UCLA Screenwriting MFA 2013

[thehamm99]

You could say the same for ______ (fill in the blank) master's degree.

It can be argued that there is more than just further education that one can get from attending a top notch mfa program.

I get your points though, which is why I didn't apply at certain schools because I just wouldn't be willing to carry law school sized debt with an mfa in screenwriting.

 

[secretteachings]

Hi everyone. I received an email late last night, inviting me to interview. I'm in California, a couple hours outside of LA. Of course I am excited, but I'm really sorry to hear that people have been having their interview offers revoked. That's rough. It's like Al Gore getting the presidency taken away from him in 2000. They need to quit toying with peoples' emotions!

 

[ath579]

@secretteachings, Congratulations on receiving an interview. I find it quite contradicting that their email to me stated that my interview would no longer be held because they didn't have the resources to do so this year, though I had first been contacted about an interview a month ago. (I was contacted twice).

 

[rmarquez]

I just don't understand why they haven't gotten with the times and scheduled interviews through skype. I know other universities do that why not UCLA??

 

[thehamm99]

I was offered skype, but I choose to interview in person.

 

[jeremy's sea]

Yup, they offered me skype as well.

 

[rmarquez]

Originally posted by thehamm99:
I was offered skype, but I choose to interview in person.

Well then ath579's comment makes less sense.

 

[ath579]

Yeah, I'm very confused. I'm not the only to have been invited for an interview, and then later withdrawn from the interview process. Last night I sent them a very long and detailed email that criticized them greatly.

 

[Hiram Bingham]

I just wanted to offer my take on the whole rescinded interview thing. First, this is not an attempt to excuse them (seriously, it's Bush League but if you want to be a screenwriter, get used to it) but to offer some insight.

This year will be my third interview, I've attended the Professional Program and I know a number of instructors, people who've been through the program, and a bunch currently in it. Last year, my interviewer was an instructor I knew and he let me know that he gave me his highest recommendation and I didn't get in. If you can't get in with an interviewers highest recommendation, what is it for?

Well, the MFA Interviews are a fairly recent development. They used to base admission solely the submitted materials until an unfortunate situation developed with an unstable student.

They have a fairly good idea of who they want in already, the interview is just to make sure you're not a nutjob.

My point is, if you had your interview cancelled, you haven't lost a chance to get in, it means you already weren't getting in. I don't mean that to be harsh, but there's no other way to put it.

It also means you can write. If you get an interview, you can write, but your statement of purpose didn't wow them. By the way, the Statement of Purpose should be written like a personal statement, FYI. I made that mistake my first year (writing about my career goals, work ethic, that kind of stuff), and when I tell people associated with the program about it, they just shake their head and go, "No, no, no".

 

[ath579]

Those are some good insights, but I respectfully disagree. A school wouldn't invite you to interview if they weren't considering you. Something must have triggered them to replace those that were withdrew. I don't mean to sound overly confident, because by no means am I, but I sent the exact same statement of purpose to AFI. It's not a career-goals-resume type of thing, at all.

 

[ath579]

And the fact that the email they sent makes absolutely no sense grammatically (it seriously is incredibly poorly written) and is from a third party that shows no UCLA credentials speaks miles about the professionalism of their application process.

 

[crusader10]

i agree to disagree in sense to everyones remarks and insights. i just received the "explanation" email and i understand mistakes do happen. the email also stated i may or may not be (wasnt exactly clear) recommended for the professional program. if i am im going to jump at the opportunity to gain more experience.

 

[rmarquez]

Originally posted by crusader10:
i agree to disagree in sense to everyones remarks and insights. i just received the "explanation" email and i understand mistakes do happen. the email also stated i may or may not be (wasnt exactly clear) recommended for the professional program. if i am im going to jump at the opportunity to gain more experience.

You don't have to be recommended to apply to the professional program. I wasn't and still got in.

How come no one has posted the alleged email in here. Very curious to how it was worded.

 

[ath579]

I feel like it's an unethical thing to do, to post it online. I don't want anyone that visits the forum to judge the school's program based on that tiny application detail. (though I have)

 

[ath579]

Also, the explanation email doesn't actually explain anything. It's just the school back-peddling on itself.

 

[rmarquez]

Originally posted by ath579:
I feel like it's an unethical thing to do, to post it online. I don't want anyone that visits the forum to judge the school's program based on that tiny application detail. (though I have)

That ship sailed when you and the other applicants decided to post their comments on this forum.

 

[ath579]

Yes, the other applicants and I who've expressed disdain at having our interviews withdrawn are in the wrong. That makes sense.

 

[rmarquez]

Originally posted by ath579:
Yes, the other applicants and I who've expressed disdain at having our interviews withdrawn are in the wrong. That makes sense.

I'm not saying that your in the wrong, but you can't really state that you do not wish to give the school a bad name and then turn around and talk about their bad practices.

I absolutely believe that the school is in the wrong. It actually happened last year with me and the rejection email that I got, which did not even have the school's logo. I sincerely hope the school corrects their practices for future applicants.

Regardless of it being ethical or not, you and the other applicants brought this issue up in the first place and because of the tone of those post, it left the rest of us wondering how the email was actually worded.

To be honest if I get rejected with the same type of email I got last year, you bet I'll post it on this forum. A school's rejection letter should be as professional as any other from of communication from the school.

 

[ath579]

Not once in this entire application process have I received an email that was officially associated with the school. I agree with you completely on the professionalism.
But I keep my stance on the email. There's a difference between expressing my opinion and then posting something that wasn't meant to be posted here.

 

[thehamm99]

Originally posted by Hiram Bingham:
I just wanted to offer my take on the whole rescinded interview thing. First, this is not an attempt to excuse them (seriously, it's Bush League but if you want to be a screenwriter, get used to it) but to offer some insight.

This year will be my third interview, I've attended the Professional Program and I know a number of instructors, people who've been through the program, and a bunch currently in it. Last year, my interviewer was an instructor I knew and he let me know that he gave me his highest recommendation and I didn't get in. If you can't get in with an interviewers highest recommendation, what is it for?

Well, the MFA Interviews are a fairly recent development. They used to base admission solely the submitted materials until an unfortunate situation developed with an unstable student.

They have a fairly good idea of who they want in already, the interview is just to make sure you're not a nutjob.

My point is, if you had your interview cancelled, you haven't lost a chance to get in, it means you already weren't getting in. I don't mean that to be harsh, but there's no other way to put it.

It also means you can write. If you get an interview, you can write, but your statement of purpose didn't wow them. By the way, the Statement of Purpose should be written like a personal statement, FYI. I made that mistake my first year (writing about my career goals, work ethic, that kind of stuff), and when I tell people associated with the program about it, they just shake their head and go, "No, no, no".

"They have a fairly good idea of who they want in already, the interview is just to make sure you're not a nutjob."

Based on what you've said, I would conclude that you believe you must have just done completely, horribly bad in the interviews you've had? (The only alternative would be that they think you're a nutjob).

Aside from the personal statement, have they given you any insight as to what you needed to improve to get in?

Good luck to you.
Maybe the third time is the charm.