Columbia 2011 Application - Questions

[MAlbie]

Hello,
First, thank you for taking the time to read my posting.

I have been looking at film schools (screen writing MFA in particular) for some time now and narrowed down my choices to Columbia and NYU, with Columbia being the favorite. I have already written the first draft of my essay and plan to use some existing materials for the 10-page sample. My next task is to work on the 1 page treatment, which it seems is the hardest part. I have some questions that I am hoping I can get help in answering.

1: I am currently enrolled in an MBA program and heading into my 2nd year with an expected graduation date of May 2011. My hope is that I would enter film school in the Fall of 2011. My concern is my transcripts. While I currently have a 3.4 GPA in my MBA program, but undergraduate GPA is a 2.7 and most certainly I deserved it because I did not apply myself. Reading this forum I noticed a post that said GPA was not as important as other aspects of my application, but do you think the undergraduate transcript will hold me back?

2: I have seen that many schools request a portfolio or resume with samples of work. Columbia does not request this, but will they refuse to consider it?

3: I do not have a visual submission, but I can create something by pulling in past professional work and mixing it with something created just for the application. I feel that, especially with my poor GPA in undergrad, a visual submission would help. But if I create something just for Columbia, will it appear as if I am attempting to curry favor in an inappropriate manner?

4: I am over 30, so I would certainly be an older student. I have heard that this is seen as a large negative. Is this true?

Any help on these questions or advice that you can provide is appreciated.

MAlbie

 

[ShieldYourEyes]

Originally posted by aresee:
I have an interview mid-March. A bit nervous. Many years of waiting and planning for this...don't want to blow it. I have talked to a few current CU students who went through the interview process. I will post responses here if anyone cares to know.

Congratulations! When did you receive your notification?

 

[aresee]

I don't buy the "it only seems fair" thing, but I will certainly share what little I know. I was told that they ask the typical questions, like favorite movie, favorite directors and why. Whay film school? Why now? Why Columbia? Everything you would probably expect. They "may" throw in a scenario for you to fill in the gaps on, but some were asked that and some were not. But for me..this was the key advice: They call us for interviews because they are interested and they want to get to know us. So WE need to tell them what they need to know. They are really good people at CU, and they want to say YES. They really do. We have to make them feel comfortable saying yes. That's it. And I was told it is really comfortable and relaxed. They are our there to grill us or find gaps in our work. Our work got us there, so they see something. Something worth pursuing. So we need to confirm that and we'll be alright. Simple.

I received the interview call Thursday afternoon, February 24.

 

[aresee]

sorry: typo in previous post. "They are *not there to grill us..."

 

[wannabe2]

Posted March 02, 2011 08:40 AM Hide Post
I don't buy the "it only seems fair" thing, but I will certainly share what little I know. I was told that they ask the typical questions, like favorite movie, favorite directors and why. Whay film school? Why now? Why Columbia? Everything you would probably expect. They "may" throw in a scenario for you to fill in the gaps on, but some were asked that and some were not. But for me..this was the key advice: They call us for interviews because they are interested and they want to get to know us. So WE need to tell them what they need to know. They are really good people at CU, and they want to say YES. They really do. We have to make them feel comfortable saying yes. That's it. And I was told it is really comfortable and relaxed. They are our there to grill us or find gaps in our work. Our work got us there, so they see something. Something worth pursuing. So we need to confirm that and we'll be alright. Simple.

I received the interview call Thursday afternoon, February 24.

That's really nice to hear, aresee. I know I shouldn't get bogged down in comparing, but do you mind sharing how much experience you have in film? No worries, if no. And again, congratulations.

 

[Koquard]

Originally posted by aresee:
I don't buy the "it only seems fair" thing

FYI, unless the interviewers explicitly ask me not to... I'm Julian Assanging every question they ask.

For those who can't find this forum, oh well... we can't help the internet illiterate.

Even if we are competing against each other, I'm not taking part in this slimy ambiguousness a lot of our fellow forum users have been engaging in regarding their own interviews.

Thanks for the info.

 

[aresee]

Hi Wannabe2,
Thanks for the congrats!
I have a little experience in film. Very little. I am familiar with video and have done some work in the past with small-scale stuff. But very little. I do, however, have a LOT of life experience, and I am applying as a screenwriter so I think that helps. I'm a bit older than other applicants, but have a lot of life experience to show for those years. I also did undergrad at Columbia, so that helped as well, I think. It was a great education.
Thanks!

 

[wannabe2]

Cool, I'm an older app. too, and not much of a film background.

I do wish you luck. Columbia is really the only place I'd feel comfortable with given what I am hoping to accomplish.

Be well,

 

[Hyo-Jin Kim]

r" thing, but I will certainly share what little I know. I was told that they ask the typical questions, like favorite movie, favorite directors and why. Whay film school? Why now? Why Columbia? Everything you would probably expect. They "may" throw in a scenario for you to fill in the gaps on, but some were asked that and some were not. But for me..this was the key advice: They call us for interviews because they are interested and they want to get to know us. So WE need to tell them what they need to know

aresee thanks for this post! It was very nice of you. And congratulations!! I think I am older than other applicants as well...

I am applying to MFA for Directing has anyone heard anything?

FYI. I don't buy the "it only seems fair" thing either..

 

[HI FILM]

Hey Hyo-Jin Kim, I also applied for Directing and they invited me to interview.

