LMU Film School Applications 2018

Nacho

Member
Hello everyone,

I thought that I would start a thread for all those that are planning on applying to LMU since the deadline is starting to get close. Anyone else that is active on this website also applying?
 
Have you given your GRE btw?
Yes, I just had the scores sent.

I am a domestic student also applying to the Film and TV Production MFA program. I am a little confused on how to upload/send the visual samples. Are we suppose to e-mail the PDF of the written samples and the links to the visual samples just to the graduate department email? There doesn't seem to be a spot to upload the creative materials on the supplemental materials website.
 
Hi @Nacho I'm sry for being late by ages...I haven't synced this mail id with my phone and I didn't get a prompt for ur reply....I mailed the exact same question to the University and I am pasting the reply exactly as I got it-
"
You may include the link to the short film and include links to additional work within the supplemental pdf. The pdf should contain your personal statement creative samples – including the link(s) to your films, portfolio and resume."

Hope this helps. I am applying to the same program too.

btw after we r done with the online application are we supposed to take a printout or something and mail the application physically to them. Some universities ask for this. I have sent the other scores and transcripts but not sure abt this one.Let me know!

My ID is mramgautham90@gmail.com

Let's be in touch! Hope that we both get in. :)
 
Is anyone still active in this forum? Anyone who applied to the LMU Film and Television Production MFA Program?
 
Hi @snoopdog I got my admit just strday! LMU was my top choice as it seemed to be the cheapest among the good film schools in LA with some solid industry connections too. I think I will be going to LMU. Anyone else got in?!
 
Hi @snoopdog I got my admit just strday! LMU was my top choice as it seemed to be the cheapest among the good film schools in LA with some solid industry connections too. I think I will be going to LMU. Anyone else got in?!

Congratulations! That's great to hear!
Did you apply to the Film and Television Production MFA? Did you apply to any other schools? I can't find anywhere how much tuition is at LMU, would you be able to share that with me?
I am still waiting to hear back from LMU and USC, and I got accepted at Chapman. However, Chapman is extremely expensive with little financial aid resources, so I am hoping to hear back from LMU.. Also since LMU's location is more ideal.
What are the reasons (related to the program and education offered at LMU) for LMU to be your first choice?
 
Hi @snoopdog glad to hear u got into Chapman! It's a really good school. I think Chapman used to be a little cheaper a few years back, but had raised their tuition in the last few yrs( I'm not sure).

I am a Production MFA Applicant, yes! I am an international student from India(are u one?!). I would really prefer to study at the heart of Hollywood if I do my film school in the States. And, also like you, as an MFA isn't as much a lucrative course (as in you can't guarantee a high paying job right after graduation), I would like to keep my debt to a minimum.

The Hollywood Reporter's Top 25 Film Schools 2017 lists LMU at the 8th Spot, right next to Chapman and Cal Arts, and shows a fee of roughly 22k per year for graduate study in film. I did a Google search for "Graduate Cost of Attendance LMU" and found that for SFTV it is approx 40k per year. I have sent a mail asking for the COA, on the off chance that I might be wrong, if the 40k is just for one single semester I'm doomed! If not, this is pretty much manageable for me, even without scholarships. And for a school at the heart of the industry, I think it's a very good tradeoff, compared to the biggies!

I had also heard that LMU is a well connected film school with lots of intern opportunities once you graduate. You see the interviews of the professors and students online and you can see that they have a collaborative approach to learning rather than a highly(and sometimes blindly) competitive environment like say USC. I am someone who performs well in a small, intimate environment (the class size is12 at LMU), rather than a large, super-intensive environment. So LMU seemed to be the best fit for me!

My only better choice is AFI! I have been interviewed already and waiting for the results on April 2. USC and NYU had not contacted me yet. So rit now it's LMU or AFI(with scholarships)!

Good luck with your admissions mate! I hope you get into your first choice and best fit school!
 
Hi @snoopdog glad to hear u got into Chapman! It's a really good school. I think Chapman used to be a little cheaper a few years back, but had raised their tuition in the last few yrs( I'm not sure).

