Fifth Year Columbia U Directing MFA (& KU Alum) ASQUEMIENETHENGUE

[Patrick Clement]

I've been pretty active in the forums since my application year. I'm going to take all of my threads and repost them here and happy to answer any new questions!

 

[Patrick Clement]

The school has a form called "Budget Adjustment Form" you can find it here:

Forms & Documents | Columbia University Student Financial Services

sfs.columbia.edu

That form gives a breakdown of the monthly expense limits you can borrow. You would also submit that form to get an increase. Columbia allows you to borrow up to $2,000 per month for housing during the 9 mo school year. You will need to provide a copy of your lease along with that form and submit for an increase.



Student worker jobs come in your second year. I don't think first years are allowed to work those jobs, although I think they have made exceptions in the past. Every second year is guaranteed a student worker position in the second year. I believe. There is an application process.

Our deadline to give a final answer is April 16. I don't think they'll take anyone from the waitlist until then, because we are technically able to change our minds until then, even if we initially reject the offer. I know some people who aren't accepting the offer though, so hang tight!

 

[Patrick Clement]

Well, nobody at Columbia gets much aid. Their financial support for need-based students is laughable. As an international applicant the best you can do is just make all the preparations you can. Likely you would have to privately fund your tuition and cost of living anyway.

My advice is to continue your preparations and make a plan if you get the call. I'm not sure how the Visa situation works, but do what you can just in case.

Regarding the waitlist, it's not that big. And I've always said strong MFA film applicants, on average, are probably getting 2-3 acceptances. That means slots open up.

 

[Patrick Clement]

There are NO CAPS on Grad+ loans. There are only caps on undergraduate loans. Once you are in grad school, loan caps go away. There is still a limit on Sub/Unsub loans, but Grad+ loans cover the remaining need without caps.

Ask around, private loans are a mistake.

 

[Patrick Clement]

Its cool. I am sure lots of people have the same issues.

Columbia offers a loan increase to cover your projects.
I think it's $2500 (8to12 aka first year project) $3500 (D4 aka second year project) and up to $15k for a thesis, although if you are a producer, only the 8to12 and thesis would apply since youre not required to shoot a D4 as a producer.

Whats great about the Grad+ loans is the ability to put them into income based repayment plans. They are very very forgiving.
And the smart thing to do (and I had to figure this out on my own) is to go into REPAYMENT in your first year. If you are living on loans, your annual income will be very low. You won't have to pay towards your loans, but those years will count towards your loan forgiveness!

 

[Patrick Clement]

Congratulations to everyone that got accepted! If you didn't (and I genuinely believe this is the case) you will find your way so keep trying!

There has been a lot of posts about Financial Aid so I wanted to share some personal experiences and advice when it comes to financial aid at Columbia. I hope it will be helpful and let me know if you have any questions.

1. Grad PLUS Loans for Low-income US Students
2. "Scholarships/Fellowships"
3. "Service Positions"
4. Additional Money for Projects
5. Money Available (Laptop/Rent Increases/Utilities Increases/Health Increases)
6. Rando advice

INTRODUCTION
Columbia is one of the most expensive MFAs in the US. It costs a lot of $$$$. Including housing, meals, travel, etc you are looking at $200K-$450k depending on the length of your degree (2.5 to 5yrs). Debating the value of the degree is for each student to figure out. Regardless, Columbia is maybe THE WORSE when it comes to communicating financial aid and available money. Seriously, it's a joke. You have to do a lot of sleuthing and/or know a wise student to fill you in on the particulars. As a low income student having gone to four universities over ten years I've gotten pretty good at asking the right questions and being persistent. I'm going to share my experiences and wish everyone the best of luck!

1. Grad PLUS Loan
If you are a US student and qualify (StudentLoans.gov) a Grad PLUS loan is a great way to finance your time at Columbia. The Grad PLUS loan will cover all of your remaining costs of attendance (after your other loans, SUB and unSUB) including rent, meals, supplies, tuition, fees, etc. You cannot apply for a GradPLUS through the USGOV Website however, you need to apply through Columbia directly (Federal Direct PLUS Loans | Columbia University Student Financial Services).

