2017 - MFA Applicants

[Chris W]

The NYU Dramatic Writing deadline is 15th December. I received an e-mail from their admissions office and also double-checked it on their site this morning.

I've updated their it's school page on this site with this info: NYU - Tisch Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing

The Deadline WIKI has been updated: Film School MFA Application Deadlines WIKI

And of course... the countdown of DOOM in the sidebar of the site now lists NYU Dramatic Writing.

Anyone applying?

 

[Mer]

Doh! What's next for you then? Working on some films for experience? Which aspect of the program did you apply to or was it just general filmmaking?

As an international student, this was the first time I applied to film schools outside my own country. I applied to just two programs. The LFS one, and the NYU one. I thought the first one was actually the "easiest" of the two to get into, so this doesn't bode well for NYU.
I assume that NYU will also reject me. I'll have to get some more experience, I guess! I applied to LFS' MA in filmmaking with an emphasis on direction and to the graduate film program at NYU.

 

[Chris W]

so this doesn't bode well for NYU.
I assume that NYU will also reject me.

This isn't true. Different programs. Different requirements. Some schools don't necessarily want people with experience so they can "mold" them from scratch so to speak.

No reason to give up hope.

 

[Christopher Gooley]

it just hit me that I made a few errors in my script... typo english.... could that make or break an application?

 

[Chris W]

it just hit me that I made a few errors in my script... typo english.... could that make or break an application?

I hate to tell you this but it might. It also might not. It certainly isn't in the plus column. But don't worry about it too much as there's nothing you can do about it now.... just be sure to fix it if you are applying to any more schools.

That's why I always recommend giving your stuff to others to read and even reading it aloud... reading stuff aloud you can usually catch a lot of mistakes. Also reading it backwards.

Are you applying to any other schools?

 

[Christopher Gooley]

I hate to tell you this but it might. It also might not. It certainly isn't in the plus column. But don't worry about it too much as there's nothing you can do about it now.... just be sure to fix it if you are applying to any more schools.

That's why I always recommend giving your stuff to others to read and even reading it aloud... reading stuff aloud you can usually catch a lot of mistakes. Also reading it backwards.

Are you applying to any other schools?

I am!!! Low resident programs and Brooklyn College... it literally is one scene where its a small sentence.

 

[Iuli Dia]

I hate to tell you this but it might. It also might not. It certainly isn't in the plus column. But don't worry about it too much as there's nothing you can do about it now.... just be sure to fix it if you are applying to any more schools.

That's why I always recommend giving your stuff to others to read and even reading it aloud... reading stuff aloud you can usually catch a lot of mistakes. Also reading it backwards.

Are you applying to any other schools?

Printing it helps me, for some reason. I catch more mistakes that way. Changing the font size or the font itself, then reading it again can also help. Otherwise I'm pretty awful at proofreading my scripts.

 

[patchoooli]

it just hit me that I made a few errors in my script... typo english.... could that make or break an application?

That's it. Game over. You're done... (only joking Chris!)
I'm sure if you've worked hard on your application, they will be able to overlook a few typos. You'll be fine.

 

[coded]

That new countdown feature is pretty cool!

I ordered my transcripts today and am applying to programs tomorrow, super excited! But I have a question you guys might be able to answer... When turning in a URL for a short film and given the option of Vimeo or YouTube, are there any benefits one has over the other? (I'm thinking statistics tracking, etc...)

 

[Mer]

That new countdown feature is pretty cool!

I ordered my transcripts today and am applying to programs tomorrow, super excited! But I have a question you guys might be able to answer... When turning in a URL for a short film and given the option of Vimeo or YouTube, are there any benefits one has over the other? (I'm thinking statistics tracking, etc...)

I used Youtube because my file was too big for Vimeo. Though I read in an older thread about NYU that Vimeo allowed them to see when their film was watched through Slideroom.

Mer

 

[coded]

I used Youtube because my file was too big for Vimeo. Though I read in an older thread about NYU that Vimeo allowed them to see when their film was watched through Slideroom.

That's interesting, thanks for the info! I am going to go with YouTube since I already had it uploaded there as "unlisted."

 

[WizardsBrew]

Hey Elle. I too was unofficially waitlisted to the Northwestern program and did not receive my very official rejection letter until the very end of July, so I spent most of my summer, as it pertains to grad school, vacillating between trying to forget and being anxious. The silver lining is that in an attempt to distract myself, I took a really powerful screenwriting workshop and finished a new screenplay that I'm really proud of, which then resulted in the impetus to refocus my energy into applying for the USC program for fall 2017.