I am a Production MFA Applicant, yes! I am an international student from India(are u one?!). I would really prefer to study at the heart of Hollywood if I do my film school in the States. And, also like you, as an MFA isn't as much a lucrative course (as in you can't guarantee a high paying job right after graduation), I would like to keep my debt to a minimum.

The Hollywood Reporter's Top 25 Film Schools 2017 lists LMU at the 8th Spot, right next to Chapman and Cal Arts, and shows a fee of roughly 22k per year for graduate study in film. I did a Google search for "Graduate Cost of Attendance LMU" and found that for SFTV it is approx 40k per year. I have sent a mail asking for the COA, on the off chance that I might be wrong, if the 40k is just for one single semester I'm doomed! If not, this is pretty much manageable for me, even without scholarships. And for a school at the heart of the industry, I think it's a very good tradeoff, compared to the biggies!

I had also heard that LMU is a well connected film school with lots of intern opportunities once you graduate. You see the interviews of the professors and students online and you can see that they have a collaborative approach to learning rather than a highly(and sometimes blindly) competitive environment like say USC. I am someone who performs well in a small, intimate environment (the class size is12 at LMU), rather than a large, super-intensive environment. So LMU seemed to be the best fit for me!

My only better choice is AFI! I have been interviewed already and waiting for the results on April 2. USC and NYU had not contacted me yet. So rit now it's LMU or AFI(with scholarships)!

Good luck with your admissions mate! I hope you get into your first choice and best fit school!

Thanks so much for your answer!
I'm an international applicant as well (The Netherlands). I have studied in New York for 4 years for my Bachelor's with an athletic scholarship. I graduated in 2016.
I had an in-person interview at Chapman at the begin of February and they showed me around the campus/facilities and I was able to sit in on a Directing class.

After my experience in the USA for my Bachelor's degree, I've come to realise how important it is to choose a school that has a lot of experience with international students for post-graduation. My college in the US completely dropped me after I graduated and that entirely screwed up my chances of staying in the USA. Therefore, your point of choosing LMU for its location and also its encouraging nature of doing internships etc. is a HUGE point.
At Chapman, about 40% of the student body is international. However, when I visited, the teacher's seemed to strongly discourage internships during school, because the program is intense and they want you to focus on that (makes sense). And, they were not able to really support international students upon post-graduation. I asked around at some current students and faculty, and it seemed like almost all of the international students return to their home countries. This is something I am trying to prevent, and I am assuming you are too according to your points.

So for people like us it's really important to get work experience and network while at school for the opportunities that will hopefully arise upon post-graduation. I will need to make a $1000 deposit to secure my spot at Chapman by next week, the difficult part is that I have not heard back from any of the other schools. Hope to hear back from LMU (with good news) this week.
Do you happen to know if acceptances are still going out?
And how much time do you have to secure your admission at LMU and is there a deposit?

AFI is an incredible program as well. Did you apply to the directing emphasis at AFI?
 
I applied to LMU's TV program, but haven't heard anything yet. Debating between there and BU because they gave me a really hefty scholarship. Really interested in LMU though because I'd like to be in LA. I'm stateside so I'm hoping they're still releasing acceptances.
 
I haven't reverece the official acceptance mail from LMU yet. The mail stated that they wanted me to know in advance that I have been selected. So you guys can really expect to receive decisions shortly. And @snoopdog mate I really hope that you receive ur admit before this week. 1000 Dollars is big money.

I had applied to the directing discipline at AFI mate. I'm sharing the link here. My post is on Page 4. But there are lots of useful links for AFI interview prep in this thread. Hope this helps.

AFI Directing 2018

I completely understand the predicament you are in. I was really hoping to hear from USC and NYU, but I haven't heard a single word from em yet. Atleast USC used to send me updates now and then. NYU went totally cold. No updates and no responses to the many mails I had sent.(Let me know if there's a way to reach them) I think getting into these two schools is a far stretch now, let alone getting in with scholarships. But I really do hope you are in a position to take a calculated decision before the deposit deadline at Chapman mate.

And thanks for sharing your concerns mate. They really made sense and seems super important. I had sent most of the questions to my admissions contact at LMU, especially the ones regarding diversity, OPT, Cost of Attendance and Scholarship options. I will let you guys know once I get a reply.