Make sure you fill out your FAFSA before June 30th! FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Columbia will let you borrow up to the COST OF ATTENDANCE, which is set by the university each year:
1st- and 2nd-Year MFA Students

Tuition $58,728
Career Services Fee $160
Student Activity Fee $40
University Facilities Fee $960
Health Services Fee $1,082
Medical Insurance $2,991
Total $63,961

Other estimated typical costs (per 9-month academic year)
Living Expenses (Room & Board) $20,682
Transportation $1,089
Personal Expenses $4,671
Books & Supplies $2,874
Loan origination fees (for U.S. Citizens and
Permanent Residents with federal loans) $218

In combination with ALL of your loans, you will be able to borrow all $93,495 needed to cover you for the entire school year.
The Grad PLUS will kick in after your other loans and financial aid has gone through to cover "the gap," all outstanding money needed after other loans. Assuming you qualify for the Grad PLUS loan. From my research the only people who regularly need to appeal a denial for a GradPLUS are people with a Bankruptcy. They do run a credit check, but from a person with "ok to low" credit, I was able to get one.

Basically, you should feel OK about MONEY AVAILABLE. This was a huge relief for me. In undergrad there are loan limits (which means working while in school), but the USGOV opens up the limits once you get into grad school. Technically, there is no limit. Only a number set by the school. The school determines maximum loan limits and costs of attendance.

If you are concerned about repayment, join the club However, for now (and I mean that FOR NOW so get while the getting is good) the US Gov has a loan repayment plan that is income-based. Its called the REPAYE PLAN (Income-Driven Plans) which amounts to 10 percent of your discretionary income ("discretionary income is the difference between your annual income and 150 percent of the poverty guideline for your family size...") once you graduate.

There is a good calculator here:
StudentLoans.gov

With $300,000 in loans on a $20k per year adjusted gross income (this is after deductions) and I had a repayment of $16 per month. Also loans are forgiven in 15/20/25 year groups. So when you graduate if you are an intern or doing coverage for $25 a script, you wont get pummeled by loan payments if you play your cards right!

TIP: A very friendly loan servicer tipped me off to a nice loop hole. Since I am a full time student, and my annual income is like $5-$10k, I actually went into repayment my second year at Columbia. Why? Because my income is so low, my monthly payments are $0 and the other four years at Columbia will count towards my 25 year pay off. Smart. Clever. Do it!

TIP: DO NOT SELECT WORK STUDY ON YOUR FAFSA. I EXPLAIN WHY IN #2 BELOW.

TIP: Disbursement (your $$$) is split, it will be deposited in September and February every year.

TIP: http://sfs.columbia.edu/files/sfs_new/forms/Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Request 2018-2019 FINAL VERSION.pdf

I BREAK DOWN SOME OF THE COST OF LIVING ISSUES IN #5 BELOW
I BREAK DOWN BULLSHIT COLUMBIA SOA "STUDENT WORKER" NONSENSE IN #2 BELOW

2. SCHOLARSHIPS/FELLOWSHIPS
Basically, there isn't any. Not from Columbia anyway. Well, there is the very small one they might give you in your first year, i think its like $15k. Enjoy it while it lasts. Enough students put up a stink a couple of years ago and I think the thesis students get like $5k a year. I
ll have to double check.

2. SERVICE POSITIONS

Columbia Film has "service positions." These are student workers who get "paid" to do jobs like assist faculty, work the projectors and TA. If you are a loan borrower THINK HARD ABOUT TAKING THESE POSITIONS. And here is why: If you are a loan borrower, you will actually have to borrow your own salary ($2,500k/semester), then give it to the SOA, who will then give it back to you for your work. Yes. It is dumb and it ONLY AFFECTS LOW INCOME LOAN BORROWERS. I dont know why, but itS bullshit and another example of why Columbia doesn't accommodate or genuinely care for their low-income students. Its not opinion, its policy. if you pay you tuition without loans, guess what...the school actually pays your money.

The Columbia Grad union has been fighting the University for years to get representation, you can Google it. But I voted with many of my classmates to form a union and next month I will vote for strike authorization. The Film MFA is just as bad as the rest of the university with low pay, no benefits and no system in place for arbitrary work violations. For example, my boss withheld my paycheck for three weeks. Just because. No reason. And I wasnt notified. Also remember, it was my money they were giving back to me.

