USC School of Cinematic Arts Reviews & Admissions Statistics

School Website
https://cinema.usc.edu/
Degrees Offered
  1. 4 Year BA
  2. 4 Year BS
  3. 4 Year BFA
  4. 2 Year MFA
Concentrations
  1. Film & Television Production
  2. Film Studies
  3. Producing
  4. Screenwriting
  5. Writing for Screen & Television
Tuition Range
$60k to $70k
Undergraduate Deadlines
December 1
Graduate Deadlines
November 15

Film School details

Nonprofit/For-Profit?
Nonprofit
Undergrad Student Body
876
Graduate Student Body
715
Copyrights
  1. Student owns all scripts written
  2. School owns copyright for cycle films & thesis films
Camera Equipment
  1. RED
  2. Sony Cinema Cameras
Software Used
  1. Adobe After Effects
  2. Avid Media Composer
  3. DaVinci Resolve
  4. Movie Magic Scheduling
  5. Pro Tools
  6. Maya 3-D
Filmmaking Facilities
  1. Sound Stage(s)
  2. Green Screen
  3. Sound Recording Studio
  4. ADR Foley Stage(s)
  5. Color Correction Suites
  6. Editing Bays
  7. IMAX
  8. Screening Rooms
  9. Sound Mixing Room(s)
  10. TV Studio
  11. Visual Effects Studios
Internships
  1. Student must arrange
  2. School provides resources to help find internships
Job Placement
  1. Student is on their own
  2. School Connects Students with Alumni
  3. School Provides Career Development Training
  4. School Operates Job Board
Number of Applicants
400 and they admit 32
Application Fee
$90
GRE Required?
  1. No
SAT or ACT Required?
  1. No
Portfolio Required?
  1. Yes
Minimum GPA
  1. None
Letters of Rec Required
  1. 2 (Undergrad)
  2. 2 (Graduate)
  3. 3 (Graduate)


For more than 90 years, the University of Southern California has trained the next generation of prolific filmmakers. As the nation's first institution of higher learning to offer a bachelor's degree in film, the School of Cinematic Arts remains at the forefront of emerging filmmaking trends. USC SCA is among Filmschool.org’s top 10 undergraduate film schools and runner-up for Best Directing Program. In 2023, The Hollywood Reporter moved USC SCA up to no. 2 on its annual list of the top 25 American film schools.

USC is notoriously one of the most competitive schools in the country. Faculty members are current working industry professions with extensive backgrounds and success in film and television. With an alumni list that reads more like a ‘who’s who’ list of Hollywood – Shonda Rhimes is an alumnus – USC offers an extensive network, exposing students to mentorship and internship opportunities as well as state-of-the-art facilities. To top it off, USC frequently brings in industry leaders for workshops and lectures and offers students exclusive screening opportunities.

Be sure to check out our interview with USC Admissions:

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

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...

How to Get Into USC SCA in 2024: More Tips for Applying from a Committee Member

How to Get Into USC SCA in 2024: More Tips for Applying from a Committee Member

As the oldest film school in the U.S., 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 #2 best film school in the country, praising its advanced filmmaking facilities, generous...

As well as our guide to applying to USC:

USC SCA: How to Apply for 2025, Acceptance Rate, and What To Expect as a Film Student

USC SCA: How to Apply for 2025, Acceptance Rate, and What To Expect as a Film Student

For more than 90 years, the University of Southern California has trained the next generation of prolific filmmakers.The School of Cinematic Arts remains at the forefront of emerging filmmaking trends, welcoming filmmakers with years of industry experience alongside beginners with raw talent and...

Undergraduate Application Requirements

  • Creative Materials
  • Creative Portfolio List
  • Transcripts
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • Writing Sample
  • Cinematic Arts Personal Statement
  • Video Introduction
  • Collaboration Question

Graduate Application Requirements

  • Cinematic Arts Personal Statement
  • Writing Sample
  • Creative Portfolio List
  • Collaboration Question
  • Video Introduction
  • Media Sample
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • 3 Letters of Recommendation (Stark/Media Studies)

Tuition Details


Helpful Links

Notable Alumni

  • George Lucas (Star Wars, American Graffiti, THX 1138)
  • Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, Frost/Nixon)
  • Judd Apatow (The 40 Year–Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Trainwreck)
  • John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape from New York, The Thing)
  • Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3, Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc.)
  • Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Flight, Back to the Future)
  • Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Swingers, Mr. and Mrs. Smith)
Do you manage this film school? Register on the site for free and claim the listing to answer questions, respond to reviews, update this listing and much more.

DISCLAIMER: The information on this page is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time it was last updated. PLEASE verify with the school ALL due dates and requirements as they may have changed since our last update. If any info on this page is incorrect please let us know and we will update it. We are not responsible for missed deadlines or rejected applications due to out of date information on this page. Please do your due diligence.