@Hannaheh I was waitlisted at BU. But, congrats on ur admit and the scholarship! I read somewhere that BU gives out pretty good scholarships to all the accepted students, since they accept only a handful. Glad that you got in. Like I said you can expect a result soon from LMU. Hoping that you get into LMU too! And do you have any idea about the cost of attendance per year at LMU (I am of the opinion that it's around 40k,is it?).

Also share your reasons for choosing LMU over BU, or vice versa. It might help us make better, informed decisions. Cheers!
 
Received the same informal email notifying me of acceptance into LMU's program. Like Ram, not sure the details regarding cost/financial aid. I have an interview Thursday at Chapman. Other than that still waiting on USC, UCLA, AFI.
 
@Jason Since ur from LA mate, how does LMU compare to the biggies like AFI, USC, UCLA.

Bare in mind that my opinions are based on very limited information. I took a summer program at UCLA (not extension, but the TFT professional program). I honestly left unimpressed. While the quality of guests were top notch, the school (and the professors) seemed very tired and dull. Overall, I didn't get the energy which I saw at schools like USC and Chapman. I interviewed at AFI and spoke to some current fellows there. The curriculum seems really hands on, which is great. And, from what I've hear, the school will give you all the tools you need to tell stories with moving images. Like UCLA, their facilities were really outdated. AFI is literally in Hollywood (meaning traffic) and UCLA and USC are the traditional college experience (large campuses + traffic). AFI is a very small school though and feels very intimate, which is great. LMU is beautiful and in a great location (I'm not a fan of Los Angeles but love the west side (Santa Monica, Venice, Marina Del Ray, etc...). Like the rest of the schools, they are what you make of them. You never know who you'll meet or where you'll meet them. At the end of the day, if you're going to be a successful filmmaker then you're going to be a successful filmmaker, film school or not. If I decide that getting an MFA is right for me, I'm likely going to make a decision based on proximity and cost.

An aside. I'm currently taking film classes at Santa Monica College and I have to say that I am blown away. I pay about $150 per 3-credit class (in state). The new film school building is 5x as nice as UCLA and AFI and SOME professors are top quality (many used to teach at NYU, UCLA, AFI). There are a few drawbacks. One is the curriculum. You can take about 1.5 years worth of credits (the beginner stuff is very beginner) before you've done everything the school has to offer. Two, only a handful of students in each class are "serious" about becoming filmmakers. I understand this is a huge deal, which is why I'm still considering an MFA.
 
Hi @Ram GM - I actually went to BU for undergrad (double majored in Film/TV and advertising) and absolutely loved the program and the professors, but some health stuff came up towards the end of my undergrad, so I missed out on some of the really great stuff about BU's program like thesis production for upperclassmen and the LA program.

After being out of commission for a few years - I talked with some friends and professors in the industry and they all encouraged me to pursue an MFA for a 'fast track'/to ease the transition back into the industry. I can't say enough good things about BU. The vast majority of the professors are engaging and really care about the students. Classes are small and feedback is constructive.

That being said, if I'm going to go back I'd kind of like to try something new and my professors speak really highly about LMU's program. Plus there's obvious pros to being on the west coast and networking. Fingers crossed I hear something soon.

As far as BU's tuition, I don't have a firm number on that for you yet, but I'd estimate about 40k too. Maybe we'll still end up at the same school! Best of luck everyone.
 
Hi everyone, I just received the good news that I have been admitted to LMU!
It was an unofficial email saying that I can expect an official email within 3 weeks and they will be phoning me within 2 weeks. Any of the other admits, have you been phoned yet? Would love to hear what they ask and talk about.
Good luck to those who are still waiting to hear back!
 
Hi everyone, I just received the good news that I have been admitted to LMU!
It was an unofficial email saying that I can expect an official email within 3 weeks and they will be phoning me within 2 weeks. Any of the other admits, have you been phoned yet? Would love to hear what they ask and talk about.
Good luck to those who are still waiting to hear back!
I have not been phoned. I am hoping that the admission packet comes in the mail sometime this week.
 
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