Columbia University MFA Film : FALL 2017

[icygee]

Bye *waves*

 

[Christopher Gooley]

Does anyone know generally how many students are waitlisted?

I'm on the waitlist as of now according to the spread it looks like there are 3 of us on the list.

 

[SaltyDornishman]

Yes, sorry I've made a habit of using law school lingo. I'm 23.

They made a hubbaballoo when I interviewed for Fall 2015 about how young I was and even brought it up again with a handwritten note to accompany my WL that year. Basically that the talent is there but not the lived experiences.

cc: @SaltyDornishman

Well that's lame.

 

[icygee]

Well that's lame.

I kinda "get it" but it's whatever, don't wanna be somewhere that's gonna underestimate you. I'll thrive on the West Coast @ LMU.

 

[lianlee]

Yes, sorry I've made a habit of using law school lingo. I'm 23.

They made a hubbaballoo when I interviewed for Fall 2015 about how young I was and even brought it up again with a handwritten note to accompany my WL that year. Basically that the talent is there but not the lived experiences.

cc: @SaltyDornishman

I am 19 with a super high GPA, and I have already got into two film festivals(one is not even in student category), but I got rejected by both of my top choices, and the interview I had with USC, the interviewer just said I need more experiences : D

 

[HBG]

I am 19 with a super high GPA, and I have already got into two film festivals(one is not even in student category), but I got rejected by both of my top choices, and the interview I had with USC, the interviewer just said I need more experiences : D

Yo how are you 19 and applying for MFAs? Wouldn't you have to be at 21 by the time you're graduating you're undergrad? Well, that's if you started school at 17. Just curious.

 

[lianlee]

Yo how are you 19 and applying for MFAs? Wouldn't you have to be at 21 by the time you're graduating you're undergrad? Well, that's if you started school at 17. Just curious.

I am graduating this semester. I went to college when I was 17, and I graduated one year early from my school because I took more than 18 credit hours every semester.

 

[HBG]

I am graduating this semester. I went to college when I was 17, and I graduated one year early from my school because I took more than 18 credit hours every semester.

Amazing, great job!

 

[lianlee]

Amazing, great job!

Thank you! But it didn't get me anywhere this year, and I actually think they will reject me again if I reapply next year lol

 

[HBG]

Thank you! But it didn't get me anywhere this year, and I actually think they will reject me again if I reapply next year lol

You know this isn't the first time this has happened, it's actually very frequent. Faculty, regardless of discipline, prefer incoming MFA students to have had travel/work experience.

I had a professor in undergrad who taught law school, and said they required applicants to have two years of work experiences after their undergraduate and they would rather have you scooping ice cream than working as a paralegal, because "you have more real life experiences and interactions" and that's what they look for with MFAs, more experience than ever.

Travel, work, experience and write, then try again. If this is what you want, don't stop until you get it!

 

[Patrick Clement]

Got the ding email from Columbia for Screenwriting/Directing once again because of my "age." Los Angeles, here I come.

I'm going to respectfully call shenanigans on this. In our current year we have maybe 5-7 students in the 23-25 yo range. We even had a 22YO I think.
So I don't have any reason to believe age is a primary deciding factor in admission decision. Although it may be a contributing factor.

 

[icygee]

I'm going to respectfully call shenanigans on this. In our current year we have maybe 5-7 students in the 23-25 yo range. We even had a 22YO I think.
So I don't have any reason to believe age is a primary deciding factor in admission decision. Although it may be a contributing factor.

I'm just relaying what I was literally told. I have the note framed somewhere in my stuff from undergrad if you'd like me to dig it out.

 

[Patrick Clement]

I'm just relaying what I was literally told. I have the note framed somewhere in my stuff from undergrad if you'd like me to dig it out.

I think we're all going to have to see that note.

 

[Zeno]

I think we're all going to have to see that note.

While we are all holding our breath for that note -

I'm curious, Patrick, about being waitlisted at Columbia for the screenwriting/directing program. Understand there is little I can do to hasten the process. You offered in an earlier post that you know many are accepted off the waitlist. I notice eight people here on the google sheets which sounds like a lot but I do know that they have 50 slots a year for that program. I'll probably post about this here but anything you can add? Assume it's just a waiting game. Congrats on your becoming a student there and you seem to have a real affinity for the program.

 

[Patrick Clement]

While we are all holding our breath for that note -

I'm curious, Patrick, about being waitlisted at Columbia for the screenwriting/directing program. Understand there is little I can do to hasten the process. You offered in an earlier post that you know many are accepted off the waitlist. I notice eight people here on the google sheets which sounds like a lot but I do know that they have 50 slots a year for that program. I'll probably post about this here but anything you can add? Assume it's just a waiting game. Congrats on your becoming a student there and you seem to have a real affinity for the program.

I think it really is a waiting game. It is prob different each year. Maybe some years there are more people pulled from the waitlist and some less. We can only assume they invite the "high end" numbers for waitlist, because they don't want to be under-enrolled.

Also, and I've written about this before, for the most part these schools are fighting over the same group of students. I would bet the farm a large portion of accepted students have been accepted to one or more high-level schools. So there will inevitably be students coming off the waitlist.

