<p>I currently go to UCLA; I want to be a filmmaker, so that's a huge reason I chose UCLA in the first place. </p>
<p>However, I am definitely not happy with my experience there so far, academically, socially, anything...Now I'm thinking of transferring to a different school. I'm considering other UCs like Berkeley and UCSD, but I'm also thinking of trying to transfer to an art school so I can focus on film and have a close-knit environment of fellow artists.</p>
<p>For art schools, I'm thinking of CalArts, San Francisco Art Institute, Academy of Art University, California College of the Arts, and Art Institute of San Francisco. </p>
<p>Would I be foolish to do this? Obviously UCLA has the number 1 film program in the nation and is located in LA, where connections and internships are probably much easier to obtain...but I won't even know if I get into the film major until next year, and I don't think I would want to stay at UCLA for any other reason than perhaps the film program. </p>
<p>Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you in advance. :)</p>
<p>I know nothing about film or art schools. When I read your post I see vague dissatisfaction and the desire for the elusive perfection. Have you searched yourself to see why you don’t like UCLA, and why you think the problems will be better elsewhere? You say you aren’t fitting socially. There are thousands and thousands of students there; maybe you should try different ones. Same with the classes. </p>
<p>If UCLA has the best program in your chosen area, why don’t you stick it out until you find out if you get into the film major and make your decision after that? Meanwhile, join different clubs, get to know your teachers better, etc.</p>
<p>Yes, I have. I just didn’t want to ramble on about personal details on a thread. </p>
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<p>I have tried lots of different clubs and avenues to meet good friends, to little avail. As for classes, I’ve only taken two I really loved, and the rest (even those that I thought sounded right up my alley) were only mediocre. </p>
<p>My question isn’t really about what I can supposedly do to like UCLA better. It’s more to do with whether I should go to a school I don’t like because their program is better or go to a school I actually like (granted, I would have to visit these schools and truly get a feel for them to see if I would like them better than UCLA) even if their program is not as good. :-/</p>
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<p>Thanks for the advice, but I would have to apply next year to these other schools if I wanted to transfer, so it would be better for me to decide now what my plan should be. If I do decide to transfer, I would also try to get in for spring semester, and I wouldn’t know by then if I got into the film major at UCLA anyway. :-/</p>
<p>i say you apply, look at your options, then make a decision. Film is a funny industry-- it’s good to be somewhere where you can have a backup plan.</p>
<p>ucla is a huge school. its hard to believe that there isnt any there who you could see yourself being friends with. if youre naturally introverted, make an effort to be more social and see what happens.</p>
<p>I don’t like to do this, but I read some of your recent past posts.</p>
<p>You don’t seem happy at UCLA, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll get into UCLA’s film program.</p>
<p>I’d say, definitely, look into CalArts and all the rest. I wouldn’t bother with Cal nor UCSD. You sound like you want an artsy curriculum, instead of wading through a bunch of different non-art types of GE prereqs.</p>
<p>^Meteman, you don’t even know me or what I’ve already tried. I’d advise you not to comment on others’ threads with rude overgeneralizations and faulty assumptions. Thanks.</p>
<p>To everyone else, thanks for offering your advice. I’m not particularly introverted and have made a lot of efforts to get to know people at UCLA. The culture and environment just don’t do it for me, which is why I’m also not interested in USC. </p>
<p>But again, the point of the thread is whether I should stay at a school I don’t like solely due to the fact that their film program is more prestigious. Any advice from people actually involved in film post-grad would be very helpful so I can at least get a better idea of whether one’s school/degree in film matter a great deal, or if it is more about the actual quality of the movies one makes (or other factors). My biggest concern is not the actual film education I could receive; I’m sure I could receive about an equal education in filmmaking at any of the schools I listed. My concern is the actual connections to the industry, and whether UCLA really has some huge advantage in this regard or not.</p>
<p>Ok I know you asked for someone in film, but I think I can still help. I want to go into engineering, so of course I looked for schools with great engineering programs. I looked at UVA, Pitt, NYU-Poly (I actually was accepted there) and a few others, but upon further inspection, I realized that the majority of these schools would be too big for me. I am introverted, and I know that I would become lost in the crowd at a large or even medium-sized school. So I chose a small school and made my own major so that I could have everything I needed for the next four years (after all, most people forget that if they don’t fit at a school, it won’t matter how great the academics/location/price is, they won’t get the best out of their education.</p>
<p>Whew! I didn’t mean to say that much, but my point is that you shouldn’t risk your personal growth in order to further your education; you should explore the other schools and maybe try UCLA for graduate school (if that’s your plan). Good luck darlin!</p>