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Columbia 2011 Application - Questions

MAlbie

Well-Known Member
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
 
Hi,
Has anyone heard anything from admissions yet? According to last year's thread, they were starting to call people around this week... I interviewed in NY on March 7 with Eric and Dan, I'm a directing/screenwriting applicant. Thanks!
 
Hi Apple,

I noticed that you also applied to producing at AFI and had your interview on January 26th, and you were really anxious about getting into AFI, but you didn't let us know whether you made it in or not when they notified everyone on March 15th. Have you been accepted at AFI for producing? Besides AFI and Columbia, where else have you applied? Also, did you fly to NY for your interview and which professors did you interview with?
 
Hi Apple (again),

I forgot to ask you whether you ever considered what you would do if you were accepted to Columbia and AFI? Would you prefer AFI over Columbia or vice versa, and why? As a producer, which of the two do you feel has a stronger producing program? I know you live in L.A., and relocating to NY to attend Columbia seems to be something you would want to do given that you're anxiously awaiting a response from them. But, which program do you feel is a better "fit" for you if you have the choice, and why do you feel that way? As you know, both of these schools have awesome reputations in the film industry, but the public's perception (as indicated in the various publicly-disseminated rankings by U.S. News and World Report and Princeton Review) rank AFI's MFA program as fourth in the top five and Columbia's MFA as fifth. Despite the public's perception, there's more to it than each of these school's reputation. The other elements of consideration are geographic location, proximity to (paid) internship and post-MFA job opportunities, quality of the faculty, the quality of the physical facilities/equipment, the length of time each program requires to complete the degree requirements (2 years for AFI and 3 years for Columbia), the tuition and other living expense costs of each program, the course offerings that each school provides that are specifically focused on the producing discipline, the education "model" or method each school focuses on (e.g., the intensive, in-depth, hands-on conservatory model of AFI vs. the balanced experiential and academic approach of Columbia), among several other factors. What are your thoughts about these selection critera? How would you compare these excellent schools using the criteria I have presented?
 
Hi Everyone,

Are there any other producing or production applicants (or better yet, current students at Columbia) participating in this thread who would like to share their thoughts about AFI vs. Columbia for any of the criteria I have presented to Apple? For those who have the good fortune of being accepted to both (as hopefully, Apple and UCFfilmgirl will when they hear from Columbia), your thoughts and opinions could be extremely helpful.
 
@FilmSchoolDad

You're full of info! I'm a screenwriting/directing applicant so I can't answer your questions regarding the producing programs (I've heard nothing good about NYU's Stern/Tisch dual degree producing program in case anyone cares).

Are you a producing applicant yourself?
 
I interviewed with Eric and Dan, but I'm an international applicant so it makes sense that they would call me first due to time difference (it was already 9PM here when they called me!).
 
So excited that someone has already heard back, congrats CS! I am a Creative Producing applicant & I had an amazing amazing interview with Ira Deutchman and Maureen Ryan. I can't wait to hear back! As soon as any other Creative Producing applicants hear back, please let us know on the blog as soon as you can.
 
CS,

That makes me feel slightly better, thank you! Anyone living in the US get a call for screenwriting/directing? I interviewed with Tom and Milena..I wonder if Eric calls everyone or just the candidates he interviewed..
 
Hi guys,

First time poster. I just got the acceptance call from Eric for Directing/Screenwriting. (Note: I didn't interview with Eric.) I'm an undergrad at Columbia, so they might have given me an unfair early notice. He called me at 5:45 EST and we talked for about ten minutes. I would be really surprised if they contacted everyone tonight, so keep your spirits up until tomorrow.

Good Luck Everyone! Hope to see you next year!
 
First, CONGRATS those getting the call (and those with suspicious missed ones, I cross my fingers that it means what you think itm means)

I got nothing so far and the thing that is squeezing my nerves most is the fact, that very likely evn if they try to call me, it won't work out - I'm still in the us, on a new prepaid card number (that I emailed to Jake Crane, but he never OK-d getting it and I suppose they are pretty stunned with mails/calls now, as well as it is the professors making calls not the office). So, I'm in an even darker nail-biting place now...

So, once more, congratulations and hope for us waiting ones (I skipped through last years' thread and they seemed to be making the calls for several days)
 
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