USC Screenwriting MFA - Fall 2019 (1 Viewer)

[StarChild]

I think if I don't get into USC or Chapman, I'm gonna skip my back up school in DC and just work for a year in Vegas to save up money and move to LA anyway.

Idk anything about your DC backup, but moving to LA isn’t a bad idea, and you can always apply again next year. Either way, if you come to LA hit up us locals. I know I’d love to meet more of us up and coming filmmakers

 

[BuddernScotch]

I think everyone should apply to UCLA next year too. That forum this year is so quiet :'( and they are rival schools, guys!

I was stuck on USC the past 2 yrs too but no more. This year I have my anxieties spread over 4 more different schools!!!!

 

[StarChild]

I think everyone should apply to UCLA next year too. That forum this year is so quiet :'( and they are rival schools, guys!

I was stuck on USC the past 2 yrs too but no more. This year I have my anxieties spread over 4 more different schools!!!!

Me too! I applied to different places for sure! Why not?!

 

[BuddernScotch]

Me too! I applied to different places for sure! Why not?!

Yesss. I re evaluated my goals and realized I wanted to live and intern in LA with a solid network of peers. And maaaanyyyyy schools offer that.

 

[Operator]

Idk anything about your DC backup, but moving to LA isn’t a bad idea, and you can always apply again next year. Either way, if you come to LA hit up us locals. I know I’d love to meet more of us up and coming filmmakers

American University is the DC school...I know the VP of Production for AMC graduated from there years ago. But I think going that far east might be a waste of time, unless i was in NYC. I was considering joining the local heavy equipment operators union here in Vegas. With the lowest pay rate as an apprentice after bills/cost of living/dues I'd have $90k saved up after three years...that would last me maybe 3 years in LA if I do it right rooming with someone and then try to make it...but who knows. At least I have options if USC doesn't work out.

 

[StarChild]

American University is the DC school...I know the VP of Production for AMC graduated from there years ago. But I think going that far east might be a waste of time, unless i was in NYC. I was considering joining the local heavy equipment operators union here in Vegas. With the lowest pay rate as an apprentice after bills/cost of living/dues I'd have $90k saved up after three years...that would last me maybe 3 years in LA if I do it right rooming with someone and then try to make it...but who knows. At least I have options if USC doesn't work out.

Hey! I think all that sounds good. I also want to bring up the idea, that once you have enough money to move to LA and survive a few months, you can always get and work a subsistence job while you write and try to get into the industry. I don't know your situation at all (so much changes based on family, kids, previous loans etc), but you can work and still write at nights and on days off easily and try to make it here. Just saying it is possible to survive here - though you'll likely have roommates it's expensive but not impossible. Nowhere near as bad as NY. That said obviously a 90K cushion would be phenomenal.

 

[citynugget]

NYC ain’t that bad if you find the right place. I’m looking to sublet my room fully furnished in Queens for just 650. 20 mins from the city. Let me know if you’re looking!

 

[Michaelo]

OOOOOOOO CHILD. Okay. The LA low-down. First of all, the triple threat of cheap, safe, and close to campus is nigh-impossible. Your best bet is to go through the USC off-campus housing that's available to graduate students. Even then, I know current grad students that have had to deal with break-ins and the like. It's the reality of LA, especially when you're downtown. That being said, the immediate areas around campus are a lot safer than they used to be.

Now, LA public transport. Buses. Just... don't. The Metrolink is okay, depending on where you're trying to go. Amtrak is okay, business class is lit on the Pacific Surfliner line, which helps if you want to visit Orange County or go down to San Diego. Did y'all know that they serve snacks and wine to business class in the afternoon?! Found that out when I went to San Diego Comic Con for work last year. 10/10 recommend.

If you ask any SoCal resident how long it is to get somewhere, the answer will almost always be "About 20 minutes". This is lie. Do not believe it. LA traffic is insane. I think the only place I've ever been that had it beat was downtown Seattle. Anyway. For example, I live approximately 25 miles from USC in north Orange County. During morning traffic, it would easily take me 90 minutes to get to campus... assuming no accidents. It took me 2 hours and 15 minutes to get to Westwood for my UCLA interview on a Thursday. I left at 8am and was still a little late for my 10am check-in time. So an extra 10 miles took an additional 45 minutes to drive.

With all that being said. because public transportation is such shit, you really can't be an LA local and not have a car, or at least access to a car. If you can't afford to buy one or don't want the hassle of owning your own car, it might be a good idea to find a roommate and share a car? Or, you can become a member of a car sharing service like ZipCar, which a lot of my friends did for undergrad.