 

[Koquard]

Originally posted by Hyo-Jin Kim:
FYI. I don't buy the "it only seems fair" thing either..

I'm not sure either of you actually know what you're talking about when you say "I don't buy the 'it only seems fair' thing"... but if you do... I take it you won't be sharing your interview experience either then. God forbid it gives an advantage to one of your "competitors!"

 

[Anomen1985]

im trying to cling to this notion, referenced earlier here in this thread, that columbia may make additional interview calls sometime towards the end of this week.

but i wonder - when would they be even scheduling these interviews for??? if we're supposed to be hearing back from schools in late-March to make final decisions around April 15th, would they actually squeeze in additional interviews all the way at the end of March - like the 24th or 25th or something?

it just seems unlikely to me that they would rush the tail-end of the selection process when they have been so slow in deliberating on all of this thus far.

at the risk of sounding like a bitter, pompous ass, i'm a bit mystified as to why i wasn't even considered for an interview. i graduated with honors from a top undergrad film program in new york a few years ago, and my thesis film from there played at about 20 fairly reputable festivals across america, and even picked up some awards.

i've spent years being broke, underemployed, and doing odd jobs - teaching computer literacy to inner-city senior citizens, mentoring high school kids who wanted to work in film, "gaining life experience" if you will; and even convinced two major non-profit organizations and the national endowment for the arts to fund a short film i shot last year; and i've balanced all of that with editing indie shorts and features under the guidance of woody allen's former film editor. some of these films have also played at festivals and received awards.

i gather from everyone's posts on this thread that no one feels particularly terrific about their writing samples, but i did put a good amount of thought into them and felt the final products at the very least demonstrated that i'm interested in making the same kind of films that many of the directing professors at CU - like the fellow who directed man push cart and chop shop - are involved in creating.

i've been accepted into one mfa program already and felt my interview at another went well; but these are both schools with a primary emphasis on very commercial, hollywood-style filmmaking. my heroes are fellini and herzog. what do i do???

sorry for the long message, i fear i may finally be losing my mind.

edit: i really, really dont mean to sound like i feel like i "deserve" an interview or am "owed" one in some way; im just really frustrated and saddened that i seem not to even be in consideration.

 

[Koquard]

Anomen, did you apply elsewhere? I'm pretty sure there's some sort of inter-school dialogue going on, and it's possible one school wants you more than the others.

 

[Anomen1985]

i also applied to usc, which i was accepted to, and afi, where i recently interviewed in the directing program...

 

[AspiringFIlmStudent]

Anomen1985, don't worry. You sound like a great candidate.

I'm very confident that they'll have another round of invitations. And logistically, they can still make their announcements early April even with late March interviews.

They'll probably send out the rejection letters first.

You just have to trust your own material.

As for an inter-school communication thing - that's just ridiculous. I'm a career academic and I've never ever heard of such a thing in the admissions process at any level.

So just hang on, and you'll be fine.

 

[Koquard]

Originally posted by AspiringFIlmStudent:
As for an inter-school communication thing - that's just ridiculous. I'm a career academic and I've never ever heard of such a thing in the admissions process at any level.

Hm. Well I certainly have. Probably not California to NYC, but definitely within the state. More than once too. There's a reason they "ask" what other schools you've applied to. Not saying this happens often but I've heard of it happening from people I trust.

 

[Hyo-Jin Kim]

Anomen1985:

I am sure there is a reason for a commercial, holly-wood style filmmaking school accepted you to their program despite your interests (which i am sure you expressed in your application).

so...have an open mind to it. you never know who you will meet and what opportunities you'll face there.

 

[Hyo-Jin Kim]

Koquard: lol you're right! i did mis-understand
it's the opposite. I DO believe in sharing the info! hehe

 

[Anomen1985]

thanks so much guys - so few of my friends understand the nerve wracking nature of this waiting period - it's very reassuring to have your virtual support on these forums!

AspiringFIlmStudent - your confidence is inspiring and definitely hope you're right

Hyo-Jin Kim - yeah, i've been thinking A LOT about this lately. USC has this brand new campus that honestly seems like sort of a film oasis (albeit, again, very hollywood film).

there are definitely commercial films from hollywood that i've enjoyed a lot. some of my favorite films of all time are american films - the apartment, out of the past, rear window... and more recently i really liked inglorious basterds and the dark knight.

maybe i should go to LA after all and see what they have to offer... i've also lived in nyc more or less my whole life, so the idea of leaving for a while seems kind of inherently attractive. even herzog lives in hollywood now.

 

[AspiringFIlmStudent]

How would multiple or even just two admissions boards orchestrate or collude their decision making?

Columbia: Hey, we like Jane.
AFI: OK, we like John.
Columbia: Want to trade?

There are numerous people on the admissions boards and not one person controls the decision making process. Logistically, it would be highly improbable that enough people would agree to collude regarding individual applicants.

The reason why they ask where else you're applying to is so that they can get some sense of demographic of their current applicant pool. If their main competitors were Columbia College Hollywood 10 years ago, and now are NYU and others, then they know where they stand in the field. This is true of any admissions applications, med school, law school, business school, etc.

 

[Nova]

While it may seem confusing why one school is interested and another school isn't, remember that all the schools are assembling a class. Also, its all subjective.

Also ... some people didn't get interviews or accepted anywhere ...