You have probably already been put in a ranking system, so all you can do is wait patiently. They pull from the waitlist up to the last minute.

And I won't necessarily call it an "affinity," although I appreciate the sentiment. I did lots of research in application, made my choice and have tried to make the best out of my time at CU. For me, that's understanding and accepting both its strengths and weaknesses.

Congrats and good luck!

 

[Zeno]

I think it really is a waiting game. It is prob different each year. Maybe some years there are more people pulled from the waitlist and some less. We can only assume they invite the "high end" numbers for waitlist, because they don't want to be under-enrolled.

Also, and I've written about this before, for the most part these schools are fighting over the same group of students. I would bet the farm a large portion of accepted students have been accepted to one or more high-level schools. So there will inevitably be students coming off the waitlist.

You have probably already been put in a ranking system, so all you can do is wait patiently. They pull from the waitlist up to the last minute.

And I won't necessarily call it an "affinity," although I appreciate the sentiment. I did lots of research in application, made my choice and have tried to make the best out of my time at CU. For me, that's understanding and accepting both its strengths and weaknesses.

Congrats and good luck!

Thank you and I gathered as much based on what you said before and my own research. So if not an affinity, more a logical fit? I'm curious about your most recent thoughts on its strengths and weaknesses. You did post something awhile back pertaining to Columbia's great storytelling based program coupled with its not so great production oriented aspects. That the gist? I'm attracted to it being a renowned college and program, it's storytelling focus built off of a unique screenwriting/directing program of talented-collaborative students, and the faculty who are, in large regard, current and relevant filmmakers themselves. And not for nothing, all those student academy and festival awards, and alumni going on to great careers says something. UCLA can't boast that and one grad told me you have to work hard to get mentorship to develop there. Also, I like the idea of bumping into other students who are doing remarkable things in completely different fields which Columbia has in spades. Don't get me wrong: I realize that more than half of what you get out of a programs like these is what you put into them. But if you're willing and able to do so, a place like Columbia seems a good place to actualize things.

 

[Patrick Clement]

Thank you and I gathered as much based on what you said before and my own research. So if not an affinity, more a logical fit? I'm curious about your most recent thoughts on its strengths and weaknesses. You did post something awhile back pertaining to Columbia's great storytelling based program coupled with its not so great production oriented aspects. That the gist? I'm attracted to it being a renowned college and program, it's storytelling focus built off of a unique screenwriting/directing program of talented-collaborative students, and the faculty who are, in large regard, current and relevant filmmakers themselves. And not for nothing, all those student academy and festival awards, and alumni going on to great careers says something. UCLA can't boast that and one grad told me you have to work hard to get mentorship to develop there. Also, I like the idea of bumping into other students who are doing remarkable things in completely different fields which Columbia has in spades. Don't get me wrong: I realize that more than half of what you get out of a programs like these is what you put into them. But if you're willing and able to do so, a place like Columbia seems a good place to actualize things.

I think those are all great points. Yes, Columbia is not necessarily a "production" school and doesn't have the facilities/equipment of some other schools. Although I think it has sufficient gear, but not great facilities. It is a "story" school after all.

Columbia has a good track record of working professionals and some bigger names and I do think there is a certain type of camaraderie that exists between CU grads. All these MFAs have alumni networks but I can't speak for those.

 

[kremchi]

Hello, I'm very new to this site and I'm also on the CU wait list for the Film MFA in Screenwriting/Directing. From my call to the office of admissions, accepted students have to confirm their attendance until April 15. Hopefully that means waitlisted people will get some news earlier than much later.

 

[Zeno]

Hello, I'm very new to this site and I'm also on the CU wait list for the Film MFA in Screenwriting/Directing. From my call to the office of admissions, accepted students have to confirm their attendance until April 15. Hopefully that means waitlisted people will get some news earlier than much later.

I'm in the same boat kremchi. Waitlisted at Columbia University in Screenwriting/Directing. Also got into Art Center with scholarship. Will likely turn down Art Center because Columbia University is my first choice. It's a gamble. But grad school is so darn expensive that you gotta be at a truly great one to make it worth it. And by the way, April 15 is when both accepted must confirm AND those who want to remain on waitlist must confirm. So, will be the most significant openings right after. Last year they started making new offers on April 27th. Curious, where else did you apply and waitlisted or accepted elsewhere?

 

[kremchi]

I'm in the same boat kremchi. Waitlisted at Columbia University in Screenwriting/Directing. Also got into Art Center with scholarship. Will likely turn down Art Center because Columbia University is my first choice. It's a gamble. But grad school is so darn expensive that you gotta be at a truly great one to make it worth it. And by the way, April 15 is when both accepted must confirm AND those who want to remain on waitlist must confirm. So, will be the most significant openings right after. Last year they started making new offers on April 27th. Curious, where else did you apply and waitlisted or accepted elsewhere?

Thanks for the new information Zeno! I only applied to another film program at Emerson College and got accepted with a scholarship. Like you Columbia is my top choice. The deadline to confirm acceptance at Emerson is May 1 so I hope we can hear some news before that day. If not, I'll still be on the waitlist but most likely decline Emerson. I haven't completely decided on the last part until I get closer to the deadline. We'll just have to wait with positive thoughts!