Latest Film School Reviews

Do not be seduced by the high ranking
Reviewed by: Current Student
Degree: MA/MFA
Concentration: Screenwriting
Pros
  • Great professors... IF you're lucky enough to get a class with them
  • Students in the program generally try to lift each other up
  • SCA mafia alumni network is real
Cons
  • Classes are first come, first served, and tend to be capped at 8 or 16 students - which means you may not get into courses you are required to take, or get into your first/second/third/fourth/even fifth choice of electives (yes, seriously)
  • Absolutely NO assistance whatsoever in choosing courses, getting into courses outside of your track (eg. if you're a writing student you can kiss directing goodbye)
  • Quality of education depends almost 100% on professors - many of whom are duds
  • School does not tell you who is teaching which course, so you're forced to sign up for classes blind and good luck with whoever you get!
  • No support, help, or even sympathy for extenuating life circumstances or financial emergencies
  • School is conservative and not interested in changing (POC, LGBTQ+, and international students beware)
Here's some things I wish I'd known before signing up for this program. To be clear, these specifically apply to the MFA Writing for Screen and Television program.

1. The school does not care about you.
I cannot emphasize this enough. They do not care if you're having a personal crisis, if your loved one died, if you're having trouble making rent, if you don't have food to eat today. They do not work with you to figure out disability accommodations, to help with emergency food or housing or even escaping domestic violence. They DEFINITELY don't help with anything financial - a student was slapped with an unexpected bill in the thousands because of an error on THEIR end, and when she asked them to talk to the billing office to give her some extra time to pay/give her an opportunity to work off the bill as a student worker/literally any kind of assistance that would help her work towards resolving the issue, they sent her "thoughts and prayers," and then ghosted her. Similarly: a classmate asked for assistance finding an on-campus job and was told to his face that "USC only admits the 1%. If you're having trouble paying for school, maybe you should consider transferring to a community college."

2. The quality of your education depends almost entirely on the professor you get, and the school refuses to tell you much - if anything - about who is teaching which course.
This last semester, we were all forced to sign up for required classes without knowing who was teaching us. Some of the classes didn't even have professors yet - they were scrambling to hire adjuncts even after the previous semester had ended. As a result, some of us ended up with last-minute hires who 1. only taught for 1/3 of the class time, and by "taught," I mean he didn't teach. He just told everyone their work was amazing and dismissed the class, 2. required scripts to fit an exact formula down to the page number, exact emotional beats that he wanted, etc. and if you didn't follow instructions, your work was considered subpar even if it was brilliant, or 3. assigned WAY too much work, such as watching 3 seasons of a TV show, reading 2 chapters of a textbook, and completing a 10 page story map, all in one week.

Don't get me wrong, there are some incredible professors at USC - the few that I've had have almost made it all feel worth it. But the problem is, you have to know these professors are incredible and sign up for their classes, which is a combination of asking all your seniors about each and every professor you could possibly want or need to take a class with, and sheer dumb luck. And, considering that we were recently forced to sign up for classes without any professor's names attached to them, knowing who was good and who wasn't amounted to absolutely nothing in the end.

3. As previous reviewers have said, the school is conservative and not interested in changing.
Yes, there are diverse students - my year alone has a not insignificant number of LGBTQ+, BIPOC, and international students. But when the school continues to only employ full-time old white men (the professors of color are largely adjuncts who only teach 1 or 2 classes a semester), you end up with problems such as: mispronouncing characters of color's names in scripts, students who write scripts set in cultures outside of the white American norm receiving little to no feedback on their work, and horrific treatment of LGBTQ+ students and scripts. One student was misgendered by a professor for an entire semester, with a negative personal and academic impact on the student and zero recourse for the professor. Another had a professor tell them to their face that the AIDS crisis was actually the origin of gay activism in the US and therefore a positive thing (both incredibly untrue and harmful, in case there was any doubt).

One professor was so blatantly and terribly sexist that the entire class of students petitioned for him to be removed from teaching a required course. The department finally caved to demands - only to instead assign this professor to teach an undergrad required course instead.

Just to be 100% clear: no one tells you that you can't write POC or LGBTQ+ stories. Classmates are largely supportive and many professors are, too. But the fact that there are even a few who don't - and the fact that these faculty members are tenured and teach required courses that POC and LGBTQ+ students cannot avoid taking with them - makes USC's claims at diversity and inclusion a poor mockery of real people's lives and experiences.

4. The fancy equipment they advertise? You don't get to use it.
...Unless you take specific production courses, which are largely reserved for production students (i.e. if you're in screenwriting or animation, you don't get to even exist in the same room as a school camera). The few seats that don't go to production students have to be fought for through complicated waitlists and first-come-first-serve emails and attendance in the class, even though you're still not registered, so you're showing up for three hours a week and doing homework for no credit.

