I just got accepted to these schools but cannot decide which one is the best choice for me.
I got into COM for bu, CAS for bc, media and film production for Emerson, and creative producing for Chapman (with 10k scholarship/yr).
I personally wanted to study media/communication/film/tv, not including journalism since I wanna work in the media/entertainment field in the future.
I know that bu has a strong communication major but I heard that professors at bu care more about grad students instead of undergrad students.
My parents prefer bc since it has the highest overall usnews ranking, less students in a class than bu, and a really strong business program (they want me to major in business), and they also said that I would have the chance to go to classes in Harvard and possibly go to Harvard for grad school.
The film school at Chapman is ranked #7 I think, and its overall ranking is not as good as others (#100+?) I’m not sure if I should commit to producing this early, and I would not have other choices there since majors other than film are just not strong at Chapman.
Emerson is also specialized in media but I am not sure whether it is better than bu?
It would be great to hear any perspectives and if anyone from these schools have anything to say it would be the best. Thanks!
Here is my perspective as a mom who has 2 kiddos in college who want to go into the entertainment industry and we live in SoCal. I have visited BU and Chapman with DD in the past with Film Prod in mind. And DD has worked many internships and will go into the biz in the fall.
Most important: How likely will you really want to go into this field vs potentially changing your major?
And if you do plan on going into the entertainment industry, frankly, the most important thing for success is your relationships and networks with other people in the industry or going into the industry.
- I have not heard of anyone from the entertainment industry from BC. I'm sure that there may be some, but if breaking into the biz is your goal, then you would have a mightily uphill battle, should you choose BC
- Emerson is more of an arts school so you won't have many other majors to potentially change to, should you decide that film prod is not for you. It does send grads into the industry
This really only leaves BU and Chapman.
3. BU somehow has some inroads in the biz, bc DD has met a fair amt of BU grads doing internships with her. Transferring to the film major (once in BU) had no obstacles and seems easy enough (is COM different than the film major?). The film major is not as good as Chapman’s, but again, networking and your relationships with people will matter the most for getting into the biz. You have the full range of majors at a USNWR nationally ranked college should you decide to change your major. There might be no real “campus” feel, since it’s blended with the city streets. Living in Boston seems fun, with lots of college students around with which to interact.
- Chapman has AMAZING film production facilities that rival USC. You would do lots of internships and you would basically get into the biz if you want to. And SoCal is awesome (of course I am biased; 50-80 degrees in winter; very low humidity), but keep in mind that a private school in SoCal might be a huge culture shock for you (either good or bad) and most of the students went to SoCal private HSs so they might be snooty. Chapman's faculty have all done full time work in the biz so you are learning from people who have really done it before and they still have connections. Yes, Chapman is a regional college so anyone outside of SoCal has probably never heard about it. Therefore, you change majors, it would be no problem to get a job in CA, but I'm not sure how it affects getting a job in another part of the country. Chapman's business major is considered one of the better programs at Chapman and grads definitely get employed in SoCal. Of the 2 Chapman students who were in the HS class with my DD, 1 is in the biz, and 1 is in dental school in the midwest. The campus is tiny. The amazing film studios are located about 4 blocks from the main campus, so it's a little disjointed. Living in the OC has great weather and would be fun in the dorms, but you are basically living in a quiet, boring suburb, so you only have a small circle of young people to hang out with.
Another option is to start at Chapman, and if your “major” plans change, then apply for a transfer. Transfer acceptance rates to BU was something like 30%-50% of applicants.
If your goal is to go to a Harvard professional graduate school (I’m presuming MBA or JD?) then the most important factor for admission is your GPA and GMAT or LSAT scores. At Chapman, it might be easier to keep up a stellar GPA compared with BU. But if you are at BU and are buddies with admissions folks at Harvard (who knows, I don’t live in Boston/Cambridge), then it would be an advantage for H admission.
And remember that no decision is permanent. People zig and zag all of the time. Good luck.
@YoHoYoHo Thank you so much for your perspective. It helps a lot!!!
twffany…just want to share that I have a close family member currently at Chapman in the film production department. Student is from east coast (public high school/middle class/not snooty) and absolutely loves the school, program, weather, students…everything! Has met students and made friends from all over the country. Did the Semester at Sea program which was absolutely amazing. Overall having a fantastic college experience. Internships starting soon. Good luck!
Great post by @YoHoYoHo
The only thing I would add is that if you are very sure about your path here, Emerson would be worth putting back into the mix. If we’re talking industry connections, they are a very big one, and have tons of resources specially devoted to it. I don’t know Chapman, but for this specific area, I would personally take Emerson over BU. If transferring is an option for Chapman, transferring from Emerson to BU would be an option as well, and wouldn’t even require changing cities, let alone coasts. You could even possibly keep the same apartment if it’s off campus of Emerson. Again, I have no knowledge of Chapman here, but I don’t think I would rule out Emerson.
@twffany “My parents prefer bc since it has the highest overall usnews ranking, less students in a class than bu, and a really strong business program (they want me to major in business)”
USNWR ranking will not tell you which school will have a stronger program in your specific major. You said you were accepted to Morrissey CAS. BC accepts students into a specific college and you were accepted into CAS. Being able to transfer from Morrissey to Carroll (business school) will be almost impossible. I have attended two info sessions, followed by two tours at BC and it is something that they repeated during each info session/ tour. Contact admissions to discuss this if your parents’ preference for BC is based on their desire to have you major in business.
Have you visited any of these schools? If you can visit it may be helpful. BC, BU and Emerson are all a close proximity to each other so if you can’t visit all 4, maybe you can make the trip to Boston to visit these 3.
Just confirmed that it’s not possible to transfer from CAS to the business school CSOM, so that leaves with BC (communication in CAS), BU (communication/film/tv in COM) and Chapman (creative producing in Dodge). I want to transfer to nyu steinhardt to study MCC in sophomore year, so BU’s myth about hardest finals and gpa deflation scares me a little bit. For now, I want to choose a school that nyu likes as transfers, and also if nyu rejects me again, it would be worth it to go to that school anyway. With these new info updated, can I get new advices? Thanks to everyone who commented.