TIP: You can request to get all of your unused work study money at the end of the year. So if you dont use it, you dont lose it.

4. ADDITIONAL MONEY FOR PROJECTS
There is money available for your projects. Loan increases. You will have to submit a form and have administration sign off, but you can get a loan increase to pay for your bigger projects.

8-12 (end-of-first-year project) $1,500/$2,500
Dir4 (end-of-second-year project) $2,500/$3,500
Thesis - up to $15k
* I'm pretty sure these are right, but not 100 percent sure on 8-12 and Dir4.
** The limits are based on "in-town" or "overnight" shoots.

There are a number of grants available every year. In fact they've just come in for us a couple of weeks ago. There has been some debate between students regarding the selection of who receives grants and why. I won't delve too deep into this (full disclosure I applied and did not receive a grant) but like all grants they should not be considered when budgeting for projects. But know that the GRANTS ARE NOT NEED BASED. Plan accordingly.

5. OTHER MONEY AVAILABLE
You should get to know this form very well:
http://sfs.columbia.edu/files/sfs_new/forms/Budget Increase Form 2018-2019.pdf

This is the form you will submit to receive loan increases.

RENT INCREASES
You can borrow up to $2,000 a month for rent during the school year. The school will automatically give you $1343/mo for rent for the 9 month school year. If you need any more than that you will need to fill out the form and submit a signed lease. Columbia under values this expense (I think on purpose to keep their "Cost of Attendance" low and look competitive with other universities). My Columbia-owned studio is over $1,400 a month. So, figure that one out. Remember, you can only borrow for nine months (four in the Fall and five in the Spring). You will have to pay for your Summer rent.

LAPTOP
You can borrow I think up to $2000 ONCE while at Columbia for a laptop. But most of the poor students just borrow the money and use it to pay rent.

HEALTH INCREASES
Unless you want to submit a ton of increases, the easiest way is to just get the schools insurance. Honestly, get the platinum plan. Its expensive, but it covers alot and the school allows you to borrow all of it. Spoil yourself with a large robust plan, and skip out on the marketplace with high deductibles and co-pays. My 2cents.

TIP: Basically you are going to be fucked for food. Columbia budgets you for $7 per meal. Its like they dont know they are in New York City. Two small bags of groceries are going to be $50-$60 a pop. You WILL eat into other money, so just try to be careful. You cannot request an increase for food.

TIP: Make sure you add in the origination fee for all of your loans. Add the 4.264% every increase or it'll be deducted from you total.

6. RANDO WORDS OF ADVICE
I said it above, but Columbia is not Low-Income friendly. They make it hard (or, well they dont make it easy) for low-income and loan borrowing students, but if you navigate their system (and figure out the particulars) you can take care of yourself and find a way to get by. Bottom line is, I am able to be a full time filmmaker for five years. Loans made that possible and getting to know all of the ins-and-out for CU's aid system made it alot easier.

This is information I've gathered over the past three years and some of my own experience and advice thrown in. I am just one student with one perspective and one opinion.

Don't let financial insecurity keep you from doing what you love.

- Patrick

 

[Patrick Clement]

Here is a response I made last year about this same question.

Patrick Clement said:


I'm not trying to be a dickhead here because as a low-income student, work and school have typically gone hand-in-hand for me as well, but at the MFA level, you should allow yourself to focus 100% on your work. You are building a career, give it the time it deserves. Most students put in about 40-50 hours a week, especially in the first year.

Let's do some math, because math is fun.

Class time
Six classes per semester/week (this includes your HTC requirement.) Four Hours per class (that includes commute time, early arrival, making it out of Dodge and to the train, stopping to get coffee before class, etc. )
24 hours of class time.
3 hours of additional class time per week. (Discussion sessions, directing advisers, meeting with prof, etc.)
2 hours a week on average working on your own exercises (that's 3-4 hours on each of the 6 directing assignments, divided over the 16 week semester)
5 hours a week helping other classmates with their exercises. (If you are spending 3-4 hours on your exercises, this allows for overages and travel. And this is just for helping ONE student, you will likely help more than one every week, so this is a conservative estimate.)
---------------------------
34 hours a week, just on "base" classwork.

