Hey everyone! I just wanted to piggy-back off
@Kira , as I also found this community an immensely helpful resource and will be joining Kira as a first year student at UCLA. I applied to a bunch of programs (USC, UCLA, Chapman, LMU, NYU, Columbia, AFI), and, as you all probably know, each has different requirements for the application. That said, I'll provide some general advice based on my experience, and others I've talked to:
Writing Samples: Provide your best work. It's that simple. Don't think too hard about what the committee wants to see, page length, genre, etc. Yes, UCLA accepts up to 200 pages of your best work, but it probably doesn't take them more than 10 pages to know if you're a strong writer. Like
@Kira , I submitted around 80 pages. This included an original comedy pilot, a short (20 page) sci fi, an animated short script, and a psychological thriller script. I did not diversify my writing samples purposefully - it just so happened that I felt my strongest samples were from a few different genres. What they are most concerned with is
knowing your voice. That's what matters. For that reason, whoever was working the phone the day I called discouraged me from including spec scripts. That said,
@Kira included one and she got in. So who knows... haha. I'd say if you do include a spec script, make sure it's in a similar vain to your original work, so it emphasizes your voice. Again, I was told committees simply want to know who you are as a person, through your writing. What is your world view? What is your voice? And this can only come from staying true to yourself, not trying to anticipate what any committee wants to see.
Letters of Rec: Based on what I've read, these don't matter a ton. That said, they're still required, and a stellar recommendation can make a difference. More than name recognition, position, or anything else, what matters is that the recommender knows you. Like
really knows you. Committees see a thousand boiler-plate recommendations each year, and they don't mean dick. I'm pretty sure Richard Walter (co-chair of the screenwriting MFA program at UCLA) has even said they passed on a student with a recommendation from Steven Spielberg because it came across as standard. So I'd say more important that who your recommendation is coming from, and what they're position is, make sure it further tells a specific story about you as an applicant.
Experience: Don't think for a minute that you are not experienced enough for any program. I won't lie - I've heard it is much more difficult to get accepted straight out of undergrad. As
@Kira said, she and one other student are the only in our class of appx. 40 who were accepted out of undergrad. But... they were accepted! So you can be too! Why are the odds stacked against younger applicants? It's all about experience. Not just film/screenwriting/storytelling experience, any experience! And being out of school for a year or two bolsters experience and perspective. The applicant who worked in an office for a year, taught english abroad, became fluent in Latin, tried to become a chef, was an amateur wrestler, etc. is going to have more life experience to draw from as a storyteller than yet another applicant who studied film in undergrad and wants to immediately study film in grad school. I myself never took a screenwriting, storytelling, or even film course in undergrad. I was a journalism major, who upon graduating, worked as a freelance writer in Chicago for a year, then moved to Colorado to work in digital advertising for a couple years. I loved Colorado. I hated my job. But hey, there's a story. There's a perspective. What's yours? Programs want a diverse group of students, so how are you going to fit in? If you're coming straight out of undergrad,
show how you're different! Do that through top-notch writing and a killer personal statement that tells the story of you.
If you are out of school and looking for experience to help your application, consider taking a screenwriting course or workshop. While working in Chicago, I took a couple screenwriting courses at The Second City, which were workshop style. Those courses furthered my interest in screenwriting, and gave me something to talk about in my essays and interviews. I think workshop style courses can be especially helpful as many programs structure their courses as workshops, so to know you have experience giving and receiving feedback as you craft a story can only help you.
Any other questions? Feel free to ask. I'd love to help the next round of applicants, as I know it's a daunting and uncertain process. PS... make sure to have fun
Whatever that means to you, I think having fun with your writing makes the best stories.
from last year. 
