USC '09

[jesster]

Does anyone know if mostly USC MFA kids finish in 3 years? I really hope so, after finding out tuition is 19,000 a semester.

Cries.

 

[Jayimess]

It's up to you, and depends on what you want from the program...I was at graduation this year, saw a handful of production friends who got out in six or seven semesters, and two that got out in five.

 

[Jayimess]

oh...19K a semester? No freaking way. It's a unit system, but it's usually about 25K per year, in my experience thus far.

 

[jesster]

Wow, really? I was just looking at the website and it says for both undergrads and grads it's 19,000 a semester. But that's great to hear!!

 

[Jayimess]

Like I said, it's by units, not a flat fee...Cinema has its own fee schedule.

I assume you were looking at the general fee schedule, but if you had scrolled down a bit, you'd have seen that it clearly states on that page that cinema doesn't pay a flat fee, it pays per unit.

 

[taraberyl]

i want desperately to believe that but on the usc film pae's site it says:

2008-2009 Tuition:
$47,844 (15-18 units for two semesters)

 

[TDK120]

Yeah, but if you look at the requirements per semester, it adds up to 12 units. Which adds up to a little over Jayimess's $25K figure. But that $47K number is terrifying.

Jayimess? You wanna weigh in and ease all our minds?

 

[Jayimess]

A bunch of doomsday folk, you people are, skipping right past the 8-14 unit, $26K figure to the evil, vicious 15-18 unit, $47K figure, as if the better, happier scenario did not exist at all.

I don't mean to be condescending in this next bit, but y'all are talking crazy, so maybe I have to?

You're going to need x amount of units to graduate, folks. These are DEGREE REQUIREMENTS. I will use my own degree as an example.

MFA, WST requires 44 units, prescribed over two years. Typically 10 in each fall, 12 in each semester, for 22 per year.

For this year, tuition was $1379 per unit.

Stop thinking of the tuition in flat rates. Most production students do 8-10 units per semester.

If, like the example you all keep clinging to, you take 18 units per semester, you would have more than enough credits to graduate with an MFA in production in just three semesters.

That's not how it works.

They'll get the tuition from you eventually, but not in huge chunks like that.


Also...if you can take 18 credits a semester, you're my effing hero. That's 5-9 classes. One semester I took 5, usually it's just 3 or 4. They're too intense to do much more than that.


Does that make sense, you worrywarts??

 

[cschu011]

yes but most people want graduate quickly and get into their career.

So the 8 - 14 unit isnt always the best choice.

So they have a right to worry.

 

[Jayimess]

You can't finish an MFA in three semesters, there are course sequences, etc, that prevent that from being possible.

The point remains...USC's tuition is not $19K a semester. It is (in 2008, anyway) just under $1400 a unit.

And it's pretty much impossible to take 18 units, so 8-14 units is almost always the right choice. Personally, I get and give less when I'm overbooked, so I chose to focus on my script thesis this year, and focus on production classes during my optional third year, rather than graduate without the production coursework or take them concurrently. It is a personal choice.

So, again, I repeat, there is no need to worry about it being $19K per semester, because it's practically impossible.

As I said, they will get the tuition from you eventually, so it is important to comprehend that tuition is charged on a PER UNIT BASIS. Not a flat rate.

Thus, 8 units costs less than 10 costs less than 12 costs less than 14 costs less than 15 costs less than 18.

I don't know how to make this any more clear to y'all.

 

[psufilmgirl]

Hey Jayimess~

I'm going to invest in a MAC when I start. Are there any benefits for waiting til I'm a student? Like, can I get it through the school cheaper?

Just wanted to see if you knew anything about that!

Thanks!

 

[taraberyl]

requirements for production are higher than the writing program. the minimum to graduate in 2 years is 12 credits a semester, which - without rates going up, as they are likely to - means about 35k a year in tuition....

could anyone weigh in on the likelihood/availability of financial aid/scholarships/other forms of funding (aside from student loans)?
are there more funding options available in year 2?
what percentage of students receive some form of aid?


thank you!!!!!

 

[Jayimess]

You ABSOLUTELY can't graduate the production program in two years. As I mentioned above, course sequencing prevents that from being possible. It's a three year program, 52 units minimum.

