In the final part of our exclusive interview, the University of Hartford's Lauren Cook, Director of the Cinema program, and Nicole Mazzarella of Admissions share tips to increase your chances of acceptance, dive into the program's courses, and discuss where alumni have started exciting careers.
From left to right: Lauren Cook and Nicole Mazzarella. (Courtesy: University of Hartford)
Read part 1 of the interview here:
LC: Taking all of those things into consideration, when we're reviewing applications, we take a holistic approach. It isn't just about their GPA. It also isn’t just about what they're participating in. It’s also about things outside of school, like if they’re holding down a job while maintaining their grades.
NM: I have one particular student in mind — she was really strong at the high school level and had consistent good grades in all areas. Her school didn’t offer production courses or have a film studies club. But in her personal statement, she shared how she became a storyteller, starting with creating stories and characters with her sisters. To me, that signaled that this person has a lot of passion. And then when she came to visit, she attended two of our student visit days, and you could just tell she looked so excited [...] to see the equipment and facilities.
Now, she’s one of my student ambassadors, which is really great. One of the coolest parts of my job, honestly, is getting to know students in the application stage, and then actually getting to see them grow. She came in with that passion, and then Lauren and our other faculty gave her the skills to make her a professional. She's worked on six different film projects already.
NM: The average student is a really strong, B-student that's in the top of their class. That being said, depending on the major, we're...
From left to right: Lauren Cook and Nicole Mazzarella. (Courtesy: University of Hartford)
Read part 1 of the interview here:
How to Get Into the University of Hartford's Cinema Program: Insights from the Director and Admissions (Part 1)
Tucked away in the capital city of Connecticut, the University of Hartford's Cinema program is one of New England's hidden gems for undergraduate film students. Founded in 1957 through the merger of Hartford Art School, Hillyer College, and The Hartt School, the University has a longstanding...
- Alexa P.
- Category: Admissions Interviews
How heavily does GPA factor into admissions decisions?
LC: Taking all of those things into consideration, when we're reviewing applications, we take a holistic approach. It isn't just about their GPA. It also isn’t just about what they're participating in. It’s also about things outside of school, like if they’re holding down a job while maintaining their grades.
Can you share an example of a highly memorable application and why it stands out?
NM: I have one particular student in mind — she was really strong at the high school level and had consistent good grades in all areas. Her school didn’t offer production courses or have a film studies club. But in her personal statement, she shared how she became a storyteller, starting with creating stories and characters with her sisters. To me, that signaled that this person has a lot of passion. And then when she came to visit, she attended two of our student visit days, and you could just tell she looked so excited [...] to see the equipment and facilities.
Now, she’s one of my student ambassadors, which is really great. One of the coolest parts of my job, honestly, is getting to know students in the application stage, and then actually getting to see them grow. She came in with that passion, and then Lauren and our other faculty gave her the skills to make her a professional. She's worked on six different film projects already.
How competitive is the admissions process?
NM: The average student is a really strong, B-student that's in the top of their class. That being said, depending on the major, we're...
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