Chapman Film School MFA Applicants 2026

[ethan2_7]

Does anyone know when exactly decisions will roll out? Seen a bit of conflicting info in emails / online pages.

 

[Arbyrnes]

If they follow what they did last two years, it should be this week or early next!

 

[Chris W]

Does anyone know when exactly decisions will roll out? Seen a bit of conflicting info in emails / online pages.

This page has data from previous years:

Admission statistics for Chapman University - Dodge College of Film and Media Arts ()

Acceptance rate, minimum GPA, SAT, GRE, and demographics of admitted applicants for Chapman University - Dodge College of Film and Media Arts calculated from our database of thousands of film school applications.

www.filmschool.org

 

[ChapmanReviewer]

The editing program at Chapman is a bit of a joke. I would 100% stay away from that program.

I don't know anything about the other programs to form an opinion on them.

 

[thebooster5000]

I’ll post more info for Chris and stuff later but I did want to say to anyone still somehow waiting to interview, it’s daunting but think of it more like a legit conversation you’d have with a film school professor. Come prepared to ask questions and not just talk about stuff you’ve written, but they get to the core of the art. They’re making sure you walk the walk (I ended feeling confident I reassured them I walk that walk). Last interview, only got two (I got more survivor calls for interviews than this go round of grad school haha). To anyone in the future that’s neurotic and debating and worrying: chill. You’ll find your place. There’s schools for all types of artists. USC was my number one choice and I literally couldn’t apply, so Chapman was my number 1 school. I had no hope that I’d get in anywhere outside of the more outside the box schools (which there’s nothing wrong with!), schools like DePaul or Wilmington or Ohio. I’m not ragging on those schools, I’m saying I believe I had the academics to only get in places akin to those schools. So do not assume. Some schools are looking for grades; some for talent; and some for both. Dodge and LMU overlooked a sub 3 because my content provided must’ve been good, and my letters must’ve rang true and I validated their perceptions hopefully. I don’t know yet. I should find out from both within idk a week or two but both sounded as optimistic sounding an interview I’ve been a part of. They talk to you like you’re students and I hope that’s because they’re simply waiting to accept me. So while Florida state, Texas, nyu, northwestern and afi wanted nothing to do with me, in the end, two of the five best film schools in the country overlooked my gpa based on other factors. I choose to believe it was the quality and talent of my work submitted. I’m an unconventional applicant, but it seems that might just be what they were looking for while the others wanted polished, clean records with pristine portfolios. Don’t be down, you will find your home so long as you have some good screenwriting work you’ve recently done and a nice list of recommendations, and I’m assuming if you’reas neurotic as I am, also had a great gpa (I had life which be lifin hence a 2.7). Chase your dreams and bet on yourself! I’ll update everything once I find out but while I wait on a few other schools, it’s really just those two I’m waiting on now. And if neither accepts me, I’ll be devastated, but still secured enrollment in a regional school. We’ll all find our places, but to even be interviewed is an honor and a testament to your abilities considering this is ranked 4th in the country. I believe it’s worth the money given how they set you up to succeed, and cannot stop pressing refresh after my interview which I felt went great. To get into my number one would be mind blowing but finally validate that inner critic many of us have. I will update this.

 

[Kappadinster]

I'm hoping they release decisions by the end of Sunday. Has anyone received theirs already?

 

[Arbyrnes]

i haven’t. I’m guessing it’ll be next week when people are in the office. but I hope you’re right!

 

[Noahm]

I haven’t either

 

[thebooster5000]

I'm hoping they release decisions by the end of Sunday. Has anyone received theirs already?

I imagine we won’t find out until Monday? Good to see that nobody else has gotten anything tbh (selfishly). How’d y’all feel about your interviews?

Edit: not even an hour later I got an email thanking me for interviewing, saying it’s under “final review”. Being neurotic, It’s tough to maintain optimism, but then again, maybe it means they made their decision and are waiting on the other isle of admissions? Idk I’m choosing to be positive! Wonder if anyone else got this as well?

 

[zayahohihi]

I imagine we won’t find out until Monday? Good to see that nobody else has gotten anything tbh (selfishly). How’d y’all feel about your interviews?

Edit: not even an hour later I got an email thanking me for interviewing, saying it’s under “final review”. Being neurotic, It’s tough to maintain optimism, but then again, maybe it means they made their decision and are waiting on the other isle of admissions? Idk I’m choosing to be positive! Wonder if anyone else got this as well?

I don't know about the editing program but that email sounds great and hopeful! I took a cinematography interview and didn't receive anything like that.

 

[thebooster5000]

I don't know about the editing program but that email sounds great and hopeful! I took a cinematography interview and didn't receive anything like that.

It’s the screenwriting mfa, but hopefully different departments will come at different times? Thank you, hearing someone thinks that assuages this anxiety I’m sure we all bare. When was your interview for cinematography?

 

[ethan2_7]

I don't know about the editing program but that email sounds great and hopeful! I took a cinematography interview and didn't receive anything like that.

I had a cinematography interview and got a similar email to the one mentioned a few days after my interview.

 

[thebooster5000]

I had a cinematography interview and got a similar email to the one mentioned a few days after my interview.

Have you gotten a decision yet? It says it was a pleasure meeting you so I’m leaning towards it being a yes but I can’t help but feel the rugs gonna be pulled out from underneath me

 

[ethan2_7]

Have you gotten a decision yet? It says it was a pleasure meeting you so I’m leaning towards it being a yes but I can’t help but feel the rugs gonna be pulled out from underneath me

No decision yet. Assuming it’ll happen tomorrow.

 

[zayahohihi]

It’s the screenwriting mfa, but hopefully different departments will come at different times? Thank you, hearing someone thinks that assuages this anxiety I’m sure we all bare. When was your interview for cinematography?

Mine was Feb 24

 

[zayahohihi]

I had a cinematography interview and got a similar email to the one mentioned a few days after my interview.

Wooo it's getting interesting. Hope the result will come out this week and good luck to us! Was that mentioned email from the admission office or your interviewer?

 

[ethan2_7]

Wooo it's getting interesting. Hope the result will come out this week and good luck to us! Was that mentioned email from the admission office or your interviewer?

The like "Pleasure to Meet You" email was from the admissions office, but I did send a thank you email to my interviewer, which I also received a positive reply to.

 

[Kappadinster]

I know I'm being too eager, but my admissions portal updated. It looks different now and has a required form (since I'm an international student). I want to perceive this as a good sign but I haven't gotten any email yet.

 

[Noahm]

hey mine looks different as well! Hopefully that means decision today?

 

[ethan2_7]

Mine also looks different, no more like checklist of items. Just the FAQ and stuff.