Importance of GPA?

[Nana]

Hello all,

I pretty much bombed my undergrad with a 2.5 gpa. I thought I was going into law half the time At nearly 26 I have decided to follow my heart and pursue a masters in screenwriting, but now I am afraid that I screwed up too much in my undergrad. My question is, how important is gpa when it comes to admissions? I am about to spend the next few years of my life volunteering at local theaters and trying to get my work published (I have been writing since I learned how to write), and am hoping that my writing and experience will get me admitted rather than my gpa...

Also, should I pursue either A) another bachelors and get good grades or B) pursue a masters in another field I can get into so I can get into the masters school I want to for screenwriting. My heart is set on Northwestern. I am in love with what I have researched on their program.

Any advice will help immensely! I would like to apply for the fall 2012 school year, but will wait as long as I need to in order to build up my resume.

Thanks ahead!

 

[Nana]

Thanks! I have actually decided to let go of the school thing and just get involved with community writers groups, theaters, and am going to move to Chicago to get involved directly with their theater scene. I don't want to deal with two more years of something that I'm not passionate about in the hopes I may or may not get accepted into a grad program.

 

[Nana]

Okay, so now I'm rethinking. I received a creative writing degree from a high ranking writing program, and had all A's in those classes (but how can you not get an A in a writing course?). If gpa doesn't matter, I guess there is no harm in at least applying and seeing what happens, whilst working in the theater scene. Thanks to both of you!

Oh, and @Witt, New York seems overcrowded with striving and starving artists, and people in general. I can barely stand the crowds in Chicago and I grew up there, I will probably die in New York.
Chicago also has second city, and I plan on taking classes there. I want to write so I can see my work on stage or small screen, I don't care so much about trying to make a name for myself- I just want my work seen, and I need to write. If I could stop writing, I would, but I can't.

 

[One_Girl_Revolution]

Originally posted by Nana:
Okay, so now I'm rethinking. I received a creative writing degree from a high ranking writing program, and had all A's in those classes (but how can you not get an A in a writing course?). If gpa doesn't matter, I guess there is no harm in at least applying and seeing what happens, whilst working in the theater scene. Thanks to both of you!

Oh, and @Witt, New York seems overcrowded with striving and starving artists, and people in general. I can barely stand the crowds in Chicago and I grew up there, I will probably die in New York.
Chicago also has second city, and I plan on taking classes there. I want to write so I can see my work on stage or small screen, I don't care so much about trying to make a name for myself- I just want my work seen, and I need to write. If I could stop writing, I would, but I can't.

I think L.A. is more overcrowded with starving artists. Then again I am biased. I am a native New Yorker. I applied to mostly L.A. schools. There was only one school in New York I was interested in. But I am also open to other options like using my educational background in the Peace Corps.

 

[Nana]

I can't do L.A. because of the superficiality, but then again I go wherever life takes me.

As for your Peace Corps comments, I am currently serving a second year with AmeriCorps VISTA. With AmeriCorps they look for all sorts of backgrounds- I found a few programs that needed people with film and communications experience. there was an amazing program in D.C. where they needed people to help urban youth in low income areas create their very own documentaries.

A former poetry professor of mine used to say all the time that life experience creates something to write about-

 

[One_Girl_Revolution]

Originally posted by Nana:
Okay, so now I'm rethinking. I received a creative writing degree from a high ranking writing program, and had all A's in those classes (but how can you not get an A in a writing course?). If gpa doesn't matter, I guess there is no harm in at least applying and seeing what happens, whilst working in the theater scene. Thanks to both of you!

Oh, and @Witt, New York seems overcrowded with striving and starving artists, and people in general. I can barely stand the crowds in Chicago and I grew up there, I will probably die in New York.
Chicago also has second city, and I plan on taking classes there. I want to write so I can see my work on stage or small screen, I don't care so much about trying to make a name for myself- I just want my work seen, and I need to write. If I could stop writing, I would, but I can't.

btw which school are you considering?

 

[Nana]

Mainly Northwestern. I have looked into AFI, Columbia, San Fran State, Brown, and Brooklyn College, but Northwestern sparked my interest the most. I really like what they have to offer, and I like their proximity to Second City. I think I can learn and gain the most if I combine a grad school writing education and the connections and knowledge I learn there, with classes and attendance at a place like second city. The schools I am looking into are all extremely hard to get into, which is why I freaked out over the gpa thing.

Even without admission into a grad program nothing will stop me from pursuing theater and screenwriting. I just want to learn and experience as much as I possibly can, and grad school helps with that.

 

[One_Girl_Revolution]

Originally posted by Nana:
Mainly Northwestern. I have looked into AFI, Columbia, San Fran State, Brown, and Brooklyn College, but Northwestern sparked my interest the most. I really like what they have to offer, and I like their proximity to Second City. I think I can learn and gain the most if I combine a grad school writing education and the connections and knowledge I learn there, with classes and attendance at a place like second city. The schools I am looking into are all extremely hard to get into, which is why I freaked out over the gpa thing.

Even without admission into a grad program nothing will stop me from pursuing theater and screenwriting. I just want to learn and experience as much as I possibly can, and grad school helps with that.

Not familIar with Northwestern's Requirements. Do they require the GRE?

I recently applied to Columbia, AFI, USC, LMU, AND CalArts. I am taking the GRE for Loyola Marymount.
My main concern is tuition. I am hoping one of these schools is really generous with financial aid. I am not willing to take out a huge loan. I will be working but also hope to receive a fellowship, grants, etc. Started the peace corps application process just in case.

 

[Nana]

The GRE isn't required for their MFA degree. I am going to call them after winter break to see if they would look at a GRE score because of the low GPA, and how I can make my application better.

