Columbia 2021 MFA Screenwriting/Directing Applicants (6 Viewers)

[mahtubzare]

are there specific questions asked to prepare? this is my first round of apps.

i got an interview request feb 18 and set if for march 9

thanks!

 

[runningupthathill]

Does anyone know when we'll be notified of our final admissions decision?

 

[Chris W]

are there specific questions asked to prepare? this is my first round of apps.

i got an interview request feb 18 and set if for march 9

thanks!

Congrats on interview request! We have a new interview questions forum FYI:

Interview Questions

Advice on what interview questions to prepare for, what to wear for your interview, what types of questions YOU should have for them, and more...

www.filmschool.org

Also be sure to add your application to our database when you can with the interview dates etc. The more applications we have the more accurate the site's data is and therefore the more helpful it is.

Application Database

A database of thousands of film school applications to calculate acceptance rates to film programs and the minimum GPAs, minimum SAT and GRE scores, experience of accepted applicants, and much more....

www.filmschool.org

 

[soysaucechicken]

Does anyone know when we'll be notified of our final admissions decision?

Should be around May. Last year I received an interview request Feb 2nd, interviewed March 17th, the day after NYC shutdown, and received a Waitlist notification on April 6th. Since the pandemic was in full swing, a lot of deferrals happened. The openings got filled off the waitlist - except me and my final came around June... Congratulations to everyone who made it this far - it was a small pool this year. Maybe next year for me. Be safe!

 

[mcama]

Should be around May. Last year I received an interview request Feb 2nd, interviewed March 17th, the day after NYC shutdown, and received a Waitlist notification on April 6th. Since the pandemic was in full swing, a lot of deferrals happened. The openings got filled off the waitlist - except me and my final came around June... Congratulations to everyone who made it this far - it was a small pool this year. Maybe next year for me. Be safe!

You never know! Stay positive.

Do you think they interviewed less people to compromise for the deferrals?

 

[soysaucechicken]

You never know! Stay positive.

Do you think they interviewed less people to compromise for the deferrals?

Fingers are too cramped from crossing LOL

My understanding is that all programs will interview more in the event of deferrals, or if the student rejects the program for another so it does go both ways! But in fairness to everyone, you get a short period of time to decide what todo if accepted.

 

[mcama]

Right, but I meant it seems that 20 or so students deferred. Would that mean the interview pool would in turn be smaller?

I guess no way to really know.

 

[runningupthathill]

Fingers are too cramped from crossing LOL

My understanding is that all programs will interview more in the event of deferrals, or if the student rejects the program for another so it does go both ways! But in fairness to everyone, you get a short period of time to decide what todo if accepted.

Yeah we're supposed to find out from AFI on March 15th and scholarships the same week, and I'm worried that I'll need to make a decision before Columbia even notifies us because May seems really late.

 

[soysaucechicken]

Right, but I meant it seems that 20 or so students deferred. Would that mean the interview pool would in turn be smaller?

I guess no way to really know.

I think that's fair to assume. It makes sense to apply a formula like 2 choices per opening: 1 offer and 1 waitlisted. But yea, no way to know...

 

[soysaucechicken]

Yeah we're supposed to find out from AFI on March 15th and scholarships the same week, and I'm worried that I'll need to make a decision before Columbia even notifies us because May seems really late.

Well, last year the pandemic pushed everything back so this year has to 'somewhat' normal. And if the pool is smaller I hope sooner for you.

 

[runningupthathill]

Well, last year the pandemic pushed everything back so this year has to 'somewhat' normal. And if the pool is smaller I hope sooner for you.

Got it. I believe AFI required the deposit by late April last year so hopefully, Columbia notifies us about decisions/scholarships before then!

 

[soysaucechicken]

Got it. I believe AFI required the deposit by late April last year so hopefully, Columbia notifies us about decisions/scholarships before then!

I'll keep my cramped fingers crossed for you

 

[AuA]

Do you think there might be any point in contacting them? I wish they put us out of our misery if they know already that all the interviews went out. Are they also conducting a study of people's "breaking points" in tandem with Columbia's school of psychology? I heard that school is also really good...

 

[soysaucechicken]

Do you think there might be any point in contacting them? I wish they put us out of our misery if they know already that all the interviews went out. Are they also conducting a study of people's "breaking points" in tandem with Columbia's school of psychology? I heard that school is also really good...

Being a lab rat is part of the application!

 

[valkyrie]

Do you think there might be any point in contacting them? I wish they put us out of our misery if they know already that all the interviews went out. Are they also conducting a study of people's "breaking points" in tandem with Columbia's school of psychology? I heard that school is also really good...

Update us if you do contact them! Would be great to just rip the bandage off instead of anxiously refreshing our emails every 5 seconds minutes

Right, but I meant it seems that 20 or so students deferred. Would that mean the interview pool would in turn be smaller?

I guess no way to really know.

Based on this site's admission tracker, only 12 users/applicants received an interview email. That's less than it was the years before (~32 users/applicants got interviewed last year), so maybe this theory on the pool reduction due to deferrals might be true?

 

[svgis]

Update us if you do contact them! Would be great to just rip the bandage off instead of anxiously refreshing our emails every 5 seconds minutes



Based on this site's admission tracker, only 12 users/applicants received an interview email. That's less than it was the years before (~32 users/applicants got interviewed last year), so maybe this theory on the pool reduction due to deferrals might be true?

I can’t speak to the number of interview requests in years’ past, but when I signed up for a slot the interviews only extended through this upcoming week. It also looked like there were anywhere from 20-30 slots available. Some days only had 6 slots and some only had 3 so I didn’t get a solid count. I’m not sure how that compares, but it didn’t seem like many to me, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were far less openings this year.

 

[aaaaa]

I can’t speak to the number of interview requests in years’ past, but when I signed up for a slot the interviews only extended through this upcoming week. It also looked like there were anywhere from 20-30 slots available. Some days only had 6 slots and some only had 3 so I didn’t get a solid count. I’m not sure how that compares, but it didn’t seem like many to me, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were far less openings this year.

Same- when I interviewed it only had options on 3 days. But I have a friend who is interviewing in mid-March.

 

[runningupthathill]

I can’t speak to the number of interview requests in years’ past, but when I signed up for a slot the interviews only extended through this upcoming week. It also looked like there were anywhere from 20-30 slots available. Some days only had 6 slots and some only had 3 so I didn’t get a solid count. I’m not sure how that compares, but it didn’t seem like many to me, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were far less openings this year.

So what do you think the difference is between the number of interviews and the number of available slots? It's probably safe to assume there are at least 30 out of 48 slots available and maybe 30-40 people being interviewed? The odds of getting accepted would be really good in that case.

 

[svgis]

Same- when I interviewed it only had options on 3 days. But I have a friend who is interviewing in mid-March.

Oh word, well then maybe it’s more than I thought.

 

[svgis]

So what do you think the difference is between the number of interviews and the number of available slots? It's probably safe to assume there are at least 30 out of 48 slots available and maybe 30-40 people being interviewed? The odds of getting accepted would be really good in that case.

Honestly, I have no clue. I don’t know how many students they take a year - I’d assumed only about 30. And I was feeling really good about my chances till I saw that like 20 something deferred lol.