This is a conservative estimate at best and doesn't account for:
1. Script writing time (2+ hours a day)
2. Project Prep (Safety process, paperwork, casting, rehearsals, location scouting, etc for 3-5 films and 8-12 films) This could be 100+ hours over a semester.
3. Class "bunching." Because you do not get to pick your classes in the first year, often there will be "bunching" where you will have a class at 10-1 and then 2-5. So that middle hour is "lost" to lunch.
4. Oh yeah, and you're a human, so you need to sleep, eat, go see a movie or master class, get laid, have a drink, go to a museum, etc.
5. Travel. If you HAVE to live in Brooklyn, you will have a 1.5hr train ride each way. That's 3 hours of ride time and if you have classes only three days a week, that's nearly 10 hours of travel time a week. Yikes. And likely you will be coming to campus 4-5 days a week. That's alot of hours.

So I think my 40-50 hour estimate might even be light.

Could you do this AND keep a job, possibly.
I am sure if CAN be done, but the question is WHY?
Everything on this list is awesome and fun and worth devoting your time time. Why cut yourself short?

 

[amar41]

Hi Patrick. I'm applying for the second time to the screenwriting/directing concentration. I was waitlisted last year and am trying to figure out where my weak points were for a better chance this round. I submitted something for the optional video exercise last year (as I'm interested in writing/directing I didn't want to submit writing samples only, though my visual production experience is strictly limited to photography). Do you have any advice on this portion of the application/knowing what helped or hurt me last time around? Thanks in advance!

 

[Patrick Clement]

Hi Patrick. I'm applying for the second time to the screenwriting/directing concentration. I was waitlisted last year and am trying to figure out where my weak points were for a better chance this round. I submitted something for the optional video exercise last year (as I'm interested in writing/directing I didn't want to submit writing samples only, though my visual production experience is strictly limited to photography). Do you have any advice on this portion of the application/knowing what helped or hurt me last time around? Thanks in advance!

Thanks Abby. Just as a preface lets remember that selection committees (regardless of what they are selecting) have an ever-changing and seemingly arbitrary process. They pick who they want to pick and often it is influenced my multiple factors that can have less to do with the candidate that we think. There is probably a method to their madness but I don't know what it is. If you asked my how I got selected, I couldnt tell you. That's the truth. All any of us can do is guess.

It's also important to remember that our value as creatives should not be determined by who "picks us." It's important we get some acknowledgement from our peers and if we want to make films for a living we need someone to point their mighty finger at us and say "this person!! everyone look over here!!" but we should spend time connecting with our internal compass of what we think is success.

There is a stage in child development called "self-soothing" when a baby has to learn an internal way to put itself to sleep. Going from tired to asleep to awake without the help of a parent. This is important for crying babies and adult filmmakers

Regarding your application materials, I'd be happy to take a look. You can DM me or post in the portfolio materials forum. I approached my application from a birdseye view and tried to patch any holes I thought I had. Looking at the three major factors:

1. School History (transcripts, GPA, etc)
2. Creative Materials
3. Personal & CV

I have a 3.0 GPA and went to five schools in three states to get my BA. What message could that send to a comittee? How could I bolster that part of my application? Assuming the worse, that the comitee would see me as a twisting-in-the-wind type. Unfocused, maybe. So, I made sure my CV highlighted my work as a newspaper editor, which requires discipline, time management and commitment.

I took a year to film a portfolio piece. Honestly, I made a film I thought film schools would like. I don't feel great about this, because it's sort of playing politics (which I hate) but I did it. I love the film, but I was actively thinking about film school when I made it. I had lots of production experience, so making a short film didn't seem intimidating. I spent about $8,000 on it. This is on par with thesis level budgets at some film schools. If you can do this, try to do it. If you can't do something simple. Maybe focus on acting. Write a scene with two people in a room. Have a dramatic turn. Show you understand angles and characters.

I always hem and haw when I write personal essays. Selection commitees see 100's of personal essays. I took a chance a wrote a less formal essay. It's kinda bold and a little weird. It worked, but who knows. It might have just gotten into the right persons hands on the right day. My personal opinion is you should make sure the essay reflects who you are. Don't "play it safe" be YOU. Be bold. Good writing is important, but make it interesting and so long as you think it reflects who you are as a person, at the end of the day you won't have any regrets. Of course if you are a formal, stiff kind of person, your essay should reflect that!