For a portion of the residency you are given freshman classes to teach for lowered tuition- that's the only way I can afford to do grad. school.

 

[M Dawg]

I've heard GPA is of almost no importance for most programs, except that many schools have 3.0/1000 GRE requirements (for the school in general, not the program), and you need to petition or talk with the school first to get in. Last year plenty of people got accepted with sub 3.0 GPAs, even into the top programs.

Apply! The worst that can happen is you won't get in. And then you can apply again. It's what I'm doing after I got rejected everywhere last year.

 

[Nana]

I love reading that others do that, because it gives me the motivation for myself. Thanks!

 

[One_Girl_Revolution]

Originally posted by Nana:
The GRE isn't required for their MFA degree. I am going to call them after winter break to see if they would look at a GRE score because of the low GPA, and how I can make my application better.

For a portion of the residency you are given freshman classes to teach for lowered tuition- that's the only way I can afford to do grad. school.

GRE may help you. Universities like Chapman accept the GRE if the applicant's GPA is below a 3.0

 

[M Dawg]

After getting rejected last year, I did a lot of research regarding what film schools value. Pretty simply, they want two things: writing ability and a decent creative sample (which is also writing-related in the case of screenwriting programs), in that order of importance. Writing ability matters more than anything.

Take the GREs (and definitely buy a book) and do what you can to improve your application, but don't worry unduly about grades or board scores. It sounds like you have a background in and passion for creative writing and a legitimate interest in turning that into a career. That will serve you better than all the academics in the world. I have astronomically high GREs and grades alike, but I'm not a very good creative writer and I was rejected first-round from each program to which I applied. On the other hand, lots of applicants with sub-1000 GREs and sub-3.0 GPAs were admitted to top programs. So this year I busted my ass on the statement of purpose and creative sample. Anyhow, just figured I'd chime in again based on the fact that I had the opposite problem and took a year to even figure that out (fingers crossed it goes better this time).

 

[Nana]

You just diminished all self doubt and worry. Well, not all, but a lot of it

Good luck this time around!

 

[One_Girl_Revolution]

Originally posted by One_Girl_Revolution:

Originally posted by M Dawg:
After getting rejected last year, I did a lot of research regarding what film schools value. Pretty simply, they want two things: writing ability and a decent creative sample (which is also writing-related in the case of screenwriting programs), in that order of importance. Writing ability matters more than anything.

Take the GREs (and definitely buy a book) and do what you can to improve your application, but don't worry unduly about grades or board scores. It sounds like you have a background in and passion for creative writing and a legitimate interest in turning that into a career. That will serve you better than all the academics in the world. I have astronomically high GREs and grades alike, but I'm not a very good creative writer and I was rejected first-round from each program to which I applied. On the other hand, lots of applicants with sub-1000 GREs and sub-3.0 GPAs were admitted to top programs. So this year I busted my ass on the statement of purpose and creative sample. Anyhow, just figured I'd chime in again based on the fact that I had the opposite problem and took a year to even figure that out (fingers crossed it goes better this time).

Did you apply to LMU last year? Admissions doesn't ask for a bunch of creative writing materials. Just a personal statement, visual sample, and Gre score 1000 or better.

 

[One_Girl_Revolution]

Originally posted by One_Girl_Revolution:

Originally posted by Nana:
You just diminished all self doubt and worry. Well, not all, but a lot of it

Good luck this time around!

Are you looking into getting an MFA in Playwriting or specifically screenwriting? Because I heard Sarah Lawrence had a good playwriting MFA program. It is located in Westchester county, outside of Manhattan.

Some schools say specifically an applicant must have a 3.0 or better. I never looked into Northwestern's requirements. I assume you already looked into it and there is no minimum requirement. I know for sure Columbia and USC care about writing samples more than GPA. Each school is different.

 

[Nana]

I looked into sarah lawrence, and although their program is great, it specifically requires above a 3.0. Northwestern didn't have a gpa requirement, but it's a top university, and almost all people admitted have 3.5 and above. The graduate school posted that most people have 3.5 range.

I want to develop as a playwrite because I hold more interest in how people interact on stage, and the emotion and energy that is unique to plays. I think that the subject material of plays is much more raw than that of screen. I have performed in plays before, and the energy you receive from performing in front of a live audience, on a wooden stage, is exhilerating. You know that there are people in front of you listening to every word and they are part of your world, but you are also in a different one. And to have my words performed in such a way...

But, I also want the opportunity to learn about screenwriting- that is why I am interested in Northwesterns program. They allow you to focus on both.

 

[One_Girl_Revolution]

Originally posted by Nana:
I looked into sarah lawrence, and although their program is great, it specifically requires above a 3.0. Northwestern didn't have a gpa requirement, but it's a top university, and almost all people admitted have 3.5 and above. The graduate school posted that most people have 3.5 range.

I want to develop as a playwrite because I hold more interest in how people interact on stage, and the emotion and energy that is unique to plays. I think that the subject material of plays is much more raw than that of screen. I have performed in plays before, and the energy you receive from performing in front of a live audience, on a wooden stage, is exhilerating. You know that there are people in front of you listening to every word and they are part of your world, but you are also in a different one. And to have my words performed in such a way...

But, I also want the opportunity to learn about screenwriting- that is why I am interested in Northwesterns program. They allow you to focus on both.

I think you should apply to Northwestern. I agree about theatre being more raw than the screen. Afterall, film did originate from theatre. I think you will have no problem getting your point across to admissions how passionate you are about writing for the stage and screen.

Good luck!

 

[Nana]

I am about to miss the deadline, but I WILL apply, despite gpa, next fall. Thanks to those of you who posted on here

And good luck to all of you!