I'm trying to get you guys to stop thinking in a "per year" manner...please think in terms of units when estimating your tuition costs. To think of USC as costing $19K a semester for 6 semesters minimum is horrifying, and it's also false.

Most students get financial aid of some sort, it's on the website the exact percentage, I'm sure.

Production students especially have the opportunity for TONS of assistantships beginning semester two, though I believe you have to work in the SCA somewhere semester one (called a level one job) to qualify. The longer you're there, the better assistantship opportunities exist.

Scholarships are applied for in Spring, and awarded once per year, so Spring admits have less time "on their own," actually, because they can apply during their first semester, unlike the fall admits, who can't apply until their second term.

PSU:::USC has its own Apple Store online, like most universities, but you might even be able to buy through it right now, I vaguely remember someone saying there's no verification process. Go to the website and check. There are discounts. Certain stuff, though, like software through journeyed.com, makes you prove enrollment and stuff.

 

[KayS]

What kind of Mac are you planning on getting, PSU? I have one, the least expensive Macbook, I believe...and I sort of wish I had a pro. I've had this one for about 2 years. Or maybe I'm just a PC girl and I'm using my Macbook wrong.

 

[psufilmgirl]

Kay,

I think I'm gonna get the one that's like $1800. It's the giant screen. I figured Final Cut would run better on it. I also already have a dell laptop that's pink and I want to keep it, lol. I just got an email from apple and they do offer a student discount, so I think that answers my question.

And I'm a PC girl as well, but they don't compare for graphics and editing. It's pretty upsetting

 

[taraberyl]

Can one apply to the same school in 2 concentrations? Like USC in both the writing track and the production track? To see where they get in, and/or if they can get some modest form of aid in one dept. and not the other?

or would that could as a strike against them? for not seeming focused enough?

it seems to me that, at usc for example, the writing program comes out to be significantly less expensive.

(Side question - production grads at usc theoretically can graduate with both a short and a screenplay...writing grads have at least 2 screenplays...but what are some other advantages offered solely to one concentrate? is the pitchfest open only to writing concentrates?)

THANK YOU for any insights and responses, they are much appreciated.

 

[Jayimess]

You can apply to both. The people I've heard of who do so have been crit studies second choices, though, with PR or WST as 1st choice...and they only got into CS. Take that as you will, but I don't know anyone who did put a second choice and got into their first. That doesn't mean it can't happen, though!!

They are trying to phase out the "writing your way out" script thesis for PR students...they want you in production. But you can write a feature in PR, and take all those other production classes, too, that are closed to writing students...and specialize in any other fields, too.

Pitchfest is a part of First Look and open only to PR students. First Pitch is only open to WST students. First Pitch is by far the superior event, PR students will agree.

 

[taraberyl]

thanks so much jayimess, your insight is always so helpful.
i do wonder what makes first pitch superior to pitchfest...better guests? more exclusive?

 

[TDK120]

Jayimess -- Got a question for you about loans. On our FAFSA forms we had to choose between full or part time. I chose full time (15+ units). Now that I see I'll only be taking the ten or twelve units required for the degree, I'm not sure what my status will be.

I'm concerned only because I'm not sure how this will affect how much I can borrow in student loans. I assume the financial aid office will lower my estimated cost of attendance substantially when they see that I'm only taking ten units.

Any thoughts on how much loan money us WST MFA's can borrow?

Thanks as always!

 

[Jayimess]

8 units is full time for grad school. You're fine, we all check "full time" on our fafsas.

You're just fine! Budgets are made for 10 hours, but if you go over, just tell the FAO and they'll adjust accordingly...

First Pitch is a heavily planned, coordinated event. The people in charge work on it for over an entire year, it's at the Four Seasons, etc, and just finished its seventh year. It's a professional headhunting event of sorts.

FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD...and only from what I've heard, Pitchfest is more like a soft opening of a restaurant. Good things can happen, but the students don't seem to expect much from it. I'm not sure where it is held, but it's about a a third of the size of First Pitch, with less of the big names. It's to be expected: the Production program doesn't turn out as many writers as we do.