After Film School - How Do You Feel?

[mol31203]

Hi guys,

so this is my first post and though I haven't heard from any schools I applied to, I want to ask those who are still attending film schools/already graduated from some questions:

1. After graduating/while attending the school you're in, do you enjoy your time there?
2. Have you encountered any unexpected experience (good or bad)?
3. Has your plan changed after you attend(ed) the school?
4. (this one is for international students in the US) After graduation, do you decide to go back or stay in the US? What kind of jobs do you find? And, is it difficult to find an internship during your study?

As a non-US citizen and a first-time applicant, I feel like I won't have a chance to attend any film schools in the US this year (inexperience & the COVID-19 thing, bla bla...). While studying in the US has always been my dream (for almost 1x years now LOL) and I could definitely apply for it again next year, now I'm having a second thought for many realistic reasons (ex. money/job offers). It'd be great if I can hear some firsthand experience/thoughts from you guys to help me determine if I should get more realistic and get a job first or should I keep pursuing my dream. Thank you so much

 

[qsjourney]

Hi there!! I wanna hop on cuz I'm running into similar issues these days...

So I spent my undergraduate years in two schools in the US, and I completed my post-graduate OPT. Didn't get the work visa (because it's a lottery system and man was it crazy and horrifying) so I left the US.

Internships were easy to find- sometimes they're paid and sometimes they're not. But normally you don't need a visa for internships so those are fine. Work visas and H1B-qualified jobs are different stories. That's why many people want to apply for O1 visas instead, but I heard it's getting harder and harder to get an artist visa.

Anyway I'm also having conflicted thoughts on attending school in the US right now. Even though I'm still working and getting paid, my company ran into some financial issues and didn't give any of us a raise or bonus even though they promised before. Right now I'm looking at the tuition numbers and asking myself... is it even worth it? WHY AM I PAYING SO MUCH?

I guess my ultimate worry is this- is it really worth it? I was lucky enough to enter the industry right after college and I did okay. I was a production coordinator for one of the most anticipated domestic sci-fi features (although it's probably getting postponed) and many people have told me how lucky and impressive that was - for a newbie in the industry to jump on a large-scale project and somehow survive? So right now I'm thinking a graduate degree may be abundant, if you're already in the industry? What if I spend three years (and thousands of dollars) working on my projects, and then graduate and realize everything is the same? I'll still have to start from doing internships and assistant gigs while everyone else has already advanced their careers? Ahhhhhh the horror...

I think it's been on my mind for a while, and Covid-19 just forces me to look at it and think about the possibility of turning down film schools. I don't even want to think about the visa and travel issues. I still remember when you-know-who became president and the entire international student body cried and fell into depression. Ahhh. The pain.