Also: USC retains all copyright for works produced in these classes. Also also: USC provides NO funding for works produced in these classes. Which means, if you somehow fight your way into a production class and finally, finally get your hands on a camera... you still have to fundraise for your film, shoot it on your own time outside of class, and you don't even get to keep the copyright after it's done.

5. The quality of your classmates' work will vary.
I mean this in the kindest sense possible. Some of my classmates regularly blow my mind with their skill and ability. Others... do not. A select few - and I mean very few - seem to have been chosen just because they reminded someone on the faculty of themselves. And yes, by that I do mean straight, white, male, and vaguely racist/homophobic.

In this program, you're participating in classes structured like workshops, which means you statistically get more feedback from classmates than from your professors. If one of those classmates refuses to understand or engage with your material because you aren't writing within their narrow mindset of what the world should be, then you miss out on 1/8 of the feedback you should be getting. Which may not sound like a lot, but it adds up over the weeks, and when it comes to writing a first draft, every little bit counts.

It's incredibly sad. I was so excited to be accepted to USC. But my experiences there - both having things happen to me and watching things happen to my classmates - have left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. Save your money and go to UCLA or Chapman where you'll have a much better experience for much less student debt.
Affordability
1.00 star(s)
Alumni Network
4.00 star(s)
Campus
1.00 star(s)
Career Assistance
1.00 star(s)
Coursework
3.00 star(s)
Facilities & Equipment
3.00 star(s)
Professors
3.00 star(s)
Scholarships
1.00 star(s)
Anonymous does not recommend this film school!
One member found this helpful.
Last edited:
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I loved it.
Reviewed by: Alumni
Degree: BA/BS/BFA
Pros
  • Connections, Opportunities, Industry Events, Fun Classes, The esteem, campus
  • Opportunity
Cons
  • Elitism, Expensive, Nepotism, You must put the degree to work
I am a Black girl from the South. It was a big adjustment for me, but my total dream. The one takeaway I have from the school is you must make your mark. Everyone in the school is good at what they do and connected. So you must make yourself differeny. DON’T wait to do internships. Make friends everywhere!!! I loved my classes and professors. But put your best foot forward and the 4 years can be a vacation. Also, I am not rich. With Cal grants, I never had to pay tuition. Only housing (which is still a freaking lot) but the university wasn’t so bad financially for ME. Nevertheless it IS expensive so make your time there worth it.
Affordability
3.00 star(s)
Alumni Network
4.00 star(s)
Campus
5.00 star(s)
Career Assistance
4.00 star(s)
Coursework
5.00 star(s)
Facilities & Equipment
5.00 star(s)
Professors
4.00 star(s)
Scholarships
4.00 star(s)
Anonymous recommends this film school
One member found this helpful.
Last edited by a moderator:
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A Journey Most Illuminating
Reviewed by: Alumni
Degree: BA/BS/BFA
Pros
  • Industry connections, job opportunities, professional training, abundance of sets, equipment, sound stages
Cons
  • Can be pretentious
I started my USC adventure as a Theatre major. I quickly discovered that I needed to change paths, and film had always been of interest. I thought to myself, what better place to pursue film than USC? I’m grateful that in many ways that assumption was proved correct. Though I was not a production major - I was Cinema and Media Studies - I did get to spend a lot of time with students, faculty, and alumni from all of the programs USC offers. What a diverse and wonderful group of people! It’s a difficult program to critique and review because so much of it depends on one’s own drive, desires, and expectations. I wasn’t anticipating anything in particular, had never taken a film class, and was immediately blown away by the theaters, the sound stages, the access they grant to top notch equipment, and the faculty’s shared interest in providing the best education possible for their students. That being said, there are certainly a few things to take into consideration. USC prides itself on being the ‘best’ film school in the country. Are they? I can’t say definitively yes or no, but they certainly believe themself to be. That kind of attitude can be a bit off-putting and intimidating at times. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t students and faculty members who carried themselves as ‘better than’ simply because they were apart of this institutions film program. Thankfully this was not a majority, however, I encountered that type of character enough for it to make a lasting impression. USC is a very privileged place, it’s also an incredibly expensive one. That’s another area to consider. I never needed to apply for scholarships so I cannot speak on their implementation and how helpful they are, I do recognize that USC is one of the more expensive undergraduate colleges and that shouldn’t be forgotten. In regards to my program and what separated it from the Production BFA, the biggest difference would be the freedom to decide what courses and direction you’d like to take. Cinema Media Studies contains numerous fields of requirement but offers multiple different courses that will fulfill those areas. The BFA in production, however, is much a stricter schedule in which you’ll be attending a very structured curriculum with your designated cohort. The benefits of that being you get to experience everything together with a small group of people who you’ll spend your entire career at USC working with. That forms strong and indelible bonds that replicate those in the professional world. It also means if there’s friction, unfortunately it’ll just have to be dealt with and endured. Cinema Media Studies consists predominantly of lectures, however, as an SCA student you’ll be granted to take screenwriting courses, production courses, and a myriad of others. Though on set experience was not the main focal point, there were plenty of opportunities and courses to get it. Should you find yourself wanting more, SCA offers the chance to apply to the BFA program even after declaring a major and being admitted. I believe the Production BFA is more helpful in terms of attaining professional-world experiences and learning the industry. Since Production majors spend every weekend writing shorts, on set, editing, and switching positions throughout the semester, it’s a great microcosm of what to expect after graduation. You will learn every single role on a film set, and chances are you will fulfill every role at one point or another. You’ll also be able to apply for thesis projects as an upperclassman which are then premiered in a wonderful theater open to the public. Cinema Media Studies doesn’t have that same kind of exposure, nor does it replicate professional circumstances. It’s more focused on the history of film, how film has evolved globally, the iconographies of different eras, and how to ’properly’ read a film. Any more experience is up to the undergraduate themselves to seek out. All of that being said, simply by being an SCA student numerous internship opportunities will arise. They won’t be handed to you for merely being an SCA student, but there is a weight to that title that provokes the image of a certain type of character who is diligent, knowledgeable, and always up to the task. Balancing internships and classwork, though challenging, never felt like too much even in the semesters I was taking twenty plus units. USC also boasts a tremendous alumni network from Kevin Feige, and George Lucas to Judd Apatow and Robert Zemeckis. Though it’s not the most pleasant thing to admit, names like that help. People in the industry are familiar with SCA and the alumni network is full of impressive artists who are constantly working and looking to help out fellow Trojans. All in all I greatly enjoyed my time at USC and SCA. I wouldn’t trade it for the world. It was my dream school, and ended up becoming a reality that I truly couldn’t have anticipated. I strongly recommend it, despite knowing it might not be for everyone. Fight on.
Affordability
2.00 star(s)
Alumni Network
5.00 star(s)
Campus
5.00 star(s)
Career Assistance
4.00 star(s)
Coursework
4.00 star(s)
Facilities & Equipment
5.00 star(s)
Professors
4.00 star(s)
Scholarships
3.00 star(s)
JHD recommends this film school
4 members found this helpful.
Last edited by a moderator:
JasperJohns
JasperJohns
Thanks for sharing!
  • Like
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Latest questions

