to be in the musical as well
*I was the assistant to the director in the musical
-I am currently in the process of writing two short films, and will shoot in the summer
-I created my school's first Jewish Culture Club</p>
<p>Right now my overall average for my classes (we just finished the third marking period) is between a 3.2-3.4. I had a hard couple of months but I'm planning to get all a's this marking period.
Also, like I said, my school is very well known for it's high curriculum and difficulty level.</p>
<p>There's a little more to that I think, but what I'm really trying to ask is; what film schools should I be looking at? Which do you think I could be eligible for? What can I do over the next two years to help my chances?</p>
<p>Here is the list of potential film schools in my top seven (first three are in order)
-Emerson College
-American University
-Drexel University
-FSU
-USC
-University of the Arts
-Boston University (I know it's not necessarily 'the best' but I love the are and programs offered)</p>
<p>Any sort of advice or anything would help. Thank you!</p>
<p>Filmmaking has a variety of specialties, from production to screenwriting to … You should stay active with your extracurriculars and hone your skills by making films, writing,etc.
Having said that, many of your choices are very competitive for film school admission, and your current GPA is a strike against you, you should work to raise it. Obviously you are very involved, but perhaps you should focus on fewer activities so you have time to study and learn. At top schools test scores and GPA matter as well as your portfolio, especially if you are looking for scholarship aid.
Is money a factor? Do you have an in-state option? I like your list of schools, USC and FSU are longshots for most everyone, perhaps you want to expand the list, you have at least a year before you even have to think about applying.</p>
<p>Think about starting a film club: you could have one that makes films, another that watches and critiques them. As the founder, you could be the president. Consider trying to work on other peoples films, or volunteer at a film festival in your town. I see a LOT of great activities, but not many that show a passion for film. That is one thing any of the film schools will look at: how long have you had the passion, and what have you done to show you want to be a filmmaker.
Where do you live? We might be able to come up with more specific suggestions if you answer where and if financial aid are big factors.</p>
<p>@jtmoney, I’m actually in the process of writing a short little film project that will be shot soon. also, my friend who is attending drexel in the fall wrote a screen play which I will be assisting him with. Also, I’m going to take broadcasting my senior year (unless I can somehow clear up something in my schedule to take it next year) and in that class we do a lot of film things.
I understand what you’re saying for my gpa, believe me haha. My school is very competitive too (if that helps, probably not) and at the moment I have all a’s, and if those keep up than I will have AT LEASE a 3.5 unweighted gpa for the year. Last year, I had a 3.6 unweighted.
Money is not an option, however I am from New Jersey and there’s really no school’s here that I am interested in whatsoever. Yeah, I figured those two were longshots but hey, why not?
Thanks for your reply!</p>
<p>A film club is actually a very good idea. I’m not sure if my school has one, but I’ll definitely look into it!
Unfortunately, I’m from an area where sports is a bigger deal than film so projects are a little hard to find. Especially at my school.
I live in south jersey - twenty minutes from Philadelphia, however transportation is a bit of an issue at most times. Financial aid is not an issue.
Thanks for your reply!</p>
<p>*money is not an issue. Wow, my spelling and grammar are really off today. My bad.</p>
<p>You should consider Chapman Dodge Film College in Orange, CA. It is one of the best and has several specialty degrees within the film college.</p>
<p>You should also look into a summer program at one of your target schools. Dodge has an excellent Summer Film Academy that is competitive for acceptance into the summer program. Most of these are geared towards high school students entering Senior Yr and it will help you make a final decision on whether applying to film major is really what you want to do. But, applications are due in the Winter of your Junior Yr so you might want to start looking into these programs.</p>
<p>Putting in a plug for maddenmd’s book, it is full of good advice you should check it out. Didn’t mean to disparage your GPA, but it is a factor at many schools just for admission. You actually have a great list for your 7, don’t know how many you have looked at to get to those but I like your choices. Coralbrook mentions Dodge, which brings up the fact that there are many schools in the U.S. where you can get a good film school education, it will be what you make of it by what you put in to it. Try to find a fit with your learning style and what the school is good at; when you look carefully you will find they can be very different, and you have time to discover that.
What is your career goal? LA is the center of the mainstream movie/entertainment industry, so schools in LA have better connections for internships than most places. USC isn’t the only film school in LA, anymore than NYU the only one in New York.</p>
<p>I went to university of the arts for film and then to LMU in LA for graduate school in film production. Being from south jersey as well its very different in philadelphia, then in LA. Much more lax on paperwork and forms etc., but you learn a lot none the less. It sounds like you go to West , so that is a good school (though I went to East.) ;0</p>