USC MFA - Film and Television Production - Fall 2025 (1 Viewer)

[pmj]

I haven't been able to find any threads for this program, so I figured I'd start one for anyone else applying for Fall 2025. How are your applications going? I've finished everything except the visual sample, which I'm working on now.

Would anyone who has gotten into USC be willing to give my Personal Statement a read and let me know your thoughts?

 

[Chris W]

Good luck and thanks for starting this thread!

If you haven't seen it yet here's our interviews with a member of the admissions staff:

How to get Into USC SCA: Advice from an Admissions Committee Member

Considered by many to be the best film school in the world, it’s no wonder why the USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) is so sought after by prospective undergraduate and graduate students alike. However, the film school’s prestige can often make the application process particularly stressful and...

• Svaja Paka
• Mar 5, 2020
• 5.00 star(s) 7 reviews
• Comments: 6
• Reviews: 5
• Category: Admissions Interviews

How to Get Into USC SCA in 2024: More Application Tips from an Admissions Committee Member

As the oldest film school in the U.S., the University of Southern California School of the Arts has helped usher exceptional talent to the forefront of the film industry. In 2023, TheWrap ranked USC SCA the no. 2 best film school in the nation, praising its advanced filmmaking facilities...

• Alexa P.
• Mar 14, 2024
• Comments: 2
• Category: Supporting Member Exclusives

And here's our current acceptance data for the program from applications in our database.

USC School of Cinematic Arts Acceptance Rate (USC - Directing/Film Production MFA/All Years)

27.8%

Admitted

123 out of 443

26.2%

Waitlisted

116 out of 443

46%

Not Admitted

204 out of 443

Awaiting Results Admitted Waitlisted Denied

Click here for our full Admission Statistics for this program including interview and acceptance notification dates, accepted GPAs, waitlist acceptance rate, demographics of accepted applicants, $ amount of scholarship awarded, and more...

Lots of great info and past applications in the link above. Please log your application when you submit so we can improve our data.

 

[jordanrosephotos]

I am applying! Shooting my 2 minute media sample on November 2nd, then will write the media sample critique after. Everything else is mostly done though - I am waiting on one rec letter to be written, and I'm a little confused about the transcript situation.

 

[pmj]

I am applying! Shooting my 2 minute media sample on November 2nd, then will write the media sample critique after. Everything else is mostly done though - I am waiting on one rec letter to be written, and I'm a little confused about the transcript situation.

Nice! I'm shooting my 2 minute sample on 10/27, but I also have everything other than that and the critique finished.

So for transcripts:

You can submit your general USC application before you finish the Slide Room one for SCA. When you do, you'll get a USC ID number in an email. Once you get that, you need to request to have your official transcripts sent to USC, but you need your USC ID number before you request that so they can assign it to your ID.

I uploaded my unofficial for both the general USC app and the SCA app, then submitted the general USC app, got my ID, and then had parchment digitally send the official ones to USC via this email address as the recipient: etrans@usc.edu

 

[jordanrosephotos]

Nice! I'm shooting my 2 minute sample on 10/27, but I also have everything other than that and the critique finished.

So for transcripts:

You can submit your general USC application before you finish the Slide Room one for SCA. When you do, you'll get a USC ID number in an email. Once you get that, you need to request to have your official transcripts sent to USC, but you need your USC ID number before you request that so they can assign it to your ID.

I uploaded my unofficial for both the general USC app and the SCA app, then submitted the general USC app, got my ID, and then had parchment digitally send the official ones to USC via this email address as the recipient: etrans@usc.edu

Thank you, this clears it up. When I contacted admissions they were not clear with me.

 

[jordanrosephotos]

Nice! I'm shooting my 2 minute sample on 10/27, but I also have everything other than that and the critique finished.

So for transcripts:

You can submit your general USC application before you finish the Slide Room one for SCA. When you do, you'll get a USC ID number in an email. Once you get that, you need to request to have your official transcripts sent to USC, but you need your USC ID number before you request that so they can assign it to your ID.

I uploaded my unofficial for both the general USC app and the SCA app, then submitted the general USC app, got my ID, and then had parchment digitally send the official ones to USC via this email address as the recipient: etrans@usc.edu

Did you include your US ID number somewhere when you sent your transcripts to the etrans@usc.edu ? I didn't see a spot for it.

 

[pmj]

Did you include your US ID number somewhere when you sent your transcripts to the etrans@usc.edu ? I didn't see a spot for it.

Sorry, didn't see this! No, but it allows them to apply it internally. I was worried about that too, but I called the office of graduate admissions about 1.5 weeks after I had confirmation that the transcripts were received and they looked up my USC ID and said all were there and all had been marked as official

 

[jordanrosephotos]

Sorry, didn't see this! No, but it allows them to apply it internally. I was worried about that too, but I called the office of graduate admissions about 1.5 weeks after I had confirmation that the transcripts were received and they looked up my USC ID and said all were there and all had been marked as official

Thanks so much! I actually just called them and they confirmed they received! I appreciate the help.

 

[pmj]

Thanks so much! I actually just called them and they confirmed they received! I appreciate the help.

No prob!

 

[Wesley]

I am applying! Shooting my 2 minute media sample on November 2nd, then will write the media sample critique after. Everything else is mostly done though - I am waiting on one rec letter to be written, and I'm a little confused about the transcript situation.

same，i'm from Australia, and i don't know should i just send the uni transcript or transfer to GPA one

 

[asharr]

I'm applying and I just finished my 2 min sample but I'm a bit confused what way to upload it. It says to upload it directly to slide room not just by a link but then it says it must be a publicly viewable link. Does anyone know if we upload it directly to slide room or give a YouTube link.

 

[pmj]

I'm applying and I just finished my 2 min sample but I'm a bit confused what way to upload it. It says to upload it directly to slide room not just by a link but then it says it must be a publicly viewable link. Does anyone know if we upload it directly to slide room or give a YouTube link.

Good question, maybe email admissions and run it by them? I haven’t gotten to that part yet, I’m editing it now

 

[pmj]

Good question, maybe email admissions and run it by them? I haven’t gotten to that part yet, I’m editing it now

I emailed them, I’ll let you know what they say

 

[pmj]

I'm applying and I just finished my 2 min sample but I'm a bit confused what way to upload it. It says to upload it directly to slide room not just by a link but then it says it must be a publicly viewable link. Does anyone know if we upload it directly to slide room or give a YouTube link.

I just heard back from them. They say to just upload it directly to slideroom, ignore the link part in that bold text

 

[asharr]

I just heard back from them. They say to just upload it directly to slideroom, ignore the link part in that bold text

That's great, thank you.

 

[pmj]

Just submitted after working on the app for the past few months. Feeling really good about it, but time will tell!

 

[Chris W]

Just submitted after working on the app for the past few months. Feeling really good about it, but time will tell!

Awesome. Don't forget to log it in our database!

Remember it's mainly just dates and other little info. Everything beyond that is optional. Let me know if you have any questions on how to do it.

 

[jordanrosephotos]

Submitted my app last night!

 

[Chris W]

Submitted my app last night!

Good luck!

 

[pmj]

Got an email late last night (1/6) asking to interview this Sunday (1/12), really stoked.

I know there have been people on here who have posted their interview process/questions, are there any threads that are worth checking out over other’s?