I have a question for current or former students of the MFA program: I was told that students have to be selected to make a film in the second year of the MFA program, and that the thesis film is optional. What are you coming out of the Film Production (Directing) program with if you don't get selected to make your film, and if you don't make a thesis? What sort of opportunities do you have to create a body of work? How many opportunities do you have to make short films that are of such high quality, intentional, and deeply thought out (the way you would work on a thesis film for at least a year, for example) that they can potentially compete on the festival circuit?
Last edited:
scaldwellkerson
scaldwellkerson
Yeah it's really tricky, and has also changed (the requirements for projects as a directing track student) within the 2 years I've been here. So coming out of the program their hopes are that maybe you've found a different discipline that interests you other than directing, lol. It's not impossible to make a thesis honestly, as long as you have everything together for it. But yes, when we're talking about the possibility that you won't make a FILM per se, there is also the television track and they get a lot of money and there's opportunities to direct there.
In your first year, second semester you do make a 5 and a half minute film and that's the only only guaranteed film you get to make that's given the full filmmaking process but you're in a trio and have to help your other trio mates make their films as well.
scaldwellkerson
scaldwellkerson
DEFINITELY weigh out if USC is the right school for you because it's a great school for becoming a well rounded director, but they do not want you to think there's a directing program. They want you versed in multiple disciplines. You can also learn a lot about producing and writing within the program, I know other film schools don't have as good of writing programs if you're a directing student.
O
observer222
Super interesting - thank you so much for your detailed answers, I learned a lot here. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to attend an info session for USC during the application process in the fall so I haven't had a chance to learn more in depth about how their curriculum is set up - I just have been going off of the presumption that you know, USC is one of the top film schools in the country and I'll probably get a stellar education there. But you definitely shed some light on a lot of things for me and there's a lot to I have to think about (depending on if I even get in or not! haha). Thank you thank you!
I am curious about people's advice for selecting good recommenders. I got into screenwriting after college and don't have a great academic reference who could talk about me in a writing context that well. For people from non-traditional backgrounds, how did you choose your recommenders? Any advice? Thank you!
Moved my question to discussion thread.

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Film School information

Category
California
Added by
FilmSchool.org
Views
82,451
Watchers
52
Reviews
13
Questions
15
Last update
Rating
3.77 star(s) 13 ratings

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