Because I am delusional and hopeful, I planned for the interviews. In this way. I am a good interview. Comfortable. Conversational. I don't clam up or get weird. I like to visit with people. I'm comfortable with myself (and all my pluses and minuses) so I have some confidence. But I am a 6'6" white man with neck and hand tattoos. The interview was part of the bird's eye view of my candidacy. It takes 5-10 minutes for people to settle in and realize I'm an articulate, engaged interviewee. I need them to hang on. So I made sure there was plenty to talk about, that I had materials that rounded me out as a person and made me worth interviewing. I created questions. Conflicts in the application materials. I didn't explain how I got from Los Angeles to rural Kansas. It was in my materials, but I never addressed directly in my essay. Every interview I had, they aske dme about it and I was prepared with an answer.

I don't know if this was helpful or you now feel overwhelmed. Maybe both? This is how I did it and there are a million other ways to do it. People get in a variety of ways. Some just throw something together and get into like every school. Again, I can't tell you what they are looking for year-to-year or day-to-day, but a well rounded, solid application will probably get you into the conversation. Look at YOU as an artist, your interests, strengths, weaknesses, where you need improvement and if your application reflects that person. Then, it's out of your hands.

I wanna wish you good luck and again, I'd be happy to look at your materials and offer some notes.

 

[leongeneris]

Maybe a bit of a strange question, but what is the average age of a new MFA student? Like you, I went to several different schools as well, which added to the time it took me to get my Bachelor's. If everything goes as planned, I will be 28 when I start. What is the atmosphere like for slightly older students at Columbia?

 

[Patrick Clement]

Maybe a bit of a strange question, but what is the average age of a new MFA student? Like you, I went to several different schools as well, which added to the time it took me to get my Bachelor's. If everything goes as planned, I will be 28 when I start. What is the atmosphere like for slightly older students at Columbia?

Good question and sorry for the delay in answering!

The average are in my year was, i think, 24-25. There were many student in their late twenties and some near fifty. I went in at 34.

My personal philosophy is coming into grad school a little later helps you in a lot of ways. You have perspective, you probably know what you want and you have more life experience. IN other ways, connecting with younger students could be a challenge. They all want to party in Brooklyn until 3-4 am. I want to be in bed by 11. There is a difference in tastes and style every 10 years or so, but I found for the most part I didn't feel "old" around the other students.

28 is still very young. Its a good age and I hope you get in!

 

[sam m]

Thanks Abby. Just as a preface lets remember that selection committees (regardless of what they are selecting) have an ever-changing and seemingly arbitrary process. They pick who they want to pick and often it is influenced my multiple factors that can have less to do with the candidate that we think. There is probably a method to their madness but I don't know what it is. If you asked my how I got selected, I couldnt tell you. That's the truth. All any of us can do is guess.

It's also important to remember that our value as creatives should not be determined by who "picks us." It's important we get some acknowledgement from our peers and if we want to make films for a living we need someone to point their mighty finger at us and say "this person!! everyone look over here!!" but we should spend time connecting with our internal compass of what we think is success.

There is a stage in child development called "self-soothing" when a baby has to learn an internal way to put itself to sleep. Going from tired to asleep to awake without the help of a parent. This is important for crying babies and adult filmmakers

Regarding your application materials, I'd be happy to take a look. You can DM me or post in the portfolio materials forum. I approached my application from a birdseye view and tried to patch any holes I thought I had. Looking at the three major factors:

1. School History (transcripts, GPA, etc)
2. Creative Materials
3. Personal & CV

I have a 3.0 GPA and went to five schools in three states to get my BA. What message could that send to a comittee? How could I bolster that part of my application? Assuming the worse, that the comitee would see me as a twisting-in-the-wind type. Unfocused, maybe. So, I made sure my CV highlighted my work as a newspaper editor, which requires discipline, time management and commitment.

