Columbia Film School MFA Applicants 2026 (4 Viewers)

[aliceleigh123]

mon Feb 9th at 9am

 

[soom]

Hi! Also got an interview invite for writing for film&tv today!
I’d love to hear how it goes and share updates too.
Good luck to everyone!

 

[yxrsxoa]

Anyone know if they’ll keep sending out invites?

 

[Chris W]

Anyone know if they’ll keep sending out invites?

Accoring to our past stats for Columbia it's a range from January 16 - April 23 so probably they will be sening more. That info is all member reported via the application database.

Admission statistics for Columbia University's School of the Arts ()

Acceptance rate, minimum GPA, SAT, GRE, and demographics of admitted applicants for Columbia University's School of the Arts calculated from our database of thousands of film school applications.

www.filmschool.org

 

[Chris W]

NEED ADVICE: do you think the 2nd individual in the story MUST be human for Columbia MFA film prompt?​

How much can you alter the film prompts for Columbia's MFA Screenwriting application? I am sticking to the main details (time, location, age, relationships) but I want to change a few small details for my individual story, is that ok???

Mainly does the 2nd individual in the story HAS to be human?

Columbia film prompts (2-3pgs):

EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK – NIGHT
Alone in the open cabin of a ferris wheel, the Young Woman is frightened to hear the entire ride screech, then slow to a complete stop. Voices from below shout assurances that the problem will be fixed in a few minutes...but things get even worse when she turns to see the person sitting in the cabin hanging opposite her own.

INT. DEPARTMENT STORE – DAY
As the Teenager scans the clothing racks for something to buy, he’s startled to see what looks like someone hastily stuffing merchandise into their backpack. He looks for a salesperson or a security guard - but just then, the person slips away. He follows.

What did you end up going with?

 

[aliceleigh123]

Just finished my interview! It was with Tom Kalin and Trey Ellis. They asked questions specific to my application. Started off asking what have I been up to since applying. I mentioned working on a feature script version of my short film and they asked how I would expand that story. Then they asked where do I see myself in 5 years, what is a new story I want to tell at Columbia, what film did I see recently that I wish I made, and then they asked if I had any questions. It all went by very quickly and was 20 min total. They said I would hear back in a few weeks after they discuss with the committee.

But as people said last year, it was very conversational and they were familiar with my application. I loved talking to them.

Good luck to everyone else!!

 

[Chris W]

it was very conversational and they were familiar with my application. I loved talking to them.

Awesome! Be sure to edit your application and add this this info there too if you haven't yet. So happy it went well for you. EDIT - Awesome you did! You rock!

 

[thatnonblonde]

Just finished my interview! It was with Tom Kalin and Trey Ellis. They asked questions specific to my application. Started off asking what have I been up to since applying. I mentioned working on a feature script version of my short film and they asked how I would expand that story. Then they asked where do I see myself in 5 years, what is a new story I want to tell at Columbia, what film did I see recently that I wish I made, and then they asked if I had any questions. It all went by very quickly and was 20 min total. They said I would hear back in a few weeks after they discuss with the committee.

But as people said last year, it was very conversational and they were familiar with my application. I loved talking to them.

Good luck to everyone else!!

Hi how did you get the ethernet connection? Is it just on your home wifi or do you need to connect an ethernet cable to your computer?

 

[aliceleigh123]

Hi! I was just connected to my wifi for Zoom.

 

[thatnonblonde]

Thank you, I was a bit confused about that. I'm glad to hear your interview went well! Mine is near the end of this month.

 

[robbiegaz]

Just got an interview request for directing/screenwriting.

 

[jbakcreative]

Just got my interview request for Directing/Screenwriting! Interviewing on the 21st.

 

[robbiegaz]

Just got my interview request for Directing/Screenwriting! Interviewing on the 21st.

lol nice! I’m doing the 21st too haha. I was surprised. Figured they weren’t sending out more invites. So excited!

 

[aliceleigh123]

I got an interview invite on Feb 3rd and interviewed on the week after. I could have been better tbh.

Who did you interview with?

 

[luckylayda]

What are they asking in interviews?

 

[Medeina]

Anyone from Producing track had their interview already? Mine is Feb 26th only!

 

[DesertDreams]

Just finished my interview for the Creative Producing MFA. It was with Lance Weiler and Mynette Louie, and I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with them. They emphasized the program's collaborative environment and holistic approach, both of which are highly valuable to me in a program like this. They asked where I see myself in five years, what I hope to gain from the program, what I think I bring to the table, and what I've watched recently that I wish I had made. The interview lasted about 25 minutes, and they said decisions will go out mid march-ish.

 

[DesertDreams]

Anyone from Producing track had their interview already? Mine is Feb 26th only!

I just had mine today!

 

[film26]

I had my interview for the Creative Producing MFA two days ago with Jack Lechner and Julia Thompson. The conversation felt somewhat rushed as they moved quickly from one question to the next and I had limited time to fully develop my responses. The interview lasted approximately 20 minutes. The questions were relatively straightforward. They asked about the types of films I am drawn to, where I see myself in five years, and why I plan to pursue graduate school immediately after completing my undergraduate degree. However, none of the questions directly engaged with the materials I submitted. The discussion was largely focused on my resume and professional trajectory. Hope this helps!

 

[aliceleigh123]

Sounds like all our interview questions have been basically the same! They also didn't engage with any of my specific submitted material.