AFI Conservatory

A couple of things...
AFI like many film schools, and rather like every institution, is not perfect.

If you see your career after film school to be a writer/director RETHINK AFI VERY CAREFULLY.
Many fellows in the directing cohort are sold or marketed AFI to be a place where notable writer/directors (Andrea Arnold, Ari Astor, etc.) have taken root. While that may be half true, I think it's pertinent that incoming fellows know that the directing track is intensely focused on learning to direct other people's work. It's not really a place for you to discover your voice or style as a writer/director but it is a place to become a better director. What I mean by this is that it's focused on building crucial elements in your directing toolbox which means you may have very little/ no chance to write your own stories as cycles. You may get ONE chance to do that for one cycle (short film) out of the three you make.

Also, you may not get to make the thesis you pitch, which means directing a script someone else wrote. Now, if you are someone that can't see themselves ever directing someone else's work then, maybe AFI just really isn't the place for you. THAT IS OKAY because there are other film schools that can be a better fit.

Depending on what you want out of a program that may or may not be what you want. Definitely audit the classes.

Also it helps if you're more experience as a film professional or have worked on sets before. AFI is hard for people that are just getting their feet wet into filmmaking.

What's AFI best for?
Students who had at least couple years of industry experience. I don't mean running around and shooting shorts with your buddies. Real paying experience working as a filmmaking professional, or you'd be better off spending the time and money addressing the lack of experience, i.e. interning, working with independent crews, rather than coming to AFI. The system is fast paced and rigid. It is designed to churn out industry professionals. If you still soul searching, don't come. If you want to make friends and have a good time, don't come. If you are a politically vocal person, don't come.
You need to have a very narrow mind of focus to reap the benefit of the school, that is to make money being a film professional.

The writing, producing, and directing program have significantly lower quality of candidates than the editing and cinematography program. If you want to attend the first three programs, you need to be a mature person who knows what you want. It's very easy to get into creative disagreements in AFI because its system of pairing people up practically encourages it.

If you are mature, competent, flexible about your work, then AFI is probably the best value of all top-tier schools. It's only two years instead of three. It introduces you to the heart of Hollywood. And most people hang around for at least couple of years after graduation.