I took a year to film a portfolio piece. Honestly, I made a film I thought film schools would like. I don't feel great about this, because it's sort of playing politics (which I hate) but I did it. I love the film, but I was actively thinking about film school when I made it. I had lots of production experience, so making a short film didn't seem intimidating. I spent about $8,000 on it. This is on par with thesis level budgets at some film schools. If you can do this, try to do it. If you can't do something simple. Maybe focus on acting. Write a scene with two people in a room. Have a dramatic turn. Show you understand angles and characters.

I always hem and haw when I write personal essays. Selection commitees see 100's of personal essays. I took a chance a wrote a less formal essay. It's kinda bold and a little weird. It worked, but who knows. It might have just gotten into the right persons hands on the right day. My personal opinion is you should make sure the essay reflects who you are. Don't "play it safe" be YOU. Be bold. Good writing is important, but make it interesting and so long as you think it reflects who you are as a person, at the end of the day you won't have any regrets. Of course if you are a formal, stiff kind of person, your essay should reflect that!

Because I am delusional and hopeful, I planned for the interviews. In this way. I am a good interview. Comfortable. Conversational. I don't clam up or get weird. I like to visit with people. I'm comfortable with myself (and all my pluses and minuses) so I have some confidence. But I am a 6'6" white man with neck and hand tattoos. The interview was part of the bird's eye view of my candidacy. It takes 5-10 minutes for people to settle in and realize I'm an articulate, engaged interviewee. I need them to hang on. So I made sure there was plenty to talk about, that I had materials that rounded me out as a person and made me worth interviewing. I created questions. Conflicts in the application materials. I didn't explain how I got from Los Angeles to rural Kansas. It was in my materials, but I never addressed directly in my essay. Every interview I had, they aske dme about it and I was prepared with an answer.

I don't know if this was helpful or you now feel overwhelmed. Maybe both? This is how I did it and there are a million other ways to do it. People get in a variety of ways. Some just throw something together and get into like every school. Again, I can't tell you what they are looking for year-to-year or day-to-day, but a well rounded, solid application will probably get you into the conversation. Look at YOU as an artist, your interests, strengths, weaknesses, where you need improvement and if your application reflects that person. Then, it's out of your hands.

I wanna wish you good luck and again, I'd be happy to look at your materials and offer some notes.

I'm getting "This is important for crying babies and adult filmmakers " tattoo'd on my forehead. that shit was so funny

 

[sam m]

I know it's a bit of info dump but the context is important for my questions, I promise!

I got my B.S. in Public Relations from Emerson and since graduating took a year off to travel and write and also because I got my G.E.D. at 16 to skip junior and senior year and scored high enough for college credit, started college at 17, and then finished at 19, taking classes summer, spring, fall, and winter (I've never had a break in my life).

I realized my senior year of college (I completed my four year degree in two years) after taking a writing for television and film class that I wanted to become a show runner. The more and more I learn about show running, the more I know it's the job I was made to do. So I've been writing scripts, and sketches, and video essays (that I post to YouTube in drag @twinkdoesdrag . (The channel is set to premiere videos in 2025 although I have one video up. If you do see that video, just know that it's not my best work. It was on a time-sensitive topic and I had to post as quickly as I could for the algorithm, so the writings not the best and I'm not in drag. I know. Great first impression). My dream is to produce a show I've been writing in my head forever.

That being said I didn't major in film and the closest I've gotten to directing anything with other people is managing 32 college students internationally for a global P.R. campaign competition, and while the skill-set is transferable it still isn't managing them in a capacity related to television or movie production. I'm also taking Shonda Rhimes' MasterClass on writing and getting a certification from N.Y.U. in Writing and Producing for Film & Television.

I finished my travels and am back but the deadline is a tight two months (which is fine I can work under pressure, no problem. Getting stuff in, on time, on budget is supposed to be a showrunner's bread and butter, right? But I don't know what the best use of that time is (besides working on the application). I noticed the programs don't require G.R.E.s but should I take them anyways? Just to see if I get a high score and submit it if I do but skip it if I don't? Do film admissions members even care?

I also have a friend down at the local news station, should I try to get an internship/apprenticeship there? What would the best title and roles and responsibilities to prep me for these programs if I did?

And finally, because I didn't ask enough questions lol, How do I make my application stronger?