Other things... Griffith Observatory is cool and worth the trip. LACMA is also very cool (and free general admission the second Tuesday of every month). Hollywood (the city) is a piece of crap. Just look at the sign and move on - it's falling apart and no one famous hangs out in Hollywood anymore, so it's really just a bunch of cracked stars on the ground and walkways that smell like pee. The famous people are all in Malibu and Calabasas and areas where it isn't crap. The Broad Museum is a little overrated and you only get like 30 seconds in the Infinity mirror room but it is kind of trippy. The best coffee is at Rubies + Diamonds. Don't go to bars/clubs that have cover fees, they aren't worth it when there are so many cool places that don't have a cover. But also be prepared to pay like $16 for a cocktail because... LA.

Other than that, my nightlife knowledge centers mostly around Anaheim because... I go to Disneyland a lot (fun tip that won't be relevant once Star Wars land opens: Tuesdays are the least crowded day!)

Thanks for all the tips! I have so much to learn. Bummer about the transport situation. I guess it makes choosing a place to live doubly important if it takes so long to get anywhere else. I've read good things about Los Feliz on this forum and elsewhere, but still it looks like a horrendous trip on public transport

 

[Michel Lichand]

Thanks for all the tips! I have so much to learn. Bummer about the transport situation. I guess it makes choosing a place to live doubly important if it takes so long to get anywhere else. I've read good things about Los Feliz on this forum and elsewhere, but still it looks like a horrendous trip on public transport

I actually think LA transportation is not as bad as people say. I mean, it's bad compared to a city with actual good public transportation, but I take the Metro and buses to almost everywhere I go.

 

[StarChild]

Thanks for all the tips! I have so much to learn. Bummer about the transport situation. I guess it makes choosing a place to live doubly important if it takes so long to get anywhere else. I've read good things about Los Feliz on this forum and elsewhere, but still it looks like a horrendous trip on public transport

If you’re planning to do public transit- try to live on the metro line. It has stops in various places and transferring on the metro isn’t too bad if needed plus you can read. It goes over to the west side and Culver City now which is nice but pricier. It also goes into Hollywood and north Hollywood. Some places in north Hollywood are still cheap though right near the metro is more expensive but worth a look. The valley gets much cheaper than elsewhere, but then you really do want a car.
If you live near campus, stay north of it. Campus has gotten better with recent years but either way north is better than south though you’ll stretch rent money further if you aren’t near usc. K-Town is fairly close and more affordable. Los Feliz is a good area for sure, but yeah public transit from there probably isn’t good.

 

[O. Wesley Nelson]

I think if I don't get into USC or Chapman, I'm gonna skip my back up school in DC and just work for a year in Vegas to save up money and move to LA anyway.

This is what I like to hear! Go after it!

 

[JoannaFern]

Has anyone heard anything yet? Any waitlisted people/ rejections?

 

[StarChild]

Has anyone heard anything yet? Any waitlisted people/ rejections?

There were a few waitlisted people from last week. But I haven’t heard anything yet and nothing this week that I’ve heard of.

 

[snowingdrag]

There were a few waitlisted people from last week. But I haven’t heard anything yet and nothing this week that I’ve heard of.

still haven't heard anything, want my rejection letter already

 

[alanray]

Nothing from me either. Just waiting the inevitable. ?‍

 

[StarChild]

still haven't heard anything, want my rejection letter already

Me too!

 

[amlena]

Dear USC,

Why are you requesting additional info for financial aid if I don't even have an acceptance lettterrrrrr? Why you doing this to me, USC?

Respectfully,

I Got My Hope Up For 30 Seconds Then It All Came Crashing Down

 

[citynugget]

Dear USC,

Why are you requesting additional info for financial aid if I don't even have an acceptance lettterrrrrr? Why you doing this to me, USC?

Respectfully,

I Got My Hope Up For 30 Seconds Then It All Came Crashing Down

I wonder how they choose who to ask

 

[Cd23]

Dear USC,

Why are you requesting additional info for financial aid if I don't even have an acceptance lettterrrrrr? Why you doing this to me, USC?

Respectfully,

I Got My Hope Up For 30 Seconds Then It All Came Crashing Down

I feel like that has to be a good sign

 

[addik]

Well, I haven't received anything still, but like I said in the Film Production thread, around the time people were getting their waitlisted letters, I got an email from USC telling me to reupload smaller versions of my transcript because they had problems opening it. I hope that's a good sign (I mean, it'd be cruel to put me through the very minor inconvenience of splitting my pdf files into parts only to reject me), but I can't say for sure :/

Hope everyone is holding up well. We'll get our answers soon enough!