It's great you had it in you to reapply to Northwestern, as I too know the feelings surrounding that sense of limbo. I had every intention of doing the same but after emailing Ms. Pritchard and with their new application modality I just found that I didn't have the drive that I felt so strongly this time last year. Perhaps it will boomerang back around in the future but for now my eyes are on USC. Best of luck to you with your applications.

-WB

 

[IndecisiveElle]

Hey Elle. I too was unofficially waitlisted to the Northwestern program and did not receive my very official rejection letter until the very end of July, so I spent most of my summer, as it pertains to grad school, vacillating between trying to forget and being anxious. The silver lining is that in an attempt to distract myself, I took a really powerful screenwriting workshop and finished a new screenplay that I'm really proud of, which then resulted in the impetus to refocus my energy into applying for the USC program for fall 2017.

It's great you had it in you to reapply to Northwestern, as I too know the feelings surrounding that sense of limbo. I had every intention of doing the same but after emailing Ms. Pritchard and with their new application modality I just found that I didn't have the drive that I felt so strongly this time last year. Perhaps it will boomerang back around in the future but for now my eyes are on USC. Best of luck to you with your applications.

-WB

I knew going into my application last year with Northwestern that they had this sort of system so I was prepared and once I saw their 2016 class announced in the spring, I knew my chances were gone for the year. I also took a summer workshop and got some really good writing done. What one did you participate in?

I haven't submitted my application to their program again yet - Most of my materials will be the same as last year with some updates so I haven't been in a hurry. I'm honestly on the fence anyway - primarily because I don't particularly want to live in Chicago. I already live in Metro-Detroit so moving to a colder city is not something I'd prefer!

The U Texas programs I applied to are my dream so I haven't been putting a lot of thought into if I should reapply - I was also waitlisted at LMU which left quite a sour taste in mouth because after I was waitlisted, they didn't respond to a single communication I sent them. (They were amazingly supportive in answering questions and concerns prior to that!) Last year I sort of leapt into my applications, and started them late, so I'm glad I had so much time this go-around really digging into what programs are a good fit for me.

 

[WizardsBrew]

Yeah, for me it was around spring that I hadn't heard back from NW and decided to reach out and ask for some kind of feedback when they told me that my application was still in play. I'm from NYC but I was actually really looking forward to the idea of moving to Chicago. I figured since it seemed that I had gotten somewhat near acceptance that I would go for it again, but Shannon Pritchard wrote me saying that they recommend those reapplying to submit an entirely new mission statement, comparative essay, 10 page excerpt and plan for a new project and that's when I was like... uhhh I dunno. The new 10 pages would've been cool, but I felt so confident and honest in the pieces I had already submitted that I didn't know if I was up for rewriting them simply to make them different. I just received an email from her again today reminding me that the deadline is coming up but I don't see it happening this time. I was utterly prepared for rejection, but I think being waitlisted, while totally flattering given the tiny class they accept, just made me question whether or not the fit was right.

I thought of UTexas too but I didn't have enough time to feel confident about my GRE's and I'm also not really interested in relocating to Texas.

I took an Advanced Screenwriting workshop at Gotham Writers in NYC.

 

[Christopher Gooley]

Has anyone heard yet from nyu dramatic writing?

 

[IndecisiveElle]

Doubt anyone has heard anything just yet - pretty early even for interview requests to go out. Last year the forum was significantly more active than this year, but that means the spreadsheet is really useful! That should give you a idea of when we can expect to hear from each program. Although that hasn't stopped me from jumping every time my phone rings hoping it's a call from UT! I expect to hear from them at the end of the month or first week of February, they're historically the first to make decisions.

 

[IndecisiveElle]

For anyone applying to UT, both the production and screenwriting programs have been hard at work looking over our applications since just after the holiday break. I have some connections there and word was passed along to me the process is well under way! Looks like they're on time with their usual schedule.

 

[Chris W]

Last year the forum was significantly more active than this year

Traffic wise we have around the same amount of page views and sessions (but slightly more this year) than last year. Same amount of registrations too.

Only difference is that there are a lot more lurkers out there not posting. I'm sure that'll change pretty soon though as people hear back from their applications.

 

[BadouBoy]

Only difference is that there are a lot more lurkers out there not posting.

We're all holding our breath waiting! lol

 

[qbizzz]

As one of the aforementioned non-speaking 'lurkers', I guess I should say hello! So hello! I'm new to the forum this year as it's my first year with all this application jazz. I applied to Chapman, USC, NYU & Columbia mostly for Directing (or the respective equivalent) and can definitely attest that I'm only just now jumping in because I've been pretty busy 'holding my breath' as someone so accurately said earlier in the thread. Thought I'd introduce myself, and I'm happy I don't have to through this alone!