USC MFA Writing for Screen & Television (Screenwriting) 2021

[MJSTEWA]

Hey guys, been lurking for a while. Got my acceptance this morning around 4:30 EST. No word on financial aid on my end yet, but you do get a link to a USC portal so that might come later. Anyway, congrats to all my future classmates, looking forward to meeting you guys!

 

[Chris W]

I just got an acceptance letter! (domestic student). Notification that my decision status had been updated came at 6:27 a.m. EST. I just saw it now (7:40ish a.m.) because, well, I got up to use the bathroom. haha. There was no info regarding scholarship decisions. (But I am bleary eyed and not awake so I only skimmed the letter.) Anyone know when scholarship info came through in previous years?

i got accepted around 4:30am (domestic, via email)

holy shit I got accepted!!!! I woke up to an email saying a decision was posted and I knew that could only mean one thing. I'm in complete shock right now. I'm a domestic student and the email was sent at 2:33am (2/27/21).

No mention of scholarship yet, but did everyone's letter mention "Your academic records indicate that you will make a significant contribution to academic life at the university," and "This admission is offered subject to your maintaining your present level of academic achievement"? I am wondering if that is the standard letter or an indication that a scholarship is incoming. I'm also curious when scholarship info comes in. I will sell my left kidney to make sure I can attend, but I'd rather not have to.

Congratulations to @JasperJohns, @abo and @mcrawfordguy and I look forward to meeting everyone this fall!

Hey guys, been lurking for a while. Got my acceptance this morning around 4:30 EST. No word on financial aid on my end yet, but you do get a link to a USC portal so that might come later. Anyway, congrats to all my future classmates, looking forward to meeting you guys!

Woohoo!!!! It's happening. This is great news everyone. Big congrats to those who got in.

To join the private USC forums for accepted students use this link below:

PRIVATE CLUB - USC

You need to be a Supporting Member to join but you'll get permanent access to the private forum. It'll give you access to the private USC forum where you can all chat and meet up there.

https://www.filmschool.org/forums/usc-school-of-cinematic-arts.187/

Also if you're accepted please be sure to update your Applications in our database with as much info as you can such as notification dates, GPA, portfolios, etc as it'll be a huge help to others. (Most of that data is only visible to members and not public web or Google) The more data the site has the more accurate the acceptance data is.

Again huge congrats to everyone!

And I said this in other thread - to those who did not get in yet do not give up hope. Acceptance may still be coming and even if it isn't this round it does not define you. Keep at it. Keep creating.

 

[CampbellSoup]

I got my admission email this morning!!!!!! I'm very happy, very excited. If past years are any indication, acceptances will continue to trickle in over the next few days and scholarships come in way later.

 

[aaaaa]

I got my admission email this morning!!!!!! I'm very happy, very excited. If past years are any indication, acceptances will continue to trickle in over the next few days and scholarships come in way later.

Congrats! But I thought all the domestic acceptances generally come out on one day (which is today) around the same time. And then the waitlisted people will be notified eventually in the coming weeks. And then in April come the final rejections.

Don't get me wrong- I like your version better! But I'm already 2 cocktails deep in my spiral of depression. Should I stop or keep going?

 

[imenergetic]

Congrats! But I thought all the domestic acceptances generally come out on one day (which is today) around the same time. And then the waitlisted people will be notified eventually in the coming weeks. And then in April come the final rejections.

Don't get me wrong- I like your version better! But I'm already 2 cocktails deep in my spiral of depression. Should I stop or keep going?

I looked at some previous years, and some of the accepted dates were super out over 3 or 4 days, not just 2. I could be reading wrong of course. I'm not going to get truly depressed until i get my "scram, or else!" Email.

 

[aaaaa]

I looked at some previous years, and some of the accepted dates were super out over 3 or 4 days, not just 2. I could be reading wrong of course. I'm not going to get truly depressed until i get my "scram, or else!" Email.

Same here! Optimism level over 9000! (I just use anything as an excuse to drink)

 

[aaaaa]

Congrats to all who got in!!!!

For those of us still anxiously refreshing and praying, do we know if they’re still sending things out over the next few days? Or when the waitlist decisions come out?

Hey! I know you from Reddit! Check your reddit!

 

[theMorrigan]

Huge congrats to @mcrawfordguy @JasperJohns @CampbellSoup @viipyramids @MJSTEWA @abo !! Super excited to see your success!

For the rest of us, though I know it's hard to keep the faith, we should remember that our journeys aren't over. Kevin Feige applied 6 times before his acceptance. Waitlisted is still a possibility, as are more acceptances.

JasperJohns, I'd love to look at your materials. My email is kara.mia.lyle@gmail.com.

 

[Krmg]

How is everyone doing today?! My stomach has been a constant bowl of jelly since acceptances started rolling out.

