Reapplication to USC Film Production for Spring 2012

[nuNRG]

Thanks Aglick! Yup second time applying, I got rejected for the fall. Hope you find out soon!

 

[Adam Shadowchild]

Hey guys,

I've been waitlisted for the spring semester.

Does anybody know the odds of getting accepted off the waitlist?? I'm guessing it's pretty slim for the spring semester as most schools only have fall entrance so nobody will be turning USC down for other schools...

oh well, guess I'll start working on my essays again...

 

[TDub]

Waitlisted here as well. I have never really heard of a waitlist for USC spring. Pretty interesting... I agree with you Mr. Shadowchild. I have always been an optimist, but I am still going to start my Fall apps.

 

[Aglick]

@TDub and Shadowchild:
Congrats on the waitlist. It means there's still hope and someone out there thinks your good enough to get in! I'm guessing from your posts that its not like the fall waitlist (automatic acceptance to the next semester)? Also, how and when did you find out email or regular mail?

 

[TDub]

Thanks Aglick! I found out via email Thursday first, then snail mail came in yesterday.

 

[TDub]

And no, this waitlist did not have an offer for Fall admission attached.

 

[aspectralfire]

Hey guys, just got a rejection letter myself. It's definitely a bummer. nuNRG, did you just resubmit your old materials for the spring, or did you change things around? I'm also trying to decide if it's worth resubmitting the same material.

 

[nuNRG]

I revised my essays a little bit to make them read better, but mainly I shot and submitted a new video.

 

[Aglick]

Hey nuNRG, would you mind sharing the link to your new video with us?

 

[nuNRG]

I'm a little private about sharing my application materials, hope you understand.

 

[emmalinn]

The one thing I've heard continuously, is that USC is the school for connections. In the industry, they call it the USC mafia. The industry is mainly about who you know, so knowing a lot people at USC can help your get you foot in the door. That said, you don't necesarily need to go to USC undergrad to get into the M.F.A. program at USC.

And take this all with a grain of salt, since most of the people I know have only heard about USC mafia experiences from some of their gay mafia friends.

 

[Aglick]

Waitlisted...

 

[creativetype]

Does anyone actually get admitted off the wait list for the spring session?

and

Does being wait listed for spring session give you any kind of advantage for fall reapplication?

 

[Aglick]

@creativetype

I'm guessing this means you've been waitlisted as well? As far as being admitted off the waitlist, my thoughts are a little pessimistic. I figure that USC is the only big school that does spring admissions so anyone that gets in will probably accept... but then again, who knows. As far as the fall session goes, I haven't heard anything about an advantage.

If any of you other waitlistees find out anything about the process that wasn't in the letter (how many are waitlisted, how many usually get in off of it, fall advantage, etc...) please post!

 

[TDub]

@creativetype

Like I have said before, I am an optimist. So, please take this for what it is: my speculation. During the fall admissions process last year, Waitlisters were clearly offered admission to spring of 2012. As soon as they were offered a position on the waitlist, I am sure most accepted. If I were offered admission to another school simultaneously , and occupied a position on the USC spring waitlist, I would probably keep my name on that list JIC (I am always one to keep my options open). In that scenario, when spring rolls around and USC requires a financial commitment from me, a spot would open up for a spring waitlister. All of that, of course, is contingent upon, whether USC requires a financial commitment from Fall waitlisters immediately for the spring semester. That would require the admissions dept. to "store" a larger than normal number on the spring waitlist in order to guarantee a full student body for the spring semester.

Again, these are just my thoughts.

 

[creativetype]

@TDub and @Aglick,

Thanks for your comments. Yes, I was wait listed and honestly, I am thrilled because it sure feels better than outright reject.

I wish had a sense of how many of us are on the list and how many accepted applicants turn down their spots. I called the school today and they said they can't tell me anything.

I couldn't find much on the forum about previous wait listers experiences.

There seems to be 4 of us WLers for USC in this forum topic.

 

[Aglick]

Is nuNRG the only one on this forum who got in? nuNRG, are you accepting your spot? All of us on the waitlist are really hoping you found something better to do with your life lol!

 

[nuNRG]

Haha, sorry to say but I accepted their offer the second I got in. However I'm definitely rooting for you all to get in so we can make amazing movies together!

 

[yonkondy]

I'm a 3rd Semester SC Production MFA guy and I stumbled on here for the first time in a good long while.

I can't say that I envy you guys. What a brutal process this was. And your entire first year for that matter.

First off, I am very happy with my decision to come here. Secondly, USC makes you the 'complete filmmaker', and I've heard that an SC grad is in every writing room and on the set of every show on TV, and so on and so forth.

Secondly, USC is all about connections, networking -- just like the real world but they condense it for you to just who you need to know. Supposedly, anyway.

My major beef with USC right now is the loose focus of the curriculum. Their main goal is to provide the man power for the industry for the foreseeable future -- which is great.

In my first semester producing class, my instructor told our class of 24 or so that "You'll be lucky if one or two of you ever directs a feature film."

Just keep this in mind. It is a wonderful school -- I mean people actually come and take pictures of the buildings you go to school in everyday. But after a while, you realize that it's partly a business too.

Looking back, I wonder if Columbia or NYU, where you can actually concentrate on directing, would have been a better choice. USC is very scatterbrained and makes you feel guilty about saying that you're a director.

You have to earn it. And this often involves a lot of politics, as you will see starting your 3rd Semester when the faculty picks the 546 writers/directors/producers. I think over 60 directors submitted reels for 3 spots.

Good luck!

 

[denverfilm]

I got waitlisted as well, but right now I am working in the industry anyways, so not sure grad school would even be for me. Good luck to those that are wait listed as well and Congrats to those accepted! I work with USC alumni and they all can't say enough good things about it. The above post is correct, there are few spots for the people who direct films, but its better you learn that concept now than out of school. In the real world, barely ANYONE gets to direct a feature, so I think its great USC makes it the same way in school.