Has anyone heard back from USC lately? I saw rejections are going out, but I haven't received one yet... do y'all think waitlists/acceptances are still rolling out too or have they all been sent out?

 

[katiebonnie]

How is everyone doing today?! My stomach has been a constant bowl of jelly since acceptances started rolling out.

Has anyone heard back from USC lately? I saw rejections are going out, but I haven't received one yet... do y'all think waitlists/acceptances are still rolling out too or have they all been sent out?

They're sending out rejections already?! God I thought that was usually like mid-march. That actually makes me feel loads better haha because at least then I can just not think about it any more. And start prepping for fall 22 applications.

 

[Krmg]

They're sending out rejections already?! God I thought that was usually like mid-march. That actually makes me feel loads better haha because at least then I can just not think about it any more. And start prepping for fall 22 applications.

Some of the producing applicants are saying they can access a rejection letter on yousc. I'm not quite sure why USC doesn't send all of the results out at once, cause the stress sucks

 

[Chris W]

Some of the producing applicants are saying they can access a rejection letter on yousc. I'm not quite sure why USC doesn't send all of the results out at once, cause the stress sucks

I think it's because USC has a ton of different USC professors reviewing applications and they all move at their own pace. Or at least that's the vibe I got from our interview with them.

 

[Abbey Normal]

How are my fellow Trojan applicants doing? I have yet to hear from USC and have not received a rejection letter. I guess it now boils down to two options: either I've been rejected or I've been waitlisted. I'm going to assume the former. However, the optimist in me hopes they're still rolling out interviews lol. So who knows, right? Congrats again to everyone who received an acceptance letter.

 

[Inkie9]

Hi! I haven't heard anything either, and I'm assuming it will be a rejection. But I think some people might still receive acceptances in the next week or so, because in previous years they have sent another batch out in early March after the initial wave. I just wish they sent rejections out early too – waiting is so tough, I want to be put out of my misery!

 

[imenergetic]

I like to think that we don't get rejections immediately because we are like... unofficially waitlisted and maybe they wait to see if any spots open up immediately before sending out the second round, then waitlists, etc. It makes me feel better to think I'm good enough if all the people better than me drop out. Maybe it doesn't make me feel better. I really don't know anymore.

 

[JasperJohns]

I like to think that we don't get rejections immediately because we are like... unofficially waitlisted and maybe they wait to see if any spots open up immediately before sending out the second round, then waitlists, etc. It makes me feel better to think I'm good enough if all the people better than me drop out. Maybe it doesn't make me feel better. I really don't know anymore.

This seems really logical to me! Hang in there and keep fighting!

 

[ngs091]

I like to think that we don't get rejections immediately because we are like... unofficially waitlisted and maybe they wait to see if any spots open up immediately before sending out the second round, then waitlists, etc. It makes me feel better to think I'm good enough if all the people better than me drop out. Maybe it doesn't make me feel better. I really don't know anymore.

To be honest, I have not been accepted yet, either. This would be for a second time in about 4 years.

But, I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

A lot of the submissions process not only is a crapshoot, but also (as in all submissions) simply comes down to taste.

I have been writing for twenty years (I am 36). More than half of that for money (mostly arts section journalism, but I have sold fiction before,) and to be honest I am quite comfortable with my ability both in craft and storytelling.

Look at it this way: have you ever seen a film you didn’t like that was made? How about one that is universally loved that you don’t like?

Within reason... it comes mostly down to taste.

The problem I personally have is that my heart and taste are a mixture of literary and horror, which makes my work a VERY hard sell. It’s usually too horror for literary publishing, too literary for the horror ones.

I am more applying to actually SELL my work by making it more commercial without jeopardizing my vision.

Yet.... Commerciality and literary talent are very separate.

Unfortunately.

Most of my favorite films/screenplays are from indie filmmakers.

I personally can count the amount of mainstream, 2000+ theatres released films of all genres that I liked on my hands in the past 10 years. And most of those were fun trash. So.... perhaps only one hand for what I consider to be quality scripts.

Tastes change too. The films of this era are far different than the New Hollywood age.

They are far more about cgi and spectacle than actual storytelling or creativity.

The gatekeepers in education and in the industry and at film studios I am sure realize that.

 

[hanjam27]

I'm in! I'm still waiting to hear back from NYU, but I'm thrilled.

Good luck to anyone still waiting to hear back!

 

[amichan]

I'm in! I'm still waiting to hear back from NYU, but I'm thrilled.

Good luck to anyone still waiting to hear back!

Awesomesauce, congratulations!! Did you receive your letter just now?

 

[JasperJohns]

I'm in! I'm still waiting to hear back from NYU, but I'm thrilled.

Good luck to anyone still waiting to hear back!

Hey! Congrats! I went to NYU undergrad for another discipline and know a ton of people who came out of their writing program, if you wanna chat. (I was also accepted to USC. Did not apply to NYU, just because I did